The Bear’s Secret Baby: A Bear Shifter Romance (Werebear Ranch Book 1)

by Layla Silver

  Not just hot, though; it was sexy and responsible. How many men could claim that they’d built their own house? It seemed that Josh really had changed a lot over the last years, and now Angie's perception of him was starting to adjust accordingly. From womanizing bad boy to sexy, responsible business owner who wanted a family? Angie wasn’t sure she could handle it.

  The waiter arrived with their food a moment later. A Caesar salad and chicken for Angie, and a steak and vegetables for Josh. Since they were somewhere nice, Angie almost regretted ordering the salad. Chicken and salad was something she often ate at home with Emma since the little one loved her chicken and romaine lettuce was one of the few other foods she liked. But it was comfort food for Angie, reminding her of home and her daughter. Having it in front of her steadied her in the moment, set her even further at ease around Josh. After everything he'd told her so far about the ranch, Bear shifters, his clan, and his house ... it was possible that she'd been wrong about him all along.

  He seemed to be a completely different person. No. He was a completely different person. It was possible that he would be a good father to Emma, too. She felt guiltier than ever for hiding her from him, for hiding the fact that she was his daughter these past couple of weeks. But she'd done it out of love for Emma, wanting to protect her from someone she thought would be a negative influence on their lives. She'd been wrong, but now they could move forward without Angie needing to worry. She took a deep breath and made her decision. Tomorrow she’d tell him.

  "So, you're good with your hands," Angie blurted. Her face immediately burned, and she tightened her grip on her wine glass, taking a sip to hide her embarrassment. She only peeled her fingers away after she was afraid she might snap it in half. Had she just said that? Oh, God, she'd just said that. It had to be the bit of wine burning through her on an empty stomach. "I—I mean, building stuff—you built your own house, so—"

  Josh broke her off with a laugh, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes, enhanced by the glittering of subtle crystalline light on his face. "Yes, I suppose you could say that." He winked, and Angie smiled in response, unable to help herself. "I enjoy working with my hands, as do most of the other guys on the ranch. It's why we decided to start up an auto shop over anything else. It's honest work, and it helps that just about everyone has vehicle troubles every now and then. It's what funded our housing projects." Angie wasn't sure what to say when Josh paused, so she waited, and after a moment of smiling at her absentmindedly, he continued: "Working with cars is calming and all, but it's nothing compared to working on your own house."

  "How do you mean?" she said.

  "Building my own house has been much more intimate than working on a car—even my own. I guess because unlike a car, I'm building it up from literally nothing. I get to plan and make decisions about every detail. It's where I'll sleep for the rest of my days, where I'll live with my mate and kids ..." Josh trailed off, but this time he was looking straight at her. Angie's heart skipped a beat. "But I think we've talked more than enough about me, don't you think? Tell me more about you. How have you spent the last two years? You said this is your home town?”

  "I—" Angie struggled to find words.

  She didn't like talking about herself too much. It required becoming vulnerable to someone, telling them about how complicated her life was sometimes. Josh deserved to know more about her, especially after he had shared so much about him and his friends. But what was there to say? Unlike Josh, Angie didn’t have that much going for her. She'd had a kid at 24, younger than she'd planned and without a husband or stable boyfriend. TK had been hounding her for the last five years for money she didn't have, and the last time his sleazy ass had been at her place still made her feel grimy and dirty inside and out. She couldn't tell Josh about any of that. So what could she say?

  "When I said I moved here to be closer to family, I wasn't lying. My mother lives here, and ever since I had Emma, I’ve had to rely on her quite a bit," Angie said. She played with her food a little, spearing pieces of lettuce with her fork as a distraction. "I was lying when I said I didn't want to be here, though. I was just upset when I saw you. I like it here quite a bit."

  "I suppose it's easier on you to have your mother around," Josh said, nodding knowingly. "I'm sure you, like me, need some time to yourself to stay sane."

