* * *
Sam was happy to oblige. He couldn’t explain how much it had meant to him when she’d said she was already coming back to him. How she’d decided not to run. He could have been suspicious, given that she’d said that once he’d already tackled her, but he trusted her.
He could feel she was sincere, and it had been touching to see his sons rallying around them, sharing in the difficult moment. It gave him hope that in time they would all heal. Now that they were all together.
But right now, at this moment, they were alone. She was his to savor. His to treasure.
Her eyes glowed as she crawled onto the bed to straddle him, a predatory gleam in her eyes.
He laughed and flipped their positions, enjoying her surprised look as she wound up beneath him. He wasn’t done being alpha yet.
He placed a kiss on her surprised lips and she growled and melted into it. Kissing her felt as good as it had before she remembered, but there was something even sweeter about it. A part of him that didn’t have to hold back because he was worried she was leaving.
It was… freeing.
He could tell she felt the same, the way her fingers threaded lazily through his hair, the way her tongue twisted and entwined with his. It was all so familiar, but more than that, for the first time in a long time, it was safe.
He could barely wait to plunge inside her and go home with her one more time.
From the way she writhed beneath him, he could tell she felt the same.
“You’re mine,” he said, reaching a hand between them to feel between her legs. He slipped under her clothes to tease lightly over her center and felt her legs pressing together against his hand. He went into a smooth rhythm, luxuriating in the silky feel of her body. He dipped a finger down occasionally, noting how wet she was growing as he kissed her and continued to work against the tiny nub that demanded his attention.
Each time he touched it, it was like heaven. She writhed and gasped, and her body reached for him. Her arms were wound tightly around him, her hips pressed up to meet him, her soft thighs rose to press against his.
“You’re mine,” he said, increasing the speed and pressure as she began to breathe more heavily. “You belong to me. My mate,” he said.
“Your mate,” she breathed out, as if the word was still new to her. It felt so good to hear her say it. His bear loved that she finally acknowledged it, and he needed to confirm it.
He worked in tighter circles as her nails dug into his back and she urged him on, but he wouldn’t hurry. He loved to let it build for her, loved the way it seemed more intense when she came that way. When she finally did go over the edge, she screamed his name in desperation, pure music to his ears.
The moment she was done clawing his back, he was at it again. Stroking and driving until she was wet and aching for him. But once again, he teased and played before increasing the pressure to an unbearable level. And once again, he was rewarded by the most beautiful sight in the world. Her face, lost in pleasure, eyes glazed, lips parted as she stared in wonder as the waves overtook her.
He could do this to her. Only him.
“No one else will ever touch you,” he said, starting again one more time as she groaned in pleasure. “I’ll kill anyone who tries. I’ll protect you with my life.” He sped up once again, working against her as she moaned and nodded in agreement, desperate for him to speed up and bring them together. “Tell me you’re mine.”
“I’m yours,” she gasped out. “I’ve always been yours.”
“Damn straight,” he said, and then he swirled hard and pressed down, and she came over the edge again. This time he held her with both arms, treasuring her as she gasped through her release, seeming to barely be able to breathe as the pleasure overtook her. Pride burned through him that this beautiful woman was his.
The second she was finished she reached frantically for his belt. He grinned and whipped it off and undid his pants.
She licked her lips. “I’ll never get tired of seeing that,” she said.
“I’ll never get tired of showing you,” he said, pulling off his pants and getting back on the bed. He spread her legs and gave her a long, deep kiss that made her let out a short scream, and then pushed her legs even wider as he drove into her.
She moaned and arched back. “Every time you do that feels amazing,” she said. “But for some reason tonight…”
“It’s because tonight there are no mixed feelings. Tonight there’s no fear. Tonight isn’t just a limited time thing. Tonight, we know it’s forever,” he said.
“Forever,” she said, nodding. Then she gasped as he started moving in long strokes against her. Once again slowly speeding things as her hands went into her hair and she bit down on her lip in anticipation.
He would never have enough of this. He would never get enough of her.
But he would definitely spend a lifetime trying.
When it was finally clear she could take no more, he thrust deeply inside her at the same time he worked gently with his finger. It was too much and she went over the edge in a free fall that took him with her.
Pleasure exploded through him, not just physical, but emotional and spiritual because she was finally with him. She and her bear. They were whole together, and it made the whole experience that much more transcendent. As he locked eyes with her and tried to communicate his love to her wordlessly as spasms shook him, she bit her lip and gave him a smile that rocked his world.
Damn, he loved his mate.
He couldn’t believe she was really back. He slumped over her, heart pounding. Too grateful to speak. Unable to believe it was real.
Moments went by of him just holding her, her letting him. She seemed to realize he just needed to feel her there. Needed to keep reassuring himself that she was really going to stay.
Even after a week, it felt like a dream. His mate was back after twenty years. Twenty years that seemed like a second now that he had her. The past didn’t matter. Only the future mattered now.
