Mountain Bear (Return to Bear Creek Book 2)

by Harmony Raines

  “Let’s let go of those old lives. Be honest with each other. You know what skeletons I have in my closet, and I know what you hide in yours. That way nothing can ever spring up and slap us in the face.”

  “Deal,” she said, and placed her hand on his cheek, drawing his face down to hers. “Now kiss me.”

  He pulled her close, and their lips met. Despite her reservations, she wanted him. Carter was her mate, he was here, he was alive, and he wanted her more than he wanted any other woman alive. Their kiss deepened, and she slipped her leg over his thigh to straddle him, his arousal evident. Caroline moved, circling her hips, increasing the contact between their bodies. She pressed down, her clit rubbing on his hard length, kicking her arousal up a notch. It was going to be hard to deny herself what she truly wanted.

  Then why do it? her bear asked.

  Why do it indeed? Caroline replied.

  She pressed her hands against his chest, and stroked his nipples through his T-shirt, Carter responded by placing his hand on her bottom, and holding her close, his body moving in time with hers as they kissed. It wasn’t enough.

  They came to the same conclusion at the exact same time. Caroline slipped off his lap, and began to tug at her T-shirt, lifting it over her head and casting it down on the ground, before undoing the button of her combats and pushing them down off her curvy thighs. Only then did she allow herself to look at her man, who stood before her, not a stitch of clothing on his body.

  Hell, yeah! her bear cried.

  “Hell, yeah,” Caroline repeated.

  “Like what you see?” Carter asked, hinting at the arrogance he still harbored.

  “I might,” she replied. “But a girl knows it’s not about the looks. It’s all about the power. And the thrust.”

  “Are we talking tanks, or men?”

  “Why don’t you show me what you’ve got, and I’ll let you know.”

  Carter moved toward her, a predatory animal. No matter what guilt he carried, there was no masking his star quality. He oozed confidence in his own skin. And what skin it was, tightly wrapped around muscles that were hard, made from real work in the outdoors.

  “You going to stand there staring all night?” he asked, and reached for her, pulling her close. His lips found hers, while his fingers found the clasp of her bra. It fell to the ground, forgotten when he lowered his head and captured her nipple between his teeth, biting it lightly, but hard enough to send her arousal rocketing.

  Caroline soon learned that Carter might be a movie star, but he was also a god where women were concerned. He lifted her up, and sat her down on a fallen log, then he knelt down, pushing her panties to one side, and trailing a finger along the length of her sex. She was wet, sopping wet, and Carter Eden, movie star, was dipping his finger inside her and stroking her inner walls.

  Was this a dream? Had she banged her head and this was her mind playing tricks on her?

  “Oh goodness,” she gasped as he ran his tongue over her clit. Caroline plunged her hands into his hair, holding his head between her thighs as he kissed and sucked her clit, his tongue plunging inside her before flicking over her clit. He moved, leaving her unsure where the next assault would come. It was incredible, fingers, tongue, teeth all working as one to make her come.

  And she came. Her head thrown back, crying out into the night like a wounded animal as wave after wave of pleasure took hold of her and wouldn’t let go.

  Carter didn’t stop. He took her to the highest of highs and then held her there, until she was completely spent.

  “Did they teach you that in the movies?” she asked when she could finally speak.

  “Nope, that was all me,” he replied with some pride.

  “I’m impressed,” she said, kneeling down beside him, her hands caressing his cock.

  “You don’t have to,” he said.

  “I want to,” she answered, and dipped her head down, licking him from root to tip.

  “Oh. Oh, that is good,” Carter ground out through gritted teeth.

  Caroline slid her lips down over the head of his cock, her tongue rolling over it. Carter’s hips bucked, and he pushed inside her further. Caroline sucked hard. Real hard, and his breath hissed, his butt clenching as she grazed his sensitive shaft with her teeth.

  “Did they teach you this in the army?” he moaned.

  “You would be surprised,” she said.

  “Oh, I’m gonna come.”

