by Michelle Fox
“Hush.” She placed her finger to his lips. “Don’t say it.”
Gently, he drew her fingertip between his lips and sucked. As the heat of his mouth and the pressure increased, a thrill shot through her. Using just the edges of his teeth, he held the finger captive before releasing it with a quiet pop. With her hand now freed, she draped her arms around the expanse of his muscular shoulders. “Kiss me.”
His hand slid behind her head to cup her nape. Gathering her hair, he gave it a gentle tug, forcing her to lift her face to his. He held her close. His warm breath flooded her face, but their lips did not touch. Tension built and his muscles coiled as an ember of defiance burned in his eyes. “If I want to say I love you,” his voice was gruff, “I will. You can’t stop me.”
She nuzzled him, loving the light earthy scent of musk on his skin. In an act of willful abandon, she raised her arms above her head and surrendered to him.
In a sweeping rush, Mac’s mouth covered hers. The first kiss was whisper soft, but the next demanded her full attention. His mouth glided against hers as his tongue teased her lips apart. She melted beneath him, sharing his warm breath. He gave the lush cushion of her bottom lip a nip and then sucked the tender flesh between his teeth. The fleeting sting of his bite echoed the silent promise of more to come, and raised gooseflesh on her arms.
Deftly, he plucked several buttons on her pajamas free. Pushing the fabric aside, he bared her full breasts and strawberry-pink nipples. With a husky moan, he thrust the hard bulge in his pants against her thigh. Feral desire roiled in the depths of his eyes. Cupping her breast in his palm, he lifted it to his mouth. His tongue circled the nipple until it glistened and stood taut. Closing his lips around the tip, he sucked a slow, steady rhythm that registered deep in her core.
He unfastened the last button and pushed the pajama top from her shoulders. They lay skin to skin, the hair on his chest tickling her breasts. His hands grazed her waist. Untying the pajama bottoms, he pulled them down her hips, pausing to stroke the soft curves of her thighs. “You’re so luscious, Andi. You were made for me.” He motioned for her to raise her hips, and when she did, he slipped a pillow beneath her and tossed the pajama pants to the floor. She stretched across his bed with her hips arched high.
“I want to taste you,” he whispered, as his hands traced the length of her thighs and parted them.
Hooking a finger in his waistband, she gave it a tug. “Shouldn’t you take those jeans off?”
Grinning from ear to ear, he shook his head. “Once these come off, it’s all over for me.” Gliding his hands down each of her thighs with a featherlight touch, he lowered his face in between. He brushed his nose against her auburn curls and inhaled the distinctly female scent of arousal. “Your scent is so exciting. It’s really doing a number on me.”
He kissed her mons with a featherlight touch. Parting the lips, he gently explored her with his tongue. The first slick stroke ignited her senses like liquid fire. The second tantalized her by traveling in slippery circles until her clit ached. The light grain of Mac’s beard stubble teased her inner thighs as he rocked his head from side to side, bathing every inch of her pussy in wet kisses. The pleasure became so keen, soft, desperate-sounding cries floated free.
It had been far too long since she’d experienced anything close to the sweet ecstasy Mac offered. Without inhibitions, she thrust her hips in his face and begged. “The little spot next to my clit.” She wriggled, almost sliding off the pillow. “Suck it.”
His lips closed around her clit. The gentle pulse of his mouth built to a rhythmic throb that drove her crazy. The blood rushed between her thighs. It became impossible to remain still. She needed to move and rock her hips, but she didn’t want to bump Mac’s nose. Sensing her struggle, he intervened. His hands gripped her hips and held her tight as he swooped down, taking full possession of her.
Once captured, she allowed her mind to drift to every hot and dirty thought she’d ever had, now re-imagined and recast starring Mac. She couldn’t wait for him to fuck her and hoped he’d pump inside her deep and slow while sucking her aching tits.
He smacked his palm playfully against the side of her thigh, making a shocking sound. She leaped in surprise, her eyes wide. He gently penetrated her with a finger and made a coaxing motion that lured her toward the edge. With every nerve on fire, it was all too much. “Come for me, Andi.” A quiet growl rolled deep in his throat.
