by C. D. Gorri
“Dimples, I told you if you weren’t a good girl I was gonna give you a spanking didn’t I? Now what kind of expectant father would I be if I didn’t follow through?”
The heated glance he sent his wife made Roxanne blush. She felt like a voyeur. Even though the woman was a she-Bear, Krissy seemed perfectly happy allowing her husband to carry her to their car.
“Wow. They are really very romantic, aren’t they?”
“Uh, yeah it was just before me and my cousins arrived here that they got together. From what I heard Krissy knew Taylor was her mate when they were just kids. Took him longer to find out.”
“Oh, sounds like that must have been hard on her.”
“I imagine it was. Here,” Bowie agreed.
He reached over with his big hand and gestured for her to take a foil wrapped pat of butter. She took one and looked at the basket of the warm rolls that sat on the tray.
“You have to try one of these rolls. I don’t know what they do to the bread, but it’s the best I’ve ever tasted.”
“Yeah?” Roxanne smile at him, his enthusiasm for the food positively contagious.
She was very aware of him as they sat at their cozy little table eating rolls and drinking warm coffee. There was an assortment of tiny quiches and a variation of English pasties stuffed with meats and vegetables.
Roxanne sighed as she bit into one pasty filled with little bite-sized chunks of turkey, carrots, celery, onions, and mashed potatoes. It was served with the most delicious cranberry walnut relish.
“Ooh, yeah that one is good,” Bowie smiled and encouraged her to try even more. Roxanne giggled as he fed her a piece of a spinach quiche, stopping when she noted the flare of his nostrils and the sudden widening of his eyes.
“I love watching you eat,” he said in a deep voice that felt like fingers dancing up and down her spine.
“You do?” She questioned. No one had ever said anything like that to her. If she wasn’t a Shifter, she might have questioned his honesty, but she knew he was telling the truth.
“You have the prettiest mouth, Roxie,” he leaned closer and fed her another bite. This time it was from one of the flaky honey buns Krissy and Taylor had brought them.
The dough was so light and crisp on the outside and soft inside, with just the right amount of honey glaze. Roxanne moaned as the flavors burst on her tongue.
“Roxie, you’re killing me,” he growled.
“Who? Me?”
“Yes you. You can’t do that kind of thing in public.”
“What kind of thing? You mean the noise I made-”
“Yes,” he said tightly, and she could see the effort it was taking him to restrain himself.
“Let’s just finish up. You have to meet Marcus in a few minutes.”
Roxanne couldn’t believe they’d been sitting there for over an hour. Time simply flew by. She stood to clean the table, but Bowie staid her with his hand.
“I got it, gorgeous. You want that coffee to go?”
“No, I’m good,” she said dazed by the sudden shift in his attitude.
“Bowie,” she said as they got back in his car.
“Yeah?” He said. His blue eyes were glued to the road with the sudden appearance of a few snow flurries and she was glad he was attentive to his driving.
“Why, um, why did you call me gorgeous back there?”
“I thought we went over this already, honey? You. Are. Gorgeous.”
“Okay. In your opinion-”
“Yep. It is my opinion and if I recall correctly, you asked for my help, didn’t you?”
“Um, yes. I did.”
“Do you still want it?”
“Well, yes,” she started, nerves making it difficult for her to speak up.
“Good. I’m just setting the mood,” he shrugged and winked in her direction.
“Oh, but you don’t have to do that now. We can talk more about it later-”
“Do I embarrass you?” He asked and she felt the tension in the car rise about ten degrees.
Why would he think that? He was handsome as sin with a body to die for and he treated her like a princess in the day and a half they’d spent together.
“Of course not,” she vehemently argued.
“Good.”
“I just meant you didn’t have to go to any trouble for me.”
“Baby, you are worth so much more than I could ever give you,” he said and put the truck in park, “But I swear to you here and now, Roxie, I will endeavor to be worthy of you.”
Now that is something you don’t hear every day, she swallowed and nodded at him. When did her reticent guide turn into Romeo?
