Beauty and the Bear: Denali Den #1 (Alaskan Den Men)

by Rebecca Thomas

  “No.” But she didn’t really mean it.

  “Too bad you’re wearing shorts now, because I was having fantasies this morning about flipping up the skirt you wore and doing you on the table.” He paused a half second. “Unless you’re backing out of the deal.”

  She wanted to stomp her foot on the ground, but that would be too juvenile. “I’m not backing out. I’m not having second thoughts. I will have a contract written up for both of us to sign…unless you’re backing out?”

  “All I said was I had to sample the goods first. Then, I’ll sign whatever you want because I have a feeling I won’t be disappointed.”

  “Maybe you will be.” She had a sudden case of insecurity and she hadn’t meant to actually say the words out loud. It wasn’t as if she propositioned guys for daily sex every day, or in her case, ever.

  “Sweetheart.” He leaned in close and sniffed her again. “That ain’t gonna happen.”

  Her pulse raced. His smell—his breath—everything about him sent her senses into a frenzy of confusion mixed with lust. “Are you going to go get that kid? Or are you going to let him get lost in the woods?”

  Silas ran into the dense spruce trees where Evan had gone a few minutes before. He called over his shoulder, “Looking forward to seeing you tonight, Blue!”

  Yeah, she was looking forward to it too, and that was the problem.

  As much as she claimed she didn’t want to back out of the deal, in her heart she did. He’d give her amazing orgasms. He’d make her fall for him, then he’d have his mail-order bride show up and, where did that leave her?

  4

  Silas caught up to Evan in five minutes. The kid could probably beat him in a short sprint race, but not over prolonged distance and not over this kind of terrain.

  “Evan!” he called out. “Let’s stash our clothes over here.”

  Evan turned around and followed Silas into a thicket near a waterfall.

  “Are we going Native?” he asked.

  “Of course we are. That’s why you’re here, right? To learn to control your bear. I’m here to help you as much as I can.”

  “When my aunt told me Denali Crossings was run by werebears, I didn’t believe her.”

  “Believe it.”

  Evan had lost both his parents to hunters and didn’t have the guidance he needed. In his grief, Evan had turned to crime. Minor consumption and petty theft were fairly harmless, but going unchecked, especially for a werebear, could prove fatal to their kind. Too many times bears had nearly been exposed. Every werebear feared that day. If they had to stay in human form forever and never go Native, they’d most certainly be incarcerated.

  As they pulled off their shirts, Silas asked, “Are you having shifting problems?”

  “No. I’m good with shifting. It’s just when I get so angry, I start to shift without wanting to. Then I need to remove myself from whatever is pissing me off, or freak some humans out, one or the other.”

  “That’s a common problem.” Silas unbuttoned his jeans and shoved them down. “If you don’t go Native often enough, it becomes harder and harder to suppress the urge. You need to make sure, wherever you settle, that you’ve got access to land. Safe land. And with Denali Park right here, we’re as safe as we can be.”

  “There are always going to be poachers,” Evan said with bitterness.

  “Yes, there always will, but suppressing your bear won’t help you acclimate into human society.”

  “Why can’t we just have our own society—our own towns?”

  “They exist.”

  “They do?” the young bear asked hopefully.

  “Yeah, the town of Icy Cap, up north near Barrow is one of them. Lots of werebears settle there. In fact, weres of all different species live there.”

  “No shit?”

  “Listen, we’ll talk later.” Silas stood completely naked, feeling at one with nature. This was how he felt most comfortable, without clothing binding him, confining him. He could never give up his bear. Another reason why he could never be with a human. “Let’s get going. I’ve got to be back in time for dinner.”

  Evan nodded and shifted into his young bear form and Silas did the same. Evan took off running across the tundra and Silas followed. Being naked, he couldn’t keep from thinking about Blue and how beautiful she’d look when he’d see her naked tonight. He wasn’t sure if she’d back out of their sex-once-a-day deal though. He had sensed her anxiousness, but he sensed her feistiness too. He also sensed her desire. In fact, he’d be lying if he didn’t say he’d noticed her from the minute she’d set foot in camp. Whatever it was, he wanted her, and if she offered herself up on a shiny silver platter, then who was he to say no?

