9781631054747HerstoBearHoffa

by Tamara Hoffa

  “I don’t know, little one. Why do the KKK hate black people? Who can understand hate?”

  Jenna rested her head on his shoulder and they walked in silence for the rest of the way to the school. When they reached the entrance Bern kissed her goodbye and Jenna went inside. Hans took up his post, hidden from view, but guarding Jenna from outside the school.

  * * * *

  At the end of the day Jenna’s cell phone rang. “Hello,” she answered.

  “Hello, beautiful,” Bern said. “I’m running a few minutes late, please wait for me at the school, okay?”

  “Sure, no problem. Your sister is running late again too. I’m going to take Sarah out to play on the playground while we wait.”

  “Okay, I’ll meet you there.”

  Jenna took Sarah by the hand and led her to the playground. She set her purse and tote bag on a bench, along with Sarah’s backpack and took Sarah over to the swing set. Hans sat on the bench in the shade and watched Jenna push Sarah on the swings.

  Jenna’s heightened senses weren’t enough for her to notice the scent of the humans that lurked in the shadows of the woods adjacent to the playground. Three men watched the human push the bear cub on the swings with covetous eyes.

  Arms reached around Jenna’s middle and she shrieked, elbowing the body behind her. Bern grunted. “Hey, that’s not very nice.”

  “You scared the crap out of me! Sneaky bear!”

  “Unca Bern,” Sarah screamed and launched herself at her uncle’s legs.

  “Hello, munchkin,” he said tossing her in the air and giving her Eskimo kisses. “How’s my girl today?”

  “Okay,” she said with a sigh, “’cept, Mommy’s late again.”

  “Mommy got tied up, so uncle Bern’s gonna take you home. Is that okay?”

  Sarah smiled like she’d won the prize at the county fair. “Really? Yeah! Are we going to your house?”

  “No, we’re going home to your house, but I thought maybe we’d stop for ice cream first,” Bern said.

  “Yippee!” Sarah hollered.

  “Now I see why you’re her favorite Unca,” Jenna said and bumped shoulders with Bern.

  “You bet, little one. I gotta earn points where I can. You up for some ice cream?”

  “Always,” Jenna said.

  The three of them walked hand in hand to the ice cream parlor and got double scoops. Jenna got triple chocolate fudge, Sarah got cookies and cream and Bern got maple walnut crunch. They sat at the cute little wrought iron tables outside the ice cream parlor devouring their confections.

  Sarah seemed to have more on her face than she managed to get in her mouth. Thankfully, Bern had grabbed a stack of napkins from the counter. “Come here, sweetie,” Jenna said as she grabbed a napkin and tried to halt the flow of ice cream before it dripped onto Sarah’s T-shirt.

  “I can see you doing that with a child of ours one day soon,” Bern said.

  Jenna laughed. “That’s funny, I was thinking the same thing the other day when you were holding Jimmy.”

  Bern raised a brow. “Oh, it’s something we haven’t talked about, but I’m glad to hear you say that. I want children. Our children.”

  Jenna swallowed, he looked at her with such love in his eyes. “I do too. I want a little boy with your big brown eyes.”

  Bern reached forward and cupped her chin. “I want a little girl with your beautiful blonde curls.” He leaned in and kissed her over Sarah’s head.

  Sarah put a hand on each of their chests and pushed them apart. “Quit it, you’re squishing me.”

  They both laughed, the moment broken. Bern tousled her hair. “Okay, munchkin, are you finished with your ice cream?” A soggy piece of cone was all that remained of Sarah’s treat.

  “Yes, I’m done.”

  Bern wrapped the mess in another napkin and tossed it in a nearby trash can. “I think we should go inside and wash up before we head to Sarah’s house,” Jenna said.

  “Good idea,” Bern said. Jenna took Sarah inside to wash up, while Bern took out his cell phone and placed a call. Jenna assumed he was calling Julia to let her know they were on their way.

  Bern was off the phone when Jenna and Sarah returned to his side. Sarah took up a position between them skipping and swinging her hands as the three made their way across town. Sarah talked non-stop, telling Jenna all about the family.

