Shifters in the Snow: Bundle of Joy: Seventeen Paranormal Romances of Winter Wolves, Merry Bears, and Holiday Spirits

by J. K Harper

  “Everything all right?” she asked sweetly before giving him a very pointed look. A crooked grin spread across her face.

  “Absolutely,” he said emphatically. “Powdered sugar. Uh, it’s everywhere. It’s getting on my pants.”

  “Mm,” she said, clearly not buying his explanation.

  “If everyone’s done with their batter, go ahead and dip your bread into it then place each piece on the griddle,” Madison said.

  Grateful for the distraction, he grabbed a thick slice of bread. After dipping it into the mixture, he tossed it on the griddle. The batter sizzled and hissed as the French toast cooked. The scent of cinnamon filled the air.

  A few minutes later, he removed the pieces with a spatula and set them on a plate. Donna took over. She slathered cream cheese over one side of each piece before pouring a decadent strawberry-infused syrup over it. She mashed the two pieces together and sprinkled a hint of powdered sugar over the sandwiches.

  “Bon appétit,” Madison said.

  Brody slid a gooey, melting piece onto his plate. The first bite forced a rush of sugary sweetness through his veins. His bear roared in his chest. He scarfed the first sandwich, then another, and another.

  “You’re going to get a tummy ache if you don’t slow down,” Donna said.

  She took a delicate bite. A trickle of strawberry cream cheese collected in corners of her mouth. When she swiped it away with her tongue, he pulled the apron off and headed toward the back deck. He needed to run before his bear busted out of his chest. The creature had completely lost it. It roared and clawed and kicked up one hell of a fit.

  He’d been dying to let his bear out. That had been part of the plan before they’d discovered that she wasn’t a shifter. But if he went deep enough into the woods, he could shift without being caught.

  As he bounded down the back steps, the sliding glass door opened. He turned to find Donna running toward him. Damn, she was one sexy distraction.

  He groaned. There was no point in trying to outrun a determined woman. But how the heck was he going to stop thinking about her if she was constantly around?

  “Running off so fast again?” she asked.

  “I’m just going for a run,” he said. “It was getting really hot in the kitchen.”

  “It was, wasn’t it?”

  He swallowed.

  “It’s freezing out here,” she said. “Aren’t you afraid of getting frostbite?”

  “I won’t be gone long.” Just long enough to calm my bear down.

  “Would you mind if I came too?” she asked before flashing a thousand-watt smile.

  He wanted to tell her he needed space, but that smile… how could he tell her no?

  “Sure… I guess,” he said.

  He changed direction and headed toward the frozen lake. As they walked side by side, his gaze slid over to watch her breasts jiggle underneath her snow jacket.

  “I’ve noticed that you’re very good with sauces,” Donna said. “Is that why you came to the ranch? To play with your saucing technique?”

  Did she ever stop flirting? The woman seemed to have a one-track mind. His bear wanted out and he was getting more and more agitated.

  “No, I’m here because I want to learn how to be a better cook for my sister. Eventually she’ll be moving in with me, and I want to be ready,” he said.

  “Why is she moving in with you?” she asked as she slowed her pace.

  He hated having this conversation with people. It always went the same way. He’d tell them about Lizzie and they’d tell him how sorry they were to hear about her disability. But she wasn’t disabled. She worked a regular job at the local feed and tack store stocking shelves. She was perfectly capable of doing a lot of things. She just needed someone to watch over her. Well, this was one way to get Donna to leave him alone.

  “Lizzie has Down syndrome,” he said. “Our parents are older, so they’re not always going to be around to take care of her.”

  “Does she need a lot of help?” she asked.

  “No. She’s able to do almost everything we can. She just needs a little guidance,” he said defensively.

  “I didn’t mean to imply anything,” she said.

  Much to his surprise, she didn’t look at him with pity. Instead, she looked thoughtful. She nodded her head as if she was coming to some sort of conclusion.

  “I wonder if that’s maybe why you don’t date,” she said.

