Some Bear to Love: BBW Bear Shifter (BWWM) Romance Standalone (11 page)
Read Some Bear to Love: BBW Bear Shifter (BWWM) Romance Standalone Online
Authors: Terry Bolryder
Was this beautiful, stubborn man really hers? Though they’d only known each other a short time, she felt she’d suffered enough to earn him.
But she knew one could never really earn that kind of love, even if one was willing to.
He looked into her eyes as he began to move, and she closed hers as sensation started to overwhelm her. She felt like she was at the center of a swirling snowstorm, and she guessed it had something to do with his bear being close to the surface.
She could see their bears together, crossing frozen water or rolling by a stream. She could see little cubs. She could see them as humans, together on his boat, watching every sunset. Every part of her body responded to these visions, and she felt the pressure in her rising higher with each stroke of his body against hers.
She heard words of love from him in her ear, but she could barely pay attention as the sensation inside her rose to a fever pitch. She clenched her hands into fists and curled her toes, and still the build went on.
Sebastien’s breathing was rapid, hoarse. “Sweetheart,” he said. “Come with me.”
She wanted to, but she was almost afraid of what was on the other side. It felt so intense she could nearly die from it. But she held on to him, digging her nails into his back as he drove again into her, this time bringing a hand up to gently press against her as he moved.
That was it. She went over the crest with a scream of his name and a roar of her bear, and as pleasure waved through her, she felt him join her.
He uttered her name in a harsh curse, and she held him as he shook against her. His hard, muscled body was completely overtaken by the sensation, and she loved watching the look on his face through the blur of her own passion.
When he finally slumped on top of her, she felt warm and sated.
“I wanted it to last longer for you,” he said. “I wanted to make you go over and over.” He kissed her, long and deep, and she stayed silent but met his tongue with soft caresses of her own. When he pulled back, breathing heavily, she saw shock in those stern blue eyes. “I knew it was heaven being with you, Kim. But that was out of this world.”
She hugged him against her. “I know,” she said. “I want to do it again.”
“Only if you tell me you love me,” he grumped, stroking her face.
She laughed. “I think that can be arranged.”
He leaned over her, pinning her hands. “Say it,” he said, leaning forward so their lips were nearly touching.
She pouted, then gave him what he wanted. “I love you. You already knew that.”
“I know,” he said smugly.
“Now, do I get what I want?” she asked, still pouting.
He thought about it for a moment. “Aye, wench. I’ll plunder that booty.”
She laughed and swatted at him, and then they rolled together in the sheets until she ended up on top of him and they were both breathing heavily. “All right,” she said. “Now hoist that mainsail.”
He grinned like a true pirate.
S
ebastien looked
over at Kim as they drove. She was as beautiful as the day he’d met her, several months ago, and today was a special day for them.
Kim’s parents had finally gotten over the shock of the broken arrangement with Wilson’s family, and they were coming out here to meet Sebastien and reconcile with Kim.
His mate was playing absentmindedly with a braid. She wasn’t the type to be nervous, so he felt the need to immediately soothe her. He put a hand to her neck and played softly with the skin there, and she sighed against him.
“Happy three months,” he said.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Surprised you remember. You’ve been so busy lately.”
“Like you haven’t been right there with me,” he teased, thinking of all the time they’d spent on boats together. She’d been quick to learn, and though she liked to whine at times, he knew she treasured working together as much as he did.
“I don’t know,” she said playfully. “Going on tour boats is more fun than running them.” But she gave him a sparkling grin.
“Do you miss practicing law?” he asked, feeling nervous as he asked it.
She shook her head a little too quickly, then considered it. “Maybe sometimes. I guess I like rules a little more than I thought. There are some considerations, though,” she said, putting a hand over her stomach.
Sebastien grinned. She was at twelve weeks, so the baby books said it was finally safe to tell others about their good news. Like his father, he’d turned out to be fairly virile and it was hard not to beam with pride about it these days.
