The Bear's Reluctant Wolf

by Jenika Snow

  “Cute kid. Or I guess he’s not a kid at all given his age and size.” She laughed, trying to ease the pissed off look on Trace’s face. “No doubt he’s yours.” He looked at her then, sighed heavily, and ran his hand over the back of his neck.

  “Yeah, he’s a handful, even at twenty-three. Takes after me in that sense, I suppose.” He moved closer to her, wrapped an arm around her waist, and pulled her in so she was pressed against his body. “How about we finish dinner, and maybe I can take you back to the bar, show you a special room I have in the back?” Now it was her turn to lift a brow.

  “You want to take me to your bar and show me this special secret room?” The corner of his mouth lifted, but he didn’t answer. “Hmm, what do you have, a stripper pole in the back or something?” She was teasing, but when he smirked she shook her head. “Are you seriously asking me, the female you are taking out for the second time, to go back to your bar and do a striptease for you?” She went to back away, but he pulled her closer and kissed the side of her neck.

  “May I remind you that I just had my face all over your ass, and my finger shoved in your pussy a few minutes ago?” A shiver worked up her spine. “Besides, I’m not just asking any female. I’m asking my mate to come back with me. Besides, I know you want this just as much as I do.” Pressing his still hard cock into her belly had the air leaving her lungs in a rush. “I can sense the rising tide inside of you, and the way your wolf wants to rub up against me every time I’m near. You’re fighting it, fighting me, and all I’m asking is that you give me this and trust that I’ll take care of you.” He kissed her throat, and she couldn’t stop the little tingle that started at her toes and rose to her head. “Just one little dance, and if you want to do more, then I’ll give you fucking more.”

  “And if I don’t want more?”

  He didn’t stop kissing her neck. “You don’t have to give me anything you don’t want to. I’ll wait until you are ready, Candace, and even if that never happens I’ll still be here.” How could he ask her to do something so illicit, yet make it sound so sweet at the same time?” Listen, let’s just eat, and you think about it. Just know I have the taste of your flesh ingrained in my system, and picturing you up on that private stage, dancing only for me—your mate—would be the best way to end an already perfect night.”

  Her chest was rising fast and hard at an alarming rate. His words were like an aphrodisiac, and even though she hadn’t said yes, she would do what he wanted, because that’s what she wanted. “Okay.” That one word was low, but he heard her, and gave an answering groan. Well, this should end interestingly. Candace just didn’t know if that would be in a good or bad way.

  Chapter Nine

  Despite it only being nearly ten, Dakota Dark’s was closed to the public. Apparently all it took was one phone call from Trace to make that happen, but then again she supposed being the owner had its perks. He led them over to the bar when they entered, and poured her a glass of wine and him a double shot. Candace downed the whole thing before he even rounded the bar, and when she handed him the empty glass and asked for another, all he did was chuckle, shake his head, and go back around the bar to do exactly what she asked.

  With a freshly filled glass in her hand, and Trace taking her free one, they walked down a dimly lit hallway and stopped at the last door on the right. He glanced down at her over his shoulder, and pushed the door open while still staring at her. When he pulled her inside, shut the door and locked it, all she could hear was her pulse pounding in her ears. A stage was erected in the center of the small room, with a gleaming silver pole right in the middle of that. A few tables, a leather couch, and even a personal bar was scattered around, but it was that damn pole that called her name in a low taunting voice. Candace had never done anything like this before, and scared and embarrassed didn’t even begin to describe what she was feeling.

  “Get on that fucking stage and strip for me, Candace.” His voice was so deep, so rough, that a shiver worked its way up her spine. She should be furious at the fact he was barking orders at her. Hell, all through dinner his domineering attitude had not only got on her damn nerves, but had turned her on until her panties were so soaked she had to shift on her seat to try to alleviate the uncomfortable sensation. She also couldn’t forget what he had done to her ass, and how he had marked her with his tongue. That was all made worse when she saw that cocky-ass smirk he gave her, because he knew what she had been thinking about.