  She learned the names of all Bern’s sisters, Julia, Andrea, Dagmar, Sofie and Hannah. Sarah also recited the names of all eleven of her cousins, but Jenna wasn’t about to try and memorize all those names. She did manage to catch the three in Sarah’s family, she already knew about Jimmy and then there was an older boy named Nicholas.

  Sarah’s prattle left Jenna free to think, her mind kept drifting back to Bern and the soft loving look he had given her at the restaurant. The big bear was nothing but a softie at heart. They turned onto the walkway of a cute little ranch style home and were just nearing the door when a hellacious roar sounded from behind the closed door.

  Jenna stopped in her tracks and Sarah smirked. “Uh oh, Mommy’s mad,” Sarah said in a singsong voice.

  Bern stopped and looked down at Jenna and Sarah. “You’d better stay here and let me see what’s going on,” he said, he pushed her toward some chairs on the front porch and cautiously approached the front door.

  “Better watch out, Unca Bern, Mommy throws things when she’s mad,” Sarah warned a bit late, as a vase sailed past Bern’s head through the open doorway.

  “Yes, I remember,” Bern muttered. “Julia!” he called. A roar answered his call and Bern’s eyes shifted from brown to gold, his teeth elongated in his mouth and Jenna was shocked by the roar that emanated from his mouth. Silence followed.

  No more projectiles came toward the door and Bern entered the now quiet interior. Jenna heard some scuffling and what sounded like moving of furniture and then low harsh voices. Finally Bern reappeared on the porch followed by a red-faced Julia.

  “I’m so sorry, Jenna. I was having a…moment.” Julia said self-consciously.

  “You were mad,” Sarah said.

  “Um, yes,” Julia said. “Again, sorry.” Julia blushed furiously. “You shouldn’t get between a bear and her chocolate when she’s PMSing.”

  Jenna laughed. “Well, it’s a good thing to know some things are the same whether bear or human. I may not be able to roar that loud, but I sure have wanted to in the past.”

  Julia laughed and just like that they bonded in the way of women. PMS was the universal bond.

  “Please come in, I promise not to bite you. I’ll even make some coffee. Just don’t eat my chocolate.”

  “I promise, Scout’s honor. We just had ice cream anyway and I had triple chocolate fudge.”

  “And you didn’t bring me any? Strike that, I may have to kill you now.”

  Julia led them into a large country kitchen, Jimmy sat in a high chair at the table, Cheerios sprinkled across the tray, a huge man in a blue work shirt and khaki pants sat at the table reading the newspaper.

  “Jenna, this is my husband James,” Julia said. James stood and extended a large paw to shake with her.

  “Um, hi,” he said. “Sorry, about the noise when you arrived. Jules was feeling a little grumbly.”

  Jenna laughed. “So we heard.”

  “Have a seat,” James said, indicating a chair at the table. Bern held a chair out and seated her and then straddled one for himself. Sarah climbed into her daddy’s lap and kissed his cheek.

  “Hi, Daddy. I got to swing and have ice cream,” she said.

  “That’s great, pumpkin. Were you a good girl for Uncle Bern?”

  “Course I was, I’s always a good girl,” Sarah said, and Jenna swore she could almost see the little girl twisting her father around her little fingers. Sarah was definitely Daddy’s girl.

  James kissed her nose and patted her behind setting her down on the floor. “Why don’t you go up to your room and get washed up for dinner?”

&nbs
p; “Okay, Daddy,” she said with another kiss to his cheek, she skipped off to the other room. James’ gaze followed her out of the room before it turned to Bern and Jenna.

  “I hear congratulations are in order. ‘Bout time you finally mated old man,” James said.

  “Don’t you start now too,” Bern said.

  “Oh, come on, what’s the fun of being the Sippe’s brother-in-law if I can’t give you a hard time?”

  “I get enough of that from my infernal sisters.”

  “That’s the truth. Meddling bunch of sows,” James muttered, only to be smacked in the back of the head by his wife, who growled menacingly.

  “Children,” Bern rumbled.

  “Don’t you children me, Bern Allen, I’m older than you are.”

  “Doesn’t matter, schwester mine, I am your Sippe.”