She looked beautiful. She wasn’t really showing, but she was glowing and happy. She hadn’t had bad morning sickness, luckily.
“You know, if you miss law, you could still figure out what it would take to practice it here, you know, on the island.”
She rubbed her abdomen absentmindedly. “I might have to anyway. Might not be able to work the boat with you. I’ll miss being with you.”
He parked the car in short-term parking because they were a few minutes early and her parents hadn’t landed yet. “Look. I love you more than the ocean. If you want me to figure out how to be your documents manager while you can’t come out on the ship with me, just say the word. No, actually, no words needed. I’m turning things over to Bart and Hans. They’re both fully capable.”
“You’d really give up going on the ships for me?” she asked.
He put a hand at her waist, looking down at her in wonder. “Yes. Of course. I love you more than anything in the world.”
“I can’t see you being anyone’s assistant,” she said, giggling as he gently moved her hair back and kissed her neck and then her ear softly. Then she sighed and relaxed against the seat. He took a quick look around to make sure no one was watching. He had ten minutes to relax and pleasure his mate and soothe her nerves away, and he intended to take advantage of every second of it.
She sighed as he kissed the stress away, kissing her cheek, her temple, her forehead, gently holding his lips to her soft skin. Then his hands cupped her face and he found her mouth, delving gently with his tongue, revealing in his ownership of her and hers of him.
Heat and tension rose in him as he kissed her, along with a sense of tenderness he felt only for her. Had only ever felt for her.
“Sebastien?” she said breathlessly, holding a hand out to brush his hair out of his face.
“Yes, love?”
“I think I’m going to need you to wear the pirate outfit tonight,” she said, biting her lip playfully. “It’s going to be a stressful day. Seeing my parents… I don’t know how I feel about that.”
He frowned, wanting to protect her from everything that could make her feel scared or uncertain but knowing her family wasn’t something he could just push away. “I’ll do anything you want me to,” he said. “If it’ll make you laugh.”
“What if they’re angry?”
“When I spoke to them on the phone, they seemed pretty satisfied with the arrangement,” he said. “But just so you know, I won’t let anyone belittle you or make you feel bad.”
“You’d yell at them?”
“No, I’d just whisk you away until they were ready to behave. You’re my mate. Protecting you is my number one prerogative.”
She grinned. “I like that about you.”
“Thanks,” he said, leaning in to kiss her again. He was sinking into the warm, soft kiss, letting it heat both of them, when he heard the loud announcement of her parents’ flight.
Game time.
He sat up with a sigh and she did too. He liked the look of her, lips full and face flushed beautifully from being kissed thoroughly. He could hardly wait to get through today with her and get her alone.
He’d wear or do whatever she wanted tonight to soothe away the stress of the day.
Tilting his head to look at her as she straightened herself, it occurred to him maybe
she
was the real pirate.
After all, she’d commandeered his boat and then commandeered his heart.
And he didn’t mind at all.
T
hanks
so much for reading Sebastien and Kim’s story! If you enjoyed I hope you’ll leave them a review to let me know. Even just a few words makes all the difference.
If you haven’t read the first book in the series, starring Sebastien’s brother Sky, you can pick it up here:
Also, sign up for my newsletter here so you can know when the next polar bear brother finds his mate. I release quickly and tell my newsletter first.
I have three other bear books, a full series starring three sexy, successful brothers that come home to the small tourist town of Bearstone park to find mates.
T
hanks
so much for being awesome fans. It’s your support and your reviews that help me release quickly, keep prices low and still make a living.
I appreciate you all so much,
Sincerely,
Terry Bolryder
Also, you can visit me on
Terry’s Facebook
Or, you can visit my webpage at
terrybolryder.com
Or write me at
[email protected]
I’ll be hard at work on the next story!
