Bear Cuffs: Bear Shifter Romance (Broken Hill Bears Book 3)

by Hawkes,Ariana

  “Sure,” he said. As he entered into her room, he brushed past her, the skin of his upper arm gliding against hers, and a current of electricity ran through her body. He went out onto the balcony and fiddled with the shutter and she followed him, curious to see if his technique was better than her own. “Okay. That should do it,” he said after a while.

  “You fixed it?” she stepped closer to see.

  “Let me just try and close it now.” He reached back and pulled the shutter into the closed position. As she took a step back to give him more space, she stumbled, and suddenly she was pressing right against his body.

  “Oops,” she murmured, and stepped forward again. But something wasn’t right. He seemed to be coming with her, his body remaining in contact with her own. His bear let off a purr, his mouth close to her ear and his breath warm and spicy. Somehow her hands found the balcony rail and gripped it tight.

  “Harper,” he breathed, his voice rough and snarly. His pecs were pressing against her shoulders, his pelvis against the apex of her ass. And – oh my god – he’s hard, she realized, feeling that familiar, but long-missed pressure at the small of her back. Suddenly she was very aware that he was only wearing his boxer shorts. His big, strong hands encircled her upper arms and he breathed in, taking a deep sniff of her hair.

  “What are you doing?” she hissed, beyond confused.

  “Do you want me to stop doing it?” he growled, and his hands slid up to the neck of the robe, hooked under the collar, and lifted it away from her shoulders.

  “I don’t know,” she replied, her voice a little shaky. He dipped his head and kissed her right at the point where her shoulder met her neck, his lips soft, and his teeth lightly grazing. She gave an involuntary shiver. He kissed her neck and her earlobe, and little tingles of pleasure danced in her veins.

  “Harper.” His voice hitched in his throat, husky and unbelievably sexy. She turned her head toward him, as she knew he wanted her to, and his mouth met hers in a searing kiss. Her lips parted instinctively and she made a sound, somewhere between a gasp and a moan, as her body seemed to turn to liquid. His arms wrapped around her waist, and his kiss deepened. His mouth. Those lips that she knew better than anyone’s. Those kisses that she thought she’d enjoy every day of her life, until they were snatched away from her so cruelly. Ignoring the voice in her brain that was telling her no, she threw herself into his embrace, her tongue seeking out his ravenously. His hands tangled in her hair. At one point, she realized that her eyes were wet, and the salt of her tears mingled in their mouths. She turned her whole body and threw her arms around his neck, caressing his chest and abs through his t-shirt. His cock pressed against her stomach, harder than ever, and his eyes were wild with desire. She was beyond wet, she realized, almost crazy with her longing for him. His hands went to her belt and he began to untie it.

  “Rocco –” she said, throwing a glance at the building opposite. They were still on the balcony. He shrugged and a wicked smile curled his lips. Leaning back into the room, he found a light switch and flicked it off, plunging them into darkness.

  “Better?” She gazed at him wide-eyed. “All the shutters across the street are closed. Can you smell any humans in close proximity?” She sniffed. No; she couldn’t. “So we’re okay?” His tone was hypnotic, achingly sexy. The Rocco she’d always known.

  “I guess.”

  “I remember someone once telling me that mating on a Parisian balcony would be the sexiest, most romantic thing ever.” She bit her lip.

  “They might have.” His hands returned to her belt and he unfastened it. She allowed it to fall completely off her, leaving her in only a set of black lace lingerie.

  “Outside, with the summer breeze cooling their bodies, the scent of flowers thick in the air,” he crooned. She gave a shudder, and in the same moment, lifted his t-shirt and pulled it right over his head. The feeling of his body against hers was incredible. The body of the boy she’d loved, matured into a man – more muscular and bulky, but still recognizable. Eagerly, she ran her hands over every bit of it. Rocco kept kissing her, more and more passionately, and his hands found the clasp of her bra, and he unfastened it and slipped it off.

  “Harper,” he murmured, cupping her large breasts in his hands. “Still the same girl, but even more beautiful.”