  “What do you mean?”

  “You seemed reluctant to tell me about her. Do you hold back with everyone, or am I just lucky?” she asked.

  “That’s not at all the problem,” he said. “I already told you—I just haven’t found the right woman.”

  As she cocked her head to one side and studied him, he bristled. Was she implying that he was somehow embarrassed by his sister’s disability? She couldn’t be more wrong.

  But as the silence stretched between them, he delved into an introspective abyss. He shook his head. He wasn’t ashamed of having a disabled sister, was he? No, that couldn’t be it.

  “You know it’s not a crime to want to be with a nice woman who wants children and can help out around the farm,” he snapped. “I’m not looking for a high-maintenance princess.”

  While she slowed to a stop, he picked up the pace. A few steps later, regret brought him to a halt. When he turned and saw the look in her eyes, he immediately regretted yelling at her. She looked like a kicked puppy.

  “I think I’m going to go back to my room,” she said softly.

  Brody wanted to smack himself in the face for being such an asshole.

  “Wait. Donna, wait.” He jogged back to her, but she’d already turned away. As he caught her wrist, she turned to face him. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just… I’m on edge a lot because I want to make sure I do right by Lizzie. I want to be someone she can count on. Does that make sense?”

  “I admire your dedication to your sister, I really do,” she said.

  “I didn’t mean to imply that you’re high-maintenance.”

  “No, you did. But that’s okay. People always assume that I’m just some dumb gold-digging blonde. I’m not, but no one can seem to see past my looks. They don’t even take the time to get to know me.” She sighed and dropped her gaze to the ground. “Honestly? I guess I can’t blame them. My divorce left me filthy rich. I have a huge ranch and $105 million dollars, so it’s easy to see why people talk about me the way they do.”

  Holy hell, he knew she was rich, but $105 million? He couldn’t even imagine having that much money.

  “I’m not stupid,” she added. “And I hate it when people think I am.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said.

  She pulled her hand away and started back down the path.

  “Wait,” he called.

  “What?” She didn’t stop walking, but she did allow him to fall into step with her.

  “Do you think you’ll ever marry again?” he asked.

  “Who’s the gold-digger now?” she asked with a snort.

  “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I was just curious. I’ve always known that there was only one woman in the world for me. My soulmate.”

  “Well good luck finding her. You’re going to need it.” She hurried forward, leaving him to follow in her powdery wake.

  “Donna, wait,” he called.

  “What?” She stopped and put her hands on her hips. “I’m not looking for some deep soul mate connection right now. I’m looking for a hot-blooded man who can throw me over the back of a couch and fuck me until I can’t walk. Are you willing to do that? Because if you’re not, then we’re done. I don’t need you and your soul mate bullshit.”

  The challenge in her eyes was too much to resist. In two quick strides, he closed the distance between them. Before he could think it through, he captured her in a tight embrace and crushed his lips against hers. She returned the kiss with a carnal hunger wild enough to melt a glacier. Everything about the way he was
touching her was wrong, but he couldn’t stop.

  Chapter 4

  Donna melted into a puddle of heat. Brody’s strong arms pulled her hard against his chest in a possessive kiss that he had no right to give. She wasn’t sure what had happened in the last few minutes. They had gone from tongue-lashing to entwined tongues in seconds. It was madness, and she was willing and ready to slip into a straitjacket. It was about damn time he gave in. And he did.

  Each kiss blazed with passion until her entire body hummed. He wasn’t the kind of man who took but didn’t give. As he slid his tongue between her lips, he laced his fingers in her hair. He began a slow, sensual exploration of the contours of her mouth, stopping only to moan against her lips.

  His exhilarating kiss left her breathless and panting. If he could kiss this well, what could he do to her in bed? The damp, aching flesh between her thighs yearned for his touch. It had been years since she’d made love to anyone. The last half of her marriage had been on paper only. They’d started sleeping apart four years after they’d promised a lifetime of faithfulness. Apparently her ex couldn’t be bothered with keeping his dick to himself.