  So the question was why did she agree to come back to his bar in the middle of the night?

  Because you actually like his dominating attitude. It makes you feel all girly and warm, and maybe because you’re a bit of a masochist. Let’s not forget that you have been hard up for him since you first saw him, and want this just as much as he does.

  “There isn’t anything to think about, Candace. You accepted my invitation to dinner, and agreed to come back here with me.” The bastard smirked again, which caused another gush of wetness to slip from her. Never had a male made her feel this way. After she had broken it off with Chad after being with him for so many years, she didn’t think she would ever just jump back into a relationship, especially so soon. There was just this magnetism to him, one that screamed of masculinity, power, and an attitude that roared “don’t fuck with me”.

  The dress she wore was simple enough to remove, but her apprehension over the fact this male, this huge polar bear shifter would see her naked, which also meant he’d see her flaws, had a light sheen of sweat starting to form on her body. Why in the hell was she over-thinking this now? He had licked her ass, for God’s sake, seen the part of her body that she hated most of all. But he had touched her like it was the most delectable thing on the planet.

  You can do this, and in fact, a part of you wants to see if you can.

  “I like that you’re so nervous, and that you’re starting to sweat.” He grabbed one of the chairs that were upside down on the tables and sat his huge frame in the tiny thing. He relaxed against it, his big legs encased in worn denim, stretched out before him and slightly parted. He rested one muscular arm on the table beside him, and the other on his thigh. “Go on, baby, take off that dress and show me what’s mine.”

  Mine. Damn him for making her want him so bad. There he was, watching her with his calm, stoic expression, waiting for her to do what he said without question. The thing was Candace wanted to do what he said, wanted to have him take control and lead the way.

  Grabbing the left strap of her dress she slowly slid it down, and then she did the same to the right strap. The swells of her breasts rose frantically over the seam as she breathed hard. Reaching behind her she gripped the little zipper and pulled it down. The only thing keeping her dress up now was the inside of her arms pressed tightly to her sides. Trace didn’t say anything else, just continued to stare at her. Taking hold of her courage, she knew that this was the most daring thing she had ever done, and it was exhilarating. Without thinking any longer, Candace let the dress slip from her body. It fell in a pool of material at her feet, and she stepped out of it. The undergarments she wore were newer, and had been sitting in the back of her drawer for Lord only knew how long. She had bought them because they were white lace, sexy and innocent. It wasn’t like she really had anyone to wear them for, not since Chad was more of a “take your clothes off so we can do this” kind of guy. The bra was strapless, and the cups lightly lined so that she had some killer cleavage going on. Her thong was just a scrap of fabric that covered her pussy in a tiny triangle of material, and a string that was indecently pressed right between the cheeks of her ass. Because Trace sat there so still, so quietly, she couldn’t gauge his reaction. He had turned off some lights, and switched different ones on until only the stage was illuminated. He was shrouded in shadows, and what she could see very clearly was the monstrous bulge that pressed against his jeans. Was he even wearing underwear? The way the long, thick length lay across his thigh, as if he had nothing to keep it contained, led her
to believe he was going commando.

  Reaching behind her Candace was about to unhook her bra when his deep voice stopped her. “No, keep the bra and panties.” She dropped her hands to her side and curled her fingers into her palms. Staring at him, smelling his clear desire for her, and seeing the evidence of that lust, had Candace’s self-conscious feelings slowly dissolving. She didn’t care that her belly was a bit too rounded, or that her thighs were too thick for her comfort. She also didn’t care that her ass was big, or that she had a hard time finding clothes that fit around her chest. Trace looked at her like he was a starving male and she was the most mouthwatering meal he had ever seen. A look over her shoulder showed the small stage and gleaming silver pole. Should she be jealous that he had strippers in the backroom of his bar? Nothing but arousal filled her, and when she turned and presented her back to him, heard the low, animalistic rumble that left him, she had to force herself to take the few steps it required to go onto the stage. Candace knew nothing about pole dancing, but had seen enough of it in movies, and even when Melissa had dragged her onetime to a club that had naked girls shaking their shit. It couldn’t be that hard, right?