I
f you’re
out of my bear books, you might like my popular wolf shifter series Alpha Contender, where ten alpha males compete for one curvaceous BBW. It was originally released as a serial but is offered in a complete, 330 page boxed set right now for .99.
Two weeks ago, my life changed completely. There I was, sitting at one of the empty tables in the bookstore I work at, eating a powdered donut and trying not to get it on the romance novel I was reading on my break, when the most beautiful man I’d ever seen in my life walked in.
I dropped my donut on the table when I saw him standing in our doorway. He had one hand casually in his pocket and was tall enough that he had to duck slightly to get through the door frame. His shiny black hair had little wings of white at the temples, and light streaks of gray throughout. But his deep blue eyes and handsome face were sparkling, youthful.
I averted my eyes, blushing deeply, and furiously started brushing crumbs of powdered sugar off my lap and the table. Stupid, addictive, delicious donuts. Not convenient for meeting hot men.
Luckily, my boss, Lacy, saw him and came over to greet him. I buried my nose in my book. I’ve never been able to face men like that in person. Only in words on a page.
I scanned back to where I was reading, eager to see the next development in my novel.
Oh, Sylvester. You naughty duke.
“Ahem.” A low voice clearing its throat caused me to freeze, embarrassment washing over me like a bucket of cold water dumped on my head. I bit my lip, hoping that maybe, despite that sound being very close, and a very nice pair of masculine legs being at eye level, maybe he was still talking to Lacy.
I stayed silent. Maybe he wouldn’t see me if I didn’t move. He cleared his throat.
Damnit, Misty, he’s a hot guy, not a T-Rex.
“Miss,” he said. Oh Gosh, that deep voice affected me down to my toes. I squirmed in my chair. This was what came from making it to 28 as a virgin…no good.
“Miss, would it be alright if I talked with you?”
I took a few breaths, hoping the redness had gone out of my face. Then I calmly closed my book, bookmarking it with the last piece of donut, and turned to face him.
He was standing with both hands on the table, leaning forward across from me, and the scent that hit me, wafting off him, nearly made me faint. Sex. He smelled like straight up sex. If sex also smelled like a mountain spring, and a night in the forest, and a wind through the aspens in the fall. I tried not to choke.
He took a seat across from me, seemingly unaffected by my slack-jawed state. He wore a tailored white shirt and he adjusted the cuffs while he waited. I didn’t know they made business shirts that size. He was huge, easily 6’5”, with refined but masculine features, and a slight grin on a mouth made for sin.
“Nice to meet you too,” he said. Then he did the weirdest thing ever, and tilted his head back and inhaled deeply. Then he looked back at me. “I’ve been looking for you.”
I glanced at his hand. A ring. Damn. Well, not like a guy like him would have been interested in a girl like me anyway.
“Why?” I asked, sending a glance over at Lacy, who was making little humping motions in the background. I waved a hand at her, begging her to stop before I burst out laughing and made this situation more ridiculous.
“I knew your parents,” he said.
“My parents are dead.” I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself. I had a good life with them, but they were quite old when they adopted me, and I knew when I was an adult there was the possibility they’d be gone.
“Not those parents, your birth parents,” he said, pulling out a photo and sliding it across the table.
I looked down at the photo. A man and a woman standing together, arms around each other. The woman was beautiful, dark skinned with pretty, tight curls. The man, dark haired but white like the man across from me. I squinted at the couple. Could those really be my parents? I mean, it made sense with my coloring, medium brown skin with dark curls and warm brown eyes.
But these people were gorgeous and I was…well…tragically average. I pushed the photo back. “You’ve got the wrong girl.”
“No,” he said, taking the photo back and putting it in a pristine, expensive looking wallet. “I’m afraid I have exactly the right girl. And I’ve been looking for you for a very long time.”
I shrugged. “Well, good for you.” I looked at my watch pointedly. “Look at the time, my break is up.” I grabbed my book and started to stand up.
“There’s no one here,” Lacy called unhelpfully. Traitor. “Go ahead and talk if you need to.”
