The Write Bear (Highland Brothers 1)

by Meredith Clarke

  “No, Riley. You have to wait for me.”

  “I don’t think I can,” she whimpered. “What are you doing to me?” She thrust her hips forward, desperate for him to taste her again.

  “I’m taking you, baby like I promised I would.” His teeth gnashed in the air as he grinned.

  “I can’t stop it, Hudson.” She felt the tightness in her core begin to unravel.

  “You have to,” he said.

  His palm rested over her entrance, pressing firmly, calming the chaos building in her core. She thought it might give her a second to steady her breath and enjoy his enthusiastic exploration of her body.

  He kissed the inside of her thigh, and her head rocked back on the pillow. Wrong. She wasn’t going to be able to steady anything under his touches. As she heard his pants drop to the floor she sat forward to see the naked man in front of her. His arousal, rigid and wide, throbbing for her was thick with want.

  The sight of him was enough to make her come. She couldn’t explain what was happening to her body or to her senses. The sight of him. His sounds. The taste of his lips. The feel of his skin. It was as if he had tapped into her nerves and was pulling her like a puppet master on strings of sensation.

  She felt the tightening of her core weary from trying to hold off her orgasm. “I can’t wait, Hudson. Please.”

  She looked at him, melting at the sight of his perfect body. The solid plank of his chest. His broad shoulders. The hands that had molded her into sensations she was already addicted to.

  A smile formed on his lips. Before she could protest he flipped her over, positioning her on her stomach.

  “Oh,” she cried.

  For a second she felt a wave of panic run through her as she felt cool air rush over her round bottom, pointed toward him. She had never tried this before. But here she was her face flush against his cool sheets, her core begging for him to release her, her entrance hot and wet for him.

  “Tell me again, Riley.” He grabbed the back of her hair, yanking her head, her hair swishing over her back. “Tell me rough is ok. Tell me to fuck you.”

  The motion forced her bottom higher in the air, spreading her entrance for him. He tugged a second time and she widened her knees, knowing it would take everything she had to accommodate him. His cock was more than she could imagine on a man. It both terrified and excited her. She wanted it.

  “Oh, yes,” she moaned as his tongue toyed with her opening. She lifted her hips toward him, wanting his tongue and his cock to hit that sweet spot.

  “I could taste you like this all night. Lick you. Suck you.” His tongue was an expert at making her wet. “Like that, baby. That’s it.”

  She felt his eyes watching her reaction to him as she clenched in anticipation for him. As his words melted her from the inside out she soaked her entrance knowing she needed every drop to take him.

  “Hudson,” she whimpered his name, wanting every part of her to be filled by him. Her knees locked against the mattress.

  His tongue took another long and slow blazing lick against her, and she knew she was feeding his lust for her like this. Letting him take tastes of her when and how he wanted. She loved giving him savory pleasures. She rocked her hips against his tongue again, hearing a rumble vibrate through his chest.

  “Tell me you want me.” For the first time she heard the words as a guttural plea coming from his throat. It was killing him as much as her to be this close and not be inside her. “Tell me this is what you want. I have to hear it.”

  She felt the tremble deep within in her about to spill over and wash them both away. She wanted him more than air to breathe. She grasped the sheets between her fists, bracing for him.

  “Please. I want you inside me. Please, Hudson.”

  She waited, panting harder with each passing second. Hudson’s hands gripped her hips, his fingers sinking into the soft flesh below her waist. She heard his sigh carry over her back, as if he was about to find peace in her body. It rolled over her curves, sending goose bumps against her flesh.

  “You’re mine,” he groaned sinking the full length of his cock inside her.

  She bucked at the searing sensation as he hit the walls deep inside her. She didn’t think she could take it—the blinding pain blended with the purest pleasure she had ever felt.

  He moved in and out of her wildly, possessively, each dive deeper and harder than the last.

  “You’re so damn tight,” he groaned. “I didn’t know it would be like this.”

  Any thoughts of apologizing for how long it had been since she had slept with another man vanished as soon as she knew he liked the feeling of stretching her around his hardness. She smiled, knowing she was satisfying his craving.

  “More,” she begged. “Yes, more.”

  His hand moved in front of her to stroke the nub now throbbing with pressure and fiery want. He flicked against her, before his fingers spread her wider.

  “That’s it,” he urged. “Wetter, baby. All over me.”

  She felt him slide into her easier as she coated him with waves of wetness. It was as if he could command exactly what he wanted from her body.

  Riley felt the waves of pleasure lapping through her body. “Don’t stop,” she begged. “I need you.” She felt hot tears begin to well at her bottom lids. It was incredible and blistering the way he possessed her.

  She had never felt such intensity, such power. It was as if he was claiming her the harder he pumped. She felt as if her skin was no longer her own, but was slowly belonging to him. This wasn’t sex. It wasn’t fucking. It was something entirely different.

  He pulsed against her, pushing her legs wider, deepening the strokes. Stretching her to accept his full length.

  “You’re mine,” he growled into her ear. “Always mine.” He slammed against her, fiercer and more powerfully, until she couldn’t contain the screams any longer.

