Page 63 of The Bear's Mail Order Mate

“Now, I am intrigued,” Molly said, a steely glint in her eye.

“It’s nothing,” Dante said with a wave of his hand. “Just two old friends catching up.”

Cassia leaned down and hissed, “We are not friends.” Then she slipped her hand into Kris’s, who had stood next to her steadfast and true, and turned her back on Dante.

For he was her past and Kris was her future.

“You were incredible, as always,” Kris said as he circled his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms once they were out of sight of their guests.

“No, we are incredible,” she replied, confidence shining through her smile. “And now the world will see that, too. With this restaurant. The wine. Your family.”

As Kris lowered his head and kissed her, she knew one thing for certain.

Dante’s hold over her was broken.

Her future was here, at Thornberg Vineyard, in Kris’s loving arms.

This mail-order mate was exactly where she belonged.

Epilogue

Kris gently swirled the wine in his glass, watching the rich ruby liquid catch the moonlight filtering in through the tasting room windows. The scent filled his senses, notes of ripe berries, a whisper of spice, and a lingering sweetness reminiscent of the very woman he’d created it for.

Cassia.

She had changed his life in so many ways. How had he lived before her? She was his mate, his partner, his best friend, the heart of his entire world.

She owns our heart,his bear said.

And our soul,Kris added.

He lifted the glass and took a slow, measured sip. Instantly, memories flooded his mind, carried on the delicate notes of the wine. Their first meeting, that accidental ad, Finn’s innocent mistake. Which now felt like the most beautiful act of fate imaginable.

She’ll love it,his bear said confidently.

Kris took another critical sip.You think so?

Of course,his bear replied with a soft growl.It tastes exactly how she makes us feel.

Kris chuckled. His bear was right. Cassia’s warmth, her strength, her playful charm, and the undeniable fire of their bond were woven into every drop. He’d named this special vintageCassia’s Heart. It was a declaration of his love for his mate.

Your version of shouting it from the highest mountain peak,his bear said.

Something like that,Kris agreed, his thoughts consumed by the woman he loved.

“Kris?” Cassia’s voice drifted softly from the doorway, pulling him from his musings. He turned, and his heart still skipped at the sight of her, silhouetted against the moonlight.

“I’m right here,” he called, setting the glass down.

“What are you doing in here all alone?” she asked lightly, slipping her hand into his. He closed his eyes for a moment, reveling in the current of recognition that flowed between them.

“I’ve been working on something,” he confessed. “Something special.”

Cassia raised an eyebrow, teasing. “You have been in here blending wine when you should have been in bed with me?”

He laughed, guiding her closer to the tasting table, closer to him. “Wait until you taste it.” He reached for a second glass, carefully pouring her a glass of Cassia’s Heart. “This one is unique.”

“Unique how?” She took the glass he offered and raised it to her nose, her eyes closing as she breathed in the aroma.

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