Bluecollar Bear: Paranormal Werebear Small Town Romance (Black Oak Bears Book 1)

by Anya Nowlan

  When he got to her foot, he found a scar over her ankle as well, in a curve around the bone. Carefully, he traced a finger around the edge of it, glancing over at Tory. Her eyes were hazy as her gaze roamed across his bare chest, her worry about the scars seemingly forgotten.

  “You’re beautiful,” he said quietly, drawing a smile from her.

  “Scars and all?” she asked, and he had a feeling she was talking about more than just skin.

  “Scars and all,” he nodded, casting the stockings aside.

  Bending down, he moved between her thighs, pushing her knees open. Tory let out a soft sigh as he pressed his fingers against the lace fabric of her panties, slowly sliding them up and down her slit.

  She was already so wet for him, making his erection throb painfully against the zipper of his pants. With a growl in his throat, he pulled the panties off her, inhaling the scent of her arousal. Tory squirmed when he started kissing around her pussy, inching closer to her clit.

  He could hear her heart thud in her chest as he spread her open with his tongue, and he couldn’t help but grin to himself. Her pleasure was his pleasure, and he could easily taste her all night and do nothing more if that’s what she wanted.

  Focusing his attention on her clit, he pulled her legs onto his shoulders, rubbing his tongue against her sensitive nub. Listening to her body, he slowly built up the pressure and pace, pulling back whenever it seemed like she was getting too close to the edge.

  It wasn’t long before the bedroom was filled with Tory’s moans and her thighs were clamped around his head. Pierce kept teasing her, until her hips bucked against his mouth.

  “Oh, god,” Tory whimpered, writhing on the bed.

  It seemed her patience had run out, though, as she pulled away, scooting back on the bed only to lean forward and tug at his pants. He obliged, shucking them off and throwing them to the floor, along with his underwear.

  A soft groan escaped Tory’s lips when she reached out to wrap her fingers around his shaft. His cock twitched at her touch, pure desire boiling in his veins. When she ran her thumb over the tip, he couldn’t help but moan.

  Pushing her back down on the bed, he kissed his way up to her breasts, his erection pressing against her pussy. Her skin was soft and warm beneath his mouth, and he loved the way she trembled when he pushed her bra aside and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth.

  Wriggling, Tory nudged him onto his back, throwing a leg over his waist. Straddling him, she gave Pierce a lazy smile as she unhooked her bra and slowly slid it off. He took his time admiring her hourglass shape, memorizing every soft curve of her amazing body.

  Lifting her lips, Tory looked right at him as she took his cock in her hand and guided it to her pussy. Pierce gripped onto her hips as she slowly lowered herself, sending an overwhelming sensation surging through his body.

  She sank onto him, inch by inch, her face contorting in a mixture of pleasure and pain. Her pussy was tight and wet around his cock, and he was careful to let her set her own pace. Splaying her hands on his chest, she took it slow, working her way up to taking all of him inside her.

  Pierce couldn’t help but moan when he was finally buried inside her, his toes curling as she started to move on top of him. Her hair falling onto her shoulders, Tory slowly rode his cock, working her hips, her lips parted and her eyes squeezing shut.

  She had never been more gorgeous than in that moment, unraveling, letting go and surrendering herself to the passion between them. His hands roamed her body, moving from her hips and up her sides to cup her breasts. Her spine jerked when he twisted her nipples between his fingers, and their moans mixed in the dark room.

  Pierce’s skin felt hot and stretched thin, his bear was roaring inside him, and he could think of nothing else other than how good Tory felt around him. She was slowly picking up her pace, building the tension inside him as her pussy stroked his cock.

  His self-control fraying, he let his hands move to her back, pulling her down and pressing her against his chest. She buried her face in the crook of his shoulder as he grabbed onto her ass, thrusting up and burying himself to the hilt.

  Biting and kissing his neck, Tory let Pierce take over control. Their hips bumped together as he arched his back, slamming inside her over and over. Tory whimpered, her pussy tightening, her hands digging into his shoulders.

  Keeping his rhythm steady, Pierce held her tight against him, barreling toward the edge of no return. Reaching the deepest part of her, he bounced her off his cock until her moans turned into screams and her nails raked down his upper arms. Her pussy squeezed his cock as she rode out the orgasm sweeping over her, and he could barely stop himself from coming inside her.

  Spirits above…

  He pulled away at the last moment, spilling his seed on her thigh. They rolled to their sides together, sweaty bodies sticking together, Tory’s breathing ragged and his heart beating fast. The force of his release was still pulsing through him as he wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head.

  She was his. Now he only had to convince her that he was hers.

  Thirteen

  Tory

  Tory was barely awake when Pierce was already in the shower, having said something about needing to get an early start. Stretching out under the warm covers, she rubbed her eyes, listening to the sound of water splashing on tile on the other side of the apartment.

  In her mind, the events of the previous night started playing on a loop. Had all of that really happened? Her and Pierce’s clothes on the floor seemed to indicate it had. Doubt tried to creep in – was this a one-night stand for him? had she made a mistake? – but she couldn’t muster any real suspicion.

