A DATE FOR THE BEAR
By
Natalie Kristen
Also by NATALIE KRISTEN
Bear Brides
A Bride For The Bear
A Date For The Bear
Billionaire Bear Shifters Romance
Taken By The Bear
Owned By The Bear
Saved By The Bear
MISTY VALLEY SHIFTERS
Growl For Me
Fight For Me
Purrfect For Me
MATE series
Alpha Mate
Bear Mate
Vampire Mate
Wolf Mate
Wild Mate
Dark Mate
Blood Mate
NORTH WOLVES
To Kill A Wolf
ALPHA GAME
Alpha Game
Alpha Game 2
Alpha Game 3
DARK erotic romance
Rapture In The Dark
Release In The Dark
One Night With Death
Copyright © 2015 Natalie Kristen
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are used fictitiously or are the products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual locales, events, establishments or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
About this book
Terri Quinn has just officiated her best friend's wedding in Moonstone Creek. After a weekend filled with fun and booze, Terri has to return to the city and who should offer to drive her home but the Alpha's surly, growly cousin, Tony.
She should refuse, but there's just something about the dark, handsome werebear that makes her heart race and her body heat up.
Tony Jameson has sworn off human women, but he can't seem to fight his attraction to the curvy human spitfire. He offers to drive Terri back to the city after his Alpha's wedding. He is just doing his cousin a favor, or so he tells himself.
Tony is determined to drive away and not look back after dropping Terri off at her condo.
But her screams bring him running and roaring back to her.
Terri is in mortal danger, and Tony may be the only one who can save her.
But one small mistake can cost him everything.
*****
CHAPTER ONE
Terri Quinn walked into the kitchen and was greeted by the delicious sight of three tall, hunky males preparing breakfast.
“You guys didn't go home last night?” she asked, making a beeline for the coffee pot. She needed a big, strong cup of joe. She'd had way too much to drink at the party last night.
The three Jameson werebears turned to grin at her. “And a good morning to you too,” Tony muttered.
Terri ignored him. Instead, she directed her remarks to Brad and Dalton. “Don't tell me you guys just crashed on the living room floor,” Terri said, taking in their rumpled white shirts. Their shirt tails were hanging out of their smartly tailored pants and there were wine and food stains on their rolled up sleeves.
Brad nodded. “Yep. Didn't see the point in going home. The wedding party ended late, and by the time we straightened up everything and cleared up the mess after the caterers left, it was just a few hours to dawn.”
Terri took another sip of her coffee and grinned. “You guys just slept for a couple of hours, and you're up cooking breakfast? Wow.”
“We aim to please,” Tony drawled, flipping the eggs with finesse.
Dalton, Tony's elder brother and the Beta of the Nightfire clan, shot his brother a look and turned to Terri. “We thought we'd let the bride and groom sleep in.” He gave her a wink and turned back to buttering the toast.
Terri laughed. “Yeah. Abby and Cole have been busy all night. You don't know what it's like to be in the guest room beside the master bedroom.” Terri gave a dramatic shudder and Brad chuckled.
“You should have come down to join us in the living room,” Brad quipped. “We slept on the carpet. You could have had the sofa all to yourself. Then you wouldn't have to contend with the noise from the master bedroom.”
“But she'd have to put up with your snoring,” Tony snorted.
Brad scowled at his cousin and tossed a rag at him.
Terri leaned against the kitchen door and observed the three men laughing and joking as they cooked. She had to admit that the Jameson men were all very good-looking. Tall, brown-haired, tanned and rugged from working in the sun. They were landscapers, co-owners of Nightfire Landscaping.
Her best friend, Abby, had just gotten married to Cole Jameson last evening. Cole was the Alpha of the Nightfire clan of bear shifters in Moonstone Creek, and together with his cousins and younger brother, Cole had founded Nightfire Landscaping. Terri could see that every one of the Jameson men pulled his own weight. Dalton was Cole's Beta, and Tony and Brad were next in the chain of command in the Nightfire clan.
The Nightfire clan was a relatively young clan. It wasn't a very large clan, but it was tight-knit. The entire clan had come together to make Abby and Cole's wedding a roaring, rowdy success last evening.
Terri had gotten herself ordained in a hurry over the internet and with her freshly printed certificate in hand, she had made it to Moonstone Creek before sundown to officiate her best friend's wedding. And what a wedding it was. Wonderful, romantic and so beautiful.
Terri finished her coffee and sighed inwardly.
Her best friend had found a wonderful man who loved her with all his heart and soul, and she would be staying in Moonstone Creek with her husband. Terri would have to return to the city, alone. The weekend had been magical. She had officiated her very first wedding, and she'd enjoyed herself tremendously at the party last night. The wedding was held in Cole's sprawling garden, and Cole and Abby had insisted that she take the guest room even though she'd told them that she could easily book herself into one of the hotels in town.
