Alpha Bears And Brides (Red Lodge Bears) The Complete Collection

by Vivian Wood

  “It’s not a salad. That would be a terrible surprise,” he said, shaking his head. “Come on, let me show you.”

  Tugging her along by the hand, Gavin brought her to the back hallway. He stopped outside the closed door of the middle bedroom, the only unoccupied room in the guest house. Gavin gave Faith a quick glance.

  “Close your eyes,” he said.

  She pulled a face, but raised her hands and covered her eyes. Gavin opened the door and steered her inside, turning her to face the desk.

  “Okay. Open them,” he said.

  Faith dropped her hands, one flying up to her mouth to cover her gasp. Gavin had set up his mother’s old Remington typewriter on the desk, complete with a ream of fresh, crisp paper and extra ribbons. He’d added a dictionary, a thesaurus, and a copy of The Elements of Style.

  “There’s more,” he said, pointing to the window seat. There he’d placed two small easels, several palettes and a dozen different paint brushes, and various kinds of acrylic and watercolor paints. A stack of blank canvases leaned on the window seat, ready for Faith’s inspirations to come to life.

  The final flourish was a handful of hasty sketches and scribbled notes, made on napkins and notebooks, things Gavin had found around the house in the last few days. Whether she was conscious of it, Faith seemed to need creative release, in whatever form she could get it.

  “Gavin…” Faith said, her voice trembling. “This is just…”

  “Don’t say it’s too much. You’ve been wearing that phrase out lately,” Gavin told her.

  Faith turned from the window to gaze up at him, tears gathering in her eyes, making them luminous pools of green flecked with copper. Gavin admired the proud arch of her nose, the plump fullness of her soft pink lips, the graceful curve of her shoulders as she peered up at him.

  “You are ruining me,” she said, the smile on her lips clashing with the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks.

  “That’s the idea,” Gavin intoned. “I want you to want to stay with me.”

  A furrow graced Faith’s brow.

  “But why? You’ve done all this, and rescued me from my father… What could I possibly have to offer to you?” she asked, laying her fears out plainly.

  “I’m growing very attached to you, Faith,” Gavin said, choosing his words carefully. “I think you’re strong, and funny, and beautiful. I’d like… I want to be with you. Court you first, if you want.”

  Faith’s lips thinned slightly, telling Gavin he hadn’t gotten the answer quite right.

  “I can’t just live off your charity. I’m not going to be some kind of kept woman. How is that better than living with my father?” she asked.

  Gavin sucked in a breath. He knew she didn’t mean to be cruel, but her words did cut him.

  “I only want to help, Faith. You are free to do whatever you want, obviously,” he said, feeling his posture stiffen. Faith looked at him for a long moment before she softened, relenting.

  “Of course,” she said, turning to gesture to the typewriter. “I am grateful, Gavin, truly. I just don’t want to rush into any big decisions, you know? We still barely know each other. How can you be sure we’ll even suit one another?”

  Gavin stepped close, snaking out an arm to snare her waist and pull her up against his body. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, savoring the burn of desire that flared between them. He kept the kiss light, short and sweet, though he wanted nothing more than to deepen it, make her sigh with want.

  Instead, he broke the kiss and stepped back, giving her a reluctant smile.

  “Do you want to go on an adventure later?” he asked. “There’s a secret spot a couple of miles from here that I haven’t shown you yet.”

  “You’ve been holding out on me, huh?” Faith asked, her voice a little breathless.

  “Just waiting for the right time. I need to catch up on some work correspondence this afternoon, but maybe we can go after dinner. If you’re feeling brave, that is.”

  Faith rewarded him with a brilliant smile.

  “I think I can handle that,” she said.

  “Good. I’m going to leave you here, then,” he said, turning her toward the window seat and the blank canvases. She gave a happy sigh, and Gavin knew he’d said the right thing this time.

  64

  Nine

  After another amazing home-cooked meal, courtesy of Faith’s incredible skills in the kitchen, Gavin took her outside and told her to change into her bear form. He went around the corner of the house, trying not to grin as he stripped and shifted. Her modesty was endearing, but he planned to strip some of it away from her tonight.

  He led her north-east, away from the guest and main houses and through a lightly-wooded area. The path was a familiar one for him, the destination one he’d discovered with his brothers more than two decades earlier. The ground sloped upward in a gradual rise, growing rocky under their feet until the trees and brush diminished. The tree line ended suddenly, the trail climbing up to a rocky point in the midst of a small clearing.

  Gavin paused at the top of the trail, waiting for Faith to trudge up beside him. When she halted next to him, they both looked down into the clearing. The rock smoothed out just below them, showcasing a gently-steaming pool of water. The pool had no obvious source, just a rounded lip that beckoned. It was only about chest-deep at the deepest point, just right for leaning your elbows on the edge as you soaked, and had long been a cherished secret between Gavin and his brothers. They jokingly called it their hot tub, as it remained nice and hot year-round.

  Gavin felt Faith’s curious gaze. He’d already planned it out in his mind, knowing that if he wanted to push things further with shy, innocent Faith, he’d need to lead the way. It would require a little courage on his part, and a lot on hers, but he felt certain that the rewards would be rich.