  ****

  As soon as Candace turned her back on him Trace adjusted his cock, grabbed his shot glass, and downed the shit like it was water. The liquor burned his mouth and throat, but it tasted so fucking good. He was hard as hell, and the moisture that started to bead at the tip of his dick was becoming a nuisance. Candace was perfect in every way. She may have put up a little fight when he went after her, but there was no hiding that she wanted him, not when he smelled her wet pussy, or saw the way her nipples hardened when she saw his cock jutted against his jeans. She had tasted so fucking good when he had her bent over his table, and he probably would have taken her back to his room and fucked the shit out of her, but then Liam had shown up. Yeah, he wasn’t supposed to be home until later, but Trace was kind of glad his son had come when he did. It gave Trace an excuse to leave the house and bring her back here. No doubt Liam would be bringing home a female later in the night, and if things went as planned, Trace would be claiming his mate. He didn’t know what the fuck he was doing, asking her to go with him to his bar after he called Maverick and told him to close the place down. Maverick hadn’t questioned him, just told Trace he’d get that shit done. He had given the shifter a couple of hours to make it happen, and after they had finished dinner he had come to the bar, pleased that he now had his reluctant little wolf in his domain.

  He had instantly grown hard when she told him to fuck off when he first approached her at his bar last week. No one talked to him like that. They were scared of him, of what he could do with his hands alone. But this short, curvy little wolf had dared to defy him, and that was an aphrodisiac unlike any he had ever experienced, but then again he had never had a mate, or felt this indescribable pull. It was crazy shit that she had walked into his bar that night, and that they had never run into each other before while living in Sweet Water, but fate was a crazy, sadistic bitch.

  She made her way toward the stage, and he couldn’t hold in his growl. Her body was made for him, made for him to fuck her good and hard. She wasn’t thin, and he loved that. Her curves, the roundness of her body, and the fact he knew she’d be able to handle his rough type of fucking made her the perfect match for him. He wouldn’t need to worry about holding back, about being gentle, because her body was made for a male to fuck her good and hard. Her ass, so big, juicy, and round, was perfect in every way. Her hips swayed with every step she took, and when she climbed those three stairs to get onto the stage, the cheeks of her bottom did a little jiggle. It was hot as fuck, and he was holding on by a thread. All Trace wanted to do was go to her and fuck her nice and hard, but shit, he needed to at least try to go slow until she was fully on board with what he wanted. And what he wanted was her in every possible way.

  Fortunately, he had been smart enough to grab the remote for the stereo on his way into the backroom, because no way in hell could he walk comfortably now. He turned on the music, and “Love is Blindness” by Jack Black started playing. When he decided to buy this building and remodel it, he’d had the kinky idea to add a stripper pole. Although most of his patrons were adults, during the day they did serve families, and he didn’t want a stripper pole being shoved in their faces. So, this room, which would hold about twenty people, was nice for those obscure bachelor parties, or when someone just wanted some tits and ass.

  The scent of her nervousness came at him like a slap in the face, but he wasn’t about to lie and say it didn’t turn him on. The women he was normally with had done shit like this a thousand times over. They were confident and sure of their actions, and although some might find that attractive, it wasn’t all that great. Trace liked his little wolf’s anxiousness and the fact she kept glancing at him under the veil of her lashes. Her strawberry blonde hair fell in long waves down to her waist, and all he could keep thinking about was gripping the strands and tugging hard enough that her throat was bared.

  When she gripped the pole with one small hand and slid it up and down innocently, he didn’t stop himself from gripping his cock through his jeans. The very vivid image of her doing that to his dick until he came slammed into his head over and over again. He had only turned on enough lighting to illuminate the stage, and now that she was up there she’d only be able to see his outline, and not the fact he was being a fucking pervert and stroking himself while he watched her.

