Loving Lachlyn (Ashland Pride Two) by R.E. Butler Page A

work.
    Pauline was pouring a cup of coffee when he walked into the station, and she turned towards him with a smile and reached for another cup.
    “How was your weekend, Pauline?” he asked, accepting the cup and fixing it to his liking.
    “Good.  Grandkids spent the night Saturday, so we had a campout on the back porch.  How was yours?”
    Although he wanted to shout to the heavens that he’d found his mate, he and Jericho had agreed that keeping things quiet for now was a good idea.
    “I had a really nice weekend, Pauline.”
    Heading into the office, he got to work, waiting anxiously for his shift to be over so he could see Lachlyn again.
    By the time he’d made the rounds through town, written a few tickets, and done his paperwork, he was practically twitching with the need to see Lachlyn.  Three o’clock couldn’t come fast enough.
    As he clocked out and his father clocked in, he chuckled, “In a hurry, Son?”
    Alek fisted his keys and grinned at his dad.  “I really am.  I had no idea it would be like this, but it’s amazing.  Thanks for making me go to dinner with you.”
    His dad squeezed his shoulder.  “You deserve to be happy.”
    Feeling as though his cheeks would split from his broad smile, he said goodbye to Pauline and his dad, and headed home.  His cat was pacing in his mind as he drove the short distance from the station to the boarding house.  It was a relief to walk into the house and catch the faint scent of her skin.  He followed it into the kitchen where she stood at the island with Jericho and talked to his young cousin, Henry.
    Lachlyn closed the distance to Alek in a few short strides, a happy rumbling sound coming from her chest as she leapt up into his arms, locking her arms around his neck.  Their mouths met, and he groaned at the sweet relief that filled him.
    When their kiss ended, Jericho asked, “Did you make that sound, Lachlyn?”
    Alek lowered her until her feet touched the ground.  “I guess I did.  I didn’t do it on purpose.”
    “It sounded like a bear’s happy growl,” Jericho said.  At the odd tone in his voice — as if there were something wrong — Alek looked at him in alarm.
    Lachlyn said, “The part of me that feels like a bear, way deep in my mind, feels more prominent now.”
    “Is something wrong, Jericho?” Alek asked.  Jericho met his eyes and frowned, but shook his head.
    Henry asked, “Can I go with you to Don’s?”
    Jericho said, “Sorry, man.  But if you like later on, we can work out some more, if that sounds cool.”
    Henry’s eyes brightened, and he moved off the stool and left the kitchen.
    “You worked out with him today?” Alek asked in surprise.
    “Sunshine was making brownies with the younger kids, and I decided to work out for a bit in the weight room, and Henry was in there but wasn’t lifting right, so I helped him out.”
    Lachlyn smiled warmly at Jericho and went on her toes to kiss him.  “What was that for, Sunshine?”  Jericho smiled.
    “You’re just very sweet.”
    Jericho made a face, but Alek imagined that Jericho didn’t really mind being called ‘sweet,’ especially by their mate.
    Lachlyn stuck her hand out towards Alek and he stepped to her, sandwiching her between their bodies.  “This is nice,” she whispered.
    It was nice.  He could stand here all day with her soft curves against him, but they couldn’t.  Kissing her shoulder, he said, “We should get going.”
    In no time, they were on their way to Don’s.  Lachlyn sat in the front seat and Jericho sat in the back.  She leaned on his shoulder and wrapped her arm around his.
    “Did you have a good day, sweetheart?”
    “I did!  I helped Tristan make breakfast, and then I played soccer with the kids in the backyard while Jericho helped your dad clean out the gutters.”
    Alek looked in the mirror at Jericho and he shrugged with a half smile.
    “Oh,” Lachlyn said, “and I missed you.”
    “I missed you,