Cole hadn't extended the invitation to his cousins and brother, but they had made themselves at home all the same. They had just piled into Cole's living room after the party and crashed. The rest of the clan had gone back to their own homes in the wee hours of the morning, singing and swaying their way down the street.
Despite the glorious mess they were making in the kitchen, Terri found herself smiling appreciatively and approvingly at them. It was so sweet of them to drag their asses up after just a few hours of sleep to cook breakfast for the newlyweds. They had to be exhausted after the rush of the wedding preparations, but they wanted to do something nice for their Alpha and welcome his human mate, Abby into the family. It was a really nice touch.
Terri felt a pair of eyes on her and looked up to see Tony Jameson leaning against the kitchen counter and staring straight at her. Tilting up her chin, Terri met his dark brown eyes head on, taking him on in a staring contest. It felt childish, but she didn't want to back down.
The moment she arrived in Moonstone Creek, Tony had looked her up and down and greeted her with a scowl. Cole, Dalton and Brad had been courteous and hospitable, but Tony seemed hellbent on making her stay in Moonstone Creek as uncomfortable as possible. He had even volunteered to drive her back to the city after the wedding, no doubt to get her out of Moonstone Creek as soon as possible. What did he have against her?
Terri's gray eyes narrowed. Did he despise curvy, plus-sized human women? Bu
t Abby was human and around her size, and Tony seemed to treat his new cousin-in-law civilly enough.
Or maybe he had something against outspoken, successful women. Terri held a well-paying albeit stressful job as a secretary to one of the Directors in an advertising firm in the city. Her job required her to travel often, and she frequently worked late, but the pay was good and it allowed her to rent a comfy apartment in a condominium block in one of the more peaceful neighborhoods in the city. She was independent, headstrong, and she had a tongue that was more sarcastic than sweet. But she had gotten along swimmingly with all the Nightfire werebears, so what was Tony's problem?
Tony was still staring at her with his arms folded across his broad chest.
Terri put down her empty coffee cup and planted her hands on her generous hips. She widened her eyes and refused to blink. She wasn't going to lose a staring contest to a mean, conceited, grouchy werebear who didn't like her personality.
But the funny thing was, Terri had a feeling that they were more alike than either of them would ever admit.
They were like magnets. Like repelled like.
They were too similar in temperament and character. Too headstrong, stubborn individuals would inevitably rub each other the wrong way.
“Cut it out, Tony,” Dalton scolded, punching his younger brother on his muscular arm. “Stop glaring at the lady and help lay the table. Terri is a guest and you're not being a very good host.”
Tony smirked. “I'll be a good host if she's staying at my house.”
“Why would Terri want to stay in your hovel?” Brad snorted, putting a large plate of sizzling sausages on the dining table. “She's leaving today. She has to go back to the city.”
Tony glanced at her, and Terri could have sworn that there was a quiet, hopeful look in his eyes. “Maybe...she'd change her mind and...stay...” Tony said very softly. His throat moved and he seemed to be holding his breath.
Terri's breath hitched. What was he saying?
What was he up to?
She stared at Tony for a long moment, her thoughts spinning and her body heating up in a most inappropriate way.
Tony's lips twitched in a small smile, and in that instant, something sparked between them. Terri's heart was racing in her chest, and her brain signals seemed to be scrambled all of a sudden. She wasn't seeing straight and breathing right. It was as if the air around them shimmered and shifted, and she suddenly saw Tony in a strange, new light.
As she stared at Tony, she realized that he was actually very handsome when he wasn't scowling and frowning. His smile transformed his features, and he looked so much younger. He looked about her age, early thirties. His chestnut hair was cut very short, and it accentuated his strong, chiseled features. His shoulders and arms were nicely toned, and his pants molded perfectly to his powerful, corded thighs. He was tall, easily more than six and a half foot, yet he moved with an easy, languid grace.
Terri was suddenly aware of the heat spreading through her body. There was a flash of desire in Tony's dark, brown eyes as he growled low. Terri gasped as a tremor of desire coursed through her body. She bit her lip hard to stop a whimper from escaping.
Was Tony...attracted to her? Did he hunger for her?
Well, if he wanted her, he could have approached her, chatted her up, flirted with her, and...well, she wasn't a prude.
She wouldn't have said no to having some no-strings-attached fun. It would have added some spice to her trip.
Terri gulped, and dragged a shaky breath into her lungs. She found herself taking a step towards him, her eyes drifting down to that sexy mouth that had up to this point in time, been nothing but brash and sarcastic towards her.
How would his lips feel against hers? She had this insane urge to nibble that strong, tightly clenched jaw and run her fingers down his chest and arms, just to feel those solid muscles ripple and tighten under her fingertips.
“Morning, everyone!” Abby and Cole burst into the kitchen, beaming and blushing.
With that, the spell was broken.
Terri stepped back with a gasp, and allowed Abby to hug her and fuss over her.
“Did you sleep well?” Abby asked, smiling. “I see the boys have prepared breakfast, but if you'd like anything else...”
