When I See Her Smile (Bears in Love Book 2)

by PA Vachon

  “Babe, you gotta get on the bike,” Trevor laughingly said, “or we can’t go anywhere.”

  “Ha, ha, Trevor,” I said as I took the helmet from him with a slight glare.

  I strapped the helmet on and awkwardly mounted the bike, gripping Trevor's shoulders once I was settled on the seat.

  “Baby, you are gonna need to hold on to my waist or you're gonna go flying off the back of my bike,” he told me, laughing as he pulled me closer to his back with his hand on my hip, a hand that burned like fire. His large hands felt so good, I wanted to purr and arch into his back like a cat in heat. Instead, I scooched closer to him. I breathed in his manly scent. It was like forest and moonlight. Pine and a touch of magic.

  “Stop sniffing me, darling, or we won't make it to my house,” he gruffly said.

  “Sorry, but you smell so good,” I said. Oh lord, my mouth was gonna get me in so much trouble. I was sure I was beet red. Good thing it was dark. Trevor wouldn’t be able to see my rosy red cheeks.

  Trevor grinned over his shoulder at me. “You smell amazing too, baby. Wait til I get you to my house.”

  “Trevor, we are not staying together. You said I could stay with your friends and THAT is what I agreed to,” I angrily hissed.

  “I know, babe. I’m just yanking your chain.” Trevor gunned the engine of the bike, and we were off with a squeal of tires on asphalt.

  I let out a very unladylike “Oh, Shit!” as I gripped Trevor's waist ever tighter. I would never tell him, but this was the best thing I had ever done. We sped through the night, the wind whipping and the trees flying by at top speed. We came to a closed gate that was attached to a large stone wall. Trevor stopped and pushed a button on the handlebars of his bike, and the gate slowly swung open to reveal a very large compound with several flood lights around the perimeter.

  I stared in awe, wondering why they needed so much security. But I didn't voice my concerns. Instead, we pulled up to a small one story cabin with a large front porch.

  “Is this your friend's place?” I asked Trevor, looking at the darkened windows pensively.

  “No, baby. This is my cabin,” Trevor said. “I just need to check on some things before we go over to Ian's.” Trevor pointed across the large parking area to another darkened cabin.

  While Trevor walked toward the front porch, I thought about what I really wanted. Did I want to stay with his friends? Did I really want to stay away from him? I knew the answers to both the questions. I took a deep fortifying breath and then I said,

  “Trevor, I don't want to bother your friends this late. It looks like they are sleeping.” I nervously watched as he grinned down at me.

  “They won't mind, babe. Come on, I'll give you the nickel tour, and then we can head across the compound,” Trevor told me.

  Trevor opened the front door to reveal my dream. The cabin was decorated with rustic log furniture. I loved the outdoorsy feel of the living room. To one side, the couch sat with cushy pillows and throw blankets, the extra fuzzy ones. I loved those on cold nights. Across from the couch was a large open hearth fireplace with a stack of logs ready to burn. It was a chilly night. I thought that maybe I should just stay with Trevor so that we didn't bother his friends, so I stated as much. Trevor's response was to eye me up and down, twice, as if he was gauging my honesty.

  I walked towards him. I stopped within a hair’s breadth of his body. I looked up into his eyes, riveted in place by the look of dominance that I saw there. I took a shaky breath and said,

  “Trevor, I don't want to bother Ian and his wife. I want to stay here. With you, if the offer is still open. I can sleep on your couch.”

  “You aren't sleeping on the couch if you are staying here, babe. Not happening,” Trevor growled.

  He pulled me to him and we collided. I tilted my head, and Trevor bent towards me. This kiss was not as all-consuming as the first, but it still left a mark on my soul. I had never had a kiss as sweet. Before, it was always this wet, messy tangle that was more dead fish than sexy. Alan was not the best lover. Of course, now I knew why, but at the time, it was self-esteem killing. He had always blamed my looks and personality for his ineptness. Trevor kissed me with reverence, like he wasn't sure if I was real. I gasped into his mouth as he deepened our kiss. It was like chocolate and cinnamon combined together to create this perfect moment of bliss.

  Trevor pulled back, and I smiled shyly up at him with a blush. I was never this forward. I was not that girl who slept with any Tom, Dick, or cock, but there was something about Trevor that lent itself to safety and comfort. I needed him like an alcoholic needs a drink or an addict needs their next fix.

  “I love when you smile. That was the first thing I noticed about you at the pub,” Trevor admitted.

  Trevor then led me down the hall, kissing me as we went. “Tour later, yeah?” he whispered between kisses.

  “Definitely,” I replied.

  He led me to the stairs that led to the loft above and flipped the light on, flooding the room in a soft glow from the fixture above the bed, the very large bed. It was the prettiest thing I had ever seen, constructed of split logs and large enough for a small family. It rose up off the floor almost three feet and shone with the sheen of age and use. Trevor gave me a small push to get me further into the loft area. I looked over my shoulder at him and smiled.

