by Lily Cahill
Everett shifted back into his human form and took Catie in his arms. He was so strong, so ... animalistic. How had she never realized before that he was a bear? It seemed so natural, now that she knew.
"You're not freaked out?" Everett's voice was muffled in Catie's hair, and she pulled back a bit to look at him.
"No." She wasn't sure why she wasn't more spooked by this strange turn of events. So much had changed in such a short period of time. She had slept with her boss, he was a bear shifter, and .... Catie's body zinged with realization. And she loved him. Was that crazy? It certainly didn't feel crazy. She had always known a part of her loved Everett Bowen, but she had been scared to admit that her intense feelings were anything other than admiration. She shook her head. "When I think about it, it seems unreal, but it doesn't feel unreal."
He tipped her chin up with his finger, setting his intense stare at her, searching her for doubt, but she didn't have any.
She wove her hands into his hair, soft and just long enough for her to grab a fistful. She pulled his head in, and his arms clenched around her, crushing her body to his. His lips parted hers. There was less urgency now, they could take their time, learning the makeup of each other's mouths. Everett kissed her softly--his lips teasing and gently pulling at hers, always leaving her mouth open and wanting more. His tongue moved into her mouth, meeting hers just for a moment before retreating again. Catie found herself pushing against Everett harder, straining her neck to reach up to his lips, but he was in complete control. Taller and stronger, he kept Catie at a distance, kissing her in slow, torturous spurts. She moved her hands to his front, feeling for his belt, the desperate need inside of her growing.
Everett grabbed her wrists and held them in place.
"Slow," he said, dropping her hands. He kissed down her neck, and Catie let out a moan. His lips against hers felt so intense, she squirmed, unsure she could keep up this level of contact.
Everett kept moving farther south, pausing at her collarbone and kissing down it to her shoulder and back to her neck, licking her gently and evoking another moan from her. She wanted to stop him and rip off his pants, impaling herself on him, but she couldn't disobey his orders. She had to stay still, enduring this sweet torture. He lifted the hem of her shirt and she raised her arms above her head, letting him remove it completely. He locked his eyes with hers while he undressed her, only breaking his gaze once her top was off. Then his eyes were on her breasts, his thumb massaging her. Catie's whole body trembled, and Everett picked up where he had left off, kissing down her chest. His lips trailing closer to her bra-covered nipple, but he passed over her hardened buds and kept trailing kisses down her front.
He hooked his thumbs into the waistband of her skirt and pushed the garment down over her ass. The skirt fell with her panties, leaving her completely exposed to him. His hands stayed on her ass as he kissed along her hip bone, moving closer to her bare pussy. He was kneeling in front of her now, his mouth moving in, kissing her thigh. He bit her inner thigh, and she yelped. The sharpness of his teeth was a surprise after all the soft kisses.
"Spread your legs."
Catie widened her stance, giving Everett better access.
He licked slowly up her slit.
"Fuck, you're so goddamned sexy." His words barely made it to Catie's ears as he dipped his head back to keep licking her.
His hands squeezed harder on her ass, pulling her toward him as he buried his face in her. Catie screamed out in desire as he lapped at her, bringing her to the edge and then backing off again.
She felt dizzy. She grabbed onto the top of Everett's head for stability, the locks of his hair the only thing keeping her upright. He was going slowly again, building a tension deep in Catie's belly. This time, when he stiffened his tongue and increased his speed, she felt shockwaves move through her body, the orgasm crashing all around her. She held on to Everett, her body shaking against him. She collapsed to the ground beside him, and he tucked her hair away from her face. When she opened her eyes, he was looking at her with tenderness. He let her recover from her orgasm, drawing his fingers gently over her belly, tickling and caressing her.
She blinked her eyes repeatedly, letting her consciousness fully come back to her. He was unreal. This was unreal. Everett had just given her one of the best orgasms of her life in the middle of a greenhouse. Catie nearly laughed and stretched her arms overhead, reveling in the feeling of sunshine hitting her naked body. She felt languid and so unbelievably sexy.