  “Funny. I was just thinking something similar about you,” she said, and her fingers hooked into the waistband of his shorts, as he took hold of her panties and eased them down. Both strong, athletic bears, they had always been at ease with their nakedness. They used to strip off as soon as they met up, and then mostly hang around naked. But now, it was still a shock to see Rocco in all his naked glory. 6’4” of solid, rippling muscle, and his cock so big and hard for her. She stepped out of her panties and he grasped her around the waist, lifting her up and placing her on the edge of the balcony. She cast a glance down to the dark street, three stories below and bit her lip.

  “Do you trust me?” he rumbled, standing between her thighs, his hands cupping her ass. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hooked her ankles around his hips.

  “I do,” she said, holding his glittering green gaze. With a purr, he entered her, sliding on her wetness until he was all the way in. She stifled a cry as he filled her up. Damn, he felt even better than she remembered. No-one could ever compare to him. He had such a big cock and he knew exactly how to use it. Her bear gave little rumbles and purrs as he began to move in her, thrusting gently, mindful of her precarious position.

  “Oh, Harper, you feel so good,” he murmured, his teeth nibbling at her earlobe.

  “You do,” she replied between pants. Her whole body felt like it was on fire, from her nipples to her pussy, which was clenching around his length in little flutters. And she was outside, under the Parisian night sky, mating with the sexiest guy in the whole world. It was like a dream.

  Her bear began scrabbling at her insides, demanding to be taken from behind. With a chuckle, Rocco picked up on it right away and pulled out of her. He helped her down from the rail and flipped her over, pushing her thighs apart before entering her from behind. She moaned and arched her back, wanting him to go as deep as he could, and he cupped her breasts, rolling her nipples between his fingers until she saw stars.

  “Okay, inside,” he said at last. “Or we’re going to wake up the whole street.” He lifted her up effortlessly and carried her onto the bed. He laid her on her back and paused, gazing at her with desire mingled with adoration, before spreading her thighs wide and entering her again. Harper was close to coming, his fast, rough rhythm driving her crazy, but she needed more. She began to struggle, trying to get him to flip, and he started laughing, knowing what she was about. Before long, they were tussling, just like they used to, flipping over and over on the bed, his big cock staying inside her all the time. At last he forced her to surrender, her muscles no match for his male bulk, and he took her facedown, spread eagled, thrusting again and again, until she came with a roar that was quickly echoed by one of his own.

  Rocco climbed off of her and pulled her into his arms, and they passed out, sweaty and exhausted, on top of the bedspread with the shutters wide open.

  The next thing Harper was aware of was an obnoxious beeping sound. The second was a rich, intoxicating and very familiar scent, and the third was a powerful, muscular arm wrapped around her waist. Her sleepiness dissolved in an instant and she froze. We mated last night? I was drunk. Shit! Rocco murmured in her ear and his body shifted behind her, reminding her that he was naked and so was she. Shit. Shit. Shit. Why did I let this happen? With a burst of annoyance, she took hold of his wrist and tugged his arm away from her body, then she rolled out of bed and stormed off to the shower.

  “Harper?” Rocco called drowsily, but she ignored him, slamming the door shut and locking it behind her.

  Her head was pounding from the alcohol they’d drunk the night before as she climbed into the shower cubicle. She made the water as hot as she could bear
it, then stood under the powerful jet, scrubbing until every trace of his scent was gone from her body. You shouldn’t have done that, she told herself. You’ve just gone and made everything more complicated. As if it isn’t bad enough being trapped in this mates-but-not-mates situation, you’ve now turned it into not-mates-who-also-have-sex. And then a thought hit her like a bullet in the head: Rocco seduced me last night on purpose. I’m right in the middle of my cycle, and he would’ve known that. Because he always used to know when I was fertile – it was how we used to avoid getting pregnant in our teens. He saw an opportunity to get me pregnant and took advantage of me being drunk. He wants me to start having cubs. Of course he does. She let off a snarl of frustration. Is that why he took me to Paris? To make me all soft and romantic, so I’d agree to mate him? As she got more and more mad, she scrubbed herself harder and harder, until she snapped her brand-new back scrubber clean in half.