  He walked down to where the ground leveled out and stood on his hind legs, shifting. He moved toward the pool slowly, giving Faith a full minute to understand his intent… and to ogle his bare body. He wasn’t as cocky as Wyatt, but Gavin worked hard to keep his body at the best physical condition, and he knew his bare ass looked good. He just hoped Faith thought so, too.

  He slid into the pool with as much grace as possible, submerging himself before turning back to face Faith. She’d moved a few paces closer, watching him with intent eyes.

  “I’m going to turn around and let you shift. It’s nice and deep in here, so you don’t have to show me anything you don’t want to,” he informed her.

  He watched Faith, holding his breath. After almost half a minute, her head dipped in agreement. She moved forward almost warily, making him suppress a smile as he turned and moved to the other side of the water. Giving her space, letting her take things slow.

  After a torturous minute of waiting, he felt and heard her slip into the pool with a sigh.

  “You can turn around,” she said. When he turned, he found her giving him a tentative smile.

  “Just being a gentleman,” he said with a grin and a shrug.

  “Mmmhm. I’ll be the judge of that,” she replied tartly.

  “Well, as much a gentleman as I can stand. You do tempt me more than feels fair,” he joked.

  “Me? I’m not sure how I could be. I’m always covered head to toe!” she protested.

  “Nudity isn’t the only kind of enticement, Faith.”

  She demurred, closing her eyes and submerging herself in the water. Gavin watched her as she rose again, the hot water slicking her blonde hair back, steam rising from the bare skin of her arms and shoulders.

  “I’m surprised it’s so warm,” she said, looking pleasingly flushed.

  “It’s a secret gem. I don’t think my parents even know about it,” Gavin said.

  Faith bit her lip, seeming rooted in place.

  “Faith,” he said. She looked up at him, clearly uncomfortable. “You can relax. Nothing is going to happen that you don’t want to happen.”

  “I jus
t… I know I haven’t said it, but I’m saving my virginity for my forever mate,” she blurted out, her face flaming. “It would be so easy to… you know, get carried away.”

  She couldn’t even meet his eyes as she said the words.

  Gavin nodded, refusing to let his amusement show.

  “What if I promise that we are definitely not going to do that tonight?” he asked.

  Faith gave him a suspicious glance.

  “Really?” she asked, cocking her head. Gavin couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head.

  “For being named Faith, you really have little of it. I’m telling you right now that you’re leaving here with your virtue intact. I would never want something you didn’t give to me willingly.”

  She looked a little embarrassed.

  “I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just… I know that you have… desires,” she said.

  “The same ones you do, yes. I want to kiss you, and touch you. I want that very badly.” Gavin enjoyed the little shiver she gave at his words. “But we can enjoy each other without doing anything too drastic.”

  Her gaze snapped up to his, curiosity burning bright in her eyes.

  “We can?”

  Gavin nodded, leaning his elbows on the side of the pool.

  “There are a lot of things we can do, Faith. In fact, I think maybe you should be in charge. If you come over here and kiss me, I promise not to even move unless you let me.”

  Faith’s eyes grew wide, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.

  “You promise? You’re just going to stay still?”

  “Come find out,” he challenged.

  Faith gave him a considering look as she waded over to him, stopping just inches away. She faltered then, looking a little flustered.

  “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted.

  “Maybe you should kiss me. You seemed to like that before,” he suggested.

  Faith edged closer, her arm brushing his. Gavin didn’t move a muscle, his feet planted firmly on the pool’s floor, his arms on the stone ledge. She reached out and placed a hand on his chest, sliding closer and closer. Her touch burned him, made him lust for her, but he refused to give in. Someone needed to show Faith that she could trust others to keep their word, and Gavin intended to be that person for her.

  She looked up at him, measuring his resolve. Gavin closed his eyes, waiting. When he felt her sweet breath against his lips, he nearly groaned aloud. This experiment was as much a session of torture for him as it was a trust exercise for her.

  At last her lips found his in a gentle brush. She sighed into his mouth as she pressed her lips to his, and he restrained himself enough to merely accept her touch. Faith leaned in, her arm sliding around his neck as her mouth opened, the soft tip of her tongue seeking his.

  Gavin tasted her, teasing, working his lips against her in languorous movements, keeping things slow and light. She threaded her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck, angling toward him until her breasts brushed against his chest, slick and firm under the water. His fingers flexed in place, convulsing with the need to touch her, dying to know the exact texture of her skin.

  Faith dipped her free hand under the water, running her fingers up his arm, tracing the muscles of his shoulder, his back. When her touch trailed down to explore his pec, his muscle jumped under her fingertips, making her start.

  She pulled back and looked at him, comprehending his discomfort in an instant.

  “Touch me, Gavin,” she said, her voice husky in the steamy night air.

  Still he kept himself on a tight leash, hands shaking slightly as he reached for her. He settled his hands at her waist, fingers kneading the slippery silk of her flesh. Faith leaned forward and renewed their kiss, letting it deepen. Their breathing grew heavier as their tongues danced and worked.