She shuddered. Her belly clenched. The first ripples of climax swept over her, growing stronger until she thought she might jump out of her skin.
“Mmmm.” He pressed his mouth hard against her. His tongue flicked. The low vibration of his growl sent her pleasure soaring.
As the fleeting moments of bliss carried her away, she melted against the sheets. Too stunned to move, she stared at the ceiling beams, noticing the light cast from the iron stove had dimmed to an orange glow. She reached for his shoulders and tried to haul him onto her, but he proved too heavy to budge. “Mac, you know what I need now. Do I have to beg for that too?”
Pulling away, he sat back on his heels. The ruddy glow of the fire cast half his face in stark shadow. His jawline glistened where it was still wet from her. “Begging is optional. But if you like it, go ahead.” He unfastened the top snap of his jeans and then the next. He stood to finish unbuttoning his pants, and then pushed them down his long legs and kicked them aside.
She allowed herself the luxury of looking at Mac. This time, minus the awed surprise of watching him shift to bear form, she saw how well-made he was. His body possessed the perfect balance between man and bear. Power and strength were on full display.
His gaze traveled the length of her. A wicked gleam shone on his eyes. “What if I lose control and bite?”
She rolled onto all fours and crept toward the edge of the mattress, allowing her breasts to sway. “You are gentle, considerate, and kind, and I am going to suck your cock like a shop vac, and prove that in this bed, you are the master, not the nipping grizzly.”
“You sound confident.” His voice was reduced to a gruff rumble.
“I’m not, but I’m going to do it anyway. Besides, I’m already sold on becoming a bear. It sounds amazing. So bite me. I want it.” She crooked her finger. “Come here.”
Taking a cautious step, he approached her.
Glancing upward, she smiled. “Do you want me sitting or kneeling?”
“Both.” The answer burst forth. “This whole thing is blowing my mind.”
She traced a delicate line around her nipple with her fingertip. “You sound nervous.”
“I am. I’m scared I’m going to bite you, grab hold of your hips, and fuck you too hard.”
“Again, it sounds great.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Now that we have your worst fears out of the way, can we have some fun?”
His lips parted in a lingering moment of silence. “I just don’t want you to have regrets.”
“No regrets. I’m in your bed because I belong here.” She reached for his hand and drew him closer. Mac towered beside her. Sitting back on her heels, she gazed up at him. Grasping hold of his shaft, she gave it a playful stroke from tip to base, feeling the heat of it against her palm. His eyes reflected the amber glint from the fire, lending him a slightly savage look. Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on the glossy crown and then glided her tongue around the rim.
Mac closed his eyes and tilted his face upward. An innocent expression of surrender flooded his features. The heavy muscles of his thighs tensed as he swayed to avoid toppling.
Swishing her hair across his belly, she allowed the silky strands to cover him like a veil. The lemony scent of soap on his skin beside the darker hint of musk inundated her senses. Using tender kisses and the tip of her tongue, she teased his cock, licking the first salty bead of cum from the crown.
He responded with a low grumbling sigh, followed by a big hand gently placed on the back of her head, urging her to take
more. Parting her lips wide, Andi swallowed as much as she could, simply holding him in the snug embrace and slowly sucking him deeper in increments. Her lips caressed the shaft and her tongue explored the crown as she barely moved. “Uummm.” The growl vibrated low in her throat.
He pulsed his hips against her mouth, but immediately stopped and withdrew. He slid free of her lips with a juicy pop. “Too much.”
“Not enough.” She held on to his shaft, guiding the slick head of his cock to her breast. It met her nipple in a wet kiss. She rubbed his cock in slow circles against her breast. The tip pebbled and flushed rose. “If you want to, come on my tits. I’d love it. Massage it into my skin when you’re finished.”
Conflict burned in his gaze and his jaw tensed. A slight tremor rippled through his thighs, warning he was close to pulling the trigger.
“But you want to fuck me instead, right? Come inside me like a real mate?” She used the provocative word “mate” deliberately. “You could flip me over, hold on to my hair, and pin me to the mattress while you ride me so hard and fast I scream your name. Or”—she grinned—“you could be polite about this and we’ll pretend we’re half asleep on a lazy Sunday morning. Your choice, just do it now.”