  She shook away all thoughts of anything but Brody. The way he’d talked about his sister showed how much he cared about his family. He ex hadn’t known the first thing about familial loyalty. Although she’d never wanted kids, she had wanted her ex to treat her like an equal. She wasn’t just a trophy wife who was only worthy of being paraded past his country-club friends. She had a heart and dreams and aspirations. Brody would never treat a woman the way her ex had treated her.

  Brody finished the soul-shattering kiss with a soft brush of his lips. He gazed down at her through a thick set of lashes. Lust sparkled in his hazel eyes. But they didn’t want the same things, so why open herself up to him? She was only rushing headlong into heartache.

  “We should head back,” she said. “My hair’s a mess and I need to get ready for our lunch lesson.” She touched her lips, sure that her lipstick was smeared all to hell.

  “Okay. Well then, lead the way I guess.” Brody shook his head. A confused smile spread across his lips.

  After heading into the B&B, they parted ways. She hurried into her room to check the damage. It didn’t take her long to freshen up. Which was good, since they were due in the kitchen in five minutes.

  She met Brody at their cooking station.

  “You changed in record time,” he whispered.

  “What, this old thing?” She twirled in her blue and white polka dot apron. A bright blue sash was belted to her waist.

  He nudged her playfully as Madison took her spot in front of the entire class.

  “I hope everyone enjoyed their breakfast,” Madison said. “For lunch, we’re going to make one my personal favorites—Monte Cristo sandwiches.”

  Donna let Brody take over most of the cooking this time. She liked watching him work, and it gave him a chance to improve his skills for his sister’s sake. As he chopped slices of cheddar and Havarti cheese, the muscles in his forearms flexed. The man was solid muscle.

  From time to time he glanced at her, but she didn’t look away. How could she? She’d already felt the solid wall of his chest, and the rigid length of his cock against her belly. Granted, they’d been completely clothed, but she had a damn good idea of what he had hidden under those jeans.

  The corner of his mouth quirked into a grin, but she didn’t look away.

  “You’re looking a little distracted there, Cowboy,” she said as she spread Dijon mustard on slices of French bread.

  “How about you just keep spreading your… mustard, and I’ll worry about my meat?” He raised a brow.

  Her mouth formed an O. Apparently he was capable of flirting. Interesting.

  “I don’t know,” she said coyly. “I might be better at handling it than you are.”

  He roared with laughter. They spoke in low tones and verbally sparred for the rest of the lesson. Each suggestive comment was naughtier than the last. She enjoying watching him squirm and blush as she described all the ways she could warm up his meat. She bit the edge of her lip and wondered where this might be leading.

  After they’d let the sandwiches crisp on the griddle, the moved them into the oven to finish them.

  “Hey, Madison?” Brody waved her over from across the room.

  “What’s up?” Madison asked.

  “Donna was just wondering if we would be doing any special recipes involving melted chocolate. You know, for research purposes,” he said.

  Research? Yeah right. What was he up to?

  “We’ll start working on desserts tomorrow, but if you two decided to try to whip up something together, just be sure to clean up afterward,” Madison said in teasing tone.

  Donna smiled as she devised a devious plan. So he wanted to play with chocolate, hmm? She had a few ideas she wouldn’t mind trying herself.

  The night after dinner, after everyone had retired for the evening, Donna sneaked back into the kitchen. She grabbed a large mixing bowl, a small electric hot plate, and a bag of melting chocolate. After adding a wooden spoon to the pile, she checked to make sure that she was still alone downstairs. With the coast clear, she hurried upstairs. She’d just made it to the top when she ran into Madison.

  “Somebody’s craving something sweet,” Madison said with a knowing grin.

  “I…um…” Donna fumbled for a response, incredibly embarrassed to have been caught. “…I wanted to test a new recipe.”

  “I’m pretty sure I know where you’re going with all that chocolate,” Madison said. “Try not to get any on the good sheets. There are spares in the closet in each guest room, just so you know. In case things get a little… messy.”

