Her Secret Protector Bear (Oak Mountain Shifters)

by Leela Ash

  “So, are you going to be at the site tomorrow too?” Adrian asked, turning the engine off once she pulled into the parking lot of the hotel. She was reluctant to leave him for some reason. She knew it was ill-advised and impulsive, but her mind was swimming with the implications of their attraction.

  “I wasn’t planning on it,” Kent said with a low chuckle. “I hate working at the mine. All the guys there are a pain in the ass.”

  “I think they’re threatened by you.”

  Kent looked up at her, surprise flickering in his dark eyes. “You noticed that, huh?”

  Adrian smiled and nodded. “I did.”

  Kent smirked to himself and shook his head. “Well, they know I could kick their asses and they don’t want to deal with me.”

  “Well, you certainly seem capable of handling yourself,” Adrian said.

  “I’m capable of handling a lot of things.”

  Adrian was suddenly trapped in Kent’s gaze. Her heart began to thud painfully in her chest. Suddenly, Kent’s lips were on hers, hungry and intense, filling her body with a slow, sensual heat.

  When he pulled away from her he frowned to himself and drew back.

  “Well. Good night then.”

  He got quickly out of the car and disappeared into the woods, leaving Adrian tingling in the seat and staring after him, her mind reeling at the possibilities of what Kent’s presence had meant to her and the reality that her desires were going to remain unmet for the rest of the night.

  3.

  What the hell am I doing? Kent growled to himself.

  Kent was deep in the woods behind the hotel where Adrian was staying. He had sincerely wanted to make sure she got home safely, especially dealing with a bunch of people at the mine who were high strung and agitated. It was hard to say what any of them might be thinking, under the pressure of Blaine’s bullshit deadlines and having an attitude toward humans that was generally utilitarian. The girl was cute. Most men might dismiss her because of her curves, but that only meant she was in more danger of being disrespected by the other bears. Adrian couldn’t have been safer than she was in going back to the hotel with Kent.

  He had never felt so urgently about a human. The desire deep in his body was overpowering. And it really didn’t make sense to him. He had to get out of there. The last thing he needed was a human sneaking her way into his head.

  Kent took off toward the modest home he had built himself and headed into the shower. The whole time he washed, he was consumed by thoughts of the young woman. However, he couldn’t just go and unleash the beast within him on her. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself, and he would hate to hurt her. Wasn’t it dangerous for a bear-shifter and a human to mate? Especially one who seemed so meek.

  Or maybe she hadn’t been meek at all. Perhaps she was just overwhelmed by the same feeling that was driving him crazy right that moment. Whatever the reason, he would have to get the thought of her out of his head ,or he wasn’t going to be able to focus on the tasks at hand the next day. He had a lot to do tomorrow and he would need his full concentration to get through it all. He hadn’t been counting on meeting a woman like Adrian. It was ridiculous, really.

  Kent grumbled to himself as he got out of the shower and dressed quickly, laying down in bed and tossing and turning, he tried to get thoughts of Adrian out of his head.

  By the time he finally fell asleep, he knew only one thing for sure. He had to see her again, no matter what the cost.

  ***

  “Again?”

  Blaine chuckled into the phone, causing Kent’s blood pressure to spike significantly. “I know you’re a busy man, but you would really be doing me a favor.”

  “I was supposed to help Jeremy with his porch…”

  “Jeremy is going to be there too,” Blaine said. “I already called him. We weren’t expecting so many men to be injured.”

  “Yeah, I get you,” Kent grumbled. “But you know I hate that kind of work. Small spaces piss me off.”

  “Oh, I know,” Blaine said softly. Kent cringed, glad that Blaine wasn’t there in person to see the pain on his face. It had been the worst day of his life when he’d found out he was an orphan. He had spent the day in the mines, and had discovered the truth about his parents consumed by the suffocating darkness. Ever since then he’d vowed to be out in the open air. Being trapped in the darkness or in small spaces brought him right back to the worst moment in his entire life, and Blaine knew it.

