Tempted by the Bear - Book 1

by V. Vaughn

  She giggles like a schoolgirl. “Yup. And he asked me to move in with him. Isn’t that awesome?”

  Tristan’s claws are poking out, and he’s dangerously close to shifting, so I speak in his head hoping to avoid a blow-up. “Just smile and congratulate her. She’s trying to make you mad. You can do this.”

  He takes a deep breath. “I hope you didn’t say yes. I—I’d miss you.”

  I’m holding my breath as I wait for her reaction.

  Isabelle shrugs. “I haven’t decided.” She glances at the clock over the stove. “Oh dear. I have to be at Kick It soon.” She walks out of the kitchen and waves her fingers at us. “See you later.”

  I let out my breath and touch Tristan’s arm. “Are you okay?”

  “No.”

  “She was testing you.”

  “I know.”

  Tristan walks over to me, and I wrap my arms around his waist. Isabelle is upstairs, and water rushes as the shower runs. “You handled it well. Just think. She’s preparing you for teenagers.”

  He sighs. “I’m lucky you’ll be around for that.”

  I meet his gaze. “When do you plan to bring the rest of the clan here?”

  “Once we get some housing built. I suppose my mother and kids can come once ours is done.”

  I reach up and stroke his jaw line. I imagine his children have the same strong features. “I’m looking forward to it. I think you were sent to me so I could finally get the children I’ve always wanted.”

  Tristan lifts my chin. “Careful what you wish for, Annie. You haven’t met them yet.”

  “They’re children. How could they be bad?”

  My mate’s chest quivers as he chuckles. “Annie, my love, just wait and see.”

  Chapter 25

  Lucy

  When my brother and I were little, we were best friends. That happens often with werebear twins. But when Luke became obsessed with becoming an alpha, our relationship became strained. Even though he never exhibited the traits at puberty, he took on the characteristics and acted as if he could tell me what to do. He also befriended the Veilleux’s next alpha, Victor, and they nurtured a strange alpha brother thing. But Victor was older, and Luke got into the bad-boy circuit at an early age.

  Now Carly is here, and everyone knows she is the next Robichaux alpha. When Victor died, Luke had no choice but to accept that he’s just a regular werebear, and he laid low. Or so I thought. Because right now I’m embarrassed to be related to him.

  Tori and I are at the Delta January freeze party. And as soon as we walked in, we heard the chants: “Chug, chug, chug!” We followed the voices to find Luke and Isabelle in the center of the crowd. Phones are videoing the two of them as they each drink from a hole in the bottom of a beer can. That’s one classy chick he’s dating. I turn away in disgust.

  Tori says, “Luke’s girlfriend’s hot.”

  “Yeah. I guess. C’mon, let’s get a drink.”

  My purpose for being here is to find Tori a werebear our age that can distract her from Keith. I scan the room and stop when I notice Jax, a Veilleux. He’s got dark hair and blue eyes like Tori’s current crush, and he’s a total flirt. Just what we need.

  Tori is pumping the tap as I tilt a cup underneath the spout and squeeze beer out. I say, “We’re going to need three. There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  When we’re done, I lead her over to a group of lacrosse players. It’s hot inside, and the odor of musk and aftershave is only slightly stronger than the stale beer that has our feet sticking to the floor. The guys we approach are tall, fast, and strong. And super hot. “Hey guys, this is my roommate, Tori.” She lifts a hand, and they all check her out. Being werebear, they like their women with meat on their bones, and Tori makes more than one squirm as if they can imagine holding on to a few of her attributes.

  I notice Jax’s beer is low, and I grab Tori’s arm to whisper in her ear. “Offer the extra beer to the guy with the electric-blue eyes.” I speak loudly, “Hey, Jax. Tori plays left forward, too.”

  His male ego is pumped, and he steps over as if he’s clearing the crowd away to let them know she’s his. I elbow Tori, and she says, “Um, I have an extra beer. Do you want it?”

  Jax flashes her his million-dollar smile and wraps his hand around the cup, making sure he overlaps her fingers. He holds her for a moment as he tries to hypnotize her with his gaze. “Thank you.” She blushes, and he tilts his head. “I love this song. Wanna dance?”