He pulled back to look in her eye and stroke her hair, feeling like the luckiest man in the world because when he woke up, she’d be there once again. She’d be there every day for the rest of his life.
He didn’t know how to be grateful enough for that. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and then cuddled her again possessively.
“I’m so glad you were coming back to me,” he said. “I’m so glad you’re finally home.”
“Home,” she said. “What a weird concept.”
He growled and nuzzled her. “Don’t get any ideas.”
“No, not about leaving. I just mean, it’s been so long. I just, it’s hard for me to believe that this beautiful place with you beautiful people is really mine.”
“Believe it,” he said. “Because after this, you’re never leaving again.”
“I get it, bossy bear,” she said, teasing him and snuggling tight against him. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” he said. “You’re my heart.”
She let out a happy sigh and relaxed fully against him. He loved the feel of her, and his body was languid and peaceful. He played lightly over her curves, enjoying the soft velvet of her skin.
“You know,” she said. “It was really nice to have sex without fear. Without worrying about what would happen in the future, like we’ve had to so far.”
He nodded wisely. “It’s true, we definitely know what’s happening in the future from now on.”
“We do?” she asked, looking over her shoulder at him.
“Yup,” he said, resting his arm over her. “Lots and lots more sex.”
She laughed for a long time.
Epilogue
A couple of months later, Sam couldn’t believe how well things had settled in. There were still awkward moments, times no one knew what the right thing was to say or do.
But there were also sweet moments, like now, when he was tending his grandcubs with his mate and finding the job much easier than it had been alo
ne.
She laughed as she nuzzled Samantha. They had a special bond due to her being the reason Jo recovered her memories in the first place.
The twins waited jealously for their turn on Grandma’s lap, and Scott Junior prowled on the bed behind Jo, eyeing her warily.
“Hey guys, come on, Grandpa’s wide open!” he said, reaching his arms out toward the four toddling cubs. All tilted their heads at him for a moment, unimpressed, and then went back to fighting for Grandma’s attention.
He couldn’t help but smile. Jo had taken to being a grandmother with joy and ease. She seemed totally in her element, determined to treasure every moment of the life that had been given back to her.
He tried not to think about the time without her. How hard it had been. The waiting without knowing if he’d ever see her. Knowing she’d been so close before being sent so far to get medical attention, how he could have possibly found her if he’d run out…
But he couldn’t think like that.
As usual, the cubs seemed fairly aware of the moods of the adults around them. Perhaps it was because in their shifter forms they had inmate senses. Perhaps it was just the temperature of the air. But either way, Scott Junior half-climbed, half-fell down off of the bed and rolled to recover before waddling over to Sam and looking up at him.
Sam grinned and patted his lap and Scott Junior climbed up his leg. He was an extremely independent little toddler. He had these intelligent eyes that just seemed to peer into you and make you wonder what he was thinking.
It was a contrast to the mischief always twinkling in the twins’ eyes, or the friendly, eager look present in Samantha’s.
Scott Junior settled happily in on his lap and Sam stroked his back gently.
The cubs’ parents would be here any minute to pick them up. They’d had them for hours, but somehow it had gone in minutes as he’d watched his mate and wife play with their grandkids. Everything just felt right.
He stroked Scott Junior’s soft fur and looked up to share a warm look with Jo, who seemed utterly content.
When the knock sounded from the front door, they both shared a playful pout at having to give up the kids.
Sam sighed and got up, pushing Scott Junior up over his shoulder and walking to the door of their suite. When Scott opened the door, he looked wide-eyed at the cub in his arms.
“Darn, we can’t get them to stay in human form, can we?” Scott said, taking his son into his arms and nuzzling him.
“Can you blame them?” Sam said, moving out of the way so all of the others could come in. Scott’s mate Mara cooed at their cub and Kim moved around them to look at Sam curiously.
“Where are the others?” she asked.
Sam nodded toward the room. “In there. Most of the cubs prefer Grandma.”
“Well, she is a pretty awesome grandma,” Kim said, walking toward the bedroom with a grin. When she got there, she let out a squeal. “Aw, they’re all asleep. So adorable. We can’t move them now.”
Jo looked up and gave them a warm smile, holding all three cubs in her arms and on her lap. “Yes, I’m afraid they’re getting very used to me. So much so that I think their grandpa is getting jealous.”
Sam just winked at her and sat beside her on the bed.
There were chairs in the large, spacious master bedroom and Kim sat in one while her husband Sebastien stood behind her. Sky and Leah were the last to enter, they’d clearly been wrapping up their date with a kiss and were a little slow to pick up on the fact that everyone was waiting for them.
When they did walk in, Leah had a pleased but guilty look on her face and Sky looked proud of himself, brushing his longish blond hair out of his face as he smiled at his mate. They took the two remaining chairs and for a moment, all of them just sat there happily, having had a good day.
“So they were good?” Mara said, breaking the silence.
Jo nodded. “They were perfect.”
“Since we don’t want to wake them, how about the rest of us pick up dinner and we eat out on the deck while they nap in here?” Sebastien asked.