  She was too happy for that.

  There was already a soft spot in her heart for him, and there was no way she could deny that. He was genuine and sincere, always knew the right thing to say and never failed to make her laugh.

  Not to mention he had blown her mind with his bedroom skills.

  Was it insane to think she knew him after spending so little time with Pierce?

  Yet that was how she felt, like she knew the core of him and what he was about. She couldn’t remember the last time she had been this excited about a guy, and all she could do was hope it didn’t end in disappointment.

  I have to take the risk, either way. No what-ifs.

  The buzz of a phone caught her attention, making her sit up in bed. She could spot the light of a screen shining through the pocket of Pierce’s pants, so she tossed the covers aside, swinging her bare feet down on the cold floor.

  “Pierce!” she called out. “Your phone.”

  There was no response. He probably couldn’t hear her over the running water.

  “Pierce?” she tried again.

  Finally, she decided to just take the phone to him. Maybe even join him in the shower… A grin spread over her lips at that thought, and she fished his phone out of the pants pocket. An unsaved number flashed across the screen.

  Probably work-related, she thought, making her way to the bathroom.

  When the phone stopped ringing, she stopped in her tracks, hesitating. Maybe she should fix some breakfast instead of surprising Pierce in the shower? From what he had said before, it seemed like he might be in a hurry to get somewhere.

  Feeling a bit silly, standing in the middle of her living room stark naked, she stared at the phone, as if the thing would somehow tell her what to do. A text popped up on the screen, almost making her jump.

  Need to talk to you. Please, it read, making her frown.

  It was the please that made her alarm bells go off. That sounded more personal than professional. It was at that moment that she heard the water shut off, and Pierce move around her bathroom.

  Not even really knowing why, she ran back into the bedroom, and put the phone back where she had found it. She wanted to ask him about the text, but didn’t want him to think she had been spying on him. And what if there was someone else in his life? It wasn’t li
ke they had talked about being exclusive or anything.

  I don’t want there to be anyone else, the thought flitted through her mind.

  But she wasn’t ready to say it aloud. What if he didn’t feel the same? She didn’t think she could take knowing that. And just like that, her blissful morning had turned into one of her feeling insecure and uneasy.

  Sitting down on the edge of her bed, she tried to push all the negative thoughts out of her head, when Pierce came padding into the room. A towel wrapped around his narrow waist, drops of water falling down his wet hair and rolling down to his carved abs, he was a sight to see.

  Tory gulped, her skin humming at the thought of that impressive body pressed against hers. He grinned, as if reading her mind.

  “Good morning,” he said, letting his gaze trail up and down her naked body.

  She couldn’t help but smile back, her reservations disappearing as soon as he bent down to plant a kiss on her cheek. He really had her wrapped around his finger, didn’t he? A part of her feared that, while another part couldn’t have cared less.

  “Good morning,” she replied. “You in a hurry?”

  Scooping up his clothes, Pierce ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back.

  “We’re breaking ground on a new project, and I want to be there,” he said. “I know some of the crew still has their doubts about me being in charge, so I want to arrive before anyone else, show them I take this seriously.”

  “Ah, show them the new responsible Pierce,” Tory grinned. “I get it.”

  “Trust me, I’d much rather stay here, have coffee, walk you to work…” he trailed off, dropping his towel to pull on his pants. “Or maybe make you late to work,” he added, a mischievous glint in his eye.

  Within a second, he was sitting down next to her, pulling her into his lap. Giggling, she let him wrap his arms around her and dip her back, planting a quick but passionate kiss on her lips. He smelled like his signature musky scent, mixed with her soap.

  “Sadly, I’m also trying to make a good impression at work,” she sighed. “You’re going to do great, by the way.”

  “Thanks,” he smiled. “I want to do my dad proud.”

  With that, he released her and put on his shirt, while she grabbed a robe from the closet. She walked him to the door, and he kissed her again, more deeply this time.

  “I’ll see you later,” he said, and she nodded.

  After he left and she closed the door after him, she stood in the hallway for a while, her apartment suddenly feeling empty.

  Tory’s day flew past. With all the group classes, and the private lesson for Will and Joanne, she didn’t even have time to take a breather. She had enjoyed spending more time with Will and Joanne, though. They were too cute together, and she liked Joanne more each time she saw her.

  Before she knew it, it was time for her last group of the day, and it was one she had been dreading the most – a bunch of little girls wanting to learn ballet. Having never worked with kids before, Tory didn’t really know what to expect.

  But, as the class was starting to wind to an end and parents were gathering outside the room, she realized her fears had been baseless. Sure, the girls got distracted easily, and needed a lot of personal attention, but it was a challenge she enjoyed.

  And when they all ran to hug her at the end of class, she couldn’t help but break out into a wide, sappy grin. Her knee ached a little after the long day, but she barely even noticed it. A nice warm, relaxing shower would help her unwind, and she had a day off coming up.

  “All right, your parents are waiting,” she laughed, as a gaggle of little girls swarmed around her.