  She opened the bathroom door cautiously, but Rocco was gone. He’d left a note on the bed: “Morning, little bear. Can you be ready by 10:30? I’ve ordered the taxi already xx.” She screwed it up and threw it in the bin, before gathering up all her things like a whirlwind, cleaning her teeth, combing her hair, getting dressed, and slamming out of the room with five minutes to spare.

  Rocco greeted her in the lobby with a big smile, looking more gorgeous than ever. She flashed him a weak smile in return, determined not to show any emotion until she’d worked things out in her head. During the journey to the airport, she gazed out of the window, still in awe of the beautiful, elegant city. Regardless of Rocco tricking her, she wanted to remember it as a perfect vacation.

  “What is it, Harper?” he asked when they’d checked their bags in and she was still evading his attempts to be affectionate.

  “It’s nothing,” she replied, and stalked over to a coffee bar.

  “You didn’t like mating last night?” he said, sitting down beside her with two cafés au lait. She looked away, unable to meet his burning gaze.

  “No, it’s not that,” she said. “I’m just tired. I didn’t sleep so well.”

  “Was it my snoring?” he said with a hint of sheepishness.

  “Yeah, that was it.” To her great relief, he let the subject drop. He knew she hated to have something forced out of her and that she’d tell him when she was ready, but she also sensed his unease, felt his bear pacing inside him. Good, she thought. He deserves this.

  As they boarded the plane and took their seats, she laid a hand reflexively on her belly. Did he make me pregnant? she wondered. Is there a seed growing in me already? The thought was painful to her. She’d always wanted to have cubs with Rocco, and more recently, she’d assumed she’d have cubs with her mate. But not like this. Not without us being true mates.

  12

  I shouldn’t have mated her last night, Rocco thought, gazing at Harper curled up in her seat, determinedly turned away from him and plugged into a movie, her face mostly hidden by a pair of oversized headphones and a blanket. We had the best time ever. It was a perfect weekend, and I made her real happy. And then I had to go and ruin it by seducing her. But the sex was incredible, his bear told him. He tried to shush it up, but already, the memory of it was inflaming his senses once more. Harper. He’d never dreamed that he’d be with her again. That incredible, sexy body wrapped around him, he buried deep inside her, while she wrestled and tussled him, urging him to give her more and more pleasure. She was mind-blowingly sexy. And she’d only gotten stronger and hungrier over the years. He was wracked with guilt now. But why? She’d wanted it too. He’d given her the chance to say she didn’t want it, but instead, she’d kissed him hard, touched him with those sensual caresses that had driven him crazy since day one, and then he couldn’t hold back anymore.

  Of course this had made things more complicated between them. But maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it would make her forget that she hated him. And she could learn to love him again, as he loved her. It had meant so much when she’d said that she wanted to stop fighting and be friends, and he’d really felt like there was something between them again while they were in Paris. But he’d moved too fast; scared her off. As he gazed at her, she stretched and pulled the blanket higher on her shoulders, and he felt a tenderness he hadn’t experienced in a very long time. I hope that’s not it; the last time we’re together, he thought, and his bear howled, deep inside him.

  Harper was similarly quiet on the ride home from the airport, complaining that she was tired and jetlagged. When they got home, she thanked him again for a lovely vacation, but her words were stiff and formal, and hit him like stabs in his heart. He offered to cook up some meat and potatoes for them both, but she said she was full from the food on the plane and didn’t need to eat, then she went up to her room to sleep. An hour later, he heard her creeping out of the cabin, her claws clicking on the wooden floors.

  The following day, they both had work, and he had to oversee a wrestling match in the evening, so he didn’t see her all day. After spending so much time together, he missed her like crazy, and he couldn’t stand the fact that she hated him again, and that he had no idea why.

  By the evening of the second day, he couldn’t take it any more. He went up to her room and banged on the door, determined to have it out with her.

  “Come in,” she called after a beat, and as he opened the door, she pulled herself up from the bed into a sitting position. She was pale and drawn, mauve shadows showing beneath her eyes.