  My inner cheerleader shouts “Yes!” as he leads her away. I check out Jax’s friends and notice Dillon. He’s dark blond and has a smoldering look that works for me in so many ways. He offers me his signature smile that only turns up half of his mouth. “Lucy, Lucy, Lucy, setting up the friend and leaving yourself out in the cold. C’mere and let me warm you up.”

  I shake my head. “And just how many girls have you used that line on tonight?”

  His friend Eric speaks up. “You’re the first.”

  Dillon punches his arm without breaking our gaze. “Freshmen.”

  I grin back at him and hold out my hand. “Dance?”

  Winding our way through the crowd, I lead him to where Tori is. She sees us and stops to take a big swig of her drink as she waves at me. Dillon and I dance next to them, and the four of us last until our beers are gone. Tori is the first to wave at us to get more to drink.

  She shouts to me as we make our way to the keg. “Jax is great.”

  I nod. “You should go for it.”

  She wiggles her eyebrows at me. “Maybe I will.”

  As we get closer to the beer, cheers get loud, and I groan when I see why. Isabelle is standing on her hands. They’re braced on top of the keg, and the spout is in her mouth. Luke is watching with a sappy look on his face as if she’s the greatest thing he’s ever seen. What is wrong with him? Then a realization hits me like a two-by-four. Is Isabelle his true mate?

  Fabulous. I could be linked to the blond nightmare for life. I move toward Luke, but I don’t manage to get near enough before Isabelle hops down and throws herself into his arms. She lets out a belch, and they both laugh.

  Ewww. I shake my head and turn away. The geeky freshman Eric is by my side. “Hey, want to dance?”

  Since Dillon is nowhere in sight, and Tori went back to Jax, I say, “Sure.”

  I take us close to where my roommate is so I can spy on her. The music is so loud that the floor shakes with the bass. Jax is making his moves, and when he pulls her against his chest and kisses her neck, she throws her head back to enjoy the sensation. Mission accomplished.

  I yell so Eric can hear me. “I have to go to the bathroom. Catch you later, okay?”

  He nods at me, and I exit the dance floor to go stand in line. Fortunately there’s only one girl in front of me, and I lean back against the wall to wait. Tired and ready to leave, I let my eyes close for a moment. But my peace is short lived.

  “Lucy.”

  I snap my eyes open to Isabelle. I sigh. “Hi.”

  She grins at me and lifts her hair up off her neck. Her fingers trail down and flutter over a pink scar. A bite mark. In the werebear world, it’s like showing off a diamond ring you want someone to notice. I’m tempted to ignore her actions.

  She says, “Frat parties are fun. I’ve never been to one before.”

  I nod. “Seems you’re making the best of it.”

  “For sure. I want to try everything I’ve ever heard about.”

  I wonder what B-rated movies she’s seen that inspired her recent actions. “I’m sure you’ll get to come to more.”

  She giggles, and the sound makes me want to vomit. “I know. Especially since Luke and I are mated.”

  I refrain from rolling my eyes. “I thought that was a recent bite. Good for you.” Sincerity is lacking in my voice, but it’s so loud I doubt Isabelle can tell.

  “Thanks. I guess that means we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

  The door to the bathroom squeaks open,
and I’m saved. “Guess so.” I hurry in to put a barrier between us. As I relieve myself, I try to find the good in this situation and decide at least she’ll make it easier to hide from my parents’ scrutiny at family functions, because I’ll bet they’re going to be all about Isabelle. I’ll get to be the golden child. The thought makes me smile.

  Chapter 26

  Tori

  The floor of the frat house is vibrating with the sheer volume of noise, and the music playing travels through my limbs as I dance with Jax. The T-shirt he’s wearing is tight, showing off a muscular body that begs to be touched. And I’m touching it, because he pulled me in close, and we’re bumping against each other as we move and hold our beers away from ourselves in an attempt to keep them from spilling. I can’t help that his chest keeps me from falling when someone bumps into me, right? The way his abs flex under my fingers makes me linger, and his smile tells me he doesn’t mind.