  ********

  ~Trevor~

  Trevor watched over Rebecca Ann’s shoulder as the smile started to spread on her face. It was the only thing he could see at that moment. He slowly turned her in his arms and lowered his head, watching as her smile widened even more. It was a beacon, drawing him closer. The moment their lips touched, it was like coming home for him. It was everything he never thought he would have after what had happened to him with Janet. He knew that this was it, that Rebecca was his one. It was different than any other kiss he had experienced before. Trevor broke the kiss and said,

  “Rebecca Ann, we don’t have to do anything you don’t want. This is for you. I just want to spend time with you, with or without our clothes on.”

  “Trevor, I don’t know what I really want,” she replied. “At this point, I am so conflicted. I definitely don’t want Alan back, but I am not sure if I want to start a new relationship either.”

  “I get that,” Trevor said. “I can wait. Let me get a pillow and blanket, and I will sleep in on the couch.”

  “No! I can’t let you give up your bed,” Rebecca practically yelled. “I’ll sleep on the couch.”

  “Nope, sorry, babe. I want you in my bed, even if I’m not there,” he replied.

  “Fine, but you are staying in here with me then,” Rebecca ordered. “I refuse to let you sleep on the couch. Besides, you’re too tall for it anyway.”

  “You have a point, babe,” Trevor chuckled. “Then I will sleep on top of the covers.”

  “I am gonna take a shower,” Trevor told her. “You can do the same. I will use the guest bath, and you can use the shower in here.”

  “Okay, sounds good,” she said. “Ummmm, do you have something I can sleep in?”

  Trevor walked to his dresser and pulled open the third drawer down. He reached in and grabbed out a tee shirt for her to wear. Handing the shirt to Rebecca, he kissed her cheek and headed out the door. Rebecca heard a door down the hall open and then close.

  Rebecca headed into the restroom and started the shower. While it warmed, she looked at herself in the mirror, looking to see what Trevor saw in her. She knew he wanted her, as she had felt his erection while they were making out like a couple of horny teenagers on their third date. All she could see was the woman that Alan had cheated on. A little overweight, long brown hair, and too large blue eyes. While she didn’t think she was an ugly old hag, she didn’t feel as if she was anything special. Rebecca shook her head and started to undress. What followed was the world's fastest shower. Once she was dry, she put Trevor’s shirt on and headed out to the bedroom. Once there, she got into the bed to wait. It must hav
e taken Trevor a while to finish up. She never felt him get into the bed, her eyes closing almost immediately in sleep.

  Trevor entered his bedroom and stopped, looking at Rebecca Ann in his bed and wanting her to stay there for eternity. He couldn’t reconcile that this beautiful, funny, and strong creature was chosen specifically for him by the Fates, as those bitches didn’t like him that much. He was in awe. He settled onto the bed, staying above the covers just like he told Rebecca he would. He turned onto his side and watched her as she slept. She wiggled in her sleep, so he pulled her to him and continued to watch her. As she rested on him, he could hear a slight snore come from her. It was cute as fuck. Trevor hoped that this time he was reading the signs correctly; he would hate to be wrong for a second time. He wouldn’t survive a second betrayal.

  Trevor fell asleep thinking of how to tell Rebecca about his animal, his clan, and his disastrous time with Janet. That last one would take the most courage. It was a very dark time in his life. He was just glad that he had survived long enough to find Rebecca.

  Chapter 2

  ~Rebecca~

  Light glimmered through the drapes, waking Rebecca. She stretched and yawned into her hand. Turning, she saw Trevor sleeping peacefully beside her, still on top of the covers. She gave a small smile and wiggled off the bed, heading to the restroom to take care of her morning rituals. Once done, she started toward the stairs and to the kitchen below. Coffee, she needed coffee.

  In the kitchen, she searched the cupboards and finally found coffee beans (an amazing Kona blend that was one of her favorites) and a bean grinder. She added enough beans for a full pot, pushed the top down on the grinder, and watched as the beans turned to an almost fine ground of manna before she added the beans and water to the coffee pot that was sitting next to the toaster on the countertop. While the coffee brewed, she searched the fridge for something to make for breakfast. She may not be a raving beauty, but she could cook. She found eggs, bacon, and bread in the fridge and vanilla in the cupboard. French toast was one of her specialties. This was gonna be so good. She started mixing the eggs and milk with the vanilla and a little sugar. She felt strong arms wrap around her waist and then she heard,

  “Babe, what are ya doing?” Trevor asked with gravel in his voice.

  “Making you breakfast as a thank you for letting me stay last night,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure how to thank you for the inconvenience I’d caused. I’m sure you had better things to do than to babysit me last night.”

  “I would never have anything better to do while you’re around, Rebecca Ann,” Trevor told her, wincing. “I have some stuff to tell you.”

  “Trevor, you don’t have to tell me anything, unless you want to,” she said as she looked up into his concerned, stormy dark eyes.

  “I want to tell you everything, babe,” he stated. “Let’s eat, then we can talk, yeah?”

