Shifting Impulse: A BBW Bear-Shifter Romance (Complete Edition - Books 1-3)

by Aurora Woodlove

  "I know it's not the best way of spending my life, but I need to be around people in a bar. It energizes me and it keeps me alive. The problem is most people take advantage of me and that's why Celine keeps telling me to grow up and be selective with who I trust. Like now... you're a stranger who could do anything to me since you're in my car. Even hurt me. Do you see what she means?"

  "Baby, I wouldn't hurt you and I would certainly not let anyone do that," he reached out and placed his hand on hers on the steering wheel.

  Being around him made her more peaceful and she had to admit she felt safe. Being called baby by this growly, sexy shifter made her blood boil. His presence warmed her core like she'd never experienced. His touch made her almost melt. Why had she thought she could focus on driving with him next to her? How on earth was she supposed to keep her eyes on the dark road when all she wanted to do was get naked with him?

  "Please stop calling me that if you're not interested in me and let's change the subject."

  His bear growled in frustration and wanted to be let loose, yet the man couldn't argue with her. He knew Janet was into him more than she imagined, but in order to keep things casual, he preferred to keep his mouth shut.

  The thermos Janet had filled with coffee was in the place between the seats. "Do you want some coffee?" Sean asked as he grabbed the shopping bag full of food and things he'd got from the non-stop supermarket they had stopped at on their way.

  Janet nodded and turned on the music. The local radio station had pop-country music at night. The selection was decent and Janet liked to listen to it on her way home from work.

  Sean poured the coffee and added sugar into Janet's as she instructed. He preferred black coffee. They had just left the city so the road wasn't as distracting as before. Exhaustion made it difficult for Janet to focus on the road, but when Sean put his hand on her thigh, she was definitely awake and aware of her surroundings. The more he touched her, he more uncomfortable his jeans were. She didn't say anything, so he kept his hand on her leg. It fired him up, but he had to endure the sweet torture. They had to get to their destination safely.

  "Tell me about the place we're going to. I haven't done much research, to be honest."

  "It's my favorite place up here. It's a side hiking trail that goes up for about an hour and leads straight to the banks of the first lake. The mountains around North Bloom Lake are extremely old, so with time earthquakes have created many lakes, but only four of them are accessible and popular with tourists, The Source and the three Crystal Lakes. I'm taking you to the First Crystal Lake, the most spectacular of them, on a route known only by locals, so you could say you hit the jack-pot when I offered to show you around. The Crystal lakes are a succession of three alpine lakes between the altitudes of 1700 and 2500 meters. These lakes are more or less aligned and the view is mind-blowing. You can only reach the first one by car, having to hike to get to the other two. It's quite a challenging route and tourists have died trying to get to the highest lake. You see... the slopes are quite steep and the trails aren't great because the local council is trying to keep this place a natural reservation, but it's tough with the increasing regulations and the number of tourists we get. Some of them just want to take selfies up there and they treat the place like it's a camping spot. The forest is quite safe during the day, but at night it's the territory of huge brown bears, mountain lions, rare mountain goats, deer and other wild animals. Some people are so careless they end up dead."

  Eager to get there faster and see what all the fuss was about, Sean inquired. "So do you think we're going to make it in time to see the sun rise?"

  "Of course, I usually go right after my shift ends. We'll make it in time. Why is your hand still on my thigh?" she said as she turned her head in his direction and curiosity was written all over her face. What she really wanted to say was don't stop touching me, but she didn't add that. He didn't need to know how easy she was right now, how fast she could get naked with him if only he made a move and how much she had drooled ever since she'd met him.

  Sean chuckled. The cocky bastard was enjoying himself. "It's to make sure you won't fall asleep. The last thing we need is a trip to the hospital or worse, the land of no return."

  The truth was she could handle everything but herself around him. "I can handle driving, thank you very much. I drive at night very often. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I'm that easily distracted."