The second you offered him your virginity.
“Ready to see Marcus?”
“Yeah. Sure.”
“Good, cause afterwards, I’ve got something very special lined up for you.”
Swallow. Gulp. Sigh.
Promises. Promises.
CHAPTER 11
“Hello, Ms. Winters.”
“Alpha Devlin,” Roxanne said and nodded.
“Please, call me Marcus,” the huge Black Bear Alpha grinned at Roxanne and Bowie tensed.
When Marcus extended a hand to his small sexy Fox, Bowie couldn’t help the curl of his lip or the hint of a growl that rumbled in his chest. It wasn’t because he feared the Alpha would hurt her. No. This tension was pure and simple jealousy.
Grrr. Mine.
Shut the fuck up, he told his possessive Polar Bear.
He doubled the effort when Marcus glanced at him with his dark brown eyes. The Barvale Clan Alpha was a good man. Bowie trusted him and so did his Polar. That was enough to quiet the beast.
“Atiqtalaaq here is a relatively new transplant to our little Clan. I hope he’s been showing you the ropes?”
“Yes. Bowie has been taking excellent care of me,” Roxanne replied without looking at him.
He noted the tips of her ears turning pink and wondered for a second if she was remembering their heated kiss that morning. He sure hoped so. Because after this meeting was done, he intended on doing some more of that with her. He may not be the man she deserved, but the more time he spent in her company he knew he would find it easier to cut off a hand than to leave her.
He listened vaguely as she spoke about the coming winter solstice celebration and the needs of her Skulk. She also cleverly implied her family’s corporation would be more than happy to donate the budget of an entire summer ad campaign for Bear Claw Bakery.
That kind of talk went right over Bowie’s head, so he just stood there silently while his Alpha and his yet-to-be-claimed mate talked over the terms of the run. Roxanne withdrew documents from her purse for Marcus to sign and the Alpha sealed the deal with a firm handshake and a nod in Bowie’s direction.
“So?” He asked as they went outside back to his truck once again.
“Your Alpha is quite the shrewd businessman. It is going to cost us a pretty penny from the company, but it is worth it. The winter solstice celebration will ensure the next generation of the Skulk. My father will be happy,” she shrugged as if it was no big deal, but Bowie knew better.
She’d just went a round with one of the toughest Shifters he knew. Marcus had turned Bear Claw from just your local bakery to a billion-dollar corporation and a household name. You could even find their products in the grocery store in the baked goods, refrigerator, and freezer aisles.
Bear Claw Bakery provided coffee, tea, and baked goods. All of it was organic, Fairtrade, non-GMO, wholesome homemade goodness. Even better, Marcus Devlin and his brothers made sure each and every Clan member owned a percentage of stock in the corporation.
Everyone made a little bit of money from their success. The Devlins’ generosity was unique far as he was concerned. As if that wasn’t enough, they gave back in other ways too. The town’s Holiday Lights Festival was just another example.
Bowie was used to hard living in Alaska. His diet consisted mainly of meat and fish he’d hunted himself, along w
ith berries and veggies available during the short summer season. When he’d first come to New Jersey, he’d been almost overwhelmed by the produce and the way it was all readily available.
But it was more than the food, it was people. The Barvale Clan had opened his eyes to a lot of things he’d never known existed. Community, caring, and a fundamental goodness that had been lacking in his life were now all right there in front of him. He finally had the chance to belong. And that was something an outcast like him had ever expected.
When he turned to his right, he saw something else he’d never thought imaginable. He saw hope. A chance for a future that included a mate and young.
Mine, growled the Bear pushing at Bowie’s skin.
“Want to see the lake?” He heard himself say and was pleased when Roxanne nodded eagerly.
“Is it frozen?”
“Nah, it’s still too early, but with the snow falling it’ll be pretty.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
There was only about an inch of accumulation on the ground as he drove through the private road from the Den to an empty spot near the Devlin’s very own Lake Ursa. Clan often used the woods and lake to run in their fur without being seen by normals.