I reluctantly sat back down, slamming the book on the table.
“There’s no reason to be angry,” he said. “I’m here to help you. I have good news.”
“No,” I said, sitting up straighter and folding my arms across my considerable chest. “The good news is I had good parents. They took care of me, and they are all I need. They loved me. Whoever this other dad was, he wasn’t my real dad. My real dad loved me when whoever you knew abandoned me. So he can eff off. And so can you, frankly.”
My eyes widened and I tried not to look shocked at the crap that just came out of my own mouth. Generally I’m never the one to say anything outrageous, except in my own mind. Something about this stranger’s unmitigated arrogance just pulled it right out of me.
He laughed gently, a sound that hit me low in my belly. “I’m glad you had good parents.” His blue eyes went serious. “I’ve been so worried for you, you have no idea. Your parents, I loved them…”
“Well, that’s nice, but I didn’t know them.”
“Your mom, she gave her life for you. Keeping you safe.” He lowered his voice. “Hiding you in the human world.”
“Um, you mean the
world
world, right?” I asked.
He sent a meaningful glance over at Lacy, then turned back to me. “Can we go for a walk?”
I sighed. If I didn’t, he would probably be back to keep bothering me anyway. “Sure.” I stood. “Lacy, I’ll be right back,” I called out.
She nodded, giving me another thumbs up when the handsome stranger wasn’t looking. I shook my head and grabbed my coat off the rack by the register and followed the stranger out. He held the door and I ignored him as I walked past. I just didn’t need someone showing up at random to tell me all about myself.
He put both hands in his jacket pockets and looked thoughtfully ahead as we walked. “You know, I understand that I’m disrupting you now. I’m too late, and you’re settled here. I get that.”
Could he read minds?
“But it’s a matter of survival for our race. Who you are. And we need you.”
“What do you mean, you need me?” I waved a hand at him. “You’ve done without me for twenty-eight years, I’m sure you can go a little longer.”
“Don’t you even want to know anything about those who gave their lives for you? Who loved you enough to send you away?”
I shook my head. “No. It sounds sad. And I’m pretty sure I can’t do anything for your race, anyway.” I shrugged and kept walking. “Sorry, but like I said, you’ve got the wrong girl.”
“I don’t. And I’m positive.”
“Yeah, well… whatever.”
He stopped and eyed me, checking me out from head to toe like I was some kind of exotic statue. “You know, if you come with me, you won’t need to keep hiding.”
“What do you mean, hiding? I’m not hiding.”
He tilted his head, that small, irritating smile was back again. “Yes you are. Hiding who you are behind all…” He motioned at me in general. “That.”
I frowned in offense. “Sorry buddy, but there’s no Cinderella hiding under here.”
“Hm. I smelled differently.”
“Excuse me?!” I took a step back.
He frowned. “Sorry, I’m messing this up. Look, I can’t explain here. We need to go somewhere alone.”
“Oh no you don’t,” I said. “I’m naive but I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m not going off alone with you to
find
myself.”
“Look. You’re awakening. Even as we speak. You’re going to be in trouble if you don’t come with me. Here, I’ll show you. Smell me.”
“What?”
He sighed. “Just inhale deeply, and listen to what you smell.”
I didn’t want to. I knew what he was talking about from just smelling him when he first came in. “No,” I said.
“Suit yourself. But as good as I smell, you’re going to smell even better. I don’t even know how you’ve stayed hidden this long. I presume it has something to do with the way you conceal yourself. Like that lumpy…”
“Sweater. It’s called a sweater.”
His lips curled slightly. “Sweater.”
“Look, just tell me who you are and what you want. I need to get back to work.”
He folded his arms and seemed to think deeply for a moment. “What was that book you were reading?”
I shrugged. “A romance novel, so what?”
“Ah. There are good looking men in that book, right?”
“Sure,” I replied, not getting where he was going with this.