  It might be the alcohol, but something about this guy reminds me of Keith, and I find the scent of Jax strangely attractive in the same way. The fact he keeps sliding his hand over my butt helps. He likes my fluffy body, even if it’s only for tonight. When he leans down to kiss my neck, I throw my head back and let him.

  My uptight Connecticut prep school was full of rail-thin girls that got all the boys, while my two sisters and I were left out. I don’t know how Ginny and Nessa are doing at Bowdoin, but here at UMO, there’s a whole lot of guys that like their women curvy, and I’m getting male attention I’ve never had before. I had no idea college would be this great.

  Lucy is dancing next to us, and when I’ve drained my beer, I decide I want more. I wave at her and then yell at Jax. “I’m going to the keg!”

  He points toward the bathrooms. “I’ll catch up to you!”

  I nod at him, and Lucy leads the way through the crowd. I gush a bit over the Jax, but I stop when my friend freezes. Isabelle is doing a handstand on top of the keg and sucking on the pump. Gross. We’re supposed to pour beer out of that when she’s done?

  I glance at Lucy and see she’s horrified, but I bet it’s about a lot more than germs. I would be too if that were my brother. She’s making her way over to him, and I want no part of the drama. I grab one of the pitchers full of beer being passed around and pretend Isabelle was the first person to suck out of the tap as I refill my cup.

  I wander back to the dance floor and search for Jax. He catches my eye and smiles as he makes his way through the crowd toward me. Oh yeah, frat parties are fun. When he gets to me, he leans in close and asks, “Want to go cool off outside for a bit?”

  I nod and let him take my hand to tug me along. Icy air greets us as when we step outside, and I relish the feeling on my overheated skin. I move to the porch railing and lean against it. Lukewarm beer fills my mouth when I take a sip. Jax seems to have lost his cup, so I hold mine out for him to drink from it.

  “Thanks.” He swallows slowly before he asks, “Freshman, right?”

  “How did you know?” Lucy is a junior, and she got me as a roommate this year because it’s my first year in the dorm, too.

  “You have that wide-eyed look of wonder as if this is your first frat party.”

  I open my mouth to protest but realize he’s teasing me. I snap it shut to grin instead. “I’ve been to a couple. They’re not usually my thing.”

  “How so?”

  “They’re so—I don’t know. Animalistic.”

  Jax snorts out the sip of beer he took. “What makes you say that?”

  I shrug. “That’s not the right word. I’m not sure why I said it. I guess what I mean is nobody seems to have a filter at these. It’s as if they’re acting on pure instinct, and the need for pleasure isn’t restrained.”

  Jax hands me the beer. “Whoa, what the hell am I doing out here. I’m going back inside.” He moves like he’s leaving me and stops to chuckle.

  “You’re such a tease.”

  He waggles his eyebrows at me. “I hope that’s a good thing.”

  “It is.” I drop my gaze as my face heats up.

  “Hey.” Jax places his hands on my hips, and I glance up into his sparkling blue eyes. “Don’t be embarrassed. I like you, too.”

  “You do?”

  He nods and leans down as if he’s going to kiss me.

  Oh my god! My body lights up as I wait for his lips to meet mine. I don’t dare to close my eyes in case I’m wrong. His touch is light as if he’s testing me, and I part my lips slightly to nip at his bottom lip. Jax nips back and pulls away.

  “Are you playing lax this spring?” he asks.

  “Um-hmm.” My ability to speak words is temporarily paralyzed, and I take another sip of beer to hide it.

  Jax smiles as if he knows I’m flustered. “Indoor training starts next week. But I’ve already started lifting at the gym. Want to work out with me this week?”

  “Sure. But I have to warn you, I’m in terrible shape right now.”

  He gives me the once-over with his gaze. “Doesn’t look that way to me.”

  I try to hide my blush as I wrap my arms around myself. The cold is finally making me chilled. I speak quickly. “Where and when?”

  “Monday at three.” He takes the beer from my hand and sets it on the railing. The movement brings him closer to me, and his chest rubs against mine, making my nipples harden at the contact. I think he feels it, because his voice gets a little deeper in tone. “I’ll be the guy at the squat station.”

