Then Rosalie and Kolby were stripping each other out of their clothes, carelessly tossing them onto the floor. The two of them landed on the mattress, all arms and legs and hot bodies, ready for this. He was on top of her, his legs between hers, feeling so ready for her, his strong hands caressing her shoulders, his gaze wickedly seductive. But then she rolled, and he was beneath her, and she was on top of him, her legs cradling his now. Both were smiling when she grabbed his hands, pinned them to the mattress, and leaned down to kiss his mouth. He was so tantalizingly hers, and she couldn’t be more grateful for that.

  Already her heart and his were pounding wildly. No one had ever made her feel like this—so lustful, so desperate, her pheromones triggering his. He rolled her onto her back. Then he was pressing his rigid erection against her mound, leaning against her, kissing her breasts. His mouth felt heavenly on her breasts, his tongue lathing her rigid, sensitive nipple, his lips closing onto it and sucking. His free hand massaged her other breast. Ohmigod, her mate was her perfect lover.

  Her body pulsed with craving as she gazed up into his eyes. He smiled down at her with a look of lustful desire and a hint of a smile. A little dimple appeared. She loved his dimples—they made him look sexy and so loveable.

  “You are so soft and warm and sweet,” he said, then licked the other nipple, sucked on it, sending a thrill straight to her belly and lower.

  “You’re a dream come true.” She knew she was dreaming that she was truly with him, and he was hers.

  “So are you.” He pressed kisses all the way up her collarbone, to her throat, and then to her lips and she savored his kisses.

  Her tongue slipped between his parted lips and tasted him, teased his tongue, stroked, and appeased him. He kissed her slowly back, lingering, stealing her thoughts. While she was enjoying him, he slid his hand between her parted legs and began to stroke her nubbin. Oh, ecstatic joy. She savored his touch, his musky scent, the feeling of his hot fingers stroking her into a state of bliss.

  She bit his lip gently, so caught up in the whole wonderful experience. She was suddenly coming with breathless anticipation. Then she was over the top and crashing to earth just as he was pushing into her with his engorged erection. She was blazing hot as he began to thrust into her, sweeping her into the next phase of their seduction.

  Kolby drove his heavy erection deep inside of Rosalie’s silky, wet sheath, pulling halfway out and thrusting again. She was so snug around him, gripping him like a vice. He slipped his hands under her buttocks and pulled her hard against him. She bent her knees, deepening his penetration. She felt damn good around him as he was rocking into her, and she was meeting his thrusts with enthusiasm.

  He drove into her faster and harder, his mouth capturing hers. She was his for now and forever. She was just the person he’d needed in his life when he really had thought he was perfectly happy with the way things were. But being in the throes of passion with his mate like this was nothing short of a miracle. He was thrusting hard when he felt her tensing, and he knew she was going to come again. He kissed her mouth, tonguing her, and then she cried out and he erupted inside her, collapsing on her and just holding her in his arms. He was glad Hal had given him the time off to be with Rosalie like this. Making love to her once was never enough.

  “I love you, you sexy, big cat,” Rosalie said, then kissed him again.

  He rolled over and pulled her onto his stomach. “I knew you were the only one for me. I love you right back, honey.”

  After Kolby and Rosalie woke much later from their glorious nap, they took a shower and dressed. Kolby said, “We probably should have talked about this before, but as a contingency plan, if the intruder was Eric’s dad and he comes to take him to Alaska, I will go anywhere or do anything for you and Eric. So if it means moving to Alaska to be near him, we can do it. That’s if we can’t convince Eric’s dad to leave him here. I mean, his dad could even stay here if he likes. Not that he would stay at the mansion, but that he could live in Yuma Town and get to know Eric that way.”

  “Oh, I hadn’t thought of that. But thanks for offering to move. I just don’t know what to think. Of course, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.” Then she smiled. “Would you like to help me decorate for Eric’s birthday?”

  “I can’t think of anything more fun to do.”

  “Uhm, I’m sure the kids will want to see the greenhouse while they are at Eric’s birthday party. Since we plan to make it the haunted house for Halloween, do you want to help me clean up the glass all over the ground inside there, just to make sure it’s safe enough to walk through?”

