by Zoe Chant
“Yes. Oh yes.” Of course, why hadn’t she thought of that? Before she could get off his lap, he tightened one arm around her and stood, leaving her no choice but to wrap her arms and legs around him and hang on while her gentle giant carried her to the bedroom, crutches and all. She laughed. “Okay, Superman. I never thought anyone would be doing this.”
“Not Superman, just the right man for the job.” He nuzzled at her ear and gently, oh so gently, laid her down on her bed. Michaela watched him through half-lidded eyes as he slowly undressed her, removing each piece of clothing like he was carefully unwrapping a present. Caleb caressed each inch of skin he exposed until she lay shivering, naked, and hungry before him. It was just a matter of seconds for him to pull off the t-shirt and sweatpants he’d carried in his truck.
“Wait,” she said, as he started to come to her. “I want to see you.” He was so beautiful he hurt her heart a little, and she could scarcely believe he was hers, and she was his. She loved him from head to toe, seeing the strength in his scars as well as his muscles, wanting all of him, the light and the dark. She wanted to be his safe haven and his delight, the way he was hers. Was that what he meant, about them being mates, being meant for each other? She thought it might be.
“What?” His perfect lips were curved in a smile that she’d call shy, if it weren’t for the bold curve of his erection and the heat in his eyes.
“You’re amazing and I love you.” Michaela held open her arms for him and he came to her. His skin, cool against hers at first, warmed with the contact of her body.
“I love you. Always will.” He set about proving it, his mouth burning against her nipples while he ran his hands down her curves. She couldn’t help but part her legs for him when he reached her thighs, already needing to feel him deep inside her. Caleb teased her, barely trailing his fingers over the damp curls between her legs, a tickling touch that made her ache for him. Michaela arched her hips toward him, spreading her legs even wider, opening up to his touch. His smile grew absolutely wicked as he ignored her mute pleas, trailing his fingers over her thighs instead of parting her wet lips.
Finally, after what felt like years, he slowly wriggled the tip of his finger between her lips, tracing upward until he found the erect, swollen button of her clit. Pleasure shot through her body, making her cry out and clutch the sheets. She was already so close to coming, if he would just touch her.
He did more than that, so much more. He covered her body with his, and she felt the hard insistence of his erection nudging between her thighs. She pulled him down to kiss her as she arched her hips, welcoming him in, savoring the way his thickness slid into her, claiming her as his.
“Look at me,” he begged, and she opened her eyes. They were connected in every way as he moved in her, and when she came, her orgasm building and creeping through her veins like a drug, she could feel him feeding off her pleasure, adding it to his own until he was sated as well. When he collapsed against her, she wanted to hold him tight and keep him there.
Her mate. The thought was a warm glow, filling her completely.
Chapter Twelve
Caleb couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so nervous. He could hear everyone talking and laughing in the other room, waiting for him. He could picture the scene: Brenda and Miss Harvelle were sitting at Michaela’s dining room table, laughing at something Dalton had said. Dalt was working extra hard to be charming today. Caleb planned to give him hell for the obvious crush he had on Brenda.
The table was piled high with food Caleb had cooked. Pot roast, green beans, mashed potatoes, salads . . . it had been so long since he’d cooked for anybody but just him and Dalton, he was pretty sure he’d overdone it, but that was what leftovers were for. Everything was on the table for Sunday dinner except for one thing.
Michaela had followed him into the kitchen to give him an extra bit of encouragement. “Go on, take a look,” she said. Caleb cracked open the oven door and couldn’t help but beam with pride. Nestled inside his momma’s cast-iron skillet was a disc of deep brown delicious-looking cornbread. He pulled it out and tipped the bread onto a plate. He said a little prayer and cut into the crust. It was perfect, crisp and crackling from the shortening. Steam billowed out with the smell of good hot bread.
“You did it.” Michaela leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
He still fretted. Was it too crumbly? Tough? Did he add enough salt? When Miss Harvelle had offered to show him her recipe for cornbread and teach him how to make it, he’d almost said no, but she’d insisted. For her part, she’d been tickled to teach a man how to cook anything. Like all Kentucky cooks, her recipes involved a spoonful of this and a little bit of that “until it looks right,” and he wasn’t sure he’d gotten it right, and wouldn’t be until Miss Harvelle got to taste it.
“If you keep standing there frowning at it, it’s going to get cold,” Michaela teased. “Come on.” She grabbed the butter from the refrigerator and pulled him into the dining room.
He put the bread on the table and everybody started helping themselves. He tried not to pay too close attention as Miss Harvelle broke her piece open and spread it with butter, instead acting like he was more interested in filling his plate. Everybody settled in to eat.