  My voice is breathy when I say, “Okay.” Jax places his palms on my upper arms and rubs to warm me up. His hands are hot, and I flash to the memory of Keith’s touch. My voice returns to normal as I say, “Sounds good.”

  This time when Jax kisses me, his tongue enters my mouth, and I close my eyes to get lost in the sensations. I place my hand on his chest and press against his defined pecs. Pecs that make the image of Keith pop into my head again. I squeeze my eyes shut more as if I can send the vision away, because fantasizing about the older man while I’m kissing a hot guy more my age is so wrong. I focus on kissing Jax back.

  His hands cup my butt, and he pulls me against his groin. A large erection between us is an invitation to go further. I pull away and break our kiss to gently decline. “I should go find Lucy. She was pissed at Luke, and she’ll probably want to leave soon.”

  “Sure. I’ll see you Monday?”

  “Yes.” I step backward toward the door. “Squat rack. Three. I’ll be there.”

  “Good. I look forward to it, Tori.”

  I wave before I enter the humid frat house. It doesn’t take me long to find Lucy. She sighs in relief when she sees me. “I was looking for you to let you know I’m leaving.”

  “Everything okay?” I ask.

  “Yeah. But I’ve had enough. Where’s Jax?”

  “I left him on the porch. I’m ready to go, too.”

  Lucy walks toward the kitchen, where we stashed our coats in an empty cabinet. There’s a side door, and she says, “Let’s go out this way and avoid the crowd.”

  A spoiled-fish odor wafts toward us from the dumpster, and it makes me crinkle my nose as Lucy asks, “The sexy Jax didn’t convince you to hook up tonight?”

  “Nope. But we’re working out together Monday.” The frat house isn’t far from our dorm, and I pull my jacket closed, while Lucy doesn’t. That girl has an internal heater that rivals those of most guys I know.

  “Good. He’s not a player, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Yeah, I didn’t get that vibe. He was super nice,” I say.

  “And he’s our age.”

  I chuckle as I recall Lucy referring to Keith as a senior citizen when I told her how old he is. “There’s that, too.” Honestly, though, his age doesn’t dissuade me one bit. If anything, it makes him sexier. Maybe I should have let Jax take me up to a room and help me forget the man I can’t have.

  We’ve reached our dorm, and I pull my key out of my coat pocket. The metal ring it’s on is cold in
my fingers. I swipe the plastic card through the reader and pull the door open. While I’m tired, I’m a little afraid to sleep. Because I know I need to find a way to let Keith go, and having him star in lurid sex dreams doesn’t help my resolve. I sigh.

  “What’s the matter?” Lucy asks.

  “I’m hungry. Want to order a pizza?”

  “Sure. I’m not ready for sleep yet either.”

  “Luke and Isabelle?”

  “Yup.”

  “Maybe we should order ice cream, too? And then you can tell me all about it.”

  She grins at me. “Sounds like a plan.”

  Chapter 27

  Annie

  When true mates find each other and bond, they spend a few weeks thinking about nothing more than how to connect physically. But it does begin to fade over time. Tristan and I have been together for a month now, and our pillow talk about the little things has evolved into creating memories as well as sharing stories about ourselves.

  I glance over at the man I love sitting at the kitchen table. His strong fingers wrap around a coffee mug, and he lifts it to take a drink as he reads something on his tablet. I take my cup and a plate of homemade donuts over to sit across from him. He turns his attention to me. He smiles as he lifts a pastry, and bits of sugar fall down like a light snowfall. “Is this to make me feel better?”

  I offer a sheepish look. Isabelle finally took Luke up on his offer to live with him, and she left yesterday. “Does it?”

  He reaches over and takes my hand. “Everything you do helps. Thank you.”

  Tristan feels it is his job to take care of Isabelle, almost as if he’s her father instead of her twin. Having her rely on another man is a tough loss for him. “I have a surprise for you today. Have you ever been snowshoeing?”

  My mate chuckles. “Whatever for?”

  It does sound silly when as bear we are so much faster in the snow, but something about trudging along as a human with a backpack picnic is romantic to me, so I say, “It’s a lot easier to carry our lunch that way. I thought we’d hike to the spot where our house will be built.”