  "Oh, I can tell you know where you're going and can handle driving at night." With that he took his hand away. "I'm the one who's nervous, I'm not used to being around women, so it was more of a gesture to calm myself down and not do something stupid, but you're right that you are in control and can handle everything."

  "Thank you," Janet retorted with sarcasm.

  "Aren't you going to be cold in that t-shirt? It's up in the mountains and it's early," he inquired.

  "I'm always prepared. I have a jacket, trainers, a picnic basket, a blanket, a few bottles of water, a first aid kit, a flashlight and other things. I usually keep them at the club, in my locker. My friends are quite unpredictable, so when we're in the mood we just grab a few things from the supermarket and spend a few hours up in the mountains. Chasing the sunrise is actually a thing in our group," Janet proudly announced.

  "Is that how you got that great suntan?"

  "Actually it is, I don't go to the pool. I can't stand just lying down and sunbathing. Since we're so far from the ocean or any sea, the swimming pool is the only option to get a tan for most women around here. I prefer the more active version. Me and my friends actually play different games in our bathing suits when we're up there. It's a risk, you know... all that exposed skin for bugs and there's a chance to get sun-burnt very easily, but some sunscreen and some insect repellent work wonders. I know I don't look like the hiking type, but I'm a very outdoorsy person, I love everything that has to do with nature and if it involves people, then I'm all in. I sometimes organize hiking trips for tourists with one of my friends who does most of the carrying," she snorted and the atmosphere in the car lightened.

  She had the most mesmerizing laughter. Sean could feel the connection between them strengthening and his bear was satisfied that they were close. Fighting the flashes of them connecting sexually was another thing. She hadn't seemed to notice the low grunts that came out of his throat every time he shoved one of those flashes to the back of his mind.

  Janet could feel his eyes digging holes in her cheek. "What is it? Why are you looking at me like that? Did I grow a second head all of a sudden or what?"

  "No, you only have one head. I want to know more about you. And whenever I say or do something stupid, you have a gorgeous smile. So wonderful it lights up my world. You turn me into a stupid teenager, baby. And I'm nowhere near that age."

  "How old are you?"

  "Thirty-seven," he looked straight ahead as he answered. The road was clear and it was still night.

  "And you're single? You must be a real lady's man if you're thirty-seven and still single," she snorted.

  He was nowhere close to amused by her words. Actually he seemed lost in his own world. His blue eyes were as clear as the sky on a bright, sunny day. "I'm single by choice. My family is very important to me and I have to take care of them." He wanted to tell her she was the first woman to spark his interest in years, five to be more precise. He had been with other women, but it had been only a matter of scratching an itch for both.

  "So, you travel a lot to avoid commitment. It's normal for men. I totally get it, don't worry."

  He looked down and shook his head a few times, as if he was having an internal argument with himself. "My life story is boring. I travel because it makes me feel alive and I'm hoping to teach people that animals are here to be admired, not shot dead and put on a wall as a trophy. It's the only way I can feel like my old self. After my father died when I was fifteen, my world crashed. He had several businesses and even though my uncle managed all of them until I was twenty-one, I
had to take over after that. Intense work took away many years of my life. I don't remember much of what my life was like between twenty-one and thirty. It was all a routine of work, manage problems, come back home, eat, sleep and the next day do the same.

  "Why was it like that?"

  "Because we had loans to pay off. I managed to make my family debt-free right before I turned thirty. It was a lot of hard work, it turned me into a horrible person, but it was worth it."

  "What do you mean it turned you into a horrible person? You seem nice enough to me."

