Maybe there, her consciousness should have left her, but she clung to it. She trusted Ben; deep down she knew it was him. It had to be, because they were the only people here and there was no way he could have done that with special effects so high up on the mountain.
Reaching out her hand, she beckoned to him to come closer. Despite her head telling her she was crazy, she had to know for sure if this bear was real, tangible. And when her fingers threaded their way through his fur, she knew that he was.
It was then that she had trouble stopping herself from seeing stars.
Chapter Fifteen – Ben
A low rumble in the bear’s chest made its anguish clear; his mate had fainted at the sight of him. He thought she was ready, that she would understand, but he had been too eager to share this world with her. His world. Now he had put their future in jeopardy.
Instantly shifting back to his human form, he went to her and placed his arm under her head, lifting her up to rest on his chest. Her breathing was normal; her heartbeat strong in his ears. She would be OK, but he had to get her down off the mountain. He did not want her to get too cold out here; it was best if she were tucked up in bed. His bed.
With his strong arms cradling her against him, he lifted her and took her to his car. This was not the moment to think of taking her to bed. He needed to give her time to come around to the idea of him as a bear. Yet he had thought that tonight, they would have made love for the first time. That she would have been under him and he would be buried inside her. He had hoped…
Placing her down gently, he kissed her forehead, breathing in the scent of her, part of him worried this would be the last time he would be able to touch her, caress her. If she rejected him, she could quite easily leave town. Go back to this doctor of hers, the one she had run away from.
His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. That was never going to happen, she was his, and he would never let her go to another man. These thoughts swam about in his head, and he realised what her presence was doing to him. He was becoming something he had never been before; he was becoming selfish and greedy where she was concerned. The man he was before might disappear to be replaced by something else if he wasn’t careful. Yet his bear didn’t care. She was his, and he was never going to give her up. Especially not to a man who had hurt her so badly.
Ben drove carefully back down the mountainside, trying to regain his composure. Furtive glances over to Beth told him she was OK, yet still not awake. Or was she pretending to sleep so that she didn’t have to face the monstrosity she thought he was?
The doctor had never been insecure before. His good looks and personality had always ensured people liked and respected him. Could it be that the one person he needed to like him would shun him? And what if she talked to his patients and told them what he was? He would be ruined, Bear Bluff would be ruined, and their secret would be out.
All these emotions passed through him: fear, rejection, and sadness. And then he stopped himself. They were meant to be together, the fates had decided. He had to believe she was his for a reason, in the same way that he was hers for a reason. When he looked at her and saw her beautiful, round face, he knew why she had come to him. All the hurt from this other doctor was his to heal. That is what he did, what he had done all of his life.
It might take time, but he would heal her broken heart, and heal her fear of him. His patience and selflessness returned. As he got out of the car, he knew things would work out. They had to.
Lifting her out of the car, he took her into his home, opening the front door and carrying her over the threshold. One day he would do this when they were married. And they would be married. He could never give up on that dream.
Chapter Sixteen – Beth
“What happened?” she asked, seeing his concerned face watching over her.
“You don’t remember?”
She lay still for a moment, trying to conjure up the image that just danced out of reach. What had happened? “The bear.”
He nodded, his frown deepening across his handsome face. “The bear.”
“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to react like that. It was just … well, a surprise.” She reached up and stroked his cheek, and he turned his face to look at her, his lips pressing against her hand, sending shivers down her spine.
“That’s it? A surprise?”
“What do you want me to say? A shock—overwhelming, unbelievable. There are no words to describe it.” She thought for a moment, going over the image of him changing before her eyes. “How?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. With all the medical knowledge in my head, I still don’t know how. It just is. I was born with the gift.”
“There are more like you?”
He nodded. “We don’t tell everyone. But you are my mate, Beth. I couldn’t have made love to you without you knowing. It wouldn’t be right. Now I’m afraid I’ve lost you.”
She sat very still, examining her feelings. “No. I think it will take a long time for it to sink in. But … well, strange things happen.”
“It’s why I can promise you that I will never leave you. There will never be anyone else for me.”
“Because you are a bear?”
“Because a part of this gift is that once we find our true mates, then we stay with them forever.” He lifted her hand and kissed it reverently. “And you are my true mate, Beth.”
“That sounds almost as fanciful as you turning into a bear.”
“It’s all true. I have waited a long time for you. And I will never betray you. You are the most important person in my life.”
“So what happens now?” she asked.
“One of two things? Or both, I hope.”
“Go on.” She swallowed her desire; she sure hoped one of them was him making love to her right there and then.
“I propose and then I claim you.”
“Claim me?”
“Yes. I want to come inside you, Beth. I want to feel you around me. You know what I mean.”
“Yes,” she said, her voice hoarse.
He leaned down and kissed her, his mouth firm on hers. Ben was showing her exactly who he was, the master of her body. And when his hands touched her breasts, massaging them together, her nipples hardened and she knew that she would do whatever he wanted as long as it always felt this good.
