CH19

She had shown them sketches what the living room could look like, parts of it were even in color. "What do you think?" Linda asked, showing them to Kate and Johanna on the dining room table the very next day which was Kate's last day off work. "It's amazing, really." Kate was staring at the sketches open-mouthed much like Johanna. "I take it you approve so I'll get started on pricing and work out a schedule to get this done. I left out what Oscar is going to do to your kitchen. He's more of an expert on kitchens than I am," Linda told them.

"You can say that again," Johanna whispered to herself.

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"You're sure you're willing to do this Mom?" Kate asked yet again, not sure if she wanted her mother to say yes or for her to say no. "Of course I'm sure. You and Rick go enjoy yourselves. Alexis and I are going to have nothing but fun. Plus I'm dying to find out what this house has to offer."

"You be a good girl for Johanna, pumpkin. Make sure you feed Midas and Maggie and take them outside. She's going to take very good care of you." Rick hugged her and eased some of her fears. "Is Kate going to take care of you?" Alexis didn't want him hurt. "Absolutely, we're going to have so much fun." Rick kissed her head and released her to stand up.

"You know where you're going?" Johanna asked him. "Not a clue, Kate's being stubborn. I have no idea what she's planning. I simply packed enough food and clothes for 3 days or I'll have to kiss my butt goodbye," Rick told her. "Which reminds me - I have to get going. Something about a penalty if I'm late," he explained as he grabbed the bags of food and headed for his truck to drive across the highway so he didn't get his butt kicked. Which is what Kate said she would do to him if he was late.

He knocked on the door of the motorhome and saw Kate open the door. "One minute to spare Rick." She smiled and went to the driver's seat then started the engine. After checking her gauges she put it in drive and started down the driveway while Rick put away their 3 days of food and dropped his carry-on bag on the floor to go sit in the passenger seat. "So where are we going?" he asked, since going on this trip was his idea. "Not telling Rick though I'm willing to entertain your guesses." She smiled and spared a moment to look at him.

"We're going north so it's not Mount Rushmore. Yellowstone is too far away so it's not that. The largest city in Wyoming anywhere near here is to the South." He tried to picture the map of the state in his head and got nothing. "Giving up so easy Rick?" she teased feeling good about herself. "We're traveling North on US16 which is why you turned right and went into Newcastle. The next main road, if you can call it that, would be county route 116 which doesn't really get us anywhere I can think of. Next is Interstate 90 which can take us to many places but we only have 3 days, so our destination needs to be close." He tried to think of something close and came up empty again.

Kate just sat there smiling while driving. "Turn left of US16," her GPS unit told her getting Rick to smile, pleased that he was at least right about that. He was silent as was Kate who kept her eyes on the road until, "Turn right on ramp and take entrance to I-90," her GPS unit intoned which got Rick to smile again. Except they didn't stay on I-90 for long. "Take exit 160 on right and then turn left," the voice said. "Turn left on Clauge Road," was the next instruction. It wasn't until he saw a sign that he knew where they were going. "You knew didn't you? Somehow you knew. Who told you? I don't remember telling anyone." He was smiling widely as she just drove.

She paid the fee for a campsite and drove to the beach area. There were only 7 sites, all with no pads and uneven ground. None of them had connections. Water and restrooms were close. Each site had a fire pit and a picnic table. Kate chose one that put them in the middle of a number of pine trees. She parked and leveled the mortorhome, pushed the button to extend both pull outs, and set up the block out curtains around the driver's area. "Shall we explore?" she asked and didn't wait for Rick. "You coming Rick?" Kate turned her head to look back inside and stepped outside secure in the knowledge that he was following.

They were down by the marina in no time and walked the lake shore. He suddenly turned his head to look at her. "I talked to Paige about this place after she told me about it. You got Alexis to tell you about it, didn't you? You used my own daughter against me." He finally figured it out. "Against you or for you?" Kate questioned as she kept walking.

