Saved by her Bear (Black Ridge Bears Shifter Romance Series Book 3)

by Felicity Heaton

  He huffed and rubbed his neck, and wouldn’t look at her. “You wouldn’t believe how often I listen to it. You wouldn’t believe how much I thought about you these last two years.”

  His gaze slid to lock with hers again, his eyes soft and warm, open to her.

  She refused to tear up at that. That bitter part of her wanted to be angry with him again, but as he held his hand out to her, she couldn’t resist him.

  She slipped her hand into his and stepped into his arms as he opened them to her, settled her head against his chest and bit back a sigh as he held her. Her eyes slipped shut as they slow danced, as his heart drummed unsteadily against her ear, betraying his nerves. This song had become one of her all-time favourites because of him. It spoke to her in a way no other song had, seemed tied to him.

  To them.

  He leaned back slightly and she knew he wanted her to look at him, lifted her head and stared into his eyes. He took her breath away. There was such softness in his eyes—affection she wanted to believe.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t have the balls to call you.” He feathered his fingers down her cheek and shook his head slightly as he swayed with her. His arm tightened around her back, tugging her closer to him, until there wasn’t a molecule of air between them, and his gaze softened further as he angled his head towards her. His voice lowered, barely a whisper as he echoed the lyrics of the song. “You’re all I want, Skye. You’re all I need. I really mean that. You’re everything to me and I know that—”

  She pressed her finger to his lips, silencing him. That finger shook along with the rest of her as she stared into his eyes, as a need raced through her, slowly stealing control of her. She shouldn’t do this. She knew that. She was only going to get her heart broken again.

  Skye stepped back and broke free of his arms, her heart racing.

  He sighed.

  She went to the counter and grabbed her glass, swallowed the whiskey, needing the liquid courage.

  And then she turned, walked right up to him, and stroked her hand down his broad chest.

  His look went from one of defeat to one of uncertainty as his eyes darted between hers and he husked, “What are you doing?”

  “This.”

  She tiptoed to kiss him.

  He leaned his head back, stopping her, that nervous edge to his eyes growing as he frowned down at her. He wanted this. She could see it in his eyes, beyond the fear she didn’t understand.

  She wasn’t going to let him stop her. If he was trying to be noble, he didn’t need to be. If he was afraid of getting hurt, then he didn’t have to worry—she would never hurt him. This wasn’t about revenge. This was about putting their past behind them and picking up where they left off, because the feelings she had for Knox were too damn strong to be denied.

  She loved him.

  Skye lifted both of her hands to frame his face, her eyes darting between his now.

  “I’ve been waiting two years for you, Knox… don’t make me wait any longer.”

  He stared at her.

  Growled like a beast just as she was contemplating making the first move.

  And kissed the breath from her.

  Chapter 15

  Electric shivers danced down Skye’s spine as Knox tugged her against him, his mouth claiming hers in a passionate kiss that lit her up inside and made everything come flooding back. God, she had dreamed of this kiss, but over the years they had been apart, she had somehow forgotten just how intense kissing him was. She sank into it, savouring it as his tongue teased the seam of her mouth and she opened for him.

  He groaned and deepened the kiss, one hand falling to her backside to grip it as his other hand spread against her lower back, holding her in place.

  As if she was going anywhere.

  This was right where she wanted to be.

  She had been through one hell of a wild ride over the last couple of days and she wasn’t sure what the future would hold, but she wasn’t going to squander this chance with Knox. She wasn’t going to waste this moment. She had thought of Knox since the night he had left her, had wondered where he had gone and how things might have been between them if he hadn’t walked out on her. She wasn’t sure she would live to see what the future might hold for them, but she could damn well see what the present held for them.

  Knox lifted her and turned with her, set her down on the counter and kept kissing her as his hands went to the hem of her jumper. She leaned back, breaking the kiss as the thought of him stripping her had her eager to do the same to him. She wanted to gaze at his body again and drink it all in just as she had earlier.

  Skye grabbed the hem of his T-shirt and tugged it up, groaned as she revealed a strip of toned stomach and a treasure trail of hair that tracked down from the sensual dip of his navel, trying to distract her. She was determined to feast on the sight of him though, wouldn’t rush this moment or skip ahead. She wanted this to be perfect.

  He eased back as she slowly lifted his T-shirt, revealing him inch by delicious inch. Her breaths came faster as arousal soared, had her restless and itching to plant her hands against all that firm flesh and trace his muscles. When she reached halfway up his abs, he flexed, tearing a shocked little moan from her that she couldn’t contain.

  She scowled at him when he chuckled. Stilled. Damn, he was gorgeous when he grinned like that. It lit up his whole face, put a sparkle in his blue eyes and hit her hard in her heart. His smile slowly faded as she stared at him, a nervous edge entering his expression as he stared back at her, together with something else.

  There was affection in his eyes as he looked at her, warmth that she had wanted to see in them, that made her feel she had been right all along and he did feel something for her.

  Their moment in her bar had meant something to him.

  His lips parted and he looked as if he wanted to apologise again so she dropped her hands to his hips, hooked her fingers into the waist of his black pants and tugged him to her. His apologetic looked shifted towards hungry as he lowered his gaze to her mouth, as she spread her thighs for him and pulled him between them.

