If he really wanted to—and he did—he could run back and knock on J.D.’s door, and she’d welcome him into her bed. He’d practically begged her tonight and he almost gave in. Surely if he had tasted her again, he would have taken her right then and there. But still—
His phone ringing jolted him out of his thoughts, and he quickly fished it out of his pocket. When he saw the name on the caller ID, he let out another sigh. He contemplated ignoring it or sending it to voicemail, but that wouldn’t stop her. So, he picked it up.
“Hello, babushka,” he greeted his grandmother, his brain immediately switching to Russian. “How nice of you to call. What time is it over there?”
“Aleksandr.” Natalia Dashokov preferred using his Russian middle name. His real name, as she would call it. “How are you, lyuba? Why have you not called me?” The tone in her voice was just the right amount of sweetness, pouting, and guilt-inducing reproach.
“Forgive me.” He flinched inwardly. “I have been busy these past few days. There was a nest of rare red-tailed grouses that I’d been observing from the early hours of the day until evening, when the parents go out and hunt.…” Cam was pretty sure there were no such thing as red-tailed grouses, but this was his usual distraction tactic whenever Natalia called. She would either get bored or impatient, but eventually forgive him.
“Bah!” she interrupted. “That is no excuse for ignoring your frail old grandmother.”
Frail was not a word he would use to describe her. For a human, she could be even more tenacious and pugnacious than any shifter or animal. “Again, my apologies.” He shifted the phone to his other ear. “And to what do I owe this call, babushka?”
“You know why I am calling.”
His chest tightened, making it hard to speak.
“Your time in America is at an end. I want to know when you intend to fly back to London.”
Had he forgotten his promise to her? And his obligations?
When he had seen her on New Year’s Eve, he had begged Natalia for one just one more year of unfettered study before he took on his family “obligations.” After completing his second PhD, the opportunity came up to study the flora and fauna of the famed Blackstone mountains. When he had moved out here, all he wanted to do was devote his time to his research for his last months of freedom. He had never expected to meet his mate, much less in America of all places.
And now, with J.D. involved in the mix, things were about to get more complicated.
Should he tell his grandmother about her? While that would send Natalia over the moon, it would make things even more difficult. He loved Natalia, but she meddled too much.
And then there was J.D., who knew absolutely nothing about his background and his promise to his grandmother. How would she react? Would she want to leave Blackstone and everything and everyone she knew to start a new life with him in a new country?
“Lyuba?” Natalia’s voice broke his train of thought. “Thinking with that big brain of yours again?”
He swallowed. She was one of the few people who understood how his mind worked, who didn’t mind if he was too absorbed in his own thoughts. “I … I’m just finishing up some things here.” This was not a conversation he should be having with her on the phone. “I … there are a few things I need to take care of and then … then we can speak. Perhaps in January, when I fly back?” Yes, that would give him some time to weigh his options and think on things.
“January?” she said incredulously. “But that is so far away. Next year, even. You told me last year when your final term began that all you needed was one year. And the year is almost over.”
“I know, babushka, but you can’t expect me to fly out right before midnight on December thirty-first. I’m not Cinderella, and I won’t turn into a pumpkin.” He sighed. “I promise … I’ll be back, all right? Don’t you fret. And I may have good news for you too.” Like those great grandchildren you’ve always wanted.
And that was one reason he couldn’t tell her about J.D. yet. Natalia would probably fly out here and lock them in a room together until J.D. popped out a cub or two.