Shifters in Seattle
Box Set Books 1 - 5
Truli Thorne
Brontë & Bell
Contents
You’ve Got Bear
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Bear with Benefits
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Epilogue
Bear Actually
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Epilogue
It Happened One Bear
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Epilogue
About a Bear
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Epilogue
About the Author
Books by Truli Thorne
Copyright © 2016 by Truli Thorne
Brontë & Bell
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
www.trulithorne.com
Shifters live among us. And they thrive best in Seattle, hometown of billionaire bear shifters and the curvy women strong (and lucky!) enough to love them. Join Amy, Steph, Cleo, Frankie, and Rachel—and their hunky shifters—in five complete interlocking romances. Shifters in Seattle will bring you to the edge of your seat, make you laugh out loud, and inspire your steamiest fantasies.
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You’ve Got Bear
1
It was time to accept reality. But Amy just couldn't.
She ignored the lump forming in her throat and gripped tightly onto the handle of her red tote bag as she marched through the North Seattle Mall to what was left of her store: Peace, Love, and Chocolate.
Today was Amy’s very last day in business. The entire mall was shutting down.
She trudged past the sporting goods outlet, the frozen yogurt hut, and the electronics shop: each one already closed. It looked like she would be the only store open today. The heels of her pink pumps clicking across the tiles made the only sound she could hear.
Amy sighed. So much for her hope to sell the last of her inventory today!
Peace, Love, and Chocolate sold all her dearly departed mama's secret recipe chocolate candies and Amy’s chocolate body products, from chocolate caramels to chocolate mint body scrub.
Her motto was: If you can't eat it, you can slather it all over your body. If you're lucky you'll do both at the same time—or have someone else do it for you!
When she arrived at Peace, Love, and Chocolate, with all the CLOSING! HUGE SAVINGS! signs across the windows, her lower lip started quivering.
Her store’s bright green walls, checkered black and white tile floor, and stacks of pretty pink gift bags had once given her such joy. No more. She felt tears well up.
It was hard to believe this was happening.
Any normal person would have just accepted fate and gotten a job managing someone else's store—there were literally hundreds of jobs like that in Seattle!
But Amy had been saving for her own chocolate shop since she was a little girl. She loved it. And unless a miracle happened today, she was losing it for good. Her throat tightened and she knew she was about to start sobbing.
Dammit!
Amy bent down to yank up the security gate and open her store. She strode in. She could do this. She was just twenty-six years old. Amy slid her bag onto a shelf under the cash register.
Her three employees had been gone all week and she missed them like crazy. Ever since Monday, when the new owners took over the mall, it had been like a ghost town.
The North Seattle Mall had been built in the 1960s. It wasn't exactly decrepit, but it wasn't fancy, either. It was just your typical suburban indoor mall. And now it wouldn't even be that.
The new owners were turning it into a “virtual mall space.”
Whatever that was.
Amy couldn't even get a meeting with the new owners, Harris International. The jerks.
She hated them.
Amy poured chocolates into a bowl, and set it on the counter next to a sign that read “Free Samples!”
She’d heard a rumor that Harris International was run by a shifter family, but she wasn't sure she even believed in shifters. Wolf and bear shifters were urban legends; that was her opinion, but it wasn't a popular position in the Pacific Northwest, where people took their myths like they gulped down their coffee—every day and with utter conviction bordering on blind faith.
Amy tied an apron over her favorite pink dress and smoothed it over her full hips. The dress was tight across her breasts and fell softly from her waist with subtle peonies and baby's breath. She always wore her prettiest clothes when she knew she'd have a tough day—and today would be a bitch.
She fluffed her choppy blond hair in the mirror under the cash register. She could spend the day crying, and she almost wanted to, but instead she gave herself a big encouraging smile. Her mama didn’t raise a quitter.
Whatever chocolate candies she didn’t sell today would go to a homeless shelter tomorrow, and she needed to get everything packed up. It was time.
She gr
abbed an empty box and got to work.
Amy had just finished packing the chocolate syrups when her roommate Steph stopped in to offer support.
“Here you go, sweetie,” Steph said, giving Amy a tender hug and a steaming to-go cup. “Caramel Macchiato!”