  He groaned as he dropped his head and captured her lips again, his hands claiming her hips, and she reached for his T-shirt, determined to strip it off him this time. She pushed the soft material up his body, brushing his muscles with her hands at the same time, eliciting another rumbling moan from him that had her desire spiralling higher, flooding her with heat and a need to kiss every inch of him.

  She reached his chest and he shifted back again, raised his arms above his head and helped her remove his T-shirt.

  Skye blew out a low whistle as she stared at him, appreciating every sculpted muscle of his torso as he stripped his top off and how his shoulders and arms flexed as he tossed it aside.

  “Never met another man with a body like yours.” She wriggled her fingers and went to touch him, but he caught her by her wrists, stopping her. She looked up at him, her gaze clashing with his.

  “Another man?” His face darkened, jealousy flaring in his blue eyes and lacing his deep voice. “How many other men have you—forget I asked.”

  “None.” She was quick to put it out there, because she wanted no secrets between them, no reason for this to go south and for things between them not to work out. “I haven’t been with anyone since I was with you… You did a real number on my heart, Knox.”

  “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” He raised his hand and palmed her cheek, his gaze earnest as his brow furrowed.

  Skye placed her hand over his. “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant you… kinda… might’ve… stolen it.”

  His expression changed in an instant, going from regret to something akin to pride or possibly relief. It was hard to tell because he slid his hand around her nape and hauled her to him, kissed her hard and pressed against her, bringing them into contact. He groaned as she wrapped her legs around his waist and pulled him closer still, so the evidence of his arousal pressed against her.


  On a low growling sound, he grabbed her backside and rubbed between her legs, driving her mad with the friction. It wasn’t enough.

  She reached for the waist of his trousers, growing increasingly frustrated as she fumbled and tried to figure out how to get into them without breaking their kiss.

  Knox pulled back, breathing hard, every muscle of his torso straining and distracting her. She stared at him, reeling a little from the sight of him, only half aware of what he was doing as he stripped her sweater and thermal top off and went to work on her black pants. Her fingers itched to stroke and trace every muscle, something she had wanted to do the last time they were together but things had been too frantic.

  She didn’t think she would get the chance this time either as Knox finally managed to get her trousers undone and tugged them down. Her backside hit cold granite, shocking her back to the world, and she looked down at herself. Her gaze caught on his fly and she couldn’t stop herself from lunging for it, the hunger building inside her swift to steal control of her as Knox pulled her pants down to her knees. She wanted to growl when he moved back so he could push them down her shins, placing himself beyond her reach, but then he stole her breath by stripping them off and reaching for her breasts.

  Her eyes rolled back as he palmed them, his large hands easily covering them, and her nipples hardened. The brush of his palms over them had shivers racing through her, cascading outwards from the centres of her breasts, and she moaned and tilted her head back, surrendering to him.

  Knox dipped his head and kissed her chest, reached around her and unfastened her bra. The straps slipped down her arms and he loosed another growling sound that had a thrill chasing through her as he swooped on her breasts.

  “Knox!” Her hands flew to his shoulders and she clutched them hard as he sucked her nipple, as he rolled it between his teeth and teased her to the point of pain.

  She lifted her left hand to the back of his head, clutched his hair as he banded his arm around her and pulled her against him, holding her immobile as he swirled his tongue around her nipple. It was too much. Not nearly enough.

  The fragile hold she had on her control was ripped from her when he palmed her backside with his other hand, as he eased it down to her hip and then around. She moaned and shuddered as he cupped her mound, as he stroked her through her panties, couldn’t stop herself from working her hips and rubbing against his fingers. She needed more.

  Knox yanked her panties down and she gasped. He swallowed it in a kiss as he made fast work of removing her underwear. His hands clamped down on her thighs and he eased them apart again, drove her wild as he slid his hands up the inside of her legs and brushed his thumbs upwards as he met her soft folds. He groaned and kissed her harder, stroked her again, slipping his thumb inside this time to tease her sensitive bead. She shuddered and moaned, her face screwing up as her mind raced forwards, imagining what came next, making her body hungry for it.

  She couldn’t take it.

  She broke the kiss and seized his trousers, attacked his fly and won this time, getting the damn thing open. She moaned again as the two sides parted, revealing he wasn’t wearing any underwear. She stared at the long hard shaft that jutted towards her from a nest of dark blond curls, felt in a daze as she reached for it and feathered her fingers over the blunt crown before stroking them downwards.

  Knox grunted and gripped the counter beside her hips, his head dropping forwards as she explored him, as she teased him as he had teased her.

  He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from him, seized her before she could protest, hooking his hands under her knees. He tugged her to meet him as he stepped forwards, pressed between her thighs and rubbed through her folds to torment her before he took hold of himself. He claimed her lips as he claimed her body, spearing her in one delicious thrust, seating himself to the hilt.