  She wanted to match his heated pace, but Hudson held her tightly, restricting her movements. She panted into the sheets, taking everything he gave her while he pinned her with his hard body.

  She moaned, knowing she was crossing a line she had never neared. Needing it. Craving it. Her skin prickled with the friction between them. She wondered if he was bruising her, but she didn’t care. The harder he pounded against her, the more powerful the jolts of pleasure exploded through her center.

  Their bodies dripped with sweat and the dew from sex. She felt it coating her, washing her in his scent. In his essence.

  Hudson’s movements quickened. His hands clawing at her breasts, tugging hard on her nipples. Riley bit into the pillow to quiet her screams.

  “Come now,” he commanded. “Come with me. I need you, Riley. I fucking need to hear you, baby.”

  She tightened around him, around the hardness filling her in places she didn’t know were empty. Places she didn’t know needed to be touched by him. Places that were aching for vibrations they’d never felt. She couldn’t hold on any longer. The sensations spread through her, tearing at her veins, firing her nerves, ripping through her muscles with divine ecstasy.

  Like bits of glitter floating through her blood, the orgasm sparkled as it made it’s way from her core to every inch of her flesh. She quaked in his rough hands, tumbling, falling into the abyss he had created.

  “Oh fuck,” he growled.

  He pulsed against her again, the hardness piercing the deepest part of her before she felt the heat of his release spread through her like flaming wax looking for places to pool. She desperately drew it inside, clinging to every drop of him. He collapsed against her back. His chest hot and damp.

  He helped her lower her hips to the bed, keeping their connection. He kissed the back of her neck.

  She giggled as his head rolled against her shoulder. He scooped her into the curve of his chest. “That was unbelievable.” She stroked the top of his hand.

  He pushed forward on his palms, his eyes locking onto hers. “It can’t be undone.” His words were slow with darkn
ess.

  “I loved it, Hudson. Don’t say that.”

  He kissed her shoulder, and her skin warmed under the heat of his mouth. “I meant what I said, Riley. You’re mine now.” He adjusted himself, pulling out of her and she felt hollowness where he had been.

  She felt the wetness between her legs. Shit. He wasn’t wearing a condom. And her birth control was sitting on her kitchen counter in Atlanta.

  “What are you talking about?” she asked.

  He kissed the top of her head. “You’re my mate.”

  “Mate?”

  His hand palmed her breasts, coasting over the heat of her skin, landing over her navel as if he were thinking about something else.

  “I couldn’t resist you anymore. You know I tried, right? I gave you every chance to leave.”

  She nodded, even though she had no idea what he was talking about. The sex had been primal, hungry, and fucking hot. She wanted him to take her like that. The way her body felt left her with no regrets.

  But Hudson wasn’t making any sense. Maybe he was thinking about the book—clearly a weird choice of words. But artists were unusual.

  “I wanted it as much as you did.” She smiled, admiring the gorgeous man in front of her. How was it possible that after he had taken her to heights she’d never experienced, pushed her body to places she didn’t know it could go, she already missed him inside her?

  He knelt beside the bed. His hands stroked her hair. “I hope you mean it, Riley.”

  She saw sadness in his eyes. Despair. A hint of regret.

  “Are you sorry you slept with me?” She didn’t know where she found the courage to ask him. Maybe her body was firing differently after what she learned she could do with it.

  He brushed the damp blond tendrils from her forehead. “No. I’ll never regret it.” He pulled the sheet around her shoulder. “Why don’t you sleep now and we’ll talk after you nap?”

  “But I’m not—” She started to sit up and felt the weight and exhaustion of their lovemaking sink into her muscles. She scooted into the covers, her eyes heavy. Her body sated like it had never been. She smelled Hudson on her skin. His release warm and oozing between her legs. She never wanted to move again—she wanted to lie in his total encompassing essence.

  “Good girl.” He kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.

  10

  Hudson

  Hudson tossed another log on the fire and ran his fingers through his hair. How in the hell was he going to explain this to her?

  He could still feel her on his skin. Her scent was all around him. He didn’t want to let her sleep. He’d rather take her in his arms and make love to her like a man would this time, not his bear.

  His bear had won. It had taken over with force and fury when she offered herself to him. There was no going back now.

  He paced in front of the fire while the logs crackled and popped with fresh timber. She was unbelievable. There was no doubt she was meant for him. The way he fit inside her. The way her body responded to him. He had found his mate. As hard as he had tried to hide out from the responsibilities of creating the next generation of Highlands, it didn’t matter. His mate had landed on his doorstep. Fate must be laughing at him.

  The sun rose early with the thick canopy of the forest shielding the house like a warm cloak. He thought it might be best to break the news over a meal. He went to work in the kitchen, preparing a breakfast for his mate.

  The white cream sauce simmered on the stove, while he sautéed peppers and onions for the omelets. He moved around the kitchen diving into the spices and seasonings, blocking out the reality of what was about to take place.