“You were born to tease.” Reaching out, Mac traced his hand across her cheek and brushed a lock of hair from her brow. “I think I’ll take you standing up. I want to look in your eyes.”
The thought of him locking his arms around her while she clung to him for dear life appealed.
“While I’m fucking you, I’m going to promise myself to become the man you keep. I’ll do whatever it takes because I don’t ever want another man touching my mate.”
She rose on her knees. The mattress flexed as she pressed herself against his chest. “Please tell me you have a condom.”
“I do, but we don’t need them.”
“Why?”
Taking hold of her waist, he drew her into his arms. With commanding ease, he picked her up and lifted her to his chest. “I’m half bear. As an enchanted being, I’m not susceptible to human diseases. I’ve never even had the flu.” Taking easy strides, he carried her toward the far side of the cabin and stopped a few feet from the radiant heat of the iron stove. He pressed her back to the wall as his solid thigh parted her knees. She wrapped her legs around his hips. The wood paneling at her back was smooth. For a moment, they remained almost at eye level. Neither blinked.
“Mac, what about me? I’m susceptible to a lot of things. For instance, babies. Someday, I’d love a family, just not tonight.”
His ropy arms supported her as she settled into his embrace. “Andi, the only way you can have a child with me is if we are both bears, and you aren’t a bear yet.”
“Oh, I see. So when I accept your final claim bite, I—”
“Accept everything and possibly, when you’re ready, you’ll become a mother to bears.”
“Bears, plural?”
“Likely twins. Expect two naughty little boy bear shifters.”
“Oh, God! How would I manage? Schedule my lobotomy now.”
With a playful nuzzle, he rubbed his face against her hair “We’ll manage as a united front.”
“Jeez. Things move fast with a bear. Agree to hot sex, and next thing you know, becoming a mother to twin boys is part of the deal too.”
With lashes dipped, he glanced away. For a split second, something like hurt or worry shone in his gaze. “If a lifetime commitment with a family isn’t what you’re looking for, say it now because, as a MacBrun, that’s all I can offer. I can’t help it. Stop me now, don’t let me fall any more in love with you than I already am.”
“Mac, when I get nervous, I say sarcastic things I don’t mean.” She stroked the edge of his chin, gliding a fingertip across the grainy texture. “Everything that’s happening between us feels like someone said, ‘Here’s the blueprint for the rest of your life, just follow the dotted line.’” With a light brush of her lips, she kissed his nose. “Mac, you’re so fucking intense. I need time to adjust. You need to learn to recognize when I’m making a joke, which I do a lot. Earlier, you stripped your pants off and turned into a grizzly bear in front of me and I didn’t run away blubbering in terror or piss myself. I deserve credit for that. For once, I’ve truly lived up to my name and been brave. Commitment? Yes, I want that too. Twin boys? I sort of like the idea, and I’ll deal with it like an adult if it happens. Is that okay, sweetheart?”
“You’re right.” He smiled as he lifted her to his hips. Reinforcing his hold on her, he pressed her hard against the wall and kissed her mouth. Her lips parted. The tip of his tongue skimmed hers.
Reaching down, he grasped his shaft. With a gliding motion, he rubbed the head back and forth against her until she was slick. Finding her warm, wet center, Mac paused. His gaze met hers.
She looked into the cinnamon sparkle of his brown eyes as he pressed himself inside. At such a steep angle, the first stretch took her breath. Tilting her hips, she relaxed as he slid deeper with ease. His palm planted against the wall and his arm tensed as if he were Atlas pushing the world away. With her hands locked behind his neck, she held tight.
He moved with long, slow strokes that coiled the heavy muscles of his buttocks and shoulders. His breath came in short bursts. She wished there were a mirror or a reflective surface behind him, because Mac’s powerful body plunging inside her woke every primal instinct she possessed, and she knew the sight of her magnificent bear taking her by firelight would be stunning.
