The Bear Claw Tales- Complete Series

by C. D. Gorri

  Lacey, you’re just a face. Nothing more. Her mother’s words came back to torment her as she looked in the mirror. Lacey frowned hard at her reflection. She might have been just a face once upon a time, but not anymore. At least, not right now. You’ve definitely seen better days. But still, he’d kissed her anyway. Bruises and all.

  Pent up energy buzzed through her as she yanked on socks and a pair of boots that actually fit her. Another gift from Daniel, she surmised as much when she spied the delivery box sitting outside the bedroom door.

  Well, she was all dressed now, and ready to do something. After laying around for the past few days, she was starting to feel like a loafer. Used to working long, hard hours, Lacey wanted to make herself useful.

  The scent of fresh brewed coffee tickled her nose as she headed out to the kitchen, which seemed to be the main meeting area at the Den. Made sense. Bear Shifters weren’t exactly small. She suspected they ate quite a lot to keep up their superior physiques.

  From someone who’d spent a lot of time around what some considered the most beautiful people in the world, Lacey had to admit those models and jocks had nothing on the Barvale Clan men. Holy Bear Shifters! She was surrounded by gorgeous male specimens day and night. Even Mr. Devlin, the dad, was a total hottie. But none of them had anything on Daniel. He was perfect in her eyes.

  From his soulful, sky blue gaze, to his dark, ash blonde locks he was ridiculously handsome. His features were chiseled as if from stone. Five o’clock shadow often covered his square jaw, but never hid his full, soft lips. Oh boy, don’t think about his lips.

  Then there was his body. Sigh. Lacey never thought of herself as the type to go with overly muscular guys, but Daniel definitely changed her mind about that. It wasn’t because he looked like some kind of Mr. Universe body-builder man. No way. Yuck. He wasn’t that veiny, oiled up, fake gym muscle guy.

  Daniel was in a league of his own. He was definitely ripped. Enormous even. But it was a natural kind of musculature that was as mouth-watering as he was beautiful.

  Thickly built with heavy ropes of muscle cording his entire frame, Daniel took her breath away. She’d freely ogled every inch of his naked body the night before as they stood together in the cold December air.

  He’d made her feel small and safe when he was in his fur, and even more so when he’d Changed back to man and wrapped his two strong arms around her. Those were two things she’d never felt in her entire life. Being a tall woman was not easy. Before she modeled, she was often teased for her gangly appearance.

  But she didn’t feel gangly next to him. Couldn’t help but be turned on just by being close to the man. She couldn’t stop it if she’d tried, and why would she try? It felt so damned good.

  Whenever he was near, she felt like some kind of mystical, magnetic pull to be near him. It made her want to leap into his arms. Like a moth to a flame. Heat burned her cheeks as she thought of her behavior. Ugh. She’d probably embarrassed them both with the way she threw herself at him. Nothing to do now, but push forward, she supposed.

  “Good morning. Want some breakfast?” Clary interrupted her thoughts and greeted her with a warm smile.

  “No, thank you. I thought I could maybe help you out in the kitchen today?” Lacey returned her smile and gestured to the wide clean space that was the Den’s kitchen.

  “You want to help me? But you’ll get all dirty,” the housekeeper protested.

  “That’s alright, I wash up just fine,” she grinned.

  “Well, I do have a ton to do with Christmas coming and all, so I hope you’re serious,” Clary laughed and handed her an apron.

  “As a heart attack,” Lacey winked at the older woman playfully and wrapped the apron around her waist.

  The sun still hadn’t risen yet and there was a bite to the air, but she felt alive like she never had before. After a few lessons from Clary, she quickly got the gist of what the woman wanted from her. Today, she was preparing the dried fruits and nuts that would go into her special German stollen.

  Clary was serious about keeping the bulk of the recipe hidden from prying eyes and ears, so she only gave Lacey bits and pieces of what she needed done. Apparently, this was a multi-step job that took several days of prep work. Lacey found it fascinating and absorbed everything the housekeeper said like a sponge.

  “Now, don’t you go telling the boys any of my special tricks, you hear?” She scolded as Lacey carefully measured brandy, sugar, and half a dozen different spices into a large pot on the stove.