Terri smiled back. Her friend's chatter and the boisterous teasing and laughter around her simply washed over her. She couldn't trust her voice, and she honestly couldn't trust herself at this point.
God, what had she been about to do?
What was she even thinking?
She was thinking of kissing and seducing Tony Jameson, that surly werebear with a snarky, caustic wit and humor.
Terri shook her head hard. There must have been something in that damn coffee.
Terri took her place at the dining table beside Abby. Thankfully, Tony didn't take the other seat next to her. He sat at the end of the table, as far away from her as possible.
Terri thanked Cole as he piled her plate with eggs, toast and sausages. Cole treated his wife's best friend as his guest of honor. Anyone who loved his beloved Abby was family as far as Cole was concerned, so he looked upon Terri almost as a sister. Terri chuckled when Cole began to load his younger brother's plate with food as well. Brad huffed good-naturedly, but it was clear that no matter how old he was, Cole would always see him as his baby brother.
Cole was a good big brother, a good Alpha, a good man. Seeing how happy Abby was, Terri knew that her friend had made the right choice. She had found her Mr. Right.
Terri swallowed the sudden twinge of envy and concentrated on shoveling food into her mouth. She was thirty-one years old, had a good job and an active dating life. She wasn't looking for Mr. Right.
The last part was a lie, and Terri knew it.
She dated extensively and if she was really honest with herself, indiscriminately. She dated humans, shifters, half shifters, playboys, leeches, stalkers, losers, you name it. She was currently dating a bear shifter back in the city. Silas was pleasant, polite, a little too clingy for her taste but they seem to get along fine. They had been going out for a month, but she had never invited him back to her place. As a bear shifter, Silas was beefy and well-built but for some reason or other, she just didn't want to sleep with him. Maybe she was getting old before her time and her sex drive was on the wane, who knows?
Despite her string of hopeless dates, Terri hadn't given up entirely on love. And with her best friend now happily mated and married, her fading hope of finding her own Mr. Right had been kindled anew.
Something told her that her Mr. Right was sitting right here at the breakfast table with her.
As everyone continued eating and chatting and passing food around, Terri straightened up and chanced a glance at Tony.
His knife and fork was moving mechanically as he cut his sausage and bacon, and raised his fork to his mouth. She could almost hear his teeth grinding as he chewed, but his eyes were locked on her.
His scowl was back.
He was glowering and scowling at her as he ate.
Squaring her shoulders, Terri took a big bite of toast and returned his death stare.
He wasn't attracted to her.
Her hungover brain had been playing a mean trick on her.
She had imagined everything. She had mistaken his contempt and hostility as desire and passion.
Tony was still being a prick.
A very handsome, hunky prick.
Damn him.
And damn her crazy libido which had chosen this time to sit up and pay attention to the wrong guy. Why couldn't she feel the same scorching sexual attraction towards Silas, who was a much nicer man than Tony?
Heck, the average man on the street was much more agreeable than Tony Jameson. Yet no man had made all her nerves come alive with just one look in a long time.
It was maddening and highly frustrating.
Terri chomped the top off her sausage and tore savagely into another sli
ce of toast.
Was it too much to ask to have a nice guy take her out on a fun date, have wild, passionate sex after, fall in love and get married—perhaps not in that order, but yeah.
Terri heaped more food on her plate.
All this angst was making her hungry.
CHAPTER TWO
Tony swallowed the piece of toast which felt and tasted like sand in his mouth. It wasn't Dalton's fault. Dalton had buttered and toasted the bread to perfection. It was crisp and buttery, and at any other time, he would have gamely complimented his big brother's culinary skills and fought his cousins off to get at the last slice. Dalton had no talent whatsoever in the kitchen, but he did his best. His signature dish was buttered toast, so there you have it. But Tony knew that Dalton always strove to do the best by him. Tony had been barely twelve when their entire clan was wiped out, massacred by a rival clan. Only the four of them had escaped the fire and the bloodbath.
Dalton and Cole had been eighteen then. Dalton had tried to be everything to Tony—father, mother, brother, friend. Tony would eat everything and anything that his elder brother cooked. It might be charred, tasteless and harder than a rock, but Tony would swallow every morsel and declare it the best thing he'd ever eaten. He would do the same thing for his cousins, but Cole and Brad were great cooks. He'd never had to eat charred and tasteless food whenever his cousins took to the stove.
But this morning, he just couldn't appreciate the delicious spread on the dining table.
Not when there was something much more delicious sitting just a few chairs away and glaring daggers at him.
Terri Quinn, that insufferable, infuriating, intoxicating human woman.
Her jet black hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, leaving tendrils curling down her neck, and she was wearing a black striped pajamas. Maybe she was going for a jailhouse look but with the stripes undulating all over her soft, curvy frame, she just looked so cute and sexy. Her tangled, hurriedly-tied ponytail completed the look of a sleepy, contented woman who had just padded out of bed.
A Date For The Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Brides Book 2) Page 1