  “Yeah. Let’s do it,” Kolby said.

  They both got some garden gloves and a couple of trash containers.

  “We can save the glass shards. Dr. Kate loves to work with glass to create stained glass art. Since this glass is so old, she’ll love to have it,” Kolby said.

  “Wonderful. I always love it when things can be recycled.”

  With the two of them working on it, it didn’t take them long to finish up that work. “Do we leave the partially broken windows for the effect at Halloween, or would it be safer to remove the broken windows and replace them, or even leave them empty until after the party?” she asked.

  “I think we should remove the windows and replace them. We can add cobwebs to them, but for safety reasons, we should make sure it’s safe and weatherproof, so installing windows would be a good idea. I can call someone and have them measure and order the glass.”

  For a hundred reasons and more, Kolby was just the right mate for her.

  After painting all day at the library, Eric rode home with Jack for his birthday party. “I’m staying the night as your security detail,” Jack said to Rosalie, “since Eric is returning to the library to finish painting the second mural in the morning. I can just take him with me when I’m finished with my detail.”

  “Jack said he’d let me drive to the library too,” Eric said, sounding elated. He was helping Rosalie to fill the gift bags for his friends.

  “Oh, that’s great,” Rosalie said, smiling. “What about eating dinner?”

  “Oh, Eric invited me to have hot dogs at the bonfire,” Jack said. “I couldn’t pass the opportunity up.”

  “You too, sis,” Eric said. “And Kolby too. I didn’t think I had to invite you, that you’d just be there. Besides, if the intruder shows up, we need to be a unified force.”

  “Sure, I love roasted hot dogs,” Rosalie said.

  Kolby smiled. “Well, since Rosalie and I are mated, I’m your big brother, and of course, I have to have hot dogs and s’mores and the rest at the bonfire for your birthday party.”

  Eric whooped. Jack congratulated them for being mated cougars. “Oh, and I nearly forgot.” Jack went outside to his truck and came back inside with a gift basket of honey and honeycomb candles, olive oil with lavender essential oils, and packages of chocolate-covered bridge mix, butter pecans, salted cashews, cranberry nut blend, cherry almonds, and honey sea salt peanuts. “This is from all of us at the CSF and our families.”

  “Oh, how wonderful,” Rosalie said, Eric reaching in to check out the packages of nuts and agreeing with her.

  And now Kolby would be the recipient also.

  After Eric got home from finishing the mural at the library about one, he hadn’t been able to sit still. He’d helped Rosalie decorate with balloons, streamers and Kolby had worked with Eric to set up the bonfire. He’d spent time playing with the kittens, but he was anxious for the party to begin.

  Kolby and Jasper had headed into town to pick up the new windows for the greenhouse because they’d just gotten them in. When everyone was supposed to arrive at the party, no one did.

  “They’ll be here,” Rosalie said.

  “Kolby and Jasper aren’t even here,” Eric said.

  “They will be. You know Kolby said he and Jasper might be a little late in arriving because of picking up the windows for the greenhouse.”

  Eric glanced at the wall clock again. “Everyone’s twenty minutes late.”

  She knew he was upset, trying not to show that he was. But she knew there had to be a simple explanation for why everyone was late in arriving.

  Finally, Bobby texted Eric and Rosalie waited to hear what was going on.

  Eric let out a big relief of breath. “They’re coming.”

  Rosalie smiled. “I knew they would be.”

  “There was a big accident on the road coming out here. No one was hurt, but an eighteen-wheeler jackknifed and they’re still clearing off the road so that the cars can get through.”

  “Oh, how awful, but I’m glad everyone’s okay.”

  “Yeah, me too.” Eric smiled. “You were right. Everyone’s coming.”

  Sure enough, within the half hour, cars were arriving. Some of the kids had carpooled, and then they all piled out to start the celebration. Amy, Bobby’s mom, had brought the cake and the ice cream. Both Eric and Rosalie loved the cake.

  All of the kids thought it was cool and the boys wanted one like it for their birthdays. Then all the kids wanted to see the mansion next.