“Michaela, it’s just not fair you managed to find a guy who can cook like this,” Brenda said. “I swear I’d never let him leave the kitchen.”
“He’s got other uses too.” Michaela squeezed Caleb’s knee under the table. Dalton looked like he was about to choke before she added, “I can use the top shelves in my closet now, since he can reach them.”
“You ready for school to start, Caleb?” Dalton seemed eager to steer the subject away from whatever uses Michaela had for him.
“Ready as I’m gonna be.” He was a little intimidated, starting at Pikeville Community College’s culinary program, but Michaela and Dalton had put together a unified front and convinced him that the GI Bill was a benefit he deserved. He might get his little diner after all.
“When do you start back to work, Michaela?” Miss Harvelle said.
“Tomorrow. Dottie felt so bad about firing me she offered to pay me for the time I was off.”
“I hope you’re going to take her up on that,” Brenda said. With Reuben awaiting trial, she and everybody else at the Louisville clinic were out of work. Michaela was trying to get her to move out to Salem Creek.
Michaela took a bite of cornbread and closed her eyes for a second. “Mm. Bren, you might be right. I might have to keep him in the kitchen.”
“As long as you keep me,” Caleb said.
Miss Harvelle finally tasted her own piece, and Caleb felt a swell of pride when she gave him a little nod and smile.
Dalton didn’t miss the exchange and kicked Caleb under the table. “No more cornbread from a mix?”
“No, sir, not for me. I think this means I’m finally grown enough to settle down.” He glanced over at Michaela and smiled, squeezing her hand.
Recipes
Mattie Bentley’s Chess Pie
Note: Mattie Bentley wouldn’t have bothered with a pre-made pie crust, but Caleb cheats on that one a little bit. Shh!
1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Preparation
Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pieplate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
Line pastry with aluminum foil, and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
Bake at 425° for 4 to 5 minutes. Remove weights and foil; bake 2 more minutes or until golden. Cool.
Stir together sugar and next 7 ingredients until blended. Add eggs, stirring well. Pour
into piecrust.
Bake at 350° for 50 to 55 minutes, shielding edges with aluminum foil after 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Coconut Chess Pie: Prepare filling as directed above; stir in 1 cup toasted flaked coconut before pouring into piecrust. Bake as directed above.
Miss Harvelle’s Cornbread
Note: Good Kentucky cornbread has three major requirements: a cast-iron skillet, white cornmeal, not yellow, and ABSOLUTELY NO SUGAR! Caleb and Miss Harvelle will both come after you if you add sugar.
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons Crisco
Preparation
Heat oven to 400°F.
Combine flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Stir in buttermilk, 1/3 cup melted butter and eggs just until mixture is moistened.
Put the Crisco in a heavy cast iron and put into the oven to heat the pan and melt the Crisco. Pour batter immediately into hot pan. Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve warm, preferably with butter.
A note from Zoe Chant
Thank you for reading my book! I hope you enjoyed it. I plan on writing more about the Shifters of Salem Creek soon, starting with Caleb’s brother, Dalton.
If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please click here to be added to my mailing list. If you have any trouble getting on the mailing list or would just like to tell me something, please email me.
Please review Hero Bear, even if you only write a line or two. I love hearing what my readers think.
Page down to read an excerpt of The Right Bear’s Arms by Nora Eli, who designed the cover of Hero Bear.
More Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant
Bodyguard Bear. (Protection, Inc. # 1). A BBW witness to a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!
A Pair of Bears. One lonely cat shifter + two sizzling hot bears who want to share + a whole lot of action (in and out of bed) = one wild and sexy adventure!
Sheriff Bear. A small-town sheriff + a wrongly accused BBW on the run + deadly enemies and dangerous passions = a sizzling forbidden love!
Country Star Bear. BBW + country star bear shifter + a slippery night in New England = hot nights under the covers!
Honey for the Billionbear. BBW with a broken heart + mysterious billionaire bear shifter + an unexpected storm = one sweet and sexy story!
Bear West. BBW city girl + bear shifter cowboy + a mail-order bride company = one Wild West romance that's truly WILD!
Bearly There. BBW + billionaire bear shifter + chocolate-drizzled desserts = one lick-your-fingers-good story!
Bear Watching. BBW park ranger + bear shifter smokejumper + a lonely fire-watcher's post = one red-hot fire between the sheets!
Bear Down. BBW biologist + bear shifter pilot + huddling for warmth in the wilderness = one blazing-hot story!
The Hawk and her LumBEARjack. BBW hawk shifter + lonely bear shifter lumberjack + ice storm = one red-hot weekend!
And many more!
If you love Zoe Chant, you’ll also love these books!