  “That’s the idea,” she said as he reached under her body, his fingers tweaking her nipples, turning her on again.

  “I want you.” He moved fast, picking her up and placing her on the ground in front of him. She was on all fours, her bottom facing him. Carter held his cock in his hand, and ran it along the length of her sex, collecting her juices, before he thrust into her, deep, hard, and long.

  Caroline cried out, her fingers curling into the forest floor as she fought to hold on to reality. He was big, so big, and so deep inside her. His hands on her hips kept her in place as he drew back, and then lunged forward again. Her body rocked back, not wanting him to leave her empty, but he was strong and he had control. In and out he thrust, grazing her inner walls, the friction of skin against skin, mate claiming mate, all too much. She wanted to hang on, but when Carter slipped a hand between her thighs and stroked her clit, she came.

  He followed immediately and she realized he had been hanging on, wanting her to reach her climax before he let himself go.

  His seed spurted deep inside her, hot, filled with the potential of life. A vision of Jamie and Dani popped into her head; they were holding baby Richard. Would that be her in nine months’ time?

  Then the feel of Carter’s lips on her spine, soft butterfly kisses on her oversensitive skin, brought her back to reality. Whatever happened, happened. They were meant to be together.

  As he pulled out of her and held her close in the afterglow of their lovemaking, she knew this had broken the spell her love for Rich had cast over her. For tonight, at least.

  Chapter Eight – Carter

  “Ready?” Caroline asked him. They were standing on the lower hills, the view before them of the town of Bear Creek filling their vision.

  “I think the question is, are they ready for me?” he replied with a wry smile. “This little town might not like being the center of attention if the media goes crazy about my return.”

  “Still with the arrogance,” Caroline said lightly.

  “You really don’t know how big a movie star I was, do you?” he asked.

  Caroline looked at him apprehensively. “Are we talking people recognizing you going down the street big?”

  “Not with this beauty.” Carter rubbed his hand over his beard.

  “Oh, that is coming off.”

  “Are you telling me what to do, Caroline?” Carter asked. It was a refreshing change. Up there on the mountain there was no one to tell him what to do. As a movie star, he was surrounded by people who always agreed with him, whether he was right or not.

  “I am sure you are going to figure out quite quickly that I am bossy,” she warned.

  “Bossy. Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

  “These days. You make it sound as if you are ninety, or something.”

  “I meant when I was a kid and my mom told my dad what to do, he was considered henpecked. Now it’s just plain bossy.”

  She shoved his arm. “You have not been on that mountain so long that you missed the rise of girl power.” Caroline shook her head. “I think you are stalling, Mr. Eden.” She picked up her pack. “Come on, we’ve got beer to drink.”

  “Oh, yes. Food, beer, and a bed.”

  “I thought you liked the outdoors.”

  “I do, but I also like the finer things in life, and that means a bed. With a pillow instead of a rock.”

  “I guess that might be arranged.”

  “Does that mean I’m staying at your place tonight?” he asked.

  “You aren’t rushing to get
home to your big house?”

  “It has no furniture.”

  Caroline’s face held an incredulous expression. “Your house is empty?”

  “I knew I wasn’t going to live there, so I never furnished it.”

  “You are one strange man, Carter Eden. I can see I am going to have to do more than boss you around.”

  He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his arms, kissing her hungrily. “Damn, I hope so.”

  She kissed him back, her lips pressed against his, her body warm in his arms. If only they could stay like this, just the two of them. But Caroline pulled back and with a sigh, she said, “Come on. I want a hot shower and some food.”

  “Sounds good.” They walked on, hand in hand along the trail as it wound down the hill, and then across farm land, the fields giving way to houses as they neared the edge of town.

  A sense of foreboding filled Carter, and he had to fight the need to turn around and go back up to his mountain. That was the life he had chosen and for good reason. Now he was back among people. People who might want a piece of him. People like Will Frasier, who wanted a piece of his land. If he didn’t give in and allow him to use it, would Will sell him out to the press?