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While he was cooking over the open fire pit, Kate was inside the motorhome working on a salad. The three cheese potatoes and green bean casserole that her mother had given to Rick to bring were in the oven heating up. They were soon eating outside on the picnic table after draping a table cloth over the filthy thing. "I think we can rent a boat tomorrow if you want," she suggested. "I didn't bring any Dramamine," he countered doing his best to keep a straight face. "RICK! It's a lake not the open ocean," she said sharply until she saw the beginnings of a smile, so she punched him in the arm. "I'm going to get you for that."

"You, Deputy, can get me anytime you want," he replied grinning. "Who says I want you Rick?" Kate said trying to look serious. "You wound me Deputy. Drag me all the way out here and insult me!" He tried to look hurt. "I don't want to hurt you Rick, far from it in fact." She couldn't help but look at him and wish, which was ironic in a way. Her stupid internal voice had been trying to get her to kiss him and here she was thinking of going a whole lot further than just a simple kiss. Kate suddenly found herself wrapped up in his arms again and this time it only made her want him that much more. She was getting used to his hugs and what they did to her.

It was now or never. "Rick?" She gathered her will power, looked up at him, and got her wish. He started kissing her and she tried to put her want into the kiss. He broke from the kiss and tried to hug her but she reached up and kissed him again. This time Kate broke from the kiss and buried herself in Rick who was only too happy to hold her tight. Except he could feel a change, something was different. He got his first clue when Kate exited his arms, which he wasn't used to have happen. The butterflies in her stomach were on a never ending rollercoaster.

Kate prayed this was a good idea. She stood up and took Rick's hand, dragging him behind her into the motorhome. She closed the door and lifted up on tippy toes to kiss him again while screwing up the last of her courage. She broke from the kiss and started working on the buttons of his shirt. She ran her hands up under his shirt finally getting to run her hands over his bare chest. Working on his shirt, she only had one more button to go. At last his chest was bare; she feathered kisses all over it. It was then that he took her hands and stopped her. Kate wasn't sure what to think but it felt like refusal, that he didn't want her. "Rick, I need you." She made her intentions plain.

"Kate?" Rick looked unsure. From her point of view it looked like rejection on his face. She was so bewildered. He'd kissed her a lot, given her hugs that were anything but simple hugs. Unless she was mistaken, he had flirted with her just a little. She was also pretty sure he cared. Becoming upset she said, "You don't want me? You don't find me attractive? I don't understand Rick. You hugged me, you kissed me. I want you to make love to me. It's why I invited you out here." The voice in her head wasn't even on her mind now.

"Kate please listen to me. You are the most amazing and beautiful woman I've ever encountered and yes, I want you. So very much." Rick took hold of her hand and guided it down his body until she felt the bulge of his erection trapped in his pants.

She wasn't a virgin, not that she was all that experienced. But she considered herself experienced enough. Besides Will Sorenson there had been a couple of boyfriends along with a couple of what turned out to be one night stands. One of which was her own doing.

Kate couldn't help but rub the erection that he had guided her hand to. 'My god he's big,' she thought. She started working her hand to try and figure out just how big. She was sure he was going to spread her wide and reach areas inside her no man ever had before. It only made her wetter.

She was very confused when Rick moved her hand away. "I do want you Kate, maybe more than you'll ever know. But there's something you need to understand first." He had to explain something. It was far too important not to tell her. "Oh god, you have an STD!" She came up with a reason for his behavior. Her timing was just bad. She needed to get him to a doctor and get him cleaned up then she was going to have her way with him.

"No, I'm clean. Always have been and likely always will be." He blew away that thought. "Then what Rick? I've planned this day because I want you, so what's wrong?" Based on what she had to go through at the police academy she knew she was pretty enough and that her long legs were an asset, even if her chest was a little on the small side. But her breasts did have a good shape to them.

"You better sit down." He took her hands and guided her to the sofa/loveseat. He sat next to her and held her hands in his. "This is going to be hard to understand so try and keep an open mind, please. Yes, I want to make love to you; I have for weeks. And I also know that I'm falling in love with you." Rick smiled which had her heart pounding in her chest. 'He loved her!'

"I think Alexis is already in love with you. She's forever after me asking if we're going to go over to see Kate," he said, which made her smile. She was pretty sure she was falling in love with both of them, too. And his already having a child didn't scare her.