  “I can keep things under control for you, but I’m not going in anything dark. You get me?”

  “Of course,” Blaine said with a deep, understanding chuckle. “It won’t be for long, just another day or two until the guys can get their injuries under control.”

  “All right,” Kent sighed.

  When he hung up the phone, he got dressed quickly and trudged to the mine, where the night before an explosion had gone off that had brought a huge amount of debris onto the men working in the area. It had been nothing too major, but Blaine wanted to make sure they were all taking care and not pushing themselves if it would hurt their ability to work long-term.

  Kent soon found himself surrounded by the familiar faces of hard-working bear-shifters, gritting their teeth and moving heavy materials as they cleared out the area where the explosion had caused a collapse. Kent got to work helping them clear the area out, aware of everybody’s eyes on him as he worked. They never tried to hide their resentment toward him. It was clear that Blaine had a soft spot for him, and as the owner of Oak Mountain, that meant he had the favor of one of the most powerful bear-shifters in existence. It wasn’t like he wanted to receive any form of favoritism, and frankly, Blaine wasn’t the type of guy to even try to pick favorites.

  Still, most men were jealous of anyone who was stronger than they were, and Kent more than qualified in that department. His focus on martial arts had allowed him to surpass all the other shifters on the mountain in terms of strength, skill, and discipline. And it was no wonder; he had really put his entire soul into it. It was the only thing that had given his life purpose after losing his family, and he was determined to continue growing in the arts as long as he had breath in his body. Nobody on the mountain could rival his self-discipline.

  And yet, despite his desperation to keep his mind focused on the task at hand, all he could think about was the girl. Adrian had haunted his thoughts ever since he had first laid eyes on her and he knew there was really only one way to get her out of his head. He needed his thoughts back to himself, no matter what the cost might be.

  He was going to claim her. Even if just for a night.

  4.

  “Kent!”

  Adrian’s heart leapt at the sight of the tall handsome man standing on the porch of her hotel, staring down at her with his dark, pensive eyes flashing.

  “Adrian. Can I come in?”

  A wave of heat surged through Adrian’s body and she nodded, opening the doorway and stepping aside to allow Kent to enter. His broad shoulders nearly didn’t make it through the doorway, and she gasped softly to herself as she watched him glance around the small hotel room, looking a lot like a bear caged in the zoo.

  “It’s tiny in here,” he said, running his hands through his hair.

  “Or maybe you’re just huge,” Adrian responded, unable to conceal her amusement. He looked up at her, his dark eyes dubious, but a slow smile began to spread across his face and again Adrian caught a glimpse of the boyish, handsome figure beneath the pensive mask.

  “Well we can’t all be tiny human pipsqueaks,” Kent said, visibly relaxing despite the cramped confines of the little hotel room.

  “You’re pretty big even compared to your own kind,” Adrian said, feeling a little silly that she couldn’t keep the admiration out of her voice. But the truth was, he was an incredible specimen whether she wanted to admit it or not. Still, judging by the look in his eyes there was nothing much that she could hide from him anyway. The shifters were well known for their wide ran
ge of emotion and their ability to sense fear – among other things –in humans. She had never seen it in action before, but now that she was on Oak Mountain, she knew that the rumors were true.

  “Well, I just know how to take care of myself,” Kent said, grinning at her. The man was unbelievably handsome and another thrill surged through Adrian as she considered what he might be doing in her little room so late at night.

  “Do you want to sit down?” she asked, pulling out one of the wooden chairs at the tiny table. “Maybe we can talk about what you’re doing here.”

  Kent was suddenly in front of her, his hands gentle on her shoulders and looking deep into her eyes with a spark of fire igniting them. He stroked her with his broad thumb, sending a wave of heat to her loins.

  “I think we both know what I’m doing here,” Kent said, his face inches away from hers.

  Adrian nearly melted under his touch As hard as it was to do, she managed to step back. He growled softly but allowed her to move away, his dark eyes following her as she walked to the other side of the table to put a little bit of distance between them.