  Gavin shaped the soft curves of her hips, her ribs, her lower back. Faith urged him on, her knees and thighs touching his. She sidled forward, only to stop with a squeak when the rigid length of Gavin’s cock prodded her belly.

  “Oh! You’re…” She bit her lip, looking as if she might pull away.

  “Hard for you? Yes,” he told her. “But we’re still following the same rules. You can touch me, if you want. I won’t move.”

  Faith tilted her head, considering. Still worrying her bottom lip with her teeth, something Gavin desperately wanted to do for her, she slid her hand down his side, touching the firm muscle of his hip. Her fingers found the flat wall of his abdomen, the top of his thigh.

  When she finally touched his manhood, Gavin let out a puff of breath. Faith watched him diligently, her fingertips stroking up and down the length of him. Her hand closed around him, exploring in a soft stroke, and his head dropped back, eyes closing.

  “Good?” Faith asked, continuing her gentle torture.

  “So good,” Gavin breathed. His hands balled into fists, nails clenching into his palms as he struggled to keep himself from thrusting into her touch.

  “More?”

  “God, yes. Do it harder. You won’t hurt me,” he sighed.

  She tightened her grip, the hot velvet slide of her hand already threatening to unman him.

  “Do you want to show me?” she asked. Gavin raised his head to look at her, her innate sexuality warring with her complete innocence, and for a moment he was sorely tempted to show her exactly what he liked. To teach her to grip him, pump his cock just the way he liked, use her thumb to tease the sensitive spot just below the crown. Drag her out of the water and show her how to taste him, too…

  “Later,” he gritted out, reaching for her hand before things spiraled out of control. “I’d rather show you how I can touch you, make you feel good.”

  Desire flared in Faith’s eyes, and Gavin reached for her.

  “Come here,” he told her. “Let me hold you.”

  He pulled her close, turning so that her back rested against the pool’s edge. He kissed her deeply, sweeping his hands up from her waist to her ribs, waiting until her breathing grew heavy once more before bringing his hands up to cup the fullness of her breasts.

  Faith responded instantly, giving a soft moan as she arched into his touch.

  “I like that sound you make, Faith,” he encouraged her. “It’s so sexy. Moan for me, Faith.”

  He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, moving closer until his erection pressed into her belly. She gave another little moan, her eyes drifting closed, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. He brushed his lips over her neck, her collarbone, working her up to more.

  Gavin took her mouth, nipping her bottom lip, enjoying the pleasured yip that escaped her. He lifted her by the waist, settling her on the pool’s ledge. Before she could squirm or decry her nudity, Gavin lifted one supple breast, placing hot kisses just outside the rosy ring of her nipple.

  “Oh!” she cried, her fingernails raking his shoulders.

  His very male chuckle was almost more than she could stand.

  Gavin took the lush pink tip in his mouth, sucking firmly. Faith’s knees parted as she drew him closer to settle between her thighs. Gavin ground against her as he pleasured her, sucking and nipping and squeezing until she was undulating against his cock.

  He skated a hand up the top of her thigh, his thumb trailing along the soft inside. He moved his attentions to her other breast, using his fingertips to tease her navel, her abdomen, the top of her mound.

  When he brushed his fingers over her damp curls, Faith cried out. From surprise or want, he didn’t know. Gavin didn’t hesitate, releasing her breast and giving her a hard, demanding kiss. He penetrated her curls with a single fingertip, tracing the heat of her slit, nearly sighing at the evidence of her arousal.

  “Gavin,” she said, tensing.

  “Just relax for me. I’m just going touch you,” he promised. “Nothing more.”

  He slid his fingertip up to her clit, smiling when her breath hitched. He switched to use his thumb, swirling it around her clit in lazy circles.


  “Just like this, that’s all,” he said.

  “Will you kiss me?” Faith asked, more panting than words.

  He plundered her mouth, tongue dancing with hers as he increased the pressure and tempo of his touch. Faith rolled her hips toward him in slow movements. He cupped her breast with his free hand, rolling her nipple between his fingertips.

  “Gavin! Oh!” Faith whispered, carried away with pleasure.

  “Do you want more?” he asked, working his thumb against her clit.

  “No! Oh! I want—” Faith’s voice rose, her pants growing loud against the night’s silence. “Gavin, I—”

  Her hips jerked once, twice, and Faith shuddered into his touch. She buried her face in his neck, crying out her release, her nails scoring his shoulders as she rode the wave of her orgasm.

  She softened after a moment, dragging in ragged breaths. Gavin eased his hand from her, pulling her close so that he could embrace her fully. She felt so good in his arms, soft and pliant and sated. Gavin cursed his rampant, demanding erection, pressed between them and making itself more than a little obvious.

  “Oh my,” Faith said after a full minute, her lips moving against his neck. “I— I didn’t know that happened.”

  Gavin actually laughed, some of the need and tension seeping from his body.

  “It happens. A lot, if you’re lucky,” he teased.

  Faith raised her head to look at him.

  “Does it happen for you like that?” she asked, looking concerned.

  Gavin shrugged, trying to seem casual.

  “It can,” was all he would admit.

  Faith bit her lips, heat blazing to her cheeks before she spoke again.