“Oh, this is just beautiful,” Roxie sighed as she watched the snow fall onto the pristine waters.
“Yeah,” he agreed but his eyes were trained on her.
“Would you mind very much if we Changed and went for a run?” she bit her lip.
Her green eyes sparkled at him from across the seat. Bowie felt himself go hard at the thought of seeing his sexy little Fox strip down to nothing but skin before she slipped into her fur.
Yes, his Bear rumbled. All for showing his mate his other self.
“Sure,” he grunted and exited the car in a rush to get around to her side. He helped her down, keeping hold of her hand while he led her to the back of the truck. He opened the back and nodded towards a set of clean towels and a folded blanket.
“We can put our things here, so they don’t get wet,” he said, but couldn’t stop staring.
Shifter etiquette dictated he remove his gaze, but this was his mate. He wanted to watch her.
“Alright,” she said a little breathlessly.
Bowie had a feeling she knew exactly what he was going to do. He had no intention of averting his gaze. He wanted to see her in all her glory. Hell, he needed to see her. She knew it too. And she was giving her permission.
Thank fuck.
Roxanne straightened her shoulders and turned to face him. The spot where he parked the truck had a boulder on one side and a thick copse of trees on the other. It was private enough that he did not have to worry about others catching glimpses of her silky white skin. She unzipped her coat and tossed it on the bed of the truck, eyebrow raised at him.
“Your turn?” She said.
“Yeah, okay,” he answered. So this was the game? Fine. He could do this.
Mine, his Bear grumbled. Bowie felt the animal gazing out of his eyes as she moved to take off her top.
Shit. She was wearing a skimpy lace bra that barely concealed her rounded breasts. His cock throbbed and he almost forgot to remove his own shirt. The wind didn’t bother him as he watched her rapt gaze glide over him from his head to his chest and abdomen.
He was well-muscled with an eight pack he worked for with blood, sweat, and tears. Being a Shifter meant he was more likely to be big and brawny, but it wasn’t a given. Bowie prided himself on being a devout worker.
As an Enforcer he’d stepped up his workout routine to include different types of martial arts along with brutal weight and strength training. He never thought about how it impacted his body, but he was grateful for it now.
Roxanne seemed to more than like it. She stepped out of her boots, and he followed suit not caring where he kicked the damn things. She giggled a little as he reached for his thick socks and tossed them into the truck.
The air between them was charged with awareness. Roxanne’s smile fell from her lips and Bowie could almost taste her nerves. He wanted to do something, anything to quell her fears, but he didn’t want to break the magic of the moment.
So, he bit his tongue and waited. Trying to show her the depth of his feelings through his eyes. God, she was so perfect. Lush and lovely with petal smooth skin and curves that could fill his hands. Bowie had big hands, but he wondered if they were big enough to catch her and gather her close.
Fuck yeah, his Bear answered.
“Roxanne,” he hissed her name as her small hands went to the waistband of her skirt.
She pushed the skirt and lace stockings over her hips in a fluid motion that made him think of falling water. His Vixen was exquisite. Just a few feet in front of him and almost naked. The man in him appreciated the matching lacy underthings she wore, but the Bear wanted them gone.
He kept her gaze as he moved forward noting her shiver and promising himself to make it go away. Once she was within distance, he raised his hands cautiously, slowly, giving her time to back away if she must.
Please don’t back away.
As if she heard his silent prayer she stepped forward. Her soft belly coming into contact with his hard one and Bowie couldn’t restrain the growl that built inside his chest.
“You’re so big,” she said and touched his shoulders, making him shiver at the contact.
“Beautiful,” he grunted, lifting her face by her chin. He wanted her to look at him to know who it was that was about to lay claim to her mouth.
The second his lips landed on hers it was as if he was thrown into a whirlwind of feeling. She opened for him, moaning softly as their tongues touched. Her fresh floral flavor was sweet and tempting. It reminded him of those precious few moments he’d had in the sun when he was a tiny cub.