  “Goodbye, Ms. Jones,” different voices called out at the same time, as moms and dads waved their kids over.

  One man stood out among the rest, though, looking at her rather than the children, and her heart skipped a beat.

  Pierce.

  When he had said he would see her later, he had apparently meant it. Resisting the urge to run to him, she waited until the kids and parents cleared out. He stepped inside the room, his hair mussed and dirt on his boots, and didn’t even say hello before sweeping her into his arms.

  Tory let out a sigh when he kissed her, all her concerns from earlier in the morning fading away. It was hard to be anything but gleefully happy when Pierce had his arms around her. She just hoped she wouldn’t come to regret her trust in him.

  Fourteen

  Pierce

  With Tory in his arms, Pierce grinned down at her, and she smiled back.

  “I wasn’t expecting you,” she said.

  “I said I’d see you later,” he shrugged.

  “Later is kind of a vague term, though,” Tory countered.

  “I want to see you whenever I can,” he admitted. “Is that clearer?”

  “Not really, but I’ll take it,” she laughed.

  “So, how was your day? Your last class seems to have gone well, at least,” Pierce said.

  “Yeah,” Tory chuckled. “I was nervous as all hell, but working with kids turned out to be a lot more fun that I would have thought. I recalled how my first teacher helped me find my passion for dance, so that inspired me.”

  “They’re lucky to have a teacher like you,” he replied. “Even if you don’t think so all the time.”

  “I’m getting there,” she smiled.

  Wrapping his arm around her waist, Pierce led her toward the door. The first day on the new site had gone well, and now that he was back with his mate, his good mood was only getting better.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let me take you to dinner.”

  “Again?” she arched a brow at him. “You do this whole dating thing differently around here.”

  “You wanted me to wait three days to call you or something?” he laughed. “Like I said, I want to see you whenever I can.”

  “Hey, no complaints here,” she replied, raising her palms. “But I don’t think I’m dressed properly.”

  He looked down at her long skirt and button-up blouse, modest yet still emphasizing her lush curves. In his opinion, she looked good in everything, and nothing at all.

  “You’re not dressed properly for a home-cooked meal?” he asked.

  Tory’s eyes widened just for a second.

  “You’re taking me to your place?” she questioned, as they walked down the halls of the dance studio toward the exit.

  “If you don’t mind doing without candles and flowers on the table, then yes,” he shrugged.

  “I do not,” she replied. “It’s the company that matters most, anyway.”

  Pierce grinned, taking her hand in his as he led her out and toward his truck parked at the curb.

  “I couldn’t agree more,” he said.

  With his signature dish ready on the table – baked pasta with cauliflower and bacon – Pierce poured Tory a glass of wine before they took their seats. He had already given her a quick tour of his small house nestled among the trees on the outskirts of town, and was more than pleased to have her all to himself.

  He had turned off his phone as soon as he got off work, to make sure there would be no distractions. And there was good reason for that. Bonnie had been bombarding him with calls and texts all day. Since she had apparently changed her number, he had answered one of those calls before he could have known better.

  It seemed running into him had reignited something in Bonnie, and she was insisting they needed to meet to talk things through. After their last chat went around in circles, Pierce wasn’t exactly excited about that, and told her as much.

  He wanted to focus on his relationship with Tory, not chase ghosts of relationships past.

  Tory scooped a mouthful of pasta onto her fork and took her first bite. She appeared surprised as she looked at him, her brows raised.

  “Wow,” she said. “This is really good.”

  “You thought I lived off take-out and instant noodles, didn’t you?” he grinned.

  “No,” she scoffed, but it di
dn’t sound very convincing. “Even if I did, I’d still be impressed, though,” she added, sipping her wine.

  “My mom taught me a thing or two about cooking,” Pierce replied. “I’m an only child, so she had to impart her wisdom on someone.”

  “I’m an only child, too,” Tory said. “Are you still close with your parents?”

  Pierce hesitated for a moment. He had already avoided this topic once, and didn’t want to make Tory feel like he was hiding something from her. The truth was going to come out sooner or later, and he found himself wanting to tell her everything about himself.

  “My mom moved away a little while ago,” he admitted. “There were too many memories here after my father passed away. She moved to Miami to be closer to her sister.”

  Tory put her fork down, stilling.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said.

  “Thank you,” Pierce nodded. “He was sick for a long time, so it wasn’t sudden, but it was a blow, nonetheless. My dad and I didn’t always see eye to eye, but I loved and respected him. He left me his construction company, and now I’m just trying to make him proud.”

  “I’m sure he was always proud of you,” Tory replied.

  “I guess,” he replied with a weak smile. “He always told me I could do more… I think now I’m finally starting to believe him.”

  Studying him from across the table, Tory reached for his hand, covering it with hers. Pierce had no doubt that the sympathy and affection in her eyes was genuine.

  “As you should,” she said simply, holding his gaze.

  “Anyway,” he replied, changing the subject. “This pasta is one of my mom’s secret recipes. I thought it was time to share it with someone.”

  Tory squeezed his hand before pulling away. Grinning, she tilted her head at him.