  Angie laughed. "After raising my daughter on my own for a couple of months, I realized I needed a change of pace. I was working crappy waitressing jobs, and whatever part-time gigs I could get my hands on back then, anything that would give me flexible enough hours so I could take care of Emma on my own. But it was exhausting."

  "I'm sorry you had to deal with that. You're strong, but you shouldn’t have to handle that on your own. No real man should ever abandon a little one and the mother of his child," Josh said. His voice was a little gruff, and he sounded a little agitated.

  Angie’s heart was in her throat. Would Josh say the same thing if he knew that he was the father? Would he have wanted to be a part of her and Emma’s life from the start? Not for the first time, Angie wished she hadn’t made the stupid mistake of burning his phone number.

  "Anyway ... I decided I needed to get a better job, something I couldn't really get without a better education. So I moved back here to get a bookkeeping certificate, and that's how I got my slightly better but still crappy job, which somehow still doesn’t manage to pay the bills. And that’s how we're here, I guess," Angie said. She smiled, though, because even though she'd suffered quite a bit, she still had Emma to show for all that hard work, and she was glad that she'd ended up here and found Josh again.

  "You're amazing," Josh said. "I hope you realize that."

  Angie nodded, smiling. She wasn't really thinking about her struggles anymore, or about her mother, or about raising Emma alone. She was thinking about how kind and thoughtful Josh was, how much attention he'd given her while she shared something that made her feel pretty vulnerable, even though it was only a fraction of her story. Maybe if they got together and they took turns taking care of Emma, she could pursue a real career as a financial administrator, even go back to school. But … she was getting way ahead of herself with that.

  After finishing their meal and leaving the restaurant, the sun had set completely, and the sky was a mixture of purples and grays. It was dark, but not dark enough for Angie to miss the way Josh watched her on the way to his truck. His eyes glittered like stars caught in a whole different universe, staring through Josh just to look at her.

  Josh stopped and placed a hand on her cheek, the green in his eyes solidifying into a question. His fingers were like tiny flames that sent sparks through her whole body, and she leaned into his touch.

  Butterflies fluttered in her belly. "Josh?" she whispered, wondering why he was hesitating. After their dinner together, she thought this had been inevitable. If he'd just kissed her, she wouldn't have been afraid. But now he was staring at her, and she was questioning herself. Had she said something during the night that made him change his mind about her?

  "Just admiring your eyes," he murmured and then leaned in, tilting Angie's chin up to press their lips together.

  It was a delicate kiss at first, just a subtle taste of the wine they'd shared, but passionate enough to make those shocks he’d already made appear in her body turn into little explosions. Josh wrapped his arms around her waist, deepening the kiss. His tongue flicked her lips, a small growl escaping him, and he clutched her tighter even as he pulled his lips from hers.

  "Should we head back to your place?" he said, his voice husky.

  Angie wanted nothing more than to spend another night with him, their limbs tangled in a mess of sheets and sweat. But the idea of heading home shook her back to reality. They couldn't go home because her mother was supposed to stay the night and keep watch on Emma while Angie was out.

  "Hotel?" Angie managed to say. She leaned up in search of his lips again, and Josh held the back of her head to deepen the kiss. Ang
ie's whole body burned with desire for him, but he pulled away, taking her hand in his and guiding her back to the truck, grinning all the way.

  Chapter 11 – Josh

  Angie slipped the key card into the hotel room's door, and Josh was already on her like a wild animal. His hands roamed her body, traveling along her spine, waist, and chest before settling on her thighs. She squirmed beneath him, returning his eager kisses while running her fingers along his chest.

  They slipped inside, and Josh kicked the door shut as they moved further into the room, their bodies locked tightly together, their lips sealed as one. The wine on her tongue was a reminder of their lovely dinner, but he searched deeper, finding that caramel taste he associated with her and only her. The shape of her beneath his hands set him on fire, wanting to rip off that partially see-through dress she’d been teasing him with all evening without even knowing it.

  He wanted to find her skin, to feel the heat of her flesh against his. The Bear in him was eager to claim her, but Josh wanted to go slower, to make sure Angie sang him a sweet melody first.