“So, what if I told you that there were men much hotter than the man in that book, men who look like me, but younger, more virile. What if I told you that if you came with me right now, you have men like that fighting over you, and you’d have your pick of them?”
I pulled my open jaw up before I could make a fool of myself by drooling on the ground. “I’d say you were crazy.”
“I’m not crazy. My kind, we are naturally good looking.” He pulled out his wallet again. “Here, a picture of my family.” He handed it over and I looked over it, eyes catching especially on three stunning men in the back row, each a beautiful specimen of the finest the male sex has to offer.
I tried to act cool. “So what? You have good-looking kids. Not a surprise. Besides, this ‘looks’ thing, it seems to have skipped over me, so I doubt anyone would be fighting over me. I’m not the type of female men would fight over. Look at me.”
“I am,” he said. “And I assure you, in our world, men would fight. Will fight. So will you come?”
I looked back down at the photo. “So, guys like this?” I pointed at the men in the back row, liking especially a guy with dark hair and blue eyes.
“Well yes. Two of my sons are mated, but the one on the end, Lindon, he’s free.”
“Which one?”
“The blond.”
I found him and my jaw dropped again involuntarily. He was the spitting image of Sylvester, the naughty duke in my book. But more beautiful. Perfect, angelic features, but a hungry look in those light golden eyes. “So, he’d fight for me?”
He took the photo back and looked at it thoughtfully. “Well, Lindon is kind of a special case. I can’t say what he’d do. But he’s available to participate in the challenge if he wants to.”
“What about you?” I couldn’t resist asking, even knowing the age difference was inappropriate.
He gave me a smile that was slightly sad. “I’m afraid I’ve had my one great love. It’s time for the other males to have a chance.” He put the picture away. “Listen, Misty, I can’t tell you everything until you agree to come with me and keep our secrets. But I can tell you we need you. And you’ll be happier than you ever thought you could be.” He gestured back at the shop. “This isn’t your world. You know that, right?”
I thought about it. I guess I never felt like I fully fit in, but lots of people felt that way, didn’t they? I was sure every girl wished she could be whisked off away from this world to be some sort of princess or something. But that just didn’t happen in real life.
“Look, I still think you’ve made some kind of mistake…but if…say I was to go with you, if I change my mind, can I come back?”
“I can’t promise that,” he said. “But after I tell you about who you are, I’m willing to bet you won’t want to.”
I thought about the blond man, Lindon. His beautiful face was stuck in my mind. Whatever that world was, there was someone there who intrigued me more than anyone I had ever met in
this
world. If I walked away now, I wouldn’t ever know what I could have seen.
And there was something about this man and his arrogance, and his family, that made me think I could trust him. That gave me confidence in him, despite wanting to simultaneously slap him and chew him out for coming into my life and turning everything upside down.
“Alright, take me to meet Lindon.”
He raised an eyebrow. “That’s your condition? To meet my son?”
“Why? Something wrong with him?”
He put his hand up to his chin and thought for a moment. “I guess I’ll let you decide that for yourself.” A grin spread over that handsome face, and I could see some resemblance to the beautiful blond in the photo. “Alright, I’ll take you to meet Lindon. Might be good to have some motivation while you have to take it all in anyway.”
“Sure,” I said.
“Alright, how soon can you be packed? And you’ll need to take work off.”
“For how long?”
He shrugged. “Indefinitely, I guess.”
I couldn’t believe I was even considering it. But I knew if I said no, I’d go back to a life of lonely bookshelf stocking and reading at night about things I’d never get a chance to experience. This man offered me adventure, and something deep inside me was saying yes.
The blond man popped into my mind, and I swear I could see him smile.
“Alright, I’ll go with you, Mister…?”
“Rowan,” he said, pulling my hand to his lips to place a gentle kiss there. “I’m Rowan, and I promise you won’t regret it for a second.”
Well, he was dead wrong.