BAYOU NOËL Read Online Free PDF

curious glare. “How the hell do you know about my
fight with Molly?”
    “I don’t,” Raphael said with a small grin.
“But if you’re out here, staring into space—”
    “I’m not staring into space,” Garrick
corrected, gesturing toward the throng of barges in the water, and
the yards of spruce trees bracketing the bayou on either side.
    “Right,” Raphael amended. “It’s actually
worse than that. Staring at all the Pantera heading down the bayou
in their barges, huddling close together, the spirit of the season
in their eyes and their smiles—waiting for the moment when they get
to light the candles on their family tree. Yes. Staring at them
instead of being with Molly, taking her in your arms, showing her
just how goddamn much you want to claim her—”
    “Enough, Raphael,” Garrick nearly growled. He
didn’t want more images of his and Molly’s highly erotic time
together sifting through his mind.
    But they came anyway.
    Christ, he could still taste her.
    “Is the truth too painful to hear?” Raphael
asked.
    “That’s not my truth,” he grumbled.
    “ Bullshit. I’ve known you a long time, brother. And ever
since Molly came to work for you, you’ve made it a priority to both
stay away from her, and to know everything she’s doing or who she
might be seeing when you’re not around.” His brow drifted up. “If
that isn’t wanting, needing, loving ,
I don’t know what is.”
    Garrick’s gut twisted. He hated his mentor’s
words, but despised the truth in them more. At first when he’d
hired Molly, things had been so easy. He’d come home for a day or
two, then leave again. No problem. But as they’d started to get to
know each other better, and their letters had started taking on a
flirtatious edge, things had changed. Whenever he was home,
whenever he was around her, in the same room, he couldn’t take his
eyes off her.
    He wanted to touch her.
    Kiss her.
    Claim her.
    It was then that he’d decided it was better
to stay away. He’d known what he didn’t have to offer. And god,
what she did.
    “Do you want to be with her, Garrick?”
Raphael asked, cutting through his thoughts.
    “More than I’ve ever wanted anything,” he
said without hesitation.
    The male cursed. “Then why stay away?”
    Garrick turned to him, grimaced. “Like you
said, brother, I’m a scared fool.”
    Raphael nodded his understanding. “Glad you
can admit it. And shit, welcome to the club.”
    Garrick arched a brow. “What do you know
about it?”
    “I’m sure someday down the line I too will be
faced with my fear. Giving myself to a female who holds my
once-caged heart in her hands.” Raphael inhaled deeply,
thoughtfully. “But perhaps there’s something worse for us to
fear.”
    Garrick’s brows knit together. “What’s
that?”
    The male’s gold eyes flashed. “Losing your
mate. Watching every damn day as the female you adore above all
things gives her love to another.”
    The words took only seconds to sink in, but
when they did, they took root and spread like wildfire. Molly
giving her love, her body, her wonderful soul to another…
    Never.
    Goddess, never.
    Garrick shifted into his puma and took off.
He was several yards away when Raphael called to him.
    “Hey! Don’t forget the lighting ceremony.
Starts in an hour.”
    Oh, that’s exactly where I’m going , Garrick thought. To get my family, bring them back for the
Loriot tree lighting. This year, and, Goddess willing, every year
thereafter .
    Garrick gave his mentor one last growl before
turning away and darting into the trees.

CHAPTER 8
     
     
    Molly waited until she was sure the families
would all be in their barges, headed down the canal to find their
trees.
    It wasn’t that the other Pantera wouldn’t go
out of their way to make her feel a part of the festivities. They
were always eager to ensure that she was included. Sometimes to the
point where she wanted to scream.
    Still, watching the others light their
candles,