"You need to understand something that will happen when we make love for the first time." Rick paused trying to think how best to explain this. "Do you believe that when you find someone and give them your heart that you are binding yourself to them? That you are committed to the other for the rest of your life?" he began.

Kate's eyes open wide and her heart fluttered. She was willing to make love to him. Was he talking about…? "Rick, are you proposing?" It was way too early for that. She was falling for him yes, but marriage? "In a way this is even more than that, much more. Marriage is a piece of paper that makes the lawyers and society happy. A public celebration of what those two people already feel. Oh, god, how to explain this." Rick sighed and looked up at the ceiling like an answer would be sent to him.

"Very few people know what I'm about to tell you. Ever heard of werewolves? They're in the movies as vicious killing beasts that lose themselves when they turn into wolves during a full moon." He was trying to get to what he wanted to say, just hoping Kate stayed with him long enough to get there.

'Great! Rick is delusional. Just my luck. I had to fall in love with a mental case," she thought. "Every fantasy or fairy tale has the tiniest amount of truth hidden in them. There has been a sub-race of humans for longer than I or likely anyone else has ever known. We refer to ourselves as shifters. Our natural form is human however we can take the shape of an animal with a few differences whenever we choose. There is an almost limitless number of shifters. Lions, tigers, bears, many different kinds. Bengal tigers, mountain lions, polar bears, Kodiak bears. As well as other animals like wolves. Trust me Kate, I know what this sounds like. You're probably already thinking that I'm some kind of screwball who thinks he's a werewolf who turns into a monster at every full moon," he said quietly. Actually she had only just started thinking that. Rick was a mental case, that was for sure.

"There is also something for all shifters or more accurately someone. For every shifter there is someone who is perfect for them. If you will, a preordained mate. Life mates that are matched perfectly for each other. Each shifter knows his or her mate when they meet them and kiss for the first time. When they have make love for the first time, they are physically and mentally bound to each other for life. When one dies, the other will soon follow, dying from a broken heart. There are a number of things that also take place after they are bound. Yes, I'm falling in love with you if I haven't already, but if I make love to you without your understanding the consequences, I would be binding you to me and me to you without your consent. And I love you far too much to even think that." Rick did what he hoped was his best to explain.

She was silent for a time. "So you think you're a wolf and that if you make love to me I'll be your life mate?" Kate tried to understand his wild story. "Well, a bear actually, a Kodiak bear to be precise," he corrected her. "A bear? Seriously Rick!? You've concocted this fantasy story to accomplish what? If you didn't want to make love to me, why not just tell me? Wait, you're actually a mental patient that managed to talk his way out of your permanent hospital, aren't you? Did you steal Alexis from someone?" She stood up and started pacing. "You're serious aren't you? You really think that you're a bear, that you can turn into a bear. GOD poor Alexis. Even in Wyoming there has to be Social Services for children. And I came out here all alone and didn't even bring my weapon." Kate moaned at what she had gotten herself into. She'd thought Rick might be the one. How could she have screwed this up so badly!?

"I can prove my words Kate. So easily," he offered. "How, by turning yourself into a bear?" she countered. "Even trying to turn yourself into a bear will only prove your fantasy Rick. We're leaving to go home. And don't even think that you can stop me. I'm well trained in hand to hand combat and can take you easily," she warned him and started thinking about where her keys were.

"I can prove it if you'll just stop and let me." He took what might be his last shot at getting her to listen to the truth. "By turning yourself into a bear. …Fine. Turn yourself into a bear." Kate stood there, crossed her arms across her chest, and glared at him. "We need to go outside and find someplace private," he told her. "Outside where you think you can take me and leave my dead body behind? Yeah, I don't think so. Not that you would succeed." Kate was sure in her ability.

"I would never hurt you! I love you far too much to even think that," Rick said heatedly only to see Kate steel her expression. "We have to go outside and find someplace private because I can't let my secret get out by someone seeing me. And as a bear I'm far too big for your motorhome. My weight alone will cause the floor to collapse," he informed her. "Outside?" She was actually thinking of letting him. "I know you don't believe me or trust me anymore. Please let me prove it to you. It'll break my heart if I lose you. It will just take a few more minutes of your time. Give me a chance Kate. You brought me out here for a reason. Let me prove that you weren't wrong, please !" he begged her.