She’d been so busy sliding her hands across his broad shoulders and imagining what he looked like from another vantage point, it surprised her to glance up and see Mac’s gaze fixed on her. The determined line of his mouth tensed as he gazed directly into her eyes. His hands gripped her thighs and he gritted his teeth as his strokes became wilder. Wrapping her legs tighter around his lean hips, she crossed her ankles and held on. Tipping his head back, he groaned a low throaty growl. He thrust deep and stilled with his eyes squeezed shut and lips parted. Taking the last short strokes over the edge, he came with a look of searing lust branded on his face. With a ragged breath, he whispered, “Andi.” Holding her securely, he allowed himself to lean against her for support.
Their breath mixed. Heat rolled off his skin, leaving her slick. The room was too warm for her to be locked in his embrace. Standing so close, their gazes wavered in and out of focus. Then he did something surprising. With a quiet grunt, he brushed the tip of his nose to hers and then bowed his head, reverently touching the top of his forehead to hers. She sensed the affectionate gesture was the bear’s sweet way of paying homage to her.
For several minutes, they did not speak. Nothing needed to be said. The loving expression in Mac’s eyes and his gentle manner revealed all she needed to know. She simply allowed herself to relax into the miracle of falling in love with a kind man, who was also a protective, territorial bear.
Mac broke the silence. “I want to carry you to bed, but if I move, I’ll slip free.”
She kissed his mouth. “So? Take me to bed and then slide back inside.”
He rolled his eyes. “Why didn’t I think of that?” Lifting her higher, he took a step. He did, indeed, slip free. “Damn. I knew it. We didn’t get very far, did we?”
Her thighs were sticky. “Why don’t you walk us to the shower?”
“Like this?” In an exaggerated stance, he squatted and stomped along with the grace of an ambling dinosaur. She clung fast to his shoulders. Taking exaggerated steps, he puffed his cheeks out. “Boom, boom, boom!”
Laughing, she held on tight. “You’re like the biggest little kid I’ve ever met in my life.”
Somehow, they made it all the way to the bathroom without tripping over the discarded clothing strewn on the floor. When he crossed the threshold, Mac set her down. Her feet alighted on cool tile.
He turned on the faucet. “When I saw the black bear tracking you, I was terrified you’d get hurt. I felt such guilt that I’d put you
in danger and worried our story would end before it even started.”
“But you saved me. You got there in time.”
“As a bear, there will be more risks in your life. Both people and animals will react to you differently. Are you willing to face that?”
“Yes.”
“I want you to know what you’re getting into.”
Tapping his chest, she pushed past him. “First, I’m getting into the shower.”
He drew the vinyl curtain aside and motioned for her to enter. “The water’s warm.”
She moved aside. “I want to keep my hair dry.”
“Hold your hair above your head.”
Gathering her hair into a loose bun, she stood naked beside him. With her arms raised, her breasts thrust higher. “I’ll need my hands to wash with.”
“No, you won’t. Stand still and let me bathe you.” With a flick of his wrist, he adjusted the angle of the spray so her head would not be drenched. Taking her arm, he stepped into the bathtub and guided her to him. Then he drew the curtain.
The shower instantly cocooned her in a steamy spray and the heat of Mac’s gaze. “You’re staring.”
“You’re gorgeous.” He reached for a bar of green-and-white marbled soap and rolled the fresh scented oval between his hands until a thick lather formed. “I love your goddess curves.” With sudsy hands, he caressed her shoulders, slowly working lower to her breasts and the swell of her rib cage. Wet and slippery, his palms glided over her skin. “You feel heavenly.” He soaped her hips and slid his hands across the soft curves of her thighs, stopping for a moment to kiss her lips.
The warm water and Mac’s caring touch struck a chord deep in her heart. In the past, she’d been lusted after and even been loved, but she had never experienced such strong feelings that she was with the right person at the right place and time as she did now.
Turning her gently beneath the spray, he rinsed the soap from her skin. “Let me duck under there before we run out of warm water.”
She switched places with him and watched as Mac rubbed a brisk lather onto his hairy chest and between his legs, every motion swift and efficient. He set the soap down and rinsed, twisting under the spray. She got a good look at his broad back and the solid muscles of his buttocks. He glanced at her sideways, tiny droplets of water clinging to his lashes. “Now, you’re the one staring.”