  That caramel taste made Josh even hungrier for her. Her lips were like bolts of fire traveling through him and settling in his groin, electrifying him, even more, when their kisses turned to little nips. Josh sucked on Angie's lower lip and gripped her thighs tighter, reaching up to brush against the warmth between her legs. She moaned into his mouth when he found it, and he rubbed it just enough to make her quiver in his hold.

  He backed toward the bed with her in his arms, rubbing her a little harder. She sighed against his lips and moved her hips a bit, just enough to make Josh growl again and grip her thigh a little harder. He grabbed the hem of her dress, wanting her bad enough to ignore his initial thoughts about going slower tonight, but he knew he could control himself and savor her longer.

  He hit the bed, and they sat on it with her straddling him. He kept her close, tilting her head up to keep kissing him, pressing his lips roughly against hers. Josh pushed up her dress, glimpsing her panties before she wrapped her legs around his waist, locking him in place. The hardness in his pants pressed against that sweet spot between her legs, and they ground against each other, breaking the kiss so they could share a breathless moan. She wanted this just as badly as he did.

  "I need you to take me," Angie groaned.

  The Bear in him wanted to oblige, to throw her against the bed, fill her up, and take her for his pleasure. Josh growled and ground against her harder, an irresistible pressure growing in his pants. He could unbuckle himself and take her right there, and his hands shook as he resisted the temptation. Angie wasn’t making this easy for him.

  His lips left hers, and he pressed them to her neck, gently biting the sensitive flesh. She shuddered and moaned into his ear, her hot breath tickling him. He loved the sound of her, wanted to hear more of that.

  "Please ..." she said.

  Josh grinned and nibbled and sucked a little harder, earning another moan. He loved those sounds, but he also loved the idea of making her beg for him to take her.

  "Not yet," he whispered, running kisses from her neck to her mouth again.

  He kissed her deep and hard again, nipping at her lips, letting waves of fire crash through them. If he wasn’t going to take her yet, he still needed to feel her skin against his, or he might go mad. His hands found her chest and cupped her breasts over her dress and bra, squeezing them. Then he slipped her arms from the sleeves and let the dress fall to her waist, unhooking her bra in a single motion.

  His hands claimed her naked breasts before he could even think about it. He squeezed them, feeling their fullness moving in his hands with Angie’s heaving chest. Josh bit her lip, and she moaned just as he found her stiff nipples. She squirmed against him while his thumbs stimulated them with slow, teasing circles. But Angie wanted more and pressed her breasts harder into his hands. He pinched her nipple in response, and she moaned, arching away from him just a bit. A sexy little moan that prompted him to squeeze harder. She gasped.

  "I need you," she panted when she could finally speak again between endless kisses.

  Josh turned them around and pushed her down on the bed. She bounced a little, but her legs were still spread, her little black panties standing out against her pale skin. He fell to his knees on the bed, pushing one between her legs, and leaned forward to press his lips to hers again. His mouth roamed to her neck, sucking and kissing, taking in the scent of her, the warmth of her against him. He nibbled at her neck, intoxicated by her.

  "Josh ..." Angie said. "I can’t wait any longer." The need in her voice was multiplied inside him by a thousand, and the sound of her urged him to slip the little black panties down her legs and toss them away.

  The spot between her legs was like a pink flower, glistening and blooming just for him. She looked magnificent with her dress bunched around her waist, her nice, rounded breasts heaving with each of her shaky breaths. Josh licked his lips at the sight of her supple nipples, wanting to claim them with his tongue, to suck them raw until Angie couldn't take any more.

  He closed in on them, kissing each with whisper-soft kisses, gentle while he slipped a hand between her legs, fingers dancing along her thighs. She shivered and tensed in anticipation, moaning when his fingers found the little bud between her legs. He pressed a finger against it, rubbing it in delicate circles, just to give her a taste.