  “Yeah, and you never let me forget it either.” Julia laughed.

  Julia set cups of coffee in front of each of them, along with cream and sugar, then took a seat across the table from Jenna. “Since you’re here, I don’t have to call you about dinner. I talked to all my sisters and everyone can make it on Wednesday, does that work for you?”

  “My friend Alice is coming into town this weekend, but if you don’t mind her joining us, that’s fine. Where do you want to have dinner? Here?”

  “No, at Bern’s house of course.”

  Jenna was taken aback for a moment, they invited her to dinner, did they expect her to cook? She looked at Bern, “Um, at your house? Are you cooking?”

  “I could, but no. Julia extended the invitation, so she gets to plan the meal.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. All the girls will bring something. We’ve got it covered.”

  “Okay. Would you like me to make something? I could make dessert. I make a mean honey cake.”

  “Ooh, that sounds great! I love honey cake.”

  “Maybe I’ll actually get to make it this time. I’ve been trying to make one for the last week and something keeps getting in the way,” she said with a sassy wink at Bern.

  He waggled his eyebrows at her. “I can’t help it if I have better things for you to do with your time than bake,” he teased.

  They finished their coffee and Jenna received a hug and kiss goodbye from Bern’s sister. She could already tell they were going to be good friends. Julia held her just that extra second longer when they hugged, the extra squeeze that said, this isn’t because it’s what I’m supposed to do, but because I care for you.

  Jenna exited Julia’s house with a smile on her face, hand linked with Bern’s and swinging them between them as they walked. She was high on life and walking on air.

  The trip back to Jenna’s house was short and this time Jenna had no doubt what was going to happen when they got there. Bern would be spending the night, because she was hotter than hell and she was going to jump his bones the minute they walked through the door.

  Between his awesome sweetness with Sarah and his growly gruffness with his sister, Jenna’s motor was revving in high speed. Every step they walked closer to her house was torture. Her nipples were straining against her bra, and her panties were beyond damp. Damn, Bern needed to hurry up and get her home or she was going to attack him right here on the street.

  She took a deep breath, trying to calm her raging libido and instead the delicious scent her newly awakened senses detected as Bern assaulted her nostrils. She leaned her head onto his shoulder, seeking more of the alluring fragrance, a low growl crawled up from her throat. “Mine.” The voice in her head murmured. Yes, I know, she answered it in her thoughts.

  Bern stopped and looked down at her. “Are you all right?”

  She looked up at him through her lashes, and then nuzzled his neck. “Mmm, you smell so good.”

  Bern took her by the shoulders and pulled her away from his body. He looked into her eyes.

  “Um, Jenna, your eyes are amber.”

  That snapped Jenna out of her trance, “What?”

  “Little one, I don’t know what’s going on, but you seem to be changing much faster than normal. Your bear is coming through already and it’s only been a day. The full moon is still weeks away. I’ve never heard of this happening before. The way you’re acting…it’s almost like you’re going into heat.”

  “I beg your pardon, I may be a little horny, but you don’t have to be rude about it.”

  “I’m not being rude, little one, and believe me, I certainly don’t mind you being horny, but it seems like more than that.”

  “Maybe,” she muttered, burying her face in his chest, mortified by her behavior.

  Bern tipped her chin up and looked down into her face, he kissed her nose and then gently, tenderly kissed her lips. “Don’t be embarrassed, please, my little one. I love that you want me. I want you too. Oh so much.” He kissed her again with such passion Jenna felt fire unfurl in her belly.

  “Let’s go home,” she said.

  Bern wrapped his arm around her shoulders and held her close as they finished the short journey to her house. As she stood on the front porch waiting for him to check the house Jenna paced, she really was in need. She needed Bern in her arms, his warmth, his strength, his passion.

  Bern returned to the front door and pulled Jenna inside, before the door had even closed behind them she was in his arms. He carried her straight to the bedroom and a trail of their clothes littered the floor along the way. By the time they reached the bed they were both naked.

  No foreplay was necessary, Jenna was wet and ready, she needed her big bear inside her. “Hurry Bern, I need you,” she pleaded.

  Bern lay down on the bed and pulled Jenna on top of him. “Ride me, little one. You control the pace.”