  “They could threaten me, yell, even beat me, but I swear I’d never tell,” she answered with a giggle in her voice.

  “Oh, honey,” the housekeeper turned to her seriously, “You know the boys aren’t like that. Daniel is not like that. He would never hurt you.”

  Suddenly, Lacey felt hunted. She touched her face self-consciously and blinked back the tears that came to her eyes. Still, she knew Clary was right. Daniel would never hurt her. Even if he didn’t want her. So, she nodded her head.

  “I know that, Clary. Tim was a monster. You, the Devlin’s, I mean, you’ve really been great. I would never be so ungrateful-”

  “Oh, hush, I know you’re a good girl, but you know what we are. That dumb Wolf outed us in the most horrible way to a little thing like you. Now that you know about Shifters, that we exist, I hope you won’t let that taint the way you see us,” the woman nibbled her lip.

  “Never! Clary, I’m not traumatized by Tim’s actions, just a little bruised. I swear.”

  “You sure, hon? Daniel can come off a bit quiet and strong, but as the Clan Enforcer he has to be. It’s a complicated job.”

  “Clary, Shifters are just people, and like people, they come in all shapes and sizes, though I guess you are all pretty big. Daniel too,” she laughed and was relieved when Clary did as well.

  “You sure about that now, hon? I mean you’re right; we are just people.”

  “Tim was a monster, and I mean that in spite of his Wolf, not because of. He was the jerk. You are good people. The Devlin’s are amazing. And I am very grateful that you all are helping me through this.”

  “‘Atta girl. You know, he’s been hurt before.”

  “He?” Lacey feigned ignorance as she chopped the dried fruit into small bits.

  “Danny boy,” the older woman said knowingly.

  “Oh?”

  “Yes. He was engaged. To a normal, that’s what Shifters call human folk,” she continued, “anyway, his mother had just passed, and he was the closest to her. Desperate to have a family, he proposed to the first woman he saw. She was hell on his pride. Loved his money, loved men, any willing man, and left him high and dry at the altar.”

  “Poor Daniel,” Lacey said, her heart hurting for him.

  “Well, I say he dodged a bullet. Anyway, it looks like you know what you’re doing, now. Would you be alright if I ran out to the market for some more fresh oranges and lemons?”

  “Yes, of course,” Lacey nodded, her mind going a mile a minute with what she’d just learned. Maybe that was why he’d been so gruff when they’d first met?

  She continued stirring the steaming pot of fruit in front of her. Careful to keep the temperature low, her attention was on the sweet-smelling concoction as her mind mulled over the conversation she’d just had with Clary. She meant what she’d said about knowing the difference between Tim and Shifters in general, she realized with a smile.

  Lacey knew that he was the anomaly, the piece that didn’t fit, the monster. Tim’s behavior called him out as a jerk long before she saw him turn into a Wolf. He’d been jealous, controlling, whiny and demanding. She was not to blame for his actions and she certainly was not about to blame anyone else for them either. Then there was the other thing she’d learned.

  So, he’s gun shy. Maybe he was just using her to build himself back up. The thought was troubling. Kissing Daniel was beyond exciting, but she didn’t want to make something out of nothing if all he felt was pity or some phys
ical itch.

  No, her heart couldn’t take it. She made up her mind then and there. She would not play the lovesick fool here. No. She’d take a few days to heal, because, let’s face it, she couldn’t model like that. Then, she’d see about getting back in touch with some of her contacts.

  There is always work, she thought. She still had her mother’s enormous debt to pay off. And she needed a place to live. Damn. She’d almost forgotten about that. Best to just take things one day at a time.

  Lacey sighed and settled in. She was grateful for the kitchen duty, not having much opportunity to do so in the past. She found she liked cooking. The actions of chopping, measuring, bringing the pot to a boil, then down to a simmer were soothing. She even liked filling the mason jars with the heated fruit, washing the pan, then doing it all over again.

  She added the next batch of ingredients to boil then simmer while humming along with the carols in the background. It was fulfilling work, calming and reassuring in ways she hadn’t felt in a long while.