  Donna wanted to melt through the floorboards. Her face flushed as Madison gave her a knowing smile.

  “Have a good night,” Madison said.

  As she continued downstairs, Donna stood there with her mouth hanging open. Well, at least she didn’t mind Donna’s late-night covert operations. She seemed to be a fun lady.

  Donna hurried across the hall to Brody’s room. She couldn’t risk having someone like Carrie catch her too. That woman already hated her, so why add fuel to the fire?

  She paused outside his door. There was no need to be nervous, because she was capable of seducing a man without a single touch. At least she had been when she’d met her ex. Her skills were a bit rusty, but she’d manage. All she had to do was relax and enjoy the ride.

  She rapped on the door. When Brody opened it, she walked right past him without bothering to say a word. She knew she wouldn’t need to say much to get her point across.

  After dumping everything onto the king-size bed, she spun around to find Brody staring at her with hunger in his eyes. She sat down on the bed and whispered, “Close the door.”

  * * *

  He didn’t need to be told twice. After kicking the door shut, he stalked across the bedroom. He couldn’t tear his gaze away from hers. She looked directly at him, as if challenging him to deny the heat smoldering between them.

  Her chest heaved under a crisp, white blouse. The outline of her hard nipples captured his attention. A rush of liquid fire flooded his cock. Instantly, painfully erect, he gave up on resisting her. His bear wouldn’t allow it. The beast frantically clawed at his rib cage, demanding that he mate. This time, he wouldn’t ignore his instincts.

  With the determined gait of a prizefighter, he stalked toward her. A flicker of surprise made her eyes widen before he pounced. He pushed her back against the mattress. All pretense went out the window as he crushed his lips against hers. The mixing bowl rolled off the edge of the bed and clattered on the carpet. He ignored it. The only thing that mattered was his mouth against hers, the slide of her tongue against his as he slipped between her lips to claim her with a kiss that left her gasping for breath. But he was only just getting started.

  When he moved to yank her shirt out of her pants, she grabbed his wrist.

 
“Now hold on there, Cowboy,” she said. “You’ve been a bad, bad boy for making me wait so long. I think you need to be punished.”

  He raised an eyebrow. Her mischievous smile widened.

  “I think I have a pretty damn good idea of what you came for,” he said as he ground against her.

  “I came here to melt chocolate,” she said a little too innocently.

  “Sure you did,” he said. Normally he was a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy in bed. He liked variety, but nothing too freaky. Hopefully she wasn’t into anything too kinky. Although, he wasn’t going to stop her if she was. He’d be crazy to turn her down now, not with the way she was undressing him with her eyes.

  She pushed him to the side and stood. As she sauntered across the room, he wondered what she was up to. When she pulled open the closet door, he was even more intrigued. She pulled an extra set of sheets out and tossed them on the bed. Then she unbuckled several of his leather belts and looped them around her fists.

  “Cover the sheets with those,” she said.

  He yanked the comforter off the bed and whipped the sheets open. After situating them on the bed, she turned to take her next instructions.

  “First, I’m going to need you to strip down to your underwear,” she said.

  He eyed the hot plate and bowl of chocolate on the nightstand. At long as she wasn’t planning on scalding his cock, he was game. He stripped down to his boxers. When her gaze dropped to his bulging cock, he shifted his hips forward.

  She pursed her lips and pointed to the bed. “Now comes the fun part.”

  At first, he was reluctant to let her tie him up. But when she pouted, he caved. She slipped one leather belt over his wrist and tugged his arm up. After she’d bound him spread-eagle to the bedposts, he realized he was completely vulnerable. In a B&B full of people she wouldn’t do anything too crazy, right?

  His bear stood at attention as she dumped all the chocolate into the bowl. She plugged in the hot plate and hummed as she prepped everything.

  “Damn woman,” he said. “For someone who doesn’t know how to cook, you sure know your way around a hot plate.”