Bonus Content #1

AUDREY

Boyd held my hand as we strolled through the Sunday Farmer’s Market in Cooper Valley’s town square. Colorful canopies in yellow, white, green and blue dotted the plaza where local farmers and ranchers and artisans hocked their wares.

My body felt raw and limber and well-sexed. Boyd had been worshipping it for three nights straight now. I had his bite mark covered with a light gauze bandage, but it was healing nicely. Not shifter-fast, but certainly faster than I would’ve expected. It must have something to do with the healing properties of his saliva.

Of course, the doctor in me wanted to study it all—to know how his physiology differed from mine and what it all meant. Boyd asked me not to go there though, for the comfort and safety of the pack and their secrets, and I agreed.

A young couple pushing a baby in a stroller smiled widely at us. At first, I thought they recognized Boyd, the town’s rodeo celebrity, but then I realized they were waving at me.

“Hi, Dr. Ames.”

“Oh!” I waved back. “I delivered that cute baby!”

“Aw, looks like you did a marvelous job.” Boyd looked over, squeezing my hand. “You think our pups will be that chunky?”

I laughed. “I don’t know. I hope so. I love fat babies. They’re so yummy. Not that petite babies aren’t adorable, too.”

Boyd tugged me over to a stand selling fresh squeezed watermelon lemonade. “You have to try this, darlin’. It’s like sunshine in a cup.” A beautiful, muscular blonde twenty-something in short jean shorts and a tank top and tattoos down her arms was running the juicer, pushing watermelon meat into the grinder.

“Give me a large, Shelby,” Boyd said to her. Leaning over to me, he murmured in my ear, “Shifter.”

He’d been giving me the rundown on everyone in the pack. He’d introduced me to his ranch hands with the edict that if they didn’t treat me with the utmost respect, he’d kick their asses. He said I’d meet the whole pack at their next meeting.

“Boyd. Good to see you around. I hadn’t heard you were back.” She smiled at him.

Funny, I didn’t feel the slightest twinge of jealousy or insecurity. I was sure about Boyd. Sure about us. Especially when Shelby smiled at me, her eyes traveling to the bandage on my arm. “Looks like congratulations are in order.”

Boyd tucked me closer into his side. “Indeed, they are. Have you met Dr. Ames? She’s the new ObGyn in town.”

“I heard!” Shelby tilted her head at the tent next to hers where a woman sat selling raw honey. “Margaret said you delivered her granddaughter last week.”

“Did I?” I pushed my glasses up my nose. I wasn’t used to being known outside of the hospital.

“Yep, you’re the new celebrity.” She winked at Boyd. “And looks like Boyd already nabbed you for himself.”

“Damn straight. I knew the minute I met her.”

Shelby handed me the colorful icy drink. “You found the one, right here in Cooper Valley. You’re lucky, Boyd.” She wore a slightly wistful expression. “Hope that mojo rubs off on me.”

“Aw, I hope so, too Shelby,” Boyd said, forking over a five dollar bill.

I took a sip. “Mmm. This does taste like sunshine in a cup.”

Shelby beamed at me, then her gaze shifted over my shoulder. “I heard you gave Markle that black eye,” she murmured to Boyd, lowering her voice. “I’d like to blacken the other one for him.”

I started to look over my shoulder, but Boyd squeezed my hand, and I stopped myself, shifting more subtly instead, so I could see. Jett Markle was walking down the center aisle, his shoulders stiff. One eye was blackened. When he got closer, he saw us. Stopped in his tracks. 

“Oh, hey, Markle,” Boyd drawled with that deceptively easy-going tone. “I meant to tell you. That missing cow? The one you thought a wolf had taken down?” He infused scorn and derision into the word wolf.

Jett narrowed his eyes. “Yeah?”

“Found it on my property. Must’ve wandered over. I’d have brought it back, but you know, you’re so reckless with that shotgun of yours, I was afraid me or another dog would get shot or something.”

Boyd’s words attracted the interest of the townspeople at the farmer’s market. The stopped to listen, some of them whispering.

Markle scowled.

“You’re welcome to ride on over and rope it. Just leave the gun at home.”

More murmurs from the crowd.

“We’re not done, Wolf,” he snapped, then spun on his heel and walked off.

Shelby laughed. “No competition there,” she said to Boyd. Then to me, she added, “Heard you saved James.”

I shook my head. “Boyd saved him. I just helped clear his lungs. Have you heard how he’s doing?”

“Oh, he’s fine,” she said dismissively. “But Jett Markle just made a life-long enemy out of half the population in this valley. It’s not going to go well for him here.”

Boyd smirked. “He deserves what he gets. Especially since he was sniffing after my female.”

I laughed and poked him in the ribs with my elbow. “That was before I met you. And I’d already turned him down.”

“Doesn’t mean I still don’t want to kill him.” He leaned over and brushed a kiss across my shoulder.

“Dr. Ames!” One of my past patients came up to me, a red-headed baby on her hip. “Just thought you might like to see Hayley.”

I popped my eyes wide with a huge smile meant just for babies. “Hello, Miss Hayley, aren’t you beautiful?”

She cooed and waved a fat fist in my direction. 

Her mom, whose name eluded me, shifted her attention to Boyd. “Hey, aren’t you the local rodeo star? Yes, you are! Boyd Wolf, right?”

He shook his head. “I was. But now my claim to fame is being your doctor’s husband.”

Husband. Of course, he wasn’t my husband yet, not legally, but I loved that he’d claimed the title. He was my mate, my partner, my protector. 

“Wow, congratulations!” my patient exclaimed. 

I wasn’t much one for public displays of affection, but when Boyd wrapped his arms around me from behind, I’d never felt so happy. 

As the mother walked away with her adorable baby, Boyd nibbled on my ear and smoothed his palm over my abdomen. “I can’t wait to put a baby in your belly, Doc.”  

“Maybe you already have,” I murmured.

“Doesn’t mean I shouldn’t keep trying.” He bit my ear. “In fact,” he started tugging me toward the parking lot. “I think we’d better get back to breaking in our new bed.”

“Right now?” I laughed. “We just got here.”

“Yeah, and now we’re leaving. Unless you want to stay, of course.”

“No, I think you’re right. That bed is calling to us.”

“Yes!” Boyd fist-pumped the air.

I laughed and tilted my face up to his. He stopped and cupped my cheek, gazing down at me with so much affection, I felt it in my chest. In my toes. Everywhere. 

“I love you, darlin’.” He swept his lips across mine.

I closed my eyes and kissed him back. “I love you, too, champ.”