  “I don’t know what I’m doing.” Her voice was soft, hesitant, and he smiled like a damn predator.

  “Just move against the pole, close your eyes and act like you’re fucking it, Candace. Show me how you’d move if you were fucking me.” Maybe he was talking too harshly. All of that faded away when she closed her eyes, wrapped her other hand on the pole, and started slowly swaying. It certainly wasn’t the raunchy pole fucking he was used to, but it was hot nonetheless because it was Candace up there doing it for him. Her movements were more of a seductive tease. He trained his eyes on her ass, loved the way it bounced as she cocked her hips from side to side. She turned, pressing closer to the pole so that the metal slid right between her huge breasts.

  Holy. Fucking. Shit.

  Trace noticed the exact moment when she lost herself to the music, when she let herself be free, and it was so damn beautiful he leaned forward and rested his forearms on his thighs, trying to get closer. A part of him wanted to tell her what to do, which moves to make, but he much preferred her inexperienced seduction over flat-out temptation. She moved lower on the pole, popping her ass out so erotically he wanted run his teeth over the mounds again. He saw the slight swell of her pussy and the damp spot her arousal made on them. Fuck, he wanted to be inside of her, but instead he became even more of a creep and pulled his cock out. Stroking himself from root to tip, Trace settled back in his seat, spread his legs a little bit to get comfortable, and became mesmerized by the sight of her. For someone who claimed she had never danced like this, she was doing one hell of a job.

  He was on edge, waiting to see what she would do next, and needed to see more of her flesh. His throat was tight, his mouth dry. “Pull your panties down a bit, and bend over. I want to see the slit of your pussy, baby.” Without stopping her swaying hips, she reached around with both hands, slipped her fingers under the lacy edges, and pulled low enough that he saw a flash of her swelled pussy lips beneath her ass. He worked his palm over his dick harder. He wanted to run his nose between her cheeks, lap at that tight little hole of hers, and shove his fingers into her cunt again. The music switched to something with a faster beat, and Candace kept right on dancing. She moved her hands up and down the pole, and because Trace was a dirty fucking bastard for the things he thought about her. A low growl left him, and he knew she heard it by the way her moves faltered slightly.

  Trace couldn’t wait any longer, and when he pushed himself out of his chair and stalked toward her, he let out another growl. His bear wanted her, wanted to
devour her ass and pussy, and mark her so that every other fucking male would keep their distance, because if they didn’t they’d have him to deal with him as a repercussion. His cock was harder than he ever remembered, and the images of pushing her thong aside and shoving his cock inside of her played through his mind like a damn reel on repeat.

  “Candace.” Her name was nothing more than a low bark from him, deep and commanding. The alpha in him tensed when she slowly turned, obeying him instantly. “I want to fuck you, baby. I need to fuck you.” He was riveted to her chest. “Take off the fucking bra, baby. Let me see those big-ass tits.”

  Those huge globes bounced from her breathing. He scented how primed her body was for him, and ready to take his mouth and cock. He wanted to push her to do his bidding, but he didn’t want to scare her away. He supposed the alpha in him just expected her to give him everything and anything he wanted, like most of the females he fucked did. He was quickly realizing Candace was so very different from what he was used to, and that made him want her even more. He could blame how he felt on the fact she was his mate, and chemistry and fate were a ruling force inside of him, but even without that he would have wanted her with a ferocity that startled even him. She wanted to play hard to get, to make him wait for that sweet cunt, and strangely he wanted that, too.

  “Yeah, okay.” She licked her lips nice and slow.

  The surprise that came from her was like a fresh thunderstorm, and the scent had his dick jerking in his pants. Fortunately, he had been smart enough to put the damn thing back in his pants before he moved closer to her. The fact that he could see her panties were growing wetter by the second proved that point. “I just want a taste. Give your mate that.” Her throat worked as she swallowed, and without him even having to tell her Candace was pushing her panties down her thighs.