  Actually, he knew plenty of reasons to say no. What if he started to fall for her? He’d heard about bear-human mated pairs, but they were rare and they weren’t in his family. Werebears and humans lived in the same world, but they didn’t share the same world. He wasn’t willing to give up his bear-ness. Besides, no human could match his sexual appetite.

  Werebears were too rough around the edges for most humans. He didn’t need foreplay, flowers, or romance. He just needed sex.

  Although running through the woods, with a cool breeze on his face, he imagined taking things slow with Blue; coaxing her along, teasing her clit, licking her folds, making her beg for for him to take her. He loved her smell—and dammit if he didn’t have a hard-on just thinking about bedding her.

  She wasn’t right for him, he reminded himself. She asked nosy questions, and she was a human! She’d never want sex hard and fast. All the humans he’d dated—albeit there were very few—had never lasted more than three dates. Things moved too slowly with them. There was a time for slow, but there was a time for fast. Whenever he’d seen Blue around camp, he’d gotten hard in record speed. He wanted to take her in the woods, throw her over a log, and take her right then and there.

  Evan continued to run. That kid had a lot of energy, but if Silas was going to get laid tonight, he needed to get back to camp.

  He growled for Evan to follow him back down the side of the mountain to where they’d left their clothes. Evan complied. He was a good kid. He just needed to embrace his bear in more appropriate ways.

  It was almost time for dinner and Silas didn’t want to be late. No chance he’d miss his sex-date with Lexi-Blue Durham.

  5

  Lexi was so nervous she didn’t even go to dinner and now at 10:45 p.m. she was famished. She took out the muffins Silas had packed for her and proceeded to snarf down every last one of them while she read over the contract she’d written.

  Once a day sex.

  A contract between Silas Vane and Lexi Durham.

  The rules: Protection required at all times. Kinkiness optional: both parties must agree. Time allotment: One hour, daily.

  What was she forgetting? Oh, yeah, the dirty talk. Maybe if she didn’t write it in, he’d forget that part. Maybe they should establish a location. She wrote: Location: Lexi’s cabin.

  She’d feel safer in her own environment. Besides she didn’t want to see his laptop and the potential brides he contacted.

  Taking a drink of water, she willed her stomach to unknot itself. She’d never done anything so crazy in her life. It was true, she always had a tough time resisting a dare or a bet, but this was a little different. She held the pencil to her chin. Then again, maybe this wasn’t so different. When she’d seen Silas looking at that Internet dating site, a small part of her screamed jealousy. She wanted to be one of those women he admired and was interested in contacting. She was a willing—scratch that—more than willing participant, but he was looking for a bride, not a date, which was the really strange thing. Usually women looked to commitment and marriage before men did, but Silas was an anomaly.

  She wiped the crumbs from her face and glanced at her clock. 10:56 p.m. She stood and paced across the small one room cabin. She’d likely scuff up the hard wood floors if she had to wait much longer. She w
ore only a robe and slippers, not a stitch of anything else, except her mom’s plain gold wedding band on her right hand.

  A knock sounded. 11:00 p.m.

  Oh God. He would be right on time.

  She opened the door.

  Silas stood outside her door holding a bouquet of wildflowers. “You’re supposed to be naked.”

  “I needed to at least see who was at the door first. You never know who might be walking by.”

  He shrugged. “All right. That’s probably true. I don’t want anyone else but me seeing you.”

  She stood in the doorway feeling a sense of hesitation. Her heart beat so hard, she thought her chest might explode.

  “Are you going to invite me in?” he asked.

  “Yes.” She willed her body to move to the side.

  He stepped past her and the cabin suddenly felt even smaller.

  He held out the flowers. “These are for you.”