  Jenna reached between them and grasped Bern’s rigid cock. She placed the head against her opening and slid it back and forth, coating him in moisture. His tip bumped her clit and she shuddered, God, it felt so good, she did it again. Then she began to take him inside, slowly lowering herself onto his thick shaft. She’d never been on top before and he felt bigger this way, so full, so deep.

  She braced her hand on his chest for leverage, massaging his pecs and rubbing her hands against the hair as she began to move her hips. Oh man this was good, she ground her hips in a circle, her clit dragged across the hair on Bern’s pelvis and an electric shiver shot up Jenna’s spine.

  Bern placed his hands on her hips, helping to support her and guiding her movements. Jenna lifted her hips and dropped back down, faster and faster, rotating and grinding on the downward thrust. She was in a frenzy, panting and calling Bern’s name, her nails scoring his chest.

  Bern growled deep and thrust his hips up to meet hers, Jenna cried out, pleading for release. Bern reached between them and thrummed her clit, flicking and teasing until she finally came in a burst of white light behind her closed eyelids.

  Bern followed a few thrusts later, spilling his hot cum inside her spasming channel. Jenna collapsed on his rib cage, their sweat soaked bodies sticking together and she rested her head on his heaving chest. His arms came around her and he rolled them to their sides.

  Bern kissed her eyelids, forehead and hairline as their breathing returned to normal. “I love you, little one,” he whispered.

  This time Jenna wasn’t stupid enough to not return the sentiment, she looked deep into his chocolate eyes. “I love you too, my big bear,” she said, and kissed him long and passionately.

  Chapter Nine

  The rest of the week passed quickly and before Jenna knew it Saturday morning had arrived. She and Bern were sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee when a knock sounded at the door. Jenna squealed and raced for the door. She threw it open and launched herself at her unsuspecting friend.

  Poor Alice barely managed to stay on her feet when five foot ten inches of overexcited female grabbed her in a ferocious hug. “I’m so glad you’re here,” Jenna gushed, pulling back and kissing both Alice’s cheeks. “You look fabulous. Come inside. Bern will
get your bags,” she said as she pulled Alice toward the kitchen.

  Alice looked shell shocked, Jenna should take a picture, because that never happened. Bern stepped into view and Alice’s eyes widened. She gazed from Bern’s feet up, up, up to his face, then looked at Jenna and mouthed, “Wow.”

  Jenna beamed. “Bern sweetie, will you get Alice’s bags, she left them on the porch. Can you put them in the spare room, please?”

  “Sure, little one.” Bern went to the porch and behind his back Alice fanned her face. “Oh my,” she whispered.

  “I know, right,” Jenna giggled. She linked arms with her friend and led her into the kitchen. Jenna pushed Alice onto a chair at the kitchen table and poured her a cup of coffee. Then she sat and faced her friend taking both of her hands in her own.

  “I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you so much. How long are you going to be able to stay?”

  “Just the week, But including the weekends on both sides that gives us nine days.”

  Jenna squeezed her hands. “That’s wonderful. We’ll get to have such a good visit. I can’t wait for you to get to know Bern. Oh, Al, he is…amazing.”

  “You look so happy, Jenna. You’re absolutely glowing.”

  “I know, I feel like I’m walking on air, and I’m so excited about tonight. Did you bring a fabulous dress? I really want to impress Bastian Von Drake.”

  “Who is this guy?”

  “He’s the alpha of the neighboring wolf pack. It’s a big deal that he invited us to dinner. Very formal. Ritzy. He and Bern are kind of frenimies.”

  “Oh, what exactly does that mean?”

  “They get along on the surface, but there is all kinds of underlying politics and shit. I don’t understand it all, but it’s important that we make a good impression.”

  “Is he as cute as Bern?”

  “I don’t know.” Jenna laughed. “I doubt it, no one is as cute as my Bern.”

  “Oh, you’ve got it so bad girl,” Alice teased.

  Bern chose that moment to return to the room. Jenna could feel the blush color her cheeks. Bern brushed her hot cheek with the back of his hand. “What are you up to, little one that has you blushing so sweetly?”