Picking her up once more, he carried her upstairs to his bedroom, placing her on his large bed. Then she watched as he stripped his clothes off, his thick cock proud and erect as his pants dropped to the floor. This was it. He was going to make love to her. First, he was going to remove her clothes. Slowly.
He knelt on the bed next to her; she couldn’t keep her hands off his wonderfully smooth skin. She traced the contours of his body while he undid the buttons on her shirt. One at a time, kissing her soft skin as it was revealed to him. Her flesh seemed to glow under his touch, a heat threading through her nerve endings, until she felt as if she had been plunged into fire.
Once her shirt was discarded, he unclasped her bra, her breasts free to be tortured by his hands and his mouth. Sucking one nipple into his mouth, he rolled his tongue over it. She gasped, shockwaves hitting her. Ben moved to the other one, licking it with the flat of his tongue before circling it, making the taut bud overly sensitive, while between her thighs an inferno raged, and only he could tame it and control it.
His cock butted against her thigh, and she figured it was time she became acquainted with the many parts of Ben that were a mystery to her. Enclosing it with her hand, she moved up and down. He stiffened, his cock becoming harder in her hand. In response, his mouth became rougher on her breasts, while his hand slipped down her body to lift her skirt, his fingers pushing into her hungry sex.
Sliding up and down along his length, she experimented with how rough he liked to be handled. His reactions fascinated her. She squeezed and released him, then moved her hand to the head of his cock, making him groan in need. The first drop of his precome appeared and
she wanted to taste him, just as he had tasted her yesterday. But she wasn’t brave enough.
Then he broke away from her. She looked up, searching his face to understand why. But when he turned her over and unzipped her skirt, she knew it was because he wanted her naked against him, and she couldn’t wait.
Skin on skin, he moved over her body, kissing her neck and then along her collarbone, finally kissing the tips of her nipples. He drew his hand along the inside of her thigh and slowly found his way to her heated sex. One finger, followed by another, slipped inside her and drew her arousal from her, making her need for him increase until she was writhing under his touch.
Then he withdrew. “Are you sure?” he asked.
“Yes. Very.”
Eager now, he guided himself into her, the head of his cock pressing against the entrance to her sex. She tensed, hoping it wouldn’t hurt. Ben kissed her, soothing her, and she remembered she was in the capable hands of a doctor. A doctor who was desperate to claim his mate. To claim her.
After everything that had happened, Beth would never have expected to find a man like this attracted to her. Francis had left her believing that she was no good, that her body was too curvy and her face not attractive enough. Dr. Ben made her feel sexy, beautiful, and incredibly aroused. Especially when his cock was slowly penetrating her tight sex. He was gentle but firm, pushing deep into her until he claimed her virginity. She gasped, her fingernails digging into his back. This spurred him on. Slowly, the gentle doctor disappeared, to be replaced by his animal instinct, his primal need to take her hard and strong.
Long lunges, in and out of her tight, hot sex. She was left breathless by his kisses, and as her climax grew, her other senses were overwhelmed. This wonderful doctor, so restrained around other women, wanted her. Wanted to come inside her and make her his wife. That was what he had said. And she believed him.
When her orgasm finally swept over her, she cried out, waves after wave of pleasure sweeping over her and taking her higher than she had ever been. He worshipped her body with his own, making her feel special. His words from earlier rang in her ears: she was his, he was hers, forever.
Chapter Seventeen – Ben
Morning came so fast and then slipped away as he made love to her again. “You’re insatiable,” he told her.
“Only for you.”
“Only for me,” he growled, kissing her again. “You should sleep. I have some calls to make.”
“OK. Then come back to bed, right?”
“Promise,” he said, leaning down and kissing her soft lips. He couldn’t resist stroking her body, touching her nipples, feeling them harden under his fingertips.
“Go, now,” she said. “Or you will never leave this bedroom.”
A guttural sound in his throat told her he would rather stay, but he dragged himself away, although his gaze lingered on her until he physically left the room. Damn, she was beautiful lying there in his bed. His mate. He grinned to himself; it had finally happened. At that moment, Ben felt like a kid on Christmas morning. Full of excitement and anticipation for his new life, which was starting right now.
The kitchen was his first stop; he put some coffee on and then went through his messages. Systematically, he returned calls, trying to keep his professional head on and his voice level. Hard, when excitement kept bubbling up inside him. His mind kept wandering back to the woman who was sleeping in his bed. And how much he wanted to wake her and make love to her again.
Calls finished, he flicked through his reminders in his smart phone. “Damn,” he said quietly. He had forgotten he had promised to take Rita Hargreaves to lunch. She was one of his patients, in for long-term care, and she had no family nearby. It was her 60th birthday, and he had made up his mind to make it a special day for her, despite her being alone.
Going back to the bedroom, he found Beth asleep. She looked so peaceful, and he knew he must have tired her out with their lovemaking; she didn’t have the stamina of his bear, unfortunately. He didn’t have the heart to wake her, so he went to shower, got dressed, and left her a note saying he had to go to the hospital and would be back later. Then he fetched the gift he had bought for Rita and wrapped it up. Once more he went back to check on Beth and then left, although his bear objected. “Later,” he said to himself. “We have the rest of our lives together.”