  Paranoia had not walked by his side for some time, but it was there now, clawing at him, telling him not to trust anyone.

  Caroline’s hand tightened around his, and he took comfort from it. “You need to breathe. Slow and deep,” she instructed.

  “I’ll be OK.” He hoped.

  “I know you will.” She guided him across the street, as sure-footed as he was in the mountains.

  “Is this where you live?” Carter asked when she stopped in front of a small house with a red door. It was in a quiet part of town, but there were people walking along the street, and he was sure they were staring.

  “Hi, Caroline,” one of them called.

  “Hi, Mrs. Lassiter,” Caroline answered with a wave, and then delved into her pack, pulling out her keys. “Ready? It’s probably not what you are used to. But this is where I call home.”

  “I’m used to a small shack, remember?”

  “Before that, I bet you had a swanky apartment,” Caroline said.

  “Swanky. Who even uses a word like that?” he asked, stepping inside her house. She was right, it was small, but still bigger than his cabin in the forest.

  Caroline laughed, “I used to have a nickname in the army.”

  “Which was?” Carter wandered around the ground floor, taking in the neatness of everything.

  “Swanky Tanky.”

  Carter laughed so hard he had to grip the back of the sofa. “How the hell did you get that name?”

  “Because I was given a brand-spanking-new tank to drive. State of the art…”

  He laughed harder. “You escaped lightly with swanky tanky.”

  “Why?” she frowned. “What’s so funny?”

  “Brand-spanking-new…” He wiped the tears from his eyes; the one thing he did not do often enough on the mountain was laugh. Not a good belly laugh like this.

  “Oh…” Her eyes widened. “That would have been…”

  “Spanky Tanky.” He took a breath trying to control himself.

  “Hi…” A voice came from the doorway. “Am I interrupting?”

  “Jamie! No, come on in.” Caroline went to the front door and pulled it open. “How are you?”

  “Burdened with children,” he said, as he came in, a baby in his arms, with two older children, and a dog at his feet. “Mrs. Lassiter said you were back.” His eyes rested on Carter. “With a man.”

  “Small town,” Caroline said, cocking her head to one side as she looked at Carter. “Jamie, this is Carter Eden. Carter, this is Jamie.”

  “Carter.” Jamie extended a hand toward Carter. “Good to meet you.”

  “You too, Jamie.” Carter looked at the children. “You have your hands full.”

  “I do. This is Juliet, Jasper, Bailey, and Rich.” Jamie pointed at the two older children, then the dog, and then the baby in his arms.

  “Where’s Dani?” Caroline asked.

  “She’s gone over to Freyja’s for the afternoon. Something to do with a summer fair at the school.”

  “Ah, so you rushed over here when you heard I had a man in the house,” Caroline said.

  “We were on our way home from the park,” Juliet informed them, patting the dog. “Bailey ate Wilma’s ice cream.”

  “I take it she’s not going to press charges,” Caroline asked acidly.

  “I think she’s learned her lesson there, Caro,” Jamie said. “At least I hope so.”

  “Oh, you should warn Carter. He’s so out of touch he might not realize what’s going on until she’s gobbled him up,” Caroline said, casting a smile at Carter.

  “Have I missed something?” Carter asked.

  “Wilma is a man-eater who wanted a piece of my brother,” Caroline explained.

  “I turned her down when she made a pass at me, and then she decided to go after the kids’ inheritance,” Jamie said.

  “Do I need a bodyguard?” Carter asked.

  “You have one,” Caroline told him. “Me. If she comes near you, I’ll make sure she never does again.”

  “I think I can handle myself,” Carter said.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought. But short of physically throwing her out of my house, she’s a tough one to get rid of.”

  “And when Jamie did get rid of her, she went to the police,” Caroline added.

  “The police. Really?” Carter asked.

  “Oh yeah.” Jamie shifted the baby to his other hip.

  “OK, does anyone want coffee?” Caroline said. “Before you two start swapping stories.”