  Eric eagerly showed them the rooms all over the mansion, but he first showed off the kittens.

  “Ooh, yeah, you got my favorites,” Avery said, Andy agreeing.

  Eric told them their names and then everyone wanted to pet them before he put them in the cat room. They all loved it.

  “You’ve got to do a cat mural for Great Aunt Mae,” Avery said. “She would love it.”

  “Yeah, that would be so cool,” Andy said. “We’ll talk to her about it.”

  Eric smiled.

  But then everyone wanted to see the basement and the greenhouse too.

  “Wow, this is where the mystery person keeps coming,” one of the kids said from down in the basement.

  Rosalie smiled. Then the kids all raced outside to see the greenhouse. She heard Kolby pull up in his Jeep and Jasper drove up in a pickup and parked.

  She went out to meet them and gave Kolby a hug. “Eric was upset everyone arrived late.”

  “I heard about the accident on the road. It was cleared before we reached the area. But I got all the windows. Thankfully, I had Jasper to help me.”

  “Eric and the others are at the greenhouse if you want to join them,” Rosalie told Jasper.

  “Yeah, thanks. Are you going to tell Rosalie about the gift?” Then Jasper left to catch up with the kids.

  “Yeah, I want to give my Jeep to Eric so he can learn to drive it. I’ve had it repainted and tuned up, if that’s okay with you,” Kolby said.

  “Oh, yeah, that would be great. I didn’t know what I would do about a vehicle, and I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

  “Okay, great. I figure I’ll give him the keys to the Jeep tomorrow morning, before he returns to the library to finish the mural,” Kolby said.

  “That will be wonderful. Should we run as big cougars separately from the teens tonight?” Rosalie asked.

  “Yeah, we’ll let the teens have their fun. Jasper, being the eldest of the teens, can watch out for them.”

  “They’re going to run early, I bet, after the bonfire, just so they can see Eric in his snow leopard coat again.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.”

  Then they went inside, and she fixed them some hot cocoa.

  “I can’t believe we haven’t had any more visitations from the unknown person who was in the basement,” Kolby said.

  “I can. What with Dan’s deputy sheriffs and now the CSF agents taking a night each day and the security cameras, whoever it was is staying clear of the mansion. When the law enforcement officers end their stay here, then what? I don’t want you staying down in the basement. Or I’d have to stay down there with you,” Rosalie said.

  “To protect me?” He cocked a brow.

  “No, I need you in my bed at night for all that loving.”

  He smiled, but when the teens ended up back in the house, they switched to another topic.

  “And here is my art studio,” Eric said.

  “No way. Too cool, dude,” Andy said.

  “Hey, we heard your sister has magic at her fingertips. Will she show it to us?” Avery asked.

  Rosalie showed them what she could do—from creating a ball of light to teleporting books and birthday presents all over the room.

  “Can you see ghosts?” Andy asked.

  “No. But I hear Chase, Stryker, and Leyton can.”

  Andy glanced at Eric. He nodded. Andy turned back to Rosalie. “You have a gardener in your greenhouse.”

  Rosalie’s jaw dropped. “A ghost.”

  “Yeah. She’s nice. But if you feel unusual cold spots once the windows have all been replaced in there, that’s probably her.”

  Kolby rubbed Rosalie’s back, but then she gathered her composure. “What about the house? The basement?”

  “No. Not that I saw.”

  She let out her breath in relief.

  Andy smiled. “Eric put me in charge of ghost stories for tonight at the bonfire while we’re eating our hot dogs and other stuff, since I have real ghost stories to tell.”

  “Oh, that’s wonderful,” Rosalie said.

  Then they all went outside to enjoy roasting hot dogs, s’mores, and began pigging out on chips and drinking sodas. The night air was chilly, but the bonfire kept them warm, and they were glad there wasn’t any rain tonight.

  After Andy ate his fill, he began telling ghost stories, the firelight casting an eerie glow over the partygoers.

  “So one time on a stormy night I was helping my mom remove wallpaper from my sister’s and my bathroom. Uhm, we had sort of splattered toothpaste on it when we were brushing our teeth. Don’t ask how. But the bleach in the toothpaste took the color out of the wallpaper and it was peeling in places. Mom wanted us to remove the wallpaper and that’s what we were doing,” Andy said.