  “Thank you. Is this your attempt at being romantic?” She took them, filled a glass full of water and stuck the miniature bouquet in the makeshift vase. She locked her hands on the edge of the sink and kept her back to him.

  “I don’t do romance under normal circumstances and certainly not now. We have an arrangement,” he said from behind her. His voice sounded serious and deliberate. “Now take off your robe.”

  “Don’t you want to see the contract first?” She didn’t move.

  “No. Actually I want to see you first.” His voice carried an edge to it.

  “Oh,” was all she managed to squeak out between heavy breaths.

  “We need to see if we’re sexually compatible before I go signing any contract.”

  “I see.” Once he saw her naked, that was it, there would be no backing out. “Shouldn’t we slow things down a bit, maybe…” She swung around determined to face not only the sexy Alaskan man in her cabin, but her fears as well. “We could play a board game or cards?”

  “Blue, you are wasting my time. Let’s get on with it. I’m here for one reason and one reason only—to have sex with you. Are we doing it or aren’t we? Because I’m telling you—I want it, and I want it bad.”

  She bit down on the inside of her mouth, tasting a tinge of blueberries mixed with blood. Reaching for the sash as her waist, she pulled at the ties. Before she had a chance to change her mind, she shrugged out of the terry cloth robe and let it fall to the floor,

  She watched Silas survey every inch of her. Her gaze never left his face. Whatever he had to say, she was ready for it.

  “You’re beautiful.” He cleared his throat and scratched at his cropped beard. “I didn’t think you’d really do it.”

  She swallowed hard and couldn’t come up with anything to say.

  “You’re not a blond. You’re brunette.”

  “I color my hair,” she said simply.

  “I like it,” he said smoothly. “I like that you’re like a mix and match type of girl. I can appreciate that.”

  He cleared his throat again. “Okay, where’s this contract?”

  “Um, it’s right over there. On my desk.”

  He started to walk toward the desk, but then he stopped. “Actually, we were going to test things out first before any signing started, weren’t we?”

  “Yeah, I guess so.” When he bent over in front of her, she nearly jumped. “What are you doing?”

  He picked up her robe and tossed it over the back the chair beside her desk. “I didn’t want to step on your robe.”

  Standing still as a statue, she kept her gaze forward.

  He prowled around the back of her, and circled around another time. She could practically feel the warmth of his breath on her skin.

  “You are more beautiful than I imagined, Blue.” He made a tsking sound from behind her. “Let’s get on with it then.”

  “W-what do you mean?” She swung around and noted the dark shadows stretched across his face.

  He reached out and cupped both her breasts. His thumbs circled her nipples. His hands were so warm and soft. Immediately, she ached with need. Her back involuntarily arched. Goose bumps erupted across her skin. “I-I wanted a little bit of talking, remember?”

  “So go ahead.” Dragging both hands over her quivering belly, he slid them behind her and squeezed her ass. “Talk.”

  All she could think to do was to delay this somehow, but then again, why? She wanted this. “But I was thinking you’d talk.”

  He took a step back and shrugged off his tee shirt. “Get on the bed.”

  She licked her lips, but she didn’t move.

  “Please get on the bed.” He unbuttoned his jeans, pulled on the zipper, and looked up at her. “We are doing this, right?”

  Her eyes widened, she nodded and moved to her twin bed in the corner.

  “You, um, I’m really nervous,” she blurted.

  He slid off his jeans followed by his boxers. Standing there completely naked, his muscles were so well defined. A light dusting of brown hair covered most areas, but not all. Lexi didn’t know if she’d ever seen anyone as gorgeous.

  “It’s normal to be nervous.” He crawled on the bed and hovered over her. He dipped his mouth down to one of her nipples and sucked.

  The exquisite feel of his hot mouth on her breast sent shards of yearning to every nerve ending in her body. His focus on her so intense. His breath so warm.

  Her hands automatically tussled his hair, involuntarily urging him forward. He sucked harder and deeper, almost to the point of pain, but not quite. A mewling sound broke from her mouth.

