He smiled. "Pleasing you is my hobby. Staring at you is just a perk."
He could practically see her eye-roll.
"Fine. I'll stop staring, for now. The chicken coop's done and Hazel is happily clucking away. Have you heard from anyone?"
She dropped the rag and stood up. "No, not yet. I'm sure they'll just show up and storm the castle. My mother thinks she's the queen."
He stood up and crossed the room, taking her in his arms. "She isn't the queen here. Besides if she gets annoying, toss her in that damn forest to cool off."
Marci shivered. Three weeks and neither of them could fully get past that night. Jeff had been out for several days, and by the time he'd woken up to find his fiancée already mated, well, they hadn't been able to keep him there even if they'd wanted to.
"Jeff is going to burn in hell someday for the mess he created," Marci said, nuzzling into his chest.
"If it weren't for Jeff who knows if either of us would have gotten out of our own way. Pixies apparently aren't all bad."
Marci shuddered.
"But, I agree. Jeff didn't have to go back and tell your mother. He really is a small child, and here I thought he just looked like one," Caleb said.
"You're really mean, you know that? Everyone looks like a small child compared to you," Marci said, poking him in the center of the chest.
She looked up at him. The first week was a bit of a struggle, convincing her that he loved her. She'd had it in her head that it had all been the pixies.
Caleb left out the part where a pixie had attempted to look like Marci too.
The next week had been trying to figure out where they would live and how to handle the spirit. Marci had dealt with it, and for the moment it looked like the spirit was satisfied with them living at his place and the chicken staying here.
He dipped his head in for a kiss, her taste the only craving he couldn't satisfy.
The kiss turned deeper, and what he'd meant as innocent turned into something else. He slipped his hand under Marci's shirt as she slid her hands up his chest. He gripped her ass and lifted Marci, sitting her on the counter.
Pulling away she said, "my family will be here any minute."
He nibbled her ear lobe. "So? They can wait."
"Caleb. You don't know the snow queen. She doesn't do PDA; let alone accept the knowledge of anyone having midday sex."
He sighed and shifted the bulge in his pants.
"She probably needs more midday sex," he grumbled.
Standing straight, he settled for the smile that lit up her face whenever she looked at him.
"I'll make it up to you tonight though." He almost came as she rubbed his glaring hard-on beneath his zipper. "Now think of something opposite of me, because my mother and sisters will not miss this."
His eyes narrowed. "Maybe you should wear a parka for the next few days. The kind that covers you to your damn ankles."
Her eyes sparkled. "We've already seen that even a parka isn't going to deter you. Oh, and speaking of. Do not shift in front of my mother. It's going to be hard enough to have her accept you as you; let's not push it."
The doorbell rang before he could argue. Marci pushed him away and hopped off the counter.
Her nerves vibrated through him. Their connection was different than he'd expected. He felt her presence always; he always felt her need for him. Sex had gone from mind-blowing to world-ending since they'd mated. But he also couldn't get past that her sadness was now his and his hers. It was no longer okay to wallow in your own world when your mate was right there knowing exactly what your pain was. It's why he also knew that something still wasn't right between them, and he thought he knew what.
Following behind Marci, he watched her pause, hand on the doorknob. She stood frozen. He knew she needed him, just as he needed her. His hand settled on hers, and he helped her gain the courage.
The door swung open with minimal creaking, a testament to how much they'd done in a few weeks.
"Dear Lord, Marci. I nearly froze out here. Who's getting my bags? Do you have room service, I'm famished. The driver had no idea where we were going. What on earth has gotten into you?" Her mother entered, whipping her sunglasses off her face as she continued the complaints. "Jeff really seems to have exaggerated the state of this place. I mean, it's no Hilton, but it's quite adorable."
Finally, the woman stopped flapping her jaw and turned to face them.
"My, my, my. Aren't you a big fellow."
Marci coughed, and Caleb tried to smile. What the hell did that mean?
"Well Marci dear, I assume I'll be getting grandchildren soon then? God knows your sisters are never giving me any."
On cue, her sisters and their husbands walked in, complete with rolling suitcases.
"Mother, get over the grandchildren. I don't think you understand how hard it is to maintain this figure," said one of the girls.
"Fran, if I have to hear you talk about kale one more time I'm going to shove it..."
Caleb glanced down at Marci, her eyes large as saucers. This wasn't how she had described her family.
"I. Well. Caleb, these are my half-sisters Francesca and Rebecca." She gave him a sidelong glance. Her surprise was rolling off in waves.
"Nice to meet you."
Both girls quieted and reached out.
"I thought you said she married a shifter, mother," asked Rebecca.
Her mother stepped forward. "He is a shifter."
Fran looked him up and down, Caleb took a step behind Marci, not that she'd hide much of him.
"I always thought they looked like homeless people living in the woods," said Francesca.
Marci slammed the door. "You two seriously need to get out in the world. Maybe take a walk past your high society clubs and realize