Above, palm fronds arched overhead, a deep, waxy green. They lay entwined on a bed of mosses and soft dirt, surrounded by a riot of color--hibiscus red, passion flower purple. The air was heady with scent, yet absolutely quiet. It felt like they'd found paradise. Catie curled onto her side and ran her hands lightly up Everett's lean stomach and defined chest. God, he was a wonder to look at. He was large, but every muscle was defined under his skin. She walked her fingers up his neck and stroked along his jawline, strong and shaded with stubble. Everett moaned slightly and moved under her touch.
Just the sound of his groan made heat bloom between Catie's legs again. She trailed her fingers back down his taut body, lingering at the edge of his pants. His cock strained against the fabric, and Catie rubbed her palm down the length of him. Everett's lips parted to suck in a breath, making Catie wet with desire. She was desperate to make him feel everything he'd just done to her.
Catie crawled on top of Everett, straddling his hard thighs. Everett reached a hand down to stroke at her pussy, but she pushed his hand away.
"No," she said, her voice scraping against her lips, low and sultry. "Your turn."
And at long last, Catie got to pull Everett's belt buckle open and unzip his pants. She swirled her fingers around the head of his cock and took her time. Jesus, it was a marvel. Everett's cock was long and thick like he was, and just the thought of how it felt inside of her, how it stretched her so deliciously, nearly made Catie pant with longing. She wrapped her fingers around him and stroked down his shaft. Then she moved down, kneeling between his legs to pull his pants off completely.
She stayed there, teasing him with feather-light touches and whispering kisses. One on the inside of his thigh, one on the ridge of muscle alongside his hip bone, one just under his navel. Everett shifted under her attention, his body nearly jerking with anticipation. It made Catie feel powerful. She moved her body slow and steady like a cat, aware that Everett's eyes were on her every movement. She'd never felt sexier in her entire life.
Catie slid her way up Everett's body, letting her pussy stroke up Everett's cock in an agonizingly slow progress. She stopped when she was straddling him and bent low so her breasts were in his face. Everett craned his neck to capture one of Catie's breasts between his lips, sucking at her nipple. She writhed against his dick and then pulled her breast away from his mouth.
"I want to suck your cock," she whispered hotly against his lips. "Do you want that?"
Everett groaned in reply. "Yes. Jesus, yes."
"Then what do you want to do to me?" She felt so wicked talking like this, so wanton. It made the ache between her legs pulse in the most wonderful way. Catie closed her eyes against the sensation, let herself enjoy every bit of electricity writhing under her skin.
Everett grabbed onto the sides of Catie's face and hauled her mouth against his. His kiss was blazing; it spoke of all the things he wanted to do with her body. Catie kissed him back with a feverish craving she'd only known in her wet dreams.
"I want to fuck you, Catalina," Everett growled. "I want to bend you over and hold onto that ass and fuck you forever."
Catie pulled back and smiled impishly. She slid back down Everett's body, keeping her eyes trained on his. And when she parted her lips to draw his cock into her mouth, he shuddered with desire. For what she was doing to him. For her.
Catie sucked on Everett's cock, drawing him as far as she could into her mouth. She had to wrap her hand around the rest of his length, his dick was so bi
g. She flicked her tongue against his head, teasing for a moment, then plunged his cock back into her mouth, sucking and rolling her tongue. Everett was groaning, a low, steady sound that reverberated through Catie. She sucked him harder, more insistent. She wanted to make him come just as hard as he'd done for her. Harder, if she could.
But just as it felt like he was about to reach the pinnacle, just as his groans were turning fast and wild, he pulled himself away from her and sat up. Catie keened and tried to reach his dick, but Everett had his hands all over her. He ran his fingers roughly down her breasts, down her stomach, before plunging into her wet pussy. He was only there for a moment, however, before he grabbed Catie's hips and hauled her around so she was facing away from him. He pressed her thighs apart and knelt between her legs, and Catie leaned forward onto her hands.