  She moaned into his mouth and lost herself in how right it felt when he moved inside her, long slow strokes that had her soaring quickly towards release. She shuffled forwards, needing him deeper still, clutched his nape in one hand and his backside in the other, loving how it flexed with each pump of his hips. Heat swelled inside her as he kissed her, as he thrust into her, as he dug his fingers into her left buttock. She shivered and couldn’t hold back the moan that burst from her as he pressed the fingers of his other hand into her nape.

  A thousand thrills bolted through her, rippling down her spine, lighting her up inside as he held her nape in a hard grip and pumped her faster, harder.

  Oh God.

  He wasn’t as intense as she remembered. He was far beyond that. Had her mind blanking and primal instincts stealing control. She surrendered to them, to the quest for pleasure, to the need to find release and pull him over the edge with her. She needed to feel him inside her, needed everything from him.

  Knox dragged her right to the edge of the counter and curled his hips, taking her harder, his breaths sawing against her lips between each kiss. She reached for release, stretched for it as her body clamped around his and she rolled her hips. It hit her in a blinding wave of heat that seared her, had her crying into his mouth and jacking against him as tingles swept through her, as her body flexed and quivered.

  He unleashed another feral sounding growl and gripped her harder, riding her release as he thrust deeper, faster still.

  She moaned as he suddenly froze, buried to the hilt inside her, as deep as she could take him. He groaned against her lips as his cock kicked, as heat spilled inside her, and her body greedily clenched and unclenched him, wanting it all. Wanting more.

  Knox pressed his forehead to hers, breathing as hard as she was, his grip on her so tight that she was sure he was going to leave bruises but she didn’t care. She floated in his arms, lost in a hazy sea of bliss, unable to move as aftershocks rolled through her with each throb of his length.

  A little moan of disapproval fell from her lips as he pulled out of her, but then he swept her into his arms, holding her like a princess, carrying her in the way he had threatened. Where? She tried to focus, but Knox was like a drug in her system, the pleasure he had given her still flowing through her, ebbing back and forth, keeping her hazy and aching all over for more.

  He kissed her as he walked with her, a soft one that stirred warmth in her chest, increasing that feeling she had. He felt something for her. Something other than lust.

  He settled her on a bed, stripped off and lay beside her, pulled her to him and held her. She sighed as she stroked his damp chest, slowly coming back to the world.

  Fatigue rolled over her as Knox pulled the covers over her and held her to his side, as she used his chest as a pillow. She fought the lure of sleep, not wanting this moment to end, but she didn’t have the energy to crack her eyes open, felt too incredibly sated to win against it.

  Knox stroked her arm as she placed her leg over his. He gripped her under her knee and tugged her closer, so her front was pressed against his side, and then wrapped both arms around her.

  She smiled and murmured, “Never had you pegged as a cuddler.”

  His soft chuckle warmed her and the way he kissed her hair stole her heart all over again.

  “Don’t tell anyone,” he whispered, a teasing note in his voice. “My reputation will be ruined.”

  Skye snuggled into his side.

  “I won’t.” She yawned and the tug of sleep grew too strong to resist. She slowly sank into it, feeling safe in Knox’s arms, but a spark of panic shot through her and she couldn’t stop herself from murmuring, “Don’t go running off this time.”

  Knox kissed her hair again and held her closer still.

  “I’ll be here when you wake. I swear, I’m never leaving you again… There’s no place else I want to be.”

  She smiled at that and let sleep claim her, sure that when she woke Knox would be there this time, and that the future she had always wanted for them was within her reach at last.

  Chapter 16

  The last two days had been something c
lose to heaven. Passing the hours in the lodge with only Skye for company had him as near to happy as he had ever been. They had fallen into an easy rhythm, worked well together without having to communicate, as if they really had been made for each other. The only negative in a sea of positives was the shadow hanging over them.

  He wanted to believe Karl wouldn’t find this place, that the human had given up in the storm and turned back or had frozen to death. Which would be nice. Not so much the turning back part as the freezing to death part. He wasn’t a fool though. He had given Karl a clear direction to head in and if the male had any survival instincts, he would have turned back to the small cabin and used it as a bunker to wait out the storm. As soon as it passed, the male and his lackeys would head out, striking north towards the glacier. It was visible from a ledge in the forest just a few hundred feet from the cabin.

  Karl would know exactly where to come to find him and Skye.

  Part of Knox was banking on that.

  While he liked the idea of Karl giving up and leaving, he liked the idea of the male coming after him even more. He wanted to be sure the humans wouldn’t return and that Cameo and Skye, would be safe from them, and that meant dealing with them.

  “Do you think it’s blowing over?” Skye looked back at him from the door of the lodge, where she had been for the last ten minutes, nursing a cup of coffee that had to be cold by now.

  He abandoned his work of attempting to make a passable breakfast for the second day running and went to her. He meant to stop at the end of the island to lean against the thick wooden post there, but he couldn’t stop himself from closing the distance between them down to nothing.

  She smiled when he stepped up behind her and slid his arms around her, locking them over the front of her dark green woollen sweater, and even leaned back into him. A little sigh escaped her.

  A sigh that echoed within him too, wanting out.

  This was bliss.

  If he could stay here with her and carry on like this, cut off from the world and pretending it didn’t exist, that they didn’t have responsibilities and a life waiting for them out there, he would be happy.