“Sounds wonderful,” Jo said eagerly. She loved any chance to spend time with the family and her sons.
His three sons and their mates got up to go get food, and when they were out, Sam helped Jo move the cubs gently off her lap and onto the bed, where they made little growls and then snuggled in.
She grinned and put an arm around him as they shut the door securely behind them and walked out on the deck. The cubs would be safe for a moment.
They looked out at the ocean together, shoulder to shoulder as they leaned on the railing of the deck. It felt so perfect, so right.
Sam couldn’t resist lifting an arm and putting it around his mate, pulling her close. She snuggled in with a small sigh.
“So are you settling in?” he asked, keeping his arm tight around her.
She nodded. “I think so. More than that, I’m sinking in. Like you sink into a comfortable hammock, or a soft mattress.”
“I’m like a mattress?”
She gave him a wry grin. “No, silly. But I like what you can do on a mattress.”
He gave her a rakish grin and loved watching her squirm as a blush formed on her face. “Maybe after we eat and the others leave we could go for a run?”
She nodded. He liked going out with her in bear form. And they tended to celebrate in very pleasurable ways afterward.
His eyes dipped to her hand, celebrating the ring that she wore that showed she was his again. She’d always been his. The second he’d had a chance to after she’d committed to staying, he’d gone up to his room to retrieve the ring she’d left behind. They’d had to size it, of course, but now it was back where it belonged.
Just like she was.
“They’ll be back soon,” she said, looking at the door.
“I guess I better hurry and do this then,” he said, turning her in his arms and dipping her low to take her lips in a harsh kiss that quickly turned gentle and sweet.
He loved the way she melted in his arms and yet met him with a fierce response that stirred him down to his toes. Their tongues entwined as he supported her weight and kissed her breathless. He’d never get tired of this.
When she was gasping, he swept her back up and put his arms around her, looking down into her beautiful, beloved face.
“I don’t know how I ever forgot you,” she said breathlessly, reaching up to brush a curl off his forehead.
He leaned down and placed his forehead to hers. “All that matters is that you remembered me.”
“I’ll always remember you,” she said.
That made him feel warm all over, and so he looked quickly behind him to make sure the kids weren’t coming, and dipped his wife to kiss her all over again.
* * *
* * *
Thank you so much for reading Sam and Jo’s story, and for sticking with me through the whole Polar Heat series! If you enjoyed it, I hope you’ll leave a review to help them out!
Thank you so much to all the readers who asked for this story. I never could have done it if I hadn’t known you were waiting. The fan response was overwhelming. I just can’t believe how wonderful my readers are. All of you are amazing.
You can find the rest of the polar heat books here, if you missed any. Also, if you’ve read them all, I have a sample of my newest series on the next page!
Bear-ever Yours, Sky’s story
Some Bear to Love, Sebastien’s story
One in a Bear-llion, Scott’s story
Sample of Alpha Champion
A new book from Terry Bolryder!
Alpha Champion
Lily Mason is tired of her father's machinations. Seven years ago he tore her away from the love of her life because he was only half alpha. Now he's holding a tournament where full blooded alphas will fight to claim her. She doesn't want any part of it, but if she runs, her little sister takes her place. Lily's ready to give up on her own happiness, until a familiar face appears am
ongst the contestants fighting to win her.
Lucas Vale doesn't care that the tournament is for full-alphas only. He's determined to use his brother's name and invitation to make sure that no other male gets close to his mate. He's been looking for Lily for years, ever since her father separated them as teens. But Lucas isn't a lovesick teen anymore. He's a world champion fighter who is ready to kick some alpha trash if it means rescuing the woman he loves.
But he'll have to be careful not to be caught, which is difficult when sparks fly from the moment he sees Lily and her beautiful curves again. Now he'll have to fight his way through full blooded alphas with powerful advantages. But Lucas isn't worried.
He may be half alpha, but he's 100% sure he can do anything for the woman he loves.
Chapter 1
Lucas Vale strolled casually into his family dojo. It’d been a long time since he’d visited. Too long, probably. But the only things that waited for him here were bad memories and a past he couldn’t escape.
In the back of the dojo, his younger brother Asher was striking a punching bag.
The dojo looked like many he’d trained in over the past years abroad, but was different for one key reason. It was shifter dojo, where he and his werewolf brothers trained other shifters in martial arts and self-defense.
Lucas came up to the desk and rang the bell loudly. Ding, ding, ding. Asher’s punches abruptly stopped, and he paused for a moment, holding the bag to keep it from swaying wildly on its chain.
“Lucas. I could smell you a mile away. What brings you here, old man?” Asher asked, letting go of the bag and walking across the mat toward him.
“Just in town for a few days. Figured I would stop by,” Lucas replied with a shrug.
“Really? Great job letting us know. Did you send an e-vite or something?” Asher replied disdainfully, walking behind the desk into a back room. The sound of gloves being pulled off followed, and the dark-haired man soon reappeared, pulling on a torn T-shirt that referenced some bygone metal band.
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