  The scents that hung in the air were sweet and spicy. Rich and homey. Like Christmas in a jar, she thought and wondered if it were possible to fall in love with a smell. An image of Daniel flitted through her head and she ducked her face down and inhaled the sweatshirt she wore.

  His pine, fresh air scent was there, making her feel as if she was still in his arms. She breathed it in deep, allowing his fragrance to rollover her palate. Sigh. She had it bad alright.

  Shaking her head, Lacey wondered how long this schoolgirl crush of hers would persist. She was a grown woman! That’s it. She would not cave the next time she saw him. Act disinterested, that’s all. Uh huh. Like it was so easy. She just had to go about her daily activities and ignore her increasing attraction to the man.

  Surveying the work ahead of her, that wouldn’t be hard. Just how many batches of Christmas stollen was Clary planning on making anyway? One of the two huge kitchen islands in the space was entirely covered in orderly rows of sugar, nuts, dried fruits, spices, and a few different liqueurs.

  Clary had given her clear instructions on what Lacey was to do while she went to the market. Along with a warning from the older woman that forbade her from writing anything down. A huge canning pot and several more glass mason jars sat on one side of the stove. So far, she had three jars full.

  I think I like this, Lacey grinned. She had eagerly absorbed the information and went about proving to the housekeeper that she could follow orders. She still couldn’t believe that after only two hours of working with her, the older Bear Shifter had left her in charge! How about that?

  She continued humming to herself as she stirred the large pot, setting the flame a notch lower. It was currently full of pitted dried cherries, half a bottle of brandy, the zests of three oranges and lemons, and four cups of raw sugar. Not to mention a bouquet of secret spices and herbs that Clary had already prepped. She’d prewrapped them in little cheesecloth pouches prior to Lacey arriving in the kitchen. Dang it.

  The marvelous scents coming from the pot filled the large, state of the art kitchen. The aroma was positively heavenly. Cinnamon, anise, cloves, and all spice were some of the spices she’d identified. But the rest were a mystery.

  Lacey sighed contentedly as she moved about picking up this and that and tidying things. She wondered if she’d still be there come Christmas to try the stollen. Her heart squeezed as she imagined she’d be gone by then. After all, she couldn’t just move in!

  Distracted by the task at hand and her wandering thoughts, she didn’t notice the large man standing in the entryway with his mouth hanging open. She definitely couldn’t imagine what he was thinking at the picture she made working in the kitchen with the sun just coming up, the soft rays shining through the frosted windows.

  Chapter 6

  Holy shit. Daniel couldn’t breathe. Beams of sunlight caught her hair and lit up like a halo of gold around her angelic face as she slid across the floor as smoothly as a knife through hot butter. She moved with grace and feeling, as if the chores she performed meant something to her. Maybe they did.

  Hell, all he knew was that she looked irresistible as she moved about the Den’s kitchen, his childhood home. His Bear chuffed happily at the thought. Mine. Fucking possessive prick that he was, he felt himself harden at the sight. She looked good in his space. Would look better at our cabin, the Bear grumbled.

  Maybe, he agreed, but tried not to picture her in the cabin he’d built for himself over the past three years. Started the day after Melinda had walked out on him. Best fucking day of his life, as far as the Bear was concerned. The man agreed.

  Lacey still hadn’t noticed him. Considering himself lucky, he took the time to study her. The bruises were getting better, he noted. His Bear hated the reminder she’d been hurt, he wanted badly to avenge his mate. Daniel calmed the beast, telling him to just look at her.

  Nothing would ever hurt her again. He’d see to it. Besides, he couldn’t think of anything that could take away from her real beauty. The beauty that was inside of her.

  Just think, a former supermodel was cooking and cleaning, walking around barefoot in his old sweatshirt. Her long hair was hanging down her back in a loose braid. She wore no make-up on her porcelain skin, nothing to hide the yellowish hued bruises that marked her skin.

  She wore them proudly. Her back straight. Unashamed. Like a warrior. Yes, he wanted to kill the bastard who put them there, but he didn’t want her to feel ashamed or like she had to hide them.