“Aw, thank you!” Amy felt tears threaten again. Where would she be without her roommates? Steph was a nurse and worked in the hospital downtown. Their third roommate, Cleo, had managed the mall’s electronics shop until last week, but already scored a new job in the Seattle mayor’s office.
“In honor of all the deliciousness yet to come in your life, which could be as close as this very cup,” Steph said, tapping the lid with her index finger and then tucking a stray strand of her long brown hair behind her ear. “We never know what's right around the corner.”
Amy relaxed as she sipped the sweet, hot drink. She sighed. “You’re right,” she said. “But it’s still hard.”
“It's not your fault the mall is closing,” Steph said with a shrug. “It's just bad timing. And bad luck.”
“I guess I’ll start looking for a job next week.”
Honestly, Amy had no idea what she was going to do for work. She'd been a coffee barista before opening her shop, but she didn't want to go back to Starbucks.
“Any luck finding a new store?” Steph asked.
“Nothing I can afford.” She'd been searching for a new space, mostly responding to ads on Craig's List.
“You'll be back on your feet before you know it,” Steph said. “This is Seattle! The city of rain and opportunity!”
Seattle was a beautiful place, especially now, in early autumn when it was often sunny and the air was crisp. Amy loved living here. She had taken a bus from Missouri the day after she’d graduated high school; since she’d lost her mama to cancer when Amy was just seventeen, there was no reason to go back.
Luckily, she'd be breaking even this month financially, which she knew was better than some of the other stores in the mall, but still she had barely enough money in her checking account to stay afloat until she got a job, much less put a deposit on a new store.
“Hey, look on the bright side. At least you won't have to see Mr. Asshat every day,” Steph said with a sweet smile.
She pointed outside as Amy's ex, Mitchell, strode past in his security guard uniform. As usual he walked around as if he owned the place. He didn't even look at them.
“Good point,” Amy said, rolling her eyes.
They'd only dated for a few weeks, but Amy was still hurt and embarrassed every time she saw Mitchell. He was blond and lean and she'd had a huge crush on him. He’d reminded her of Draco Malfoy, who everyone knew was the hottest boy at Hogwarts. But Amy didn't even think he was handsome anymore.
Mitchell had broken up with her when she wouldn't sleep with him right away. It wasn't like she was a virgin, but that didn't mean she didn't want to get to know someone before she slept with him. They'd made out pretty intensely, but she just wasn't ready to jump into bed with him after three dates.
And then he'd gotten so nasty.
He'd told her, “You're the kind of girl who should be happy to get me into bed. Look at you. And look at me. You're lucky I'm even giving you a chance to rock my world.”
She’d been so shocked she couldn’t even say anything in response. Sometimes she still cried about it.
“You're too good for him,” Steph said.
Amy took another sip of her coffee. She just didn't understand men. Maybe it was because she'd been raised by her mother alone. Maybe it was because men didn't go for women who looked like her: soft and round.
Sure, she was curvy, and had been called all the cruel words same as every other big girl in the world, but that didn't mean she didn't want and need love. She had a lot to offer someone.
The right someone.
“I just wish I had more time to get on my feet,” Amy said. “And to save up for a new lease.”
“Running a business is hard,” Steph said. “Eight out of all ten businesses fail, as you know, because I've been telling you all freaking month.”
Everyone knew business ownership was risky, but Amy had been doing okay. It was hand to mouth, sure, but she'd planned to expand once things had steadied. She made great products—everyone especially loved the chocolate mint sugar scrub—but there weren't always a lot of customers in the mall. She didn't know what she was going to do now.
“You'll figure it out,” Steph said, giving Amy another hug. “I've got to get to the hospital. See you at six?”
“Definitely.” Steph and Amy and Cleo were meeting up for drinks after work.
As the day rolled along, Amy got all the body products packed. A few customers trickled in and out, but she was mostly alone. Containers were ready to be filled for the homeless shelter.
Around lunchtime, Mitchell came in to the store and grabbed the five remaining boxes of salted caramels.
“Ames,” he called her. “It's the end of the road for us. How about some sweet stuff for my pantry?”
“How about 'no',” Amy said, reaching to grab the boxes from him. “How about, 'get the hell out of here’.”
He was such a jerk. She didn't know what she had been thinking, falling for a guy like him.