Normally, with any other guy at any other time, she wouldn't have let him take her from behind in the light of day. She was too self-conscious about how she looked at this angle. But with Everett, she felt wild, like an animal. Catie arched her back so her ass popped even more.
Everett's cock pressed against her slit, rubbing slightly up to her clit in a way that made Catie shiver with longing. Jesus, she couldn't believe how much she wanted him inside of her. Everett's hands wrapped around her hips, then he pushed himself into her. The angle plunged him so deeply into her pussy, pressing against just the right spot, Catie screamed in ecstasy. He pulled out only to thrust again, harder this time.
Each thrust brought her to the edge of orgasm, her body tingling with lustful rapture and her mind nearly crazy with it. Everett kept thrusting and circled one arm around Catie's body to knead her breast, his fingers working at her taut nipples.
Catie screamed one last time, unable to hold back the flood any longer. She came, her pussy tightening around Everett's cock in waves. He groaned--loud--and she felt him release his orgasm inside of her. He fell forward against her back, panting and kissing between her shoulder blades.
They collapsed to the greenhouse floor together, a tangle of limbs, their cheeks red with effort, and their breathing labored. Every inch of Catie's body felt alive, these orgasms like nothing she'd ever experienced with anyone else. The way Everett fit with her, the way their bodies seemed built for each other .... Catie nuzzled up against Everett and breathed deeply. She'd never felt more satisfied in her entire life.
Chapter Fifteen
Everett
Everett glanced at his watch. It was after nine in the morning. The office downstairs was probably full of coworkers wondering where they were, but Everett didn't care. He didn't ever want to do anything else in this life other than keep making love to Catalina for as long as his body would let him.
They were laying naked in the warmth of the greenhouse, the sun streaming through the glass ceiling.
Catalina was tucked in against him. He'd never felt so whole and complete as his did in this moment.
He'd felt like there was something missing to his life, something he was searching for without knowing how to look for it. And it had been in front of him the whole time.
The lack of sleep, and multiple orgasms, was making him feel drunk and drowsy. He squeezed Catalina in closer to him and whispered into her hair. "I love you." It came so naturally, to tell Catalina this. But his heart strained for a moment, afraid he'd scare her off.
She looked up at him, her eyelids drooping, her expression mirroring how he felt. "I love you," she said back, her voice soft.
Everett smiled so widely he was sure his face would crack open.
"I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out."
"Me too." She smirked up at him before laying her head back down on his wide chest. She felt so right there, laying across his naked body. They fit together in a way he hadn't thought possible. Everett pushed his fingers into her thick, dark hair and combed locks down her back.
Catalina made a little contented noise and snuggled in closer. She played lazily with the hair on his chest. "Everett?" she said after a while.
"Mmm?"
"When did you find out about your ... um ... bear side?" Catalina arched her back a bit so she could look up at him.
Everett stretched out, one arm crooked behind his neck. He was excited to talk about this with someone other than Liam. It had been a long time coming. "I don't remember," he said, looking up at the sunlight streaking through the verdant trees and dappling their entwined bodies. "Shifters can start changing basically from birth, and from what our parents say, Liam and I were quite young when we first started shifting."
Catalina pushed up onto her elbow. "So it's hereditary?"
Everett nodded and regarded Catalina. "Does that bother you?"
She blushed prettily. "Oh, no. I just .... This is a lot to take in, you know? Contracts and litigation, I can handle. Men who can transform into massive bears is an entirely different matter."
"Take your time with it. Catalina, you must know. I'm here for whatever you need. I'll wait for however long you need me to."
Catalina tumbled closer and pressed a lingering kiss against Everett's lips. She didn't speak for a long time. Everett filled the empty space between them, his arms wrapped around his soulmate.
"You'll get to meet some other bear shifters. That's what B3 is, actually. We work together to support each others' businesses and--"
"But I thought it was a dating service," Catalina interjected.