  “Sure,” she said as she flipped the French toast. “Can you get coffee cups down and pour, please? I take three spoons of sugar and a little creamer or milk, whichever you have handy.”

  Trevor let Rebecca Ann go and turned to the cupboard above his coffee pot. Grabbing two large cups, he poured the coffee and added creamer and sugar to Rebecca Ann’s, leaving his black.

  “Yuck, how can you drink it straight?” she asked with a sour look on her face.

  “I don’t need any extras in my cup, babe. It puts hair on your chest,” Trevor told her jokingly.

  “So funny,” Rebecca said. “You don’t have a hairy chest, dude.”

  Trevor threw his head back and laughed. Pulling her to him, he kissed her, not hard and demanding, but soft and sweet. He could wake to this, to Rebecca in his kitchen, in his home, every damn day. He would need to talk with Marcus and the rest of the clan. They needed to know that he had finally found his true fated mate.

  Rebecca broke their kiss and turned back to the counter. She picked up the two plates she had prepared and set them on the table.

  “Let’s eat,” she said. “I have to get home soon. I have work this afternoon.”

  Trevor didn’t want her to leave. He wanted to keep her in the compound with him and his clan. He didn’t trust Alan at all, but he also wanted to keep Rebecca Ann to himself.

  Once they were done eating, Trevor helped Rebecca clean up his kitchen. Rebecca was surprised and said as much. His reply that it was quicker with two surprised her, as Alan would have never helped with what he called “woman’s work”. Rebecca was just glad that she was finally free of him.

  Trevor waited while Rebecca got ready to leave. While he was waiting, he went out onto his front porch. He saw Ian in the compound yard and called him over.

  “Ian! Yo, Ian!” Trevor called.

  Ian looked over and smiled as he headed across the compound to talk with Trevor.

  “Hey man, what’s up?” Ian asked.

  “I need to tell you something,” Trevor smiled widely.

  “Dude, tone down the wattage. You’re blinding me with those teeth,” Ian joked. Then doing a double take, he asked, “Wait, why are you smiling?”

  “I’m smiling because…” Trevor started to say, but then the front door opened to his cabin, and Rebecca walked out smiling shyly.

  “Never mind, dude. I can see why you’re smiling,” Ian said.

  “Ian, this is Rebecca. Rebecca, this is my best friend, Ian,” Trevor introduced. “Ian, where’s Lauren? I want her to meet Rebecca too.”

  Ian looked at Trevor in confusion. He hadn’t introduced anyone to him or the rest of the clan since Janet. The shit show of that catastrophe lived on every day within the clan, like ripples on a lake that never quite calmed.

  Trevor gave Ian a look to let him know he would tell him the whole story later. Trevor heard a door open across the yard, and looking behind him, he could see Lauren leading the twins towards their small group of three. Smiling, he waved. Lauren waved back, and then the twins yelled at seeing him and broke out into one of the most uncoordinated gallops he had ever seen. Watching them always made him laugh, and this time was no exception.

  “Hey, Lauren, I want you to meet someone,” Trevor began. “This is Rebecca, and Rebecca, this Lauren, Ian’s wife, and the two terrors attached to my legs are Noah and Liam, also known as the twins.”

  “Well, hello there, Noah, Liam. How are you?” Rebecca asked as she smiled down at the twin boys wrapped around Trevor’s legs.

  “Okay,” Noah said. Being the more outspoken of the two boys, he always took the lead on any interactions with the grown ups. Liam preferred to run and play and shift whenever it was possible. Being only almost two had its disadvantages, as the boys couldn’t quite control their shifts and sometimes they would tear right out of their clothes, leaving strips of torn fabric where ever they happened to shift at. While it was usually a natural occurrence, and no one would have to worry, they had not been as diligent as they should have on occasion. That sometimes led to quick exits from social events to the back seat of Ian’s car.

  Trevor watched the boys on his legs, playing and tugging on his pants. This is what he had always wanted: a mate and cubs of his own, a family. He looked up in time to see Rebecca Ann’s wistful expression. He smiled a little brighter and grabbed her hand. As they tried to turn to go to the car, both boys started to fuss.

  “That’s my cue,” stated Lauren, “that these little animals need breakfast.”

  “See you later, Lauren,” Trevor called as he watched her pick up each boy and place them on opposite hips. He laughed as he heard the baby talk that Lauren was sharing with the boys. It was always good to see them all so happy after their near miss, when Lauren had been taken by Hatchet and his thugs.

  “Alright, Trevor. See you later at the meeting with Marcus,” Ian said, as he too turned to go into his cabin.

  Trevor waved as he led her back towards his own home. He noticed she was shivering a little and said,

  “Rebecca Ann, we’ll take my truck into town. You’re looking a little
cold there, darling.”

  “Oh, well, we don’t have to,” Rebecca replied, “but it would be appreciated. If my mom sees me pull up on your devil machine, I’ll never hear the end of it.”