"You can change without a full moon? And we're going to be out in the middle of nowhere for how long waiting for you to change into a bear?" Kate queried thinking that she was actually going to do it. She had lost her mind, she was sure of it. Rick actually chuckled. "I don't need a full moon and neither do the wolf shifters. It only takes seconds to change," he explained. She sighed and thought it over. "Fine, you go first and stay out in front of me. You do anything stupid Rick and I'll break both your legs then call the sheriff and have him come out and pick up your broken body," Kate warned him.

He sagged in relief. She was giving him a chance. His changing was likely to scare her but it was his last and likely only chance. Rick opened the door, walked a few feet away and waited for Kate to follow. She closed and locked the door and motioned for Rick to start walking. He looked behind him from time to time to gaze at Kate whose face had a neutral appearance. It was dark out but there was just enough light to see where they were going. She walked behind him, ready for anything.

Rick figured they were far enough away but close enough to the lake that the moon shining off of it would give her a good look at him. He began taking off his clothes starting with his shoes. "What are you doing?" Kate demanded, thinking that he was planning on having sex out here. She watched as he finally slid off his boxers and just stood there giving her time for a really good look at him. She had to admit that he would interest a lot of women. Kate, however, held her emotions in check and simply stared at him. "I have no intention of hurting you, Kate, far from it actually. I would risk my life to protect you. …This will only take a second or two," Rick informed her and took a deep breath. He didn't need it to change, but his entire future with Kate was on the line.

Rick changed forms into a truly large Kodiak bear, the size of which she had never even heard of. Kate stood there slack-jawed at what she had just witnessed. She had been expecting him to take time to change if he could do it at all. Bones cracking, skin stretching, hearing him scream from the pain. Instead a naked Rick was now a bear with brown fur, a snout with a black nose, paws that were larger than a dinner plate. Hell, he was bigger than her Jeep. Maybe even a little bigger than her stupid Durango. HE WAS HUGE!

Kate watched the bear take a step towards her and she immediately took two steps back. As she watched, the bear lowered his head like she had just slapped him. This was followed by him taking a step back placing them even farther apart than before. "Rick?" she asked hesitantly, still not sure this had happened. Kate watched the bear lift and lower his head. She took that as a yes. "Can you talk?" She asked her next question. She watched the bear shake its head from side to side. This was followed by the bear giving off a soft roar followed by a snort out its nose. She took that as a no. "Does changing hurt?" Kate asked getting more personal. The bear shook its head again. Though from Rick's point of view, the fact that she hadn't gotten any closer did hurt.

"You're really a bear. Where you born this way or is it a disease?" she inquired only for it to dawn on her what she had said. "Sorry, that was two questions. Were you born this way?" She repeated her first question and watched the bear nod. "So you can be either whenever you choose?" Kate asked another question as the bear nodded. "How do I know it's you Rick if you can't talk?" As stupid as it sounded even to her, he could be someone else. Which brought up another question. "Is it really you under all that hair and teeth, or are you more bear?" She groaned when it dawned on her she had asked two questions again. She was all set to amend her questions when she watched the bear actually sit down on its ass with its lower legs sticking out. Kate watched as the bear lifted up its arms and held them out. It looked for all the world like an invitation for a hug. A real honest-to-god bear hug. It occurred to her that if the bear wanted to kill her it could with just one swipe of its paw. She also had no illusion that it could run her down if she ran.

Kate didn't know what to think. She had lured Rick out here to make love to him. Now he was sitting there as a huge bear asking her to step into his arms. "You crush me or break my back and I'll kill you." Kate decided on a useless threat. She squeezed her eyes closed, took a few steps, and found herself wrapped up in a giant pair of arms with huge paws. She was surrounded by fur and it felt so damn good.

Her fears left her as she let Rick hug her. Kate buried her face in his fur, grabbing handsful of it and held onto him. GODS ABOVE! Was this how he could give such damn good bear hugs? "Rick?" she asked, talking into his fur. Her only response was to feel a large black nose sniff her hair. She gripped him a little harder, squeezed her eyes closed and let him envelope her as she started crying.

The man she loved was a huge bear.