  "Managing construction sites isn't a job for the fainthearted. If you don't dominate those men, they will end you. If your teams don't end you, the investors and clients will. I don't wish that type of stress to anyone. I don't know how my father did it. I knew he was a thick-skinned bastard who bossed people around all day long, but I only understood why he was like that when I had to start working on one of the construction sites as a teenager. I absolutely hated people. I couldn't stand them. I was the worst boss ever. I even heard some of them saying I was worse than my father, but as long as I kept my eyes on my aim, paying off the loans, I could do it. I had no life or friends. Only Dean. He was my best-friend ever since we were kids. If it weren't for him, I think I would have gone crazy. It was him who introduced me to photography. That's why I'm here. Whatever he needs help with, I'm here to do it. This exhibition is going to help him so much."

  The car stopped. They were in the middle of the forest, on a wide plateau where a tiny trail led up the mountain.

  "We're here."

  Sean unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door. He took a deep breath and instantly connected with Mother Nature. His favorite feeling in the world. He got out of the car and Janet followed. He got his equipment out and took Janet's bag out of her hands before she could put it on her shoulder.

  "I've got the muscles, you do the thinking," he joked as he followed her onto the trail. This was going to be a distracting and excruciating hike. His balls ached like a motherfucker and his dick had been hard for hours now. He didn't know what he could do to relieve some of the pressure, but he hoped hiking helped.

  It was the crack of dawn and the sun was still down. Chilly. Refreshing. Foggy. If the fog didn't disappear soon, his photos would have to wait.

  In silence, they walked side by side, Sean carrying everything like it weighed nothing. "So, how did your dad die? Was he sick?" Janet asked, even though she knew shifters didn't get sick.

  "We don't know what happened. I found his limp body on the front porch one morning. He was just lying there like he was asleep, but I felt something was wrong. I thought he was passed out because he had come home pissed drunk a few times. I remember only feeling his pulse, the lack of it, and calling for my mum. It was many years ago and I've tried to forget about it, but haven't managed. I had nightmares for a few years until I accepted the idea that I couldn't have done anything to save him."

  "You were just a teenager, Sean. I can't imagine how horrible it must have been... What about your mum?"

  "Mum's okay. She loved him so much she didn't remarry. She supported me in everything. I would have never managed to do much without her guidance and love. She is a force of nature. She owns a clothes shop and two bakeries. She doesn't work as much as before now, but it gives her something to do when she's not helping the community by organizing festivals and charities."

  "She seems like a wonderful lady."

  "She is, when she's not annoying the life out of me to find myself a woman."

  "That's how all mums are. I know mine is, anyway. Unfortunately, I don't follow any of her advice."

  "Why not? She wants what's good for you."

  "Look who's talking. Well, my mum is special. She had this plan for me. She outlined my whole life and told me what I had to do when I was a teenager. I got sick of that when I was about nineteen, so I left home. I moved in with a friend and got two jobs. My mum can't understand that I don't want to be what she didn't have the chance to become. She wants me to find a rich guy, get married, buy a house, a car and have a dozen children she can torture with her stupid old-fashioned ideas. She's so stubborn she can't understand this is the twenty-first century and it's possible for a woman to carve out her own future. I'm not saying I have a plan, but I want to have my own bar one day. A place where there are live concerts for new bands and where students can meet and study during the day. Maybe a diner. I don't know yet. I've been working on saving money for it."

  "I like the idea. I can see how passionate you are about it and I know you can do it. Just don't give up. I got into photography just before I had managed to pay off the loans and I've been doing it as a full time job ever since I was thirty-one."

  "I'm thirty-one now. I know I will do it, but sometimes I am afraid I won't have anyone to share the burden with. I mean, now I have a lot of wonderful friends, but when you don't have time to invest in those relationships, you lose them. It scares me to think mum might have been right. That I will grow old alone."

  Sean clenched his teeth. His mate was so sad. She'd said she had been single for four months. Maybe she still missed her ex. His bear had claimed her as his, but Sean's human side still struggled with the idea and he had no clue if she would accept him once she knew that he was a shifter. It terrified him to even think about telling her, so he kept his mouth shut and just continued to walk beside her. His mate. The one he couldn't have. Why did she have to be human?