  “What’s wrong?” he said, his resolve dissolving into concern. He could see that she was about to say “nothing”, before she stopped herself. He sat down beside her. “Tell me, Harper, please. Did I hurt you? Was it too much?” Her nostrils flared.

  “I don’t want to have your cubs!” she spat. He jerked back, confused.

  “O-kay,” he said slowly. “I mean, I guess that’s understandable. And I wouldn’t expect you to in this situation, I guess.” Her eyes glittered with anger.

  “What do you mean? That’s why you took me to Paris and mated me!”

  “What?”

  “I get it. I got it when I woke up after our drunken tussle. The whole trip was one big plan to seduce me. And it worked. And I’m probably carrying our first cub now. The cub of a man who’s not in love with me.” Uncharacteristically for Harper, her lip trembled and it was all he could do not to put his arms around her. But he suspected she might tear a chunk out of him if he did.

  “Harper, you weren’t fertile on Sunday. Right now – yes, you’re very fertile. But then, not at all.”

  “What?” She fixed him with a fierce glare.

  “You weren’t fertile when we mated,” he repeated helplessly. She let off a snort that was pure animal.

  “Then why did you mate me?” she demanded.

  “Because I wanted to. Because I wanted you. We both wanted each other.”

  “So it wasn’t all a plot to get me pregnant with your cub?”

  “No. Of course not. I took you to Paris to make you happy. And the mating wasn’t planned at all. It just happened.” Her eyes filled with confusion.

  “B-but. I thought –”

  “Harper, I’ve got so much respect for you that I’d never hatch some plot to deceive you into anything. If you decide you want cubs, and you don’t want to mate again, we can go see a doctor. Or use a turkey baster. Or something.” At that, she dissolved into giggles.

  “Okay, okay. I believe you. I think,” In relief, and without thinking, he reached for her hand, which was resting on the comforter. She snatched it away.

  “You’re confusing the hell out of me, Rocco,” she said. “If it wasn’t to get me pregnant, then why did you want to mate me?” His breath hitched in his throat.

  “Because I want you, Harper,” he said at last. “I want you all the time.” Her eyes burned with that characteristic flash of anger again.

  “You ruined everything in our teens. And you broke my heart. And now you’re telling me that you always want me?�
� she spat. “What’s changed, Rocco? I’m still the same person I’ve always been.”

  “But I’ve changed. I’ve grown up now,” he said helplessly.

  “What are you saying?”

  “I’m saying that I’ve got feelings for you, Harper.” To his surprise, this seemed to make her madder than ever, and he sensed that every one of her muscles was twitching with barely contained fury.

  “So you loved me forever. And then you didn’t love me. And now you’re telling me that you’ve got feelings for me?” She spat the word out as if it was something disgusting, and his throat tightened.

  “I was young and stupid when I broke up with you, Harper. I didn’t understand emotions,” he stuttered, stumbling through the lie.

  “How can I ever trust you after what you did, Rocco? One day you said we’d always be together, and the next, you broke up with me.”

  “It wouldn’t be like that. I promise.”

  “And why not?” She looked so angry and fierce that he knew her bear was moments away from bursting out of her.

  “Because –”

  “Because what?”

  “I can’t say.” At that, her claws broke out of her fingertips, ready to rip into him.

  “You’d better tell me right now, Rocco Silvester,” she growled. “Or you’re going to curse the day you decided to take me to Paris.” A pulse beat hard in his temples.

  “Because of the Oracle,” he said. “the Oracle told me I couldn’t be with you.” Her face crumpled.

  “What?”

  “I wasn’t supposed to tell you, but I guess it doesn’t matter anymore. I went to see the Oracle right before I broke up with you, and she told me that if I didn’t end it with you, then great misery and destruction would come into your life.” Harper shook her head.

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yes. It was the worst thing I could imagine hearing. My dad took me to see her, according to the family tradition. I was expecting her to tell me that it was time to ask you to formally become my mate, so I was all happy and careless. And then she gave me this terrible news. I just fell apart.” Her eyes had become very wide, the whites gleaming in the dim light of the room.