Mitchell held out his palm, keeping her at arm's distance while he held the boxes away with his other hand. “Sure, I'll leave. I'll take these and get out of your hair,” he said.
“If you take anything from my store, I'm calling the police,” Amy said, pulling her cell phone out of her apron pocket.
“Babe, I am the police,” Mitchell said with a chuckle.
“You're delusional. You're the mall cop at a mall that is going out of business.” Amy couldn't believe him.
“Mitchell,” a voice boomed. “Aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?” They both turned towards the door to see a huge man looming over them. He was seriously tall—at least 6' 4”—gorgeous and muscular, with gentle brown eyes, wavy brown hair, and biceps that wouldn't quit. He wore a black T-shirt and jeans.
Amy had never seen him before. He made Mitchell look like a preteen boy.
She stopped trying to grab the caramels.
“Amy and I are old friends,” Mitchell said. He slid his hand onto her waist possessively.
“Get off me!” she said, elbowing him and shoving him away. “He's not my friend,” she said to the huge man. She felt like she wanted to make that very clear.
“Amy, Zach,” Mitchell said, pouting as he introduced them, “Zach, Amy.”
“Something smells heavenly,” Zach said, offering Amy his hand.
“Are you a chocolate lover?” She reached out and took his hand and gave it a steady shake, marveling that he could be so huge but also so sweet. His touch was warm and electric.
“I love sweet things,” he said, staring deeply into her eyes. He leaned closer to her. Amy felt heat rise between them.
They took a moment to really look at each other, still holding on as if they had forgotten everything else. He was gorgeous, way out of her league, but damn!
He felt so good and she did not want to let go.
“No wonder you have men trying to claim you,” Zach said. “You're a gorgeous woman.”
“What? No, I'm not,” Amy laughed, dropping his hand. Her pulse shot up and she could feel her heart banging in her chest. No one had ever said that to her before and there was no way she would believe it from this incredible man. She'd never even seen a man this insanely handsome in real life. His arm muscles were so distinct they looked like they'd been carved in marble. Amy could see chest hair peeking over the top of his T-shirt.
Mitchell cleared his throat but they both ignored him.
“Don't you know how beautiful you are?” Zach said. He seemed genuinely confused, tilting his head a little and frowning.
“Want to try some chocolate?” Amy asked, changing the subject. She held up the sample bowl for him. “Everything is half off. My business is closing.
”
“You're closing?” he selected a candy and popped it into his mouth.
“Yes, an evil corporation bought the mall and kicked out all the stores. Today is my last day open.”
His eyes widened as he chewed and swallowed. “That's delicious,” he finally said. “Can't you find another space? I must have passed a dozen vacancy signs on the way over here.”
“I can't afford it,” she said, putting the bowl back down on the counter. “Not right now.”
“With candy this amazing, you're bound to bounce back in no time.”
“These are my last few boxes.”
“I'll take them all. But full price. I insist.”
“I won't argue!” she said as he pulled a clip of folded hundred-dollar bills out of his front pocket.
Amy placed the candy into a big bag. As she was tying a bow on it, her trembling fingers barely cooperated. She felt so self-conscious it took her three tries and she was blushing ferociously the whole time. Whenever she gazed up at him, he was watching with a tender look on his face.
“I really don't need the bow,” he said. “I just like watching you tie it. These will be inhaled twenty minutes after I get home.”
God, he was handsome.
Amy finally got it tied—and after slipping in a free bottle of chocolate body lotion—she presented the bag to him. “Thank you again, Zach. I hope you enjoy them.”
“I intend to enjoy every single bite,” he said, looking at her again closely.
Amy brushed her hands across her hot cheeks, hoping she didn't have chocolate on her face.
“We should finish the tour,” Mitchell said to Zach, hitching up his belt, trying to look important. “We still have the rest of the mall to inspect.”
Amy felt confused. What could Mitchell possibly have in common with Zach?
“Zach! Mitchell! There you are,” a woman said from the doorway. She was elegant and tall, with angular cheekbones and sleek dark brown hair, the exact opposite of pink and blond Amy.
“Diana!” Zach exclaimed.
Girlfriend? Amy wondered. Or worse, his wife? Amy felt her heart ache a little and her face flush.
Men like Zach didn't love women like Amy.
Shifters in Seattle: Box Set Books 1 - 5 Page 1