  She was perfect as she was. A real woman. Flesh and blood. Enchanting as she was genuine. Not at all what he’d imagined she would be. What did he know of models anyway? Perhaps he’d judged her unfairly in the past.

  Known the world over as a billionaire, he’d had his fair share of run-ins with the rich and famous. He loathed that kind of society. Felt much more at home in Barvale, with his Clan. That was one of the bonuses of being so damned rich. People thought he and his brothers were simply eccentric.

  Damn, she looked great in his sweatshirt. He felt himself go rigid at the thought of his clothing covering her exquisite figure. He wanted to rip it off her. Fuck. He was jealous of his own fucking sweatshirt.

  Then again, maybe that wasn’t as crazy as it sounded. The lucky fabric got to touch and enfold every inch of her silky skin. He wanted to be the one embracing her body, providing warmth and shelter. Fuck, he had it bad.

  She hummed off key, but completely un-self-conscious. Some corny love song with a Christmas-y theme. He knew the words to it but couldn’t name the ditty to save his life.

  Daniel smiled as he continued his perusal of her. Tendrils of hair had fallen from her braid, framing her lovely face and he itched to brush them back. He wouldn’t want her any other way, he realized.

  Not true. He’d take her any way she came. In diamonds and silk, like the last advertisement he’d seen of her on the internet that morning, or in yoga pants and his old shirt. She was fucking gorgeous either way.

  Mine, growled his Bear. The growl in his chest reverberated loudly in the room until she turned to face him, and her emerald eyes shot to his. Oh shit.

  “Morning,” she said in a soft voice that caressed his eardrums like a lover’s hands.

  “Where’s Clary?” He asked.

  “She left a little while ago. Went to the market. Did you want breakfast? How about your father and brother?” Her words were hurried, as if she was embarrassed. Couldn’t have that.

  “No, I just dropped them off at the bakery. Brought back some rolls,” he placed the large paper bag he’d been holding on the table, not taking his eyes off her.

  The fact that they were alone in the big house seemed to scream at him from across the room. His Bear pushed at him. The beast wanted what he already considered his. He wanted her. The big Black Bear demanded Daniel get his head out of his ass and claim the tall woman with the honeysuckle scent.

  “Lacey,” he began.

  “Um, do you think I could get another c
ell phone today? I sort of lost mine during the whole thing, that and everything else in the fire, I guess. Um, I think I need one now, more than ever. I have to get back to work so I can find a place to stay, I mean, I can’t just live here. Anyway, there are people I need to contact, contracts I have to honor,” she spoke quickly. Her sentences running into one another.

  His chest pounded. Fuck. He’d been so thoughtless. Of course, she’d be feeling lost. And now it was as if everything was just catching up to her. Like the reality of her situation closing in. But she didn’t have all the facts yet. She had no idea she was his. And he had no intention of letting her leave.

  “I’m so sorry, Lacey, that was thoughtless of me. Yes, of course we can go get you a new cell phone,” he ignored the pang of jealousy that shot through him thinking of who it was she wanted to call. He told his Bear to shut the fuck up, the woman had a life before him after all.

  “The mall will be open at ten. Is that okay?”

  “That’s in half an hour,” she fiddled with the heat on the stove. Turning it off, she set a timer for thirty minutes. Just as he imagined Clary had instructed her.

  “What are you doing in here?”

  “Just helping Clary,” she shrugged as if it were no big deal, but he knew better.

  The older woman was a Bear in the kitchen, pun intended. The Devlin’s long-time, trusted housekeeper never allowed anyone to meddle with her recipes. Especially her Christmas stollen.

  “It’s quite the honor, you know. Being allowed to help Clary. She doesn’t let anyone in her kitchen. Not even us, and we’re professional bakers,” he joked, and she smiled brightly at him. Look at her smile, she’s eating up attention like a flower does sunlight. I’ll see to it she has as much attention as she needs, he thought.

  He found himself moving closer to her. She radiated light and heat and he wanted it. Insatiable beast that he was, he wanted her warmth all for himself. Shrugging out of his jacket, he let it drop to the floor as he ate up the distance between them.