She was soft and pliant, molding her body to his and embracing him with open arms. She warmed him like a fiery hearth on a cold winter night. He wanted her so bad. To be his, to accept his claim, but he wouldn’t risk this moment between them.
Her shy curiosity damn near killed him as she skimmed her nails down his chest, over his pecs to his flat nipples. She scraped her nails, pinching lightly over them and drawing a deep groan from his lips.
He flexed his hips against her, unable to control himself, needing her touch to the point of madness. He grabbed her beneath her ass and lifted her until she sat half inside the open trunk and half on him.
The heat between her legs felt damn near perfect against his cloth covered cock. He cursed his jeans, not wanting to let go of her in order to remove them, but his Roxie seemed to know that. She dropped her hands and unzipped the denim, pushing the fabric down and releasing his hard length.
She pushed his underwear down with his pants, moaning into his mouth as she ran her fingers over him. Fuck, that felt good. Almost too good. He stilled her hand, sucking on her tongue as he brought her fingers back to his shoulders.
“Hold on,” he said in a voice so deep and rough with his Bear he only hoped she understood him.
Roxie gasped and nodded as he released the front clasp of her bra, revealing her glorious mounds to his full attention. Her nipples and areolas were light pink and so damn pretty it hurt. They pebbled against his hands from desire or the cold. Either way he couldn’t wait to taste them.
Like little ripe berries, he thought as he sucked one into his mouth.
“Oh God,” Roxanne moaned, and he increased his pace.
Her body writhed against him, moving in time with his suckling of her breasts. In the meantime, his fingers found purchase on her ass and hips. He squeezed and kneaded the ripe flesh there while she moaned his name.
It was the sweetest foreplay he’d ever had. Touching her was a fantasy come true. She was new to this, a virgin, but so damned responsive. His untried mate was bringing him to his knees with nothing more than her natural responses.
Everything he did was new to her and everything he felt with her was new to him. She made him glad and ashamed
of all the women before her. Glad cause he knew enough not to hurt her, and ashamed cause he wished he was pure and innocent too. It didn’t matter now. With her, he felt reborn. Free from sin and error, new in her eyes. Damn she made him feel ten feet tall the way she moaned his name and nipped his lips with her sharp little teeth.
Mine, growled his Polar Bear possessively.
Bowie had to agree with the beast. Was he being a bit of a hypocrite? Maybe, but for him there were no other women who could compare with his mate. Never. There was only Roxanne.
Mine. Grrr.
“Roxanne,” he whispered her name as he licked a trail from her left breast to her right, Sucking the skin and leaving little bite marks across her white flesh.
She was so sweet, so ready for him. His dick throbbed with need. He thought he just might come from feasting on her sumptuous flesh alone.
“Bowie,” she moaned his name. Her lust filled eyes met his just as he pushed her panties to the side with his thick fingers.
“Tell me if you want me to stop,” he said.
“No, please don’t stop,” she returned.
The scent of her arousal was enough to make him drunk. If anything could make a Shifter his size intoxicated, it was sure to be the sexy little moans and the delicious scent coming off his mate. Her velvety folds were slick and wet with her desire, making his fingers slide and glide easily over her heated flesh. She was so very hot and tight.
His fingers grazed her sensitive nub and she bucked against him. His Bear growled. The beast wanted to claim her. Now. The sounds of her whimpers and moans were enough to make him lose all control. But he held on. Barely.
“Need to taste you,” he grunted and dropped to his knees, uncaring of the snow, pebbles, and twigs that littered the ground. Fuck that. He was a Polar Bear not some punk ass normal. He’d kneel on snow, ice, hot coals, or sharp blades just to be near her.
Once he was face to face with her pretty pink sex, Bowie froze in place. Glistening with her arousal, Roxanne’s pussy quivered in front of him. He licked his lips. There, before him, was a wonderland of sinfully delicious pleasure and it was all for him. The plump flesh of her sex was hot and dripping. He could practically feel her desire, though he had yet to touch her. It only made him hotter.