Everett kissed away her frown. "It is, of a sort." He paused, though. Could he tell her they were soulmates? They'd just made love for the first time, he didn't want to scare her off with talk of fated love and lifelong bonds. She'd already expressed some reluctance. Everett resolved to give her a bit of time--give their relationship a bit of time--before declaring that she was his soulmate.
He was just about to change the subject when Catalina gasped and sat up.
"What?" Everett pushed himself up, his eyes snapping around to find the danger.
"Mandy," Catalina breathed.
Everett nearly growled. Mandy was the last person he wanted to think about right now.
"You think she saw you shift, that's why you rushed to settle in her favor. It was that comment she made about 'clawing my face off,' right?"
Everett nodded. Though he still couldn't recall when she could have seen him shift. He was usually so careful. But the when or the why of it didn't matter. If she knew his secret, he had to do everything he could to keep her quiet.
"God, that must be hard, Everett. Keeping this side of yourself secret all the time."
Everett nodded again. "I could be kicked out of the Brotherhood if she talks."
Catalina stood up and held her hand out to help him up. "Then we'll give her enough money so she has no reason to ever even think the word 'bear' again. Come on, people are going to start wondering where we went."
But Everett grabbed her before she could take another step. They were still naked, still exposed for all to see in a greenhouse on top of a building in the middle of Manhattan. But Everett kissed Catalina like they were the only two people on Earth.
"Thank you," he said against Catalina's lips.
"For what?"
"For everything. Facing this together, with you at my side. I'm stronger because of it."
Chapter Sixteen
Everett
They finally did have to return to the office, claiming early meetings that had them both coming in late. It was completely probable, but Everett felt like everyone could see through them anyway. Now that he was sure about Catalina, it all seemed so obvious. Determinedly, he worked from his office in what was left of the morning, knowing that if he went into Catalina's he'd end up taking off her clothes and getting nothing done for the rest of the day.
Catalina popped her head into Everett's office. "Mandy is here. Are you ready?"
Everett groaned. He'd forgotten that they'd scheduled their meeting for today. He'd never wanted to do it, but he felt even less willing to see the ex-intern now that
he was with Catalina. Mandy and the others were his past. He didn't need them to be parading around reminding himself and Catalina about all the other women he had been with, but there was no way around it. Mandy had insisted. She wasn't going to sign the settlement documents unless she could talk to Everett before she did. And more than anything, Everett wanted this business finished and behind him before the launch.
But, although he'd agreed to the meeting, he didn't have anything to say to her. They'd slept together once and then she'd thrown herself at him time and time again. And now she was suing him for sexual harassment. If it wasn't for the timing and the PR nightmare, he might have fought it. He knew that was the illogical thing to do, when the problem could be solved for less than it would cost him to run a television ad, but he hated to reward someone for false accusations.
Everett met Catalina's steady gaze. Was he ready to face Mandy and get this over with? "As ready as I'll ever be."
Catalina brought Mandy in and turned to leave.
"Catalina, stay."
She turned back around and took in a deep breath. Her body was stiff, every part of her screaming how much she did not want to be there. But he wasn't going to let her wonder what was going on in the office from outside of closed doors. He didn't think he could handle it if she had to be alone in a room with Norm, or whatever that guy's name was. He was sure his mind could do a lot worse than Noah was capable of. He wasn't going to let Catalina torture herself like that.
Mandy looked appalled, her red lips screwed up into a horrified pout.
"Catalina is my legal counsel. She will be present for the meeting." He dragged a chair from the far side of the desk to behind the mahogany piece so that Catalina would be sitting next to him.
Mandy scowled at Catalina as she sat down across the desk. Everett pulled out the file Catalina had given him earlier in the day. Before they'd had sex, before he'd found his one true soulmate. It seemed a lifetime ago, not just hours. Besides the file, there was a separate folder already prepared with copies for Mandy, and all of the locations for Mandy to sign were tabbed with post-it arrows, making the process completely idiot-proof. He smiled at Catalina, appreciating her good work. He was sure that the agreement was ironclad.