  “I’m not going to be here long,” Adrian said quietly, not quite sure where the words were coming from. “I don’t want to get involved with someone here. Especially not when—”

  “I don’t expect a relationship with you,” Kent interrupted, scoffing as if that were the stupidest thing she could have possibly implied. “I don’t do relationships. I’m too…” He trailed off, his handsome face brooding as he turned away from her.

  “Good, because I don’t need a relationship right now,” Adrian said, her voice wavering. “I have a lot I need to accomplish before I let another man come into my life and try to change me.”

  “Anyone who would try to change you is a fucking idiot,” Kent said, a low growl deep in his throat. “From what I can tell, you’re perfect just as you are.”

  Adrian cried out softly when Kent’s hands were on her again, and she closed her eyes as the deep, sensual warmth of his touch electrified her entire body. She had wanted him since she had first laid eyes on him, and now he was here. She could take exactly what she wanted, with no strings attached. She was an adult. Nobody could tell her what to do. It wasn’t like her to have a one-night stand, but the tension between them had been real, and more than that, it had been impossible to move away from.

  “I’m only doing this to get you out of my head,” Adrian breathed, gasping as Kent’s strong hands roamed every curve of her body and brought her untold pleasure.

  “Well then, looks like we have that in common,” Kent replied, his eyes dark and glittering when they met hers. She laughed and shook her head. She was just going to have to start being able to accept things as they came rather than hoping to control every little thing that came her way.

  “I guess we do.”

  Their eyes lingered on each other for a moment before Kent’s lips met hers and her body exploded with fire. Her body was electrified by his kiss as they tasted every inch of her, starting at her mouth and ending buried in the soft nape of her neck. She melted under his touch and shuddered in ecstasy as she felt the urgency of his arousal against her thigh.

  It awoke a deep longing within her and she moaned as Kent’s powerful body rocked gently into hers. She cried out in pleasure as he stripped her right in the middle of the floor. Adrian’s arms immediately went to cover her stomach and breasts and Kent looked at her curiously.

  “What’s the matter?” he asked.

  “I…”

  He suddenly seemed to understand that she was self-conscious and smiled warmly at her, taking her hands in his and kissing her tenderly on the lips.

  “You’re perfect,” he said, holding her gaze meaningfully. “I wouldn’t want you any different than you already are.”

  A gentle warmth spread through Adrian’s body and soon she was weightless, Kent’s strong, well-muscled arms were wrapped around her and making her feel for the first time in her life small and delicate. He was unbelievably strong.

  Adrian closed her eyes, clinging to Kent’s muscular torso as he carried her across the room and laid her on the bed, his eyes flashing dark with the urgent need. His longing overpowered her, and she allowed the boundaries of her defense to melt against his body as the long, languid kiss consumed her, stoking a fire within her that burst into an inferno.

  She worked her hands beneath his shirt and felt the firm muscles of his abdomen. He quickly stripped himself, allowing her to take in the full sight of his incredible body.

  “Somebody should sculpt you,” she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief.

  Kent laughed heartily and shook his head, running his hand through his hair almost as if he were embarrassed.

  “There’s no need for that,” he said, pinning her down on the bed and hovering his lips over hers. The tension between them was unbearable. “Besides, I think you have the wrong idea about who’s the beautiful one in here.”

  She inhaled sharply as Kent dropped his hot, sensual lips down against her skin, sending a wave of pleasure crashing over her body. She bucked her hips involuntarily, gratifying herself with the friction generated when their middles met. Thankfully, Kent didn’t make her hold out much longer, and soon she was arching her back, gasping desperately as he plunged himself deep inside her.

  Adrian was submerged in pleasure as Kent began rocking his hips, his languid sensuality helping her to reach heights unlike anything she had ever experienced. His fingers left trails of fire all over her body as he pleasured her, gratifying her with long slow strokes and steady thrusts. She shuddered at the feeling of his hard, firm muscle inside of her, spreading a wildfire throughout every inch of her body.

