The siren called out in the background as the ambulance made its way to the scene.
“Should I move him out of the road?” Phoenix looked to Lily.
“No, wait for the medics. They’ll put a cervical collar on him and backboard him in case he’s injured his spine.” She heard police in the background as a new set of sirens turned off.
Kai and Matt Stryker, two police officers, spoke to the woman who was driving the car.
Phoenix watched Lily in motion, talking with the medics. He was in awe seeing her in action. She was calm, soothing, and so good with the child. The boy was frightened, but she had a way with him. Lily reached down and squeezed his hand as the medics started to transition him. “You’re going to be okay.” She let him know that they’d make sure his parents were being notified, and if he wanted, she’d go to the hospital with him.
And then he said it, his small lip trembling. “I’m okay. I’m a big bear now. My dad says so.” He smiled. “Are you a bear, too?”
She shook her head. “No.” Then with a soft smile, she pointed to Phoenix. “He is. He’s a big, awesome bear, just like you.”
It all happened so fast, but after giving their statements that they didn’t actually see the accident and only heard it, they were thanked for their time and sent on their way.
Lily took Phoenix’s hand as they walked back into the house. “He’s a bear, you know. He says he’s a big bear. His dad says so.” She smiled at him. “He asked me if I was a bear. I told him I wasn’t, but you were.”
“We’d make awesome cubs together.” Phoenix grinned.
Lily blushed and looked down. What struck her more than anything was that he saw a future with her. He had no intention of hurting her. He wanted to spend his life with her, have children, and be a family. He wasn't going to maul her in her sleep, and he wasn’t going to cook her for dinner. He was simply going to love her, just as she loved him. She found a tiny bit of acceptance. Maybe she could love a bear after all.
Chapter 26 Lily
The adrenaline of the day caught up to her. Sitting on the sofa, curled up against Phoenix, Lily finally relaxed enough to doze off. Waking from a cat nap, she looked over. He was watching her. He smiled as she opened her eyes.
“You look like an angel when you sleep,” he said quietly.
“It’s been an interesting day. Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you.” She stood to stretch.
“I loved every minute of it. All those times you sat in the corner of my room, reading your book, I wanted nothing more than to feel you against me.” He watched her as she twisted this way and that, getting in a good stretch.
“Are we, umm…” She wasn’t sure what to say. She swallowed her embarrassment and simply came out with it. “Are you sleeping here with me tonight?”
“I intended on it, but if you’re not comfortable...I can sleep out here on the sofa, or even go get a hotel room or something.”
“No, no, that’s not necessary. It’s just, well...I’ve never slept with a bear before. I’m kind of nervous about that still.” She shrugged. Could he blame her? He was a freaking bear.
“I’m not going to maul you in your sleep,” he said, and then grinned like a schoolboy. “Though I wouldn’t mind doing it to you while you’re naked and enjoying it.” He gave a small, playful wink.
“Phoenix!” Lily’s cheeks heated. It’s not that she hadn’t thought about sex. It’s just that she wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, that’s not totally true. She did see his amazing naked body in the hospital that one time, but she was still trying to wrap her head around the fact that he was half man, half animal. It was very odd. She’d heard of such things, but she never thought much about it, and certainly didn’t plan on falling in love with one. And yet here she was, in love with a bear shifter. Truth was stranger than fiction.
Heading to the kitchen, he rustled up some food. Thankfully he had Jett and Hunter stock his home with some fresh food before they came back here with Lily. He’d been gone for so long, and had no clue what was still there.
Poking around, he looked around the side of the freezer. “Do you want to order a pizza or something? Or do you have a preference?”
“Who knew, bears eat pizza.” She teased him and laughed at herself at the same time. All of this would take some getting used to. She wanted to be okay with it now and pretend that it didn’t bother her, but she knew it would be an adjustment. Things like this didn’t happen every day in her life.