  His warm hands moved to her legs and pushed them apart, followed by his knees prying them apart farther, pinning her down against the thin mattress.

  She gasped.

  His probing fingers, the heat of his body, and the feel of his mouth sucking her breasts quickly made her forget about being nervous. Her hips locked up, then became pliable, then jerked. She wanted him to ease up, slow down. It had been so long since she’d been touched. Yet, all she knew in this moment was that his attention and his desire were focused completely on her, and she delighted in it.

  He explored between her thighs, with his hands, then with his mouth. “You’re wet. Just for me.”

  She couldn’t reach his hair any longer and didn’t know what to do with her hands. Bunching the sheets in her fists, she peered down at him.

  He lifted his head from between her thighs. Their eyes locked, but his warm hands still moved over her most intimate areas. His size and presence made her feel whole, and wanted, and maybe even worshiped.

  Panting, she answered him. “Yeah, that’s right.”

  His fingers moved with precision. She couldn’t think of any other way to describe it. His fingertips gently stroked, then plunged inside her. He moved expertly back and forth, over her most sensitive areas with the perfect amount of pressure, playing her like an instrument designed specifically for him, and she could do nothing except lap it up. It occurred to her that maybe she shouldn’t have made this so easy. He told her to get on the bed, and she’d done it. She didn’t even insist on talking first, but then again, why? She was good with this. All of this. This was better than any fantasy she could have imagined.

  “Do you like this, Blue?” he asked with a gravelly voice. “Is this how our every day sex deal is going to go down?”

  She took pleasure in knowing he sounded different, that she had an effect on him. “I’ll take it however you’re willing to give it, so long as you keep doing what you’re doing.”

  “Tell me how it will be.” He continued to stroke, increasing the pressure, bringing her closer to the edge.

  “Tell you what?” she managed to ask between heavy breaths, but her brain could not keep a coherent conversation going for much longer.

  He moved up, his warm breath blew into her ear. “About our every day sex deal. If it’s in your cabin today, where’s it going to be tomorrow?”

  “Um…here in my cabin is good. In fact, I put location on the contract—jus
t here in my cabin.” She squirmed against the ache growing deep in her belly.

  “No,” he whispered. “You can do better than that. You’re my adventurous girl willing to take a job far away from everything she’s known. Name something more…risk-taking.”

  “I don’t think we mentioned anything risky. In fact, you need to make sure to wear a condom. I put that in the contract too.” She arched her back. “And why are we talking so much?”

  “You requested some talking time—and I’m giving it to you, just the way you want it. At least I hope that’s what I’m doing. But remember, I wanted some dirty talk out of you.”

  She bit down on her bottom lip and shook her head. Damn, she’d hoped he’d forget that part. “No. I mean yes, I remember.”

  His lips touched the outer shell of her ear. “I want to hear it, Blue.”

  He buried his finger inside her, coaxing her, caressing her. He pressed the heel of his hand down on her clit and rubbed. Her hips lifted off the mattress. A whimpering sound erupted from her lips. So close to coming, her body felt like it might turn inside out with the desire.

  “Tell me.” He pulled his fingers from her wetness.

  She cried out. “Don’t stop.”

  “Don’t stop what?” he asked.

  Damn. He was not going to let up. “Don’t stop what you’re doing with your hands. The only thing I’d like better is if—”

  “Is what, Blue?” His warm breath caressed her ear.

  “Just do it!”

  “Do what?” he lifted a brow and asked innocently.

  “Put your dick inside me—now.”

  “There’s my girl,” he practically hummed. “We might have to make some improvements on the dirty talk, but it’s definitely working for me.”

  “Don’t forget a condom.”

  He took a condom and rolled it over him. “Nope. I won’t forget.”

  Lexi had a sudden case of nerves, but she was going through with this. She felt desired and wanted and although nerves were getting the better of her, she knew this was exactly what she wanted.