  CHAPTER SIX

  As Janet and Sean advanced on the trail, the already dense fog thickened. The humidity made Janet's skin clammy and the gloominess affected her mood.

  A bit tired from the hike when she'd gotten so little sleep in the past few days, Janet mumbled with a defeated voice. "This weather sucks. How are you going to take any pictures when we can't see three feet ahead?" She ducked to avoid a tree branch.

  "Well, I'm used to that. I can use any type of weather to get stunning shots. I just have to find something that catches my eye. That's going to be difficult with you around though."

  He thinks you're distracting. He likes you.

  To keep her thoughts from going in the wrong direction, she fought back. "I don't see how me being here is a problem. Care to explain, big guy?"

  "Let's just say it's a good thing you're here. I like your company. My guides are usually old hunters who don't talk much. It's a nice change. Keep close, you don't want to get lost around here in this weather. It's probably going to start pouring soon. Do you have any waterproof gear?"

  "Shit! I haven't thought about that. I left the raincoats and umbrellas in my locker. I'm going to start praying it doesn't rain."

  "Not much we can do about it now. My bag is waterproof, so we're safe."

  At the word "we" her heartbeat increased and her legs seemed to give in for just a split second. Not saying anything right now was better. She didn't know how her voice would sound anyway. Not looking where she stepped, Janet tripped on one of the many exposed roots and almost fell face down. That wasn't what happened because two bulgy, steady arms caught her in mid fall. Now she couldn't breathe anymore. His skin was touching hers, stirring the fire in her veins. Not even the chilly, wet fog could do anything to cool her desire down. She was sure as hell caught now.

  He inhaled as he closed his eyes and steadied her. When he opened them his eyes had that darkness in them again. He licked his full, delicious lips and she couldn't support her weight anymore. His eyes caught movement to her right and he gently moved her behind him in a protective gesture.

  Before she realized what was happening, Janet heard a snarl. It didn't stop and it seemed to be coming closer. Another stronger snarl vibrated. Sean's animal was feeling threatened by something. She peeked from behind her mountain-man and an angry mountain lion came into view. She couldn't see what Sean was doing, but he appeared to be staring intently at the animal in front of him.

  "Thhat's a wild animal," she whispered even though he could probably hear her very well
, being this close and him being a shifter. "What are you doing?"

  "Just stay behind me and don't move. I can handle this cat."

  His body started vibrating and the scariest roar she'd ever heard echoed the forest. It was a human version of a roar, but it did the trick, she heard the mountain lion running away. Still cradled behind him, Janet was still. For a few moments none of them moved, but Sean was the one who turned around.

  Her face was probably white and she didn't know how scared she looked, but she was. Not because of the mountain lion. No. Sean could protect her. He was the reason she was so terrified she couldn't even move. Normal reflexes.

  "What waaas... that?" she managed to say.

  His warm arms wrapped around her and all she could see was his rock-hard-bulging chest. His chin rested on her head and softly he kissed her hair. She couldn't sense the smell of the damp pine trees or wet, earthy signature fragrance of the forest. She was enveloped in his spicy, masculine scent and she didn't want to be separated from him. She felt her hair being caressed and managed to get herself together. She placed her hands on his chest and distanced herself from him. He looked distressed to have been separated from her.

  "That was my own method of dealing with wild animals. If you are able to imitate a bear roar and you look threatening enough, smaller wild animals run away," he said as he wiped his hands on his camouflage trousers.

  "I see, you're quite the wildlife expert, but that was still strange. We should get going before that mountain lion decides to come back."

  "Walk ahead of me, I'll make sure you're safe."

  He picked up the bags off the ground and Janet tried to remember if she'd seen him put them down. She didn't remember anything.

  After about three quarters of an hour of silently hiking on the trail, they reached the edge of the lake. The sun was nowhere to be seen and everything that was visible was a part of the lake. Just as Janet wanted to open her mouth and say something, Sean silenced her.