  “On a stormy night,” Eric said, smiling.

  “Yeah, lightning, thunder, lots of heavy rain, pitch black out, scary.”

  “When you make a big change to rooms, spirits can be disturbed, I’ve heard,” Jasper said.

  Rosalie was thinking about all the changes they were making to the property!

  “I heard this delightful music playing and I asked my mom and my sister what it was that they were playing. And then it stopped. We went to look for the sound of the tunes, but I was the only one who had heard them. Our neighbors were musicians who made music, but I’d never heard them playing at their home and there was no music playing anywhere else,” Andy said. “I even thought maybe it was a passing car with their music on high, but that would have been way across cornfields.”

  “Your mother and sister didn’t hear the music playing before it stopped?” Rosalie asked.

  “No. But they helped me look for it. They believed me.”

  Everyone was quiet.

  “I hear things that others don’t. Sometimes I see things that others don’t. Like the gardener in the greenhouse. She was watering the plants by hand, talking to them, loving them.”

  “What about when we have the haunted house in there?” Eric asked. “Do you think it will upset her?”

  That’s what Rosalie was afraid of.

  “I can tell her what we’re going to do,” Andy said.

  “You can talk to them?” Eric asked, sounding shocked.

  “Uh, yeah. Sometimes it helps when someone who can see them, can talk to them.”

  “Oh, well, yeah, thanks, we need you to do that,” Eric said.

  Rosalie was surprised Eric didn’t appear to be upset about the notion they had a ghost in the greenhouse. But then she figured he wasn’t going to be doing any gardening, while she would love to.

  “Did the gardener tell you her story?” Bobby asked Andy.

  “I didn’t ask. Maybe when Chase does the séance for Halloween, we can learn who she is and all about her,” Andy said.

  “Tell them about the rabbit that hopped into your bed,” Andy’s twin sister said.

  “Well, we didn’t have a rabbit, but a previous owner did, and their pet had died of old age. So one night I was sound asleep and suddenly I felt the rabbit jump into the bed. It scared me half to death. You have to know the ghosts seem real to me. My first thought was that it was there for real. That Avery had somehow talked mom into allowing her to have a rabbit that I didn’t know about. When I went to her room, carrying the rabbit with me, Avery couldn’t see the rabbit at all.”

  Avery laughed. “Yeah, he said he had my rabbit and woke me up over it. He even woke Mom up to ask her, not believing me. Then we realized he was having one of his ghostly encounters.”

  “Did you take the rabbit back to bed with you?” Eric asked.

  “Nah. He vanished. But he comes to join me at night most nights and sleeps with me. Luckily, he doesn’t scare me any longer.”

  “Wow,” Bobby said. “I don’t think I could ever get used to that.”

  “Me either,” Eric said. “I have a hard enough time with the intruder in the basement.”

  “But he’s or she’s real,” Rosalie said.

  “That’s worse than a ghost,” Sissy said.

  Once they were done with ghost stories, they went inside to open presents and have cake and ice cream. They gave Eric his birthday presents—art supplies, video games, art books, and a Yuma Town T-shirt featuring a snow leopard. He got a kick out of that. Rosalie gave Eric cowboy boots, chaps, a couple of western shirts, and a Stetson so he’d be ready to be a cowboy. Eric was so glad he would really fit in at the ranch now wearing his own brand-new clothes.

  “Hey, dude, we’re going running as big cats,” Jasper said, “right?”

  “Yeah, let’s do this,” Eric said, sounding eager to show off his snow leopard coat.

  Rosalie could tell this had been the best party Eric had ever had.

  The girls went into one of the meeting rooms to change and shift and the guys used another.

  Jack was staying in the basement just in case the intruder showed up, so no big cat run for him.

  Rosalie and Kolby took off on their own to enjoy their big cat run while the kids all headed in a different direction. Kolby planned to take some of the kids home after the party since they didn’t know when it would really end. Jasper promised to take the rest home before he returned to the ranch.