  “I was waiting to be filled in on the Spanky Tanky story,” Jamie said, grinning as Caroline blushed. “You’ve gone all red, Caro.”

  “It was not what you think,” she told him, and headed to the kitchen to make coffee, leaving Carter alone with Jamie and the children.

  “Why is your hair so messy?” Juliet asked.

  “Juliet, that’s rude,” Jamie chided.

  “I was only asking, since Dani makes me brush my hair every morning and every night,” Juliet answered innocently. “And Dani said Bailey has to be brushed too. So I wondered why Carter doesn’t have to brush his hair.”

  Carter put his hand up and raked it through his hair. “You have a point.”

  “Carter has been living in the mountains, perhaps he doesn’t have any shampoo,” Jamie offered as an excuse.

  “In the mountains. High in the mountains?” Juliet’s eyes widened. “As a bear?”

  “No, not as a bear. As a hermit,” Carter said.

  “A crab?” Juliet asked, confused.

  “No, a hermit is someone who likes to live on their own, away from people.”

  “And that’s why you didn’t brush your hair, because no one would see it,” Juliet nodded with understanding.

  “Something like that,” Carter said. “But Dani is right, you should brush your hair, and next time you see me, I promise it will be brushed.”

  “Good idea, you don’t want Dani to tell you off,” Juliet said.

  “I didn’t know Dani ever told you off,” Caroline said, coming back into the room with a tray of coffee cups, juice for Juliet and Jasper, and a packet of cookies.

  “She does.” Jasper nodded and helped himself to a cookie.

  Jamie laughed. “Dani is the worst. She tells us off in such a way that you feel guilty. She’s just so nice about it.”

  “Like if Jasper was to give his chocolate cookie to Bailey she would tell us chocolate makes Bailey ill. And then he might have to go to the vet, and Bailey hates the vet.”

  Jamie agreed. “Probably because of where they stick the thermometer.”

  “Yuck,” Juliet said. “They stick it in his bottom.”

  Caroline laughed, her eyes alight with humor. “I’m glad that isn’t how they take our temperatures.�
��

  “Me too,” Jasper agreed, helping himself to one more cookie.

  “So I hear Juliet was giving you style tips on your hair,” Caroline said.

  “She was. So after we have drunk our coffee, I am going to use your shower, if that is OK, and I am going to wash my hair and then brush it.”

  “I can cut it for you too,” Caroline offered.

  “I’m not sure I’m ready for that,” Carter said, rubbing his beard. “I still like the idea of a disguise.”

  “Are you on the run, Carter?” Jamie asked conversationally.

  “No, he is not,” Caroline told him quickly.

  “Sorry, had to ask,” Jamie replied.

  “It’s good that you want to look out for Caroline,” Carter responded, as Caroline gave her brother a warning look.

  “So why did you come down off the mountain now?” Jamie asked, pushing for answers. Carter could tell he was being protective of his sister, but that he already suspected they were mates.

  “Because I could not let Caroline leave without me,” Carter confessed.

  “We’re mates, if that is what you are trying to ask in your not-too-subtle way,” Caroline said.

  “I knew it.” Jamie got up and hugged Caroline, baby still in his arms. “I’m so pleased for you. You’ll have one of these all of your own soon.”

  “We aren’t rushing into anything,” Caroline told him quickly.

  “You’ll change your mind,” Jamie said confidently.

  “One thing, Jamie, can you keep this to yourself?” Caroline asked.

  “Of course. But you know once news gets out that Carter has come down off the mountain, we are likely to be invaded by the press.”

  “You are joking?” Caroline asked.

  “No. The man is still famous. There’s even a website that counts the days since he went up the mountain.” Jamie sipped his coffee. “You looked shocked, Caroline.”

  “I seem to have found the one woman on the planet who has no idea who I am,” Carter said, cracking a smile.

  “I must have had my head buried in the sand,” Caroline said.

  “Or in a tank.” Jamie shook his head. “You spent far too much time studying schematics, when you should have been watching movies with Carter in them. He even drove a tank in one.”