Chapter Eighteen – Beth
He wasn’t there. She could tell as soon as she opened her eyes. The bed was cold where his body should be, his weight on the bed not pulling her into his gravity. Lifting up her weary head, she looked out at the bright daylight and knew it was late. He must be up already, leaving her to lie in. She smiled. What a night!
Turning over, she saw his note. Trying to focus her sleep-heavy eyes, she read it and her heart sank. It was his day off, and she had hoped they would spend it together. Instead, she was left feeling deflated. But he would be back, she reassured herself.
Slipping out of bed, she padded to the bathroom, but decided that she would do better to go home, shower, and change, and then meet him later. Dressing quickly, her head filled with the images of their night together, she couldn’t help feel elated. What a man! What a bear! She giggled to herself; was that actually real? He would have to show her again, because she was beginning to doubt her sanity. Normal men didn’t turn into bears, but there was nothing normal about Ben. Nothing at all. She was a lucky girl.
Not wanting to make him worry about not being here, she decided to call him to tell him where she was going and to find out how long he would be. Dialling carefully, she waited for someone to pick up. Greta. Great.
“Hi Greta, is Ben there?”
“No.” Was her voice this sharp to everyone who called the hospital?
“Oh, I thought he had come into work. I wanted to get a message to him.”
“I’ll take the message,” she said, sounding a little more polite.
“Great, thanks. Can you tell him that I’m going to go home and I’ll meet him later?”
Silence. Then, “Where are you, Beth?”
“Oh, well, we’d arranged to meet … at the bar.” She should have thought this through. “But he’s not here so I’m going to go home.”
“Oh,” Greta sounded different now; a hard tone had come into her voice. “Listen, Beth, a friendly bit of advice, because I know you’ve been hurt before.”
Beth’s heart thumped hard in her chest. “I’m sorry, Greta, I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. When Ben told me, I felt so bad for you. So, I am going to tell you where Ben is. He has gone to lunch.”
“Lunch, oh, OK.” No big mystery, but it hurt he had left her to go to lunch.
“With another woman.” Greta sounded filled with sympathy when she finished, “He just can’t help himself, so many women fall over him. You obviously know what I mean. He tries to keep us all happy. But sometimes it just doesn’t work. Does it?”
“No.” Beth felt her heart freeze, her breath coming in short, sharp gasps. Before she had a full-blown panic attack, she said, “Thanks, Greta. Don’t worry about the message.”
“I won’t, Beth. Take care now.” Then Greta ended the call.
Beth stood with the phone still in her hand, all her earlier excitement gone, to be replaced by misery. How could he have slept with her and then gone off to have lunch with another woman? He wouldn’t. There was no way he could share his secret with her and then just run off. No way.
She would try his cell. But when she dialled the number, it rang inside his house. He must have left it behind, convenient. Following the sound, she found it in the kitchen on the counter top, next to a receipt for a very expensive pair of earrings. She pressed the button to end the call, and his reminder flashed up. It must have been what he was looking at before he left. There, very clearly logged under today’s date, was the message, “Hot date with Rita.”
Beth left. She wanted to go home, pack her stuff, and run far away. If her
betrayal by Francis had been bad enough, it was nothing compared to what she felt now. She had slept with Ben. He had knowingly taken advantage of her, telling her he was her mate. And she had believed him. The whole bear thing must have been a lie too. How could a man turn into a bear! She had fallen for his charm and every line he had fed her. What a fool!
Practically running, she made her way back to her apartment. Holding the tears in check by pure willpower. She was sick of men and the way they treated her. She would have to move on; there was no way she could look at the handsome doctor every day. Even if he didn’t tell anyone, and this was surely too good a joke to keep to yourself, then she would still know that he knew.
Reaching her door, she put her key in and was about to go inside when a voice said, “Hi, Beth.”
She swung around to see Francis standing by his car. “Francis. What are you doing here?”
“I came for you, Beth. And by the look of it, I’ve arrived just in time.”
Beth knew she must look a right state; she hadn’t combed her hair or taken off her makeup from yesterday, in her bid to get out of Ben’s house as quickly as possible. “I’m fine, thank you, Francis.”
He came towards her, his voice smooth and seductive, reminding her of why she had fallen for him in the first place. Feeling numb, she allowed him to open the door and walk inside with her. Then he pulled her into his arms, “Why don’t you go and get yourself cleaned up, while I make us a nice cup of tea?”
“Thank you, Francis.” Beth went upstairs, wanting nothing more than to get away from him and collect her thoughts. The shock of seeing him here was mixed up with the feelings of betrayal she felt towards Ben. She knew she would send Francis away, but first she wanted to wash the scent of Ben from her poor, deceived body.
Stripping off, she walked into the shower, letting the hot water cleanse her body and clear her mind. The sharp scent of citrus shower soap filled her nostrils and invigorated her. She was done with men. She was better off alone than with any man. Her heart broke into tiny pieces, which she quickly taped back together. She could not fall apart until she had sent Francis on his way.
Doctor Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Bluff Book 2) Page 6