  There were two different types of muffins in the pantry, but he opted for the blueberry mix, hoping Riley would like the combination he had prepared. Champagne for mimosas might help. He jogged to the wine cellar below the kitchen to choose the right blend for the orange juice.

  He heard footsteps overhead and rushed up the stairs. She was awake.

  “Hey, there.”

  “Hey.” Riley’s hair loose around her shoulders. Her neck red from his kisses.

  “I was in the wine cellar choosing a champagne.” He held the bottle toward her. “Is this ok?”

  She nodded. “I’ll take a huge glass please.” She slid onto one of the barstools. “Have you been cooking the whole time I slept?”

  He blanketed a towel over the cork and popped it free. He reached for the orange juice to prepare the mimosas when she stopped him.

  “Can I just get my straight?” She laughed.

  “Certainly.” He handed her a full glass. She was going to need it.

  “I brought in some more wood for the fire. Thought I’d feed you after…” his words trailed off.

  He saw the crimson touch her cheeks. Damn, he didn’t know how she could be any more fucking sexy than when he was between her legs, but she looked radiant, beautiful. This is what it meant to have a mate. Someone who could still your heart with a look.

  “Hudson?”

  “Oh yeah.” He cleared his throat. He was lost in the nearness of her. The beauty of knowing what they now had between them. Only, he still had to tell Riley.

  She took a sip of the bubbly drink. He watched the liquid glistening on her lips. He could hear her heart speed up as he reached out to touch her. “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “Definitely. I think we may have worked up an appetite.”

  She bit at her lower lip, dragging it against her teeth, and for a second he thought he would clear everything off the bar and take her right there. But he had to calm the bear. He reached for a hefty glass of champagne. She needed the man right now.

  “Do omelets, eggs benedict, and blueberry muffins sound good?” He turned toward the stove, ready to serve her whatever she desired.

  She nodded. “Divine. I’m starving.”

  He slid a plate on the counter in front of her, taking the seat next to her.

  “Oh my God, Hudson, this is delicious.”

  He smiled at the expression on her face. “You like it?”

  “Where did you learn to cook like this?” She loaded her fork and dipped it in the cream sauce before savoring a second bite. “First you grill lunch. Now this.”

  “My mother taught me actually.”

  Her eyes widened. “The Claire Highland knows how to cook.”

  “She knows how to do a lot of things.” He chuckled. “Just because my family is wealthy doesn’t mean we can’t fend for ourselves. I think we’d all surprise you.”

  “All? You mean your brothers?” She tipped the glass to her lips.

  Hudson finished chewing a bite of muffin before answering. “Yes, Crawford and Striker. We know what people think about us. But, there’s more to us than the last name. A lot more.” He swiveled so he was facing her. He didn’t want to launch into the family history.

  “I think I found that out today.” She winked at him, her eyes dropping to his belt.

  Just the gesture made him harden against his pants. What was she doing to him? No woman had this effect, this pull. She’s your mate, he reminded himself.

  “About that.” He gulped the rest of the champagne, resting the empty glass on the bar.

  She grinned. “I think you need to know we are going to get your book finished.”

  “What?” He stared at her. “My book?” That damned contract kept coming up.

  “Maybe now it won’t be so difficult for you to share it with me.” She paused. “You know since...”

  His neck tightened. He felt his pulse rising. His bear was itching to touch her again. She had no idea what she could do to him. How he craved her.

  “Riley, I don’t think you understand. I don’t want to talk about the book.”

  “Oh.” She looked hurt. He didn’t like it. It cut into his soul deep and quick. What was happening to him?

  “I need to tell you something.” He waited for the last drops of champagne to slide down her throat.

 
“What is it?” she asked.

  He stood next to her, his chest puffed toward her, his shoulders back. He looked in control, but felt powerless in this moment. What he was going to tell her would change her life. Destroy what she knew. Alter any course she had planned.

  “I can’t do this.” He darted out of the kitchen, slamming the front door behind him.

  If he ran into the forest, he could find peace. He could find answers. He trudged along the track they had taken to the fishing hole. He thought he heard Riley calling his name from the porch, but he jerked forward, snapping twigs and branches as he marched into the darkness. She wouldn’t want him. She wouldn’t want this. And she certainly wasn’t going to want what he had done.

  11

  Riley

  Riley stared at the door. Hudson had been here one minute. Cooking, flirting, talking about his family, and then in an instant he was gone. The fire snapped across the great room, and she walked toward the flames.

  She ran her hands over the tenderness of her breasts, her stomach, and her hips. He had taken all of it. Her body. Her soul. The minute she let him kiss her, she had let go of someone she used to be and become someone he possessed.

  She sat on the floor, watching the sparks dance between the logs. She didn’t know what happened. Why he ran, but she knew she had to wait for him. Something told her he needed space. He needed her to wait.

  She fell asleep, watching the embers glow red and orange. Her eyelids struggled to stay open, hoping Hudson would walk through the door, but she lost the fight, falling into a deep sleep.

  She felt strong hands lift her and carry her up the stairs and down the hall. The footsteps steady and strong as she rested against the solid wall of his chest.

  He laid her on the bed.