  “Good with my hands, remember?” he said, and then took one of her nipples fully into his mouth. Angie squirmed as he teased her in two places, her hot breath tickling the back of his neck. She ran her hands through his hair, clutching at him while he sucked on her, not letting him move away.

  Angie locked her legs around Josh’s hand, but he pulled them apart, kept her completely under his control. He flicked the little bud, pressing a little harder each time Angie moaned, his tongue moving a little faster around her nipple.

  "More," Angie said, providing Josh with more encouragement.

  Josh's fingers moved a little further down, searching for her wet folds. He was greeted by the hot juices between her legs, soaking his fingers the second he found the right spot. Angie shuddered beneath him when he neared her entrance, his fingers roaming around the edges. And when he finally entered her, she gasped and pushed against him, forcing his fingers deeper inside.

  “Oh, God,” she cried.

  Fuck, she made the best noises in the world. Josh had wanted to play with her like this ever since she’d made that comment at the restaurant about his hands. Of course, he knew she’d meant it in a different context, referring to his house, but his mind had been somewhere else entirely when she said it.

  He released her nipple and moved to the other, sucking it a little harder. She rocked her hips against him, and he held her closer, letting her work her hips, so his fingers hit all the right places. Josh wanted to work her longer, to make her finish on his hand before he even took her dress all the way off, but the Bear inside him was getting restless. The hardness between his own legs needed to be let loose.

  Josh held Angie's thighs in place as he eased his hand away from her, her eager hips bucking for more. She reached for his hand, fingers grasping for him and trying to pull him back to her.

  "No—don't stop, I need—" she said, but she broke off with a frustrated groan when he pulled away completely and wouldn't let her move.

  "I thought you wanted me to take you?" Josh said, teasing her as he propped himself up over her to get a better look at her face while he slipped one of his hands back between her legs.

  "Please—" But before Angie could say much, Josh inserted another finger inside her, stroking it against one of her sensitive inner walls. She shuddered, and her eyes rolled back, seeming to forget what she wanted to say. Josh grinned and moved his finger faster, pushing deeper as she squeezed tighter. She was hot and wet, ready for him.

  Josh took off his belt and pants, letting them drop to the floor, and then kicked them aside. Angie found herself again, slipping her dress com
pletely off as Josh unbuttoned his shirt. Now that they were both completely naked, Josh took a moment to admire her. Her pale skin seemed whiter in the moonlight that filtered in through the hotel’s blinds, and she looked practically radiant like she were the moon and not the object in the sky far above them.

  His mate. Of course, she wouldn’t look any other way, being with him. Did she even know it, how they were made for each other? He wished he could tell her, wished he could make her completely his … but he needed to give her more time. This night was an amazing start, but she’d only just started to trust him.

  Josh climbed on top of Angie, careful not to squish her beneath him, even though he wanted to envelop her completely once the fiery touch of her skin consumed him. His lips found hers again, feeling like they’d been parted for centuries. Angie ran her hands through his hair, pulling him closer, making their kiss more passionate. He gave her few chances to breathe, only milliseconds here and there when even he was out of breath. Angie’s hands roamed down to his shoulders, practically clawing at his shoulder blades, her fingers demanding more when her words couldn’t. Finally, he was ready to please her.

  He pressed himself against her, grinding his hips, so he felt her wetness against his hard member. Angie moved her hips, trying to work him inside her, but Josh hesitated to go all the way. After a few moments, Angie settled down a little, pulling her face away from his.

  "Is something wrong?" she whispered against his lips.

  "I'm scared of going Bear on you again," he said. Even though Angie had said that the Bear in him didn't bother her, Josh had been worried about it for so long that it wasn't something he could just stop worrying about. He knew he wouldn't hurt her, but the fear was still there.

  Angie licked her lips, then kissed him deeply again, making him shiver. "You don't have to be," she said, a little breathless. "But if you're worried, then ..." She pushed him off her, onto the bed beside her, then climbed on top of him. She positioned herself on top of his groin, rubbing herself against him. "I'll take control." She gave him a meek smile.