Laura’s Wolf, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past. Together, they have all that they need to heal. A full-length novel.
Prisoner, by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly. A full-length novel.
Partner. DJ and Echo go on a series of missions, from undercover escapades at an excruciatingly elegant diplomatic party to a desperate battle in a terrorist compound. Their relationship grows stronger under fire… until they’re confronted by a terrible choice. A full-length novel.
Mated to the Meerkat, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match— in more ways than one— in notorious paparazzi and secret meerkat Chance Marcotte. A romantic comedy novelette.
Anchor, by Jorrie Spencer. The arrival of a young fugitive wolf is nothing new for Angus, the alpha of Wolf Town. But Mala, the dreamwalker following the boy, is extraordinary. He’s not only drawn to the dark-eyed beauty, he’s driven to protect her.
The Strength of the Pack, by Jorrie Spencer. Seth Kolski, a werewolf, hides his heritage and passes for normal. Until he meets Jamie.
Taming the Beast, by Honey Dover. Beauty is a paranormal investigator. Whatever her job throws her way – ghosts, zombies, or werewolves - she can handle. Until she's hired to deal with a man cursed to become a monstrous beast. Helping him recover his humanity will change her life.
Claimed by the Wolf, by Candi Jackson. Zenobia Jones ends up pregnant after a night with a billionaire—and learns he’s a werewolf, landing herself in the middle of a war between werewolf packs. Now, as the mother-to-be of his heir and successor, she has no choice but to flee her old life and stay close to Grant in his mansion—and his bed.
The Right Bear's Arms, by Nora Eli. Curvy Katie knows exactly what she wants, and it's not a bear shifter. After a sizzling one night stand with Jake, Katie realizes her perfect man is everything she's tried to avoid. If they can both stop running from their pasts, they may find a destined future together.
Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was always warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha wolf of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending? A full-length novel.
Handcuffed to the Bear, by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them?
Discovering the Dragon, by Sofia Stone. Reporter Chloe Martin is investigating Lancaster Gold for unsafe working conditions, but along the way she finds herself tangled up with the oldest son—Isaac Lancaster, a notorious playboy and heir to billions. Now they’re both trying to sort out truth from fiction; can they trust each other enough to make it work?
Special Sneak Preview
The Right Bear’s Arms
By Nora Eli
Every Friday morning, like clockwork, the same rough old teamster would sit in Katie’s section and comment on her ass.
“Hey, sweetcheeks! Why don’t you walk that big ass over here and get me some coffee?” His big, hoarse, three-pack-a-day voice boomed across the diner, followed by a raucous laugh at his own cleverness.
Katie rolled her eyes and raised her index finger to him (instead of the finger she really wanted to raise), and tried to focus on the two customers sitting in front of her. The big one especially. When he’d walked in, he’d nearly filled the diner’s door frame, and he was gorgeous, like, “haven’t I seen you on a magazine somewhere before?” gorgeous: longish wavy chestnut hair, chiseled jaw marked with stubble. It was hard to keep from staring. She smiled at him, desperately wishing she had her camera with her. What a portrait he’d make. “Sorry about that, what can I get you?”
Tall-and-Beautiful gave her a once-over that traced her full curves like fingertips. Men looked at her chest and hips all the time—they were hard to miss in the pink rayon of her uniform, but no one had ever made her feel weak in the knees before. “Do you need somebody to talk to him?” He meant the teamster. God, even his voice was sexy.
“Nah, it’s okay. I can handle him.” She flashed him a grin despite the pulse racing in her throat. “Be
sides, he usually tips like a dream.”
“He better,” Tall-and-Beautiful rumbled.
“Jake, quit flirting and order, I’m starving.” The other man at the table looked starving, scrawny and pinched-looking, like a kicked dog. That’d be another great picture. Black and white, slouched in front of a grimy brick wall and—wait.
Was he flirting? Oh god, he was. Katie’s pulse hit triple-time.
“Yeah, yeah,” Jake said. Not only was he flirting, but he blushed when he got caught. Oh, he was going to be trouble. “I’ll take the special,” he said. “Rafe’s gonna order that awful garbage omelet you make, just watch.”
“I like it, it’s got everything,” Rafe whined. He was kind of cute, in a puppyish way. “And coffee,” he said to Katie. “Lots of coffee.”
“Got it. I’ll be right back with the coffee.” She glanced at Jake and their eyes met. Her breath caught in her throat, trapped by the warm brown depths of his eyes. There was something familiar about him, as if she’d met him somewhere before. No chance of that though, she’d remember those broad shoulders and big, capable-looking hands. Hands like that made a girl have dirty thoughts, thinking about what those fingers might be able to do. No, she hadn’t met him before, but she was glad she had now.