  They were still a brief moment as Adrian took a greedy swallow of air, and Kent’s eyes flashed darkly at her, the need within him apparent. He had no need to hide his true nature from her. There was no doubt at all about the fact that, just below the surface of the man, there lurked a powerful, wild beast that could easily tear her in two.

  Rather than being frightened by the fact, however, it filled her with a deep and passionate longing. Kent seemed able to sense this shift in her mood and soon she was shouting out in a combination of surprise and pleasure, her senses shocked by the immense power of his hips as he unleashed the fury of his own desire. They became one; a cohesive unit working together to sustain the other, indulging themselves and gratifying each other. There was no need to speak. The dance they performed together went off without a hitch, both of them intuitively understanding the need of the other and seeking to fulfil it, which served them both in the end.

  Finally, Kent let out a deep almost vicious growl that brought a chill down Adrian’s spine, and she hissed in pleasure as he shoved himself as deeply inside of her as he could and unleashed an unprecedented explosion of his liquid desire within her. Adrian was no longer able to hold back her climax and felt her lose control of herself. Her body quaked beneath him as he thrusted with all his might, his seed still spilling as her orgasm caused her body to contract tightly around his member until they both were gasping for breath.

  After one final thrust, Kent removed himself from her body and grinned at her. “Thanks for your hospitality.”

  He got up and dressed quickly, clearing his throat as he made his way to the door.

  “I don’t wanna make this weird for you or anything, so I’m just going to get out of here. That okay with you?”

  Adrian nodded dumbly, gathering the sheets up around her chest, feeling an acute sense of rejection and stupidity. It was true, she had been dreading actually even trying to have a conversation with this man, but did he have to go and leave like that the second after they had both just experienced an earth-shattering orgasm? True, there wasn’t much to talk about, but still, it had felt oddly significant at the time, despite both of them being pretty clear that it was mutual attraction and not the potential for a relationship that had brought them together.

  Adrian shook her head t
o herself as the door to her hotel room slammed shut. She heard Kent sigh deeply from outside the room, and she wondered what his issue was. He had seemed uncomfortable in the small room. Maybe, being a bear shifter and all, he didn’t like to be cooped up for long. It wouldn’t surprise her if his own dwelling wasn’t a dwelling at all, just simply a patch of dirt where he could lay under the stars, with no walls to keep him in and confine him.

  As much as she wanted to keep thinking about this bizarre man who had waltzed into her life and out again in the same bewildering manner, she could hardly keep her eyes open. She had experienced the single best orgasm of her entire life, and knowing that was both exhausting and satisfying.

  She hadn’t expected her time on the mountain to result in any kind of intimate connections whatsoever but now that it had, there was no reason to be all weird about it. She was a grown woman, after all, and she had her needs. As far as she was concerned, anybody who tried to say they didn’t were simply lying.

  But that was food for thought for another time. The event had left her too exhausted to so much as even stand, so she curled up in the bed, feeling a sense of comfort like no other allowing her to melt onto the bed. Adrian fell asleep quickly, a small smile on her lips, much like the cat who caught the canary. Her dreams would be pleasant, and her desires met until next time.

  5.

  “Kent, we have a new job for you! You need to meet us up at the lodge in an hour.”

  Kent listened to the message one more time, sighing deeply. Everybody was always placing these demands on him, but when it came to Blaine, he felt obligated to do whatever he could for him.

  “Perfect!” Blaine said when Kent arrived. He was standing at the head of the long, rectangular table, smiling broadly. “Just in time. Take a seat, my boy.”

  The lodge was empty except for two other men sitting at the head of the table near where Blaine was standing. They were seated across from each other and everybody, including Blaine, were dressed in business suits. Kent looked down at his own clothes self-consciously. He had just thrown on a casual pair of jeans and a t shirt. Nothing fancy. He had assumed this meeting would end with him running off to another odd job at the mines. They should have told him if there was a damn dress code.