Unexpected Mates

Tyler gave her an alarmed look. “That’s not funny. You said you’re clumsy. Maybe we should make you a room downstairs.”

Still chuckling, Parker reached into her car and grabbed her purse. “I’m not that bad, Ty. Besides, I live in an apartment building. I walk up and down three flights of stairs almost daily.”

“That’s a little bit terrifying,” Tyler muttered as he led her inside the house.

Parker was still smiling as they walked into the house. The front door opened up into what looked like an old fashioned sitting room. The furnishings were old and frayed, but the room itself was beautiful and everything looked to be well maintained. There was a big window to the left of the door, letting sunshine pour in, shining off of gleaming hardwood floors that were scuffed but clean, and a staircase to the right.

Tyler cleared his throat, interrupting her perusal, and he sat her bags down by the stairs. “Let me give you a tour of the downstairs before I show you to your room. The less you climb the stairs, the better,” he added under his breath.

Parker smiled slightly as she followed Ty as he walked out of the sitting room and through a wide hallway. They passed a door on the right, and he opened it to show her it was a powder room tucked under the stairway. Another doorway to the left was open, and she peeked her head in when he said it was his office.

“I’m outside most of the morning, overseeing farm hands, crops, livestock, basically all of the farm operations. Then after lunch, I come in here and work for the rest of the day,” he explained.

The room was the same as the sitting room, with mostly old, worn furniture, with an ancient looking desktop computer on an equally ancient desk, but also like the sitting room, it all looked to be taken care of.

They continued on to the back of the house, where there was a kitchen that opened into a large living room area. The living room had a comfy looking couch and chairs, and also the only modern looking furnishing she’d seen in the whole house: a large screen television. Men.

The kitchen was homey, with white cabinets and gleaming counters, the appliances in here older. Standing at the sink was an older woman with graying hair and a warm smile.

“Parker, this is Leah, our cook and housekeeper. Leah, this is Parker. She’s going to be staying here with us for a while.”

Leah came forward with a warm smile, surprising Parker when she pulled her into a hug. “It’s nice to meet you,” Leah said. “It’ll be nice to have another woman in the house for a while!”

“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Parker replied.

They chatted for a moment more before Ty guided Parker back through the house. “Does Leah know?” She asked him.

Ty shook his head with a smile. “No, she’s just always friendly like that. And she’s been the only woman in the house for years, so I’m sure she really meant that.”

Parker made a mental note to spend some time with the older woman while she was here. They reached the staircase, and Ty grabbed her bags before gesturing for her to go up ahead of him. She walked up the stairs, running her hand along the beautifully carved rail.

“The detail on the wood in this house is amazing!” She enthused.

They got to the top of the stairs and Ty turned to the left. “Thanks. Our great-grandfather built this house and did all the woodwork himself. He was talented.”

“He definitely was,” Parker agreed as Ty opened a door on the right and gestured her inside. Her breath caught as she looked around. It was a beautiful room, with antique furniture. All of the bedding and the curtains over the large window were decorated in pale yellow with sunset orange accents. She’d never stayed in a room so beautiful.

Ty cleared his throat as he set her bags down. “I hope you like the room. Mine is, uh, just across the hall, if you need anything. There’s a bath

room next door to the left. I have some work to do, so I’ll leave you to get settled in. Come downstairs whenever you’re ready.”

Ty left the room, and Parker put a hand on her stomach that was suddenly full of butterflies. His room was across the hall? How was she going to resist that temptation?

Tyler headed into his office, suddenly debating the wisdom of putting Parker in the room across from his. When he’d picked it, he’d only been thinking of how nice the room was. It was the best room in the house, and he wanted Parker to have the best. But how was he going to resist her being so close to him, all night long?

You don’t resist.

Ty blinked in surprise as his wolf spoke inside of him. The animal had sounded so calm, and perfectly sane. He hadn’t sounded like that in years. His wolf was usually a snarling mass inside him, uncontrollable on a good day, in danger of needing put down on most.

He didn’t recognize this wolf. He hadn’t been this relaxed since Ty was a kid and his mom was still alive. When she’d died, taking away any hint of security in Ty and Chase’s lives, his wolf had slowly become unmanageable, only the need to take care of Chase keeping him in check.

Then Chase grew up and Cassie had chosen Jared. What had really sent him over the edge, though, had been Cassie’s death. She had been the only light in an otherwise dark life, and even though she’d chosen Jared, she’d still been there. She’d still been his friend and in his life. When she died, his wolf went insane. Ty felt like he’d been a breath away from being put down for the last four years.

Mending fences with Jared, once one of his best friends, a small bit last year and courtesy of Adara not taking his shit, had helped; but he’d really thought it was only putting off the inevitable.

Then he met Parker and the constant, crushing pressure had eased up a bit. Now here she was, just up the stairs, staying in his home, carrying his pup…

And his wolf was sane, quiet, and at ease in a way Ty couldn’t remember him ever being.