Bearllionaire: (BWWM) Paranormal BBW Bear Shifter Romance Standalone

by Terry Bolryder

  Ryder considered himself a good judge of people. He tended to decide whether he liked someone within moments of meeting them, and that tended not to change. He guessed it was the bear in him, making decisions based on scent and instinct as to trustworthiness. But it had never led him astray so far.

  When he led Janna to the files, she was all business, impressing him again in yet another way. Her sharp eyes scoured the record keeping and she pushed red-lined papers his way as she explained what she saw. The embezzlement was worse than he’d thought. Still, he was sure the betrayal would have hurt his father more than losing the actual money.

  For all he knew, his father knew Barry was embezzling and let the man do it. He knew his father could be kindhearted at times. Like when he paid for their college or started them all with a nest egg to begin their careers. He, Riley, and Ryan would never have been as easily able to slip into their new lives without that help. They all still would have made it in the end, but it would have been slower, more difficult, and so he felt he owed his father something.

  He’d owe him even more if things worked out with Janna. They worked for hours, solving issues and making plans. Janna’s brain was really something to watch. He could only imagine how much she’d be able to do given his finances. He could easily see her overseeing the philanthropy in particular. She’d seemed excited by that.

  As for him, he was excited each time she tucked a little wayward curl behind her ear. She seemed to have an endless amount of hair, and a bit was always trying to escape. He wanted to touch her hair, but he knew it would be too hard to resist trailing his hand farther down, over those velvet lips, to the tops of her full breasts…

  Damn, working with her was going to be harder than he thought.

  Literally.

  9

  Janna tried to stay focused on the papers, but she felt too painfully aware that Ryder seemed to want to eat her up. His gaze was intense, admiring, as he watched her work through the numbers, and she hoped she wasn’t messing anything up.

  She set aside the sheet she’d most recently finished and stretched, not missing Ryder’s gaze flicking to her chest, which pressed against her tight sweater. She grinned. “So I think that’s all I can take of numbers right now. How about that special lunch you promised me?”

  His deep-blue eyes widened slightly, and he nodded and straightened up. She returned the favor of checking him out while he stretched. His pecs were enormous, cut in that perfect, square shape she liked so much.

  “Well, if you want to wait here for a few moments, I just need to get a few things together.”

  She nodded at him and picked up a packet of papers she might as well start looking at. Dang, Barry had left things a mess for her. Then again, Barry probably wasn’t planning on anyone looking at these anytime soon. To be honest, she wasn’t sure what he’d planned to do when Royce died. He had to know his sons, one of whom happened to be extremely financially successful, would want to take a look at the business they’d be inheriting.

  It was odd that Royce had never mentioned his sons. She’d been here at the lodge for some of his parties, always low key, but never heard him mention his family. She’d always just assumed he was an old bachelor and never thought to ask Leslie or Kylie about it.

  The door shut behind Ryder and she sighed and rolled her shoulders, relieved at the lack of sexual tension. Being in the same room with him, even looking at financials, was exhausting. Something inside her kept urging her closer, telling her to take a chance on this mysterious, powerful man.

  But that stubborn part of her (that was, she supposed, her mother talking) that wanted her to stay safe wouldn’t shut up long enough for her lustful thoughts to continue unabated. So she kept fighting them, and she was feeling physically tired from it.

  The odd dreams and waking up half scared to death by the bear didn’t help.

  But the bear’s eyes. They’d been so odd, almost… human? Somewhat familiar, but she didn’t know how.

  Her phone buzzed and she realized she hadn’t checked messages since yesterday. She opened it and let her voicemails play on speaker.

  Not too much of note. Sherry had left a message saying everything was good at the store and she would be missed. Her mother sent a message asking if she knew where her sister was. She shook her head at that. Beth liked to use the money from her various alimony payments to travel. Janna couldn’t be expected to keep track of that.

  The last message made her pause and then made a slow tremor of fear work its way down her spine.

  “Think you’re pretty smart? If I were you, I’d leave the lodge.”

  The voice was low, ominous. At first, she thought of Scott, but then she shook away that thought. It was too aggressive for him. He liked to intimidate in different ways, and he’d never outright threatened her. Just been overly available.

  Her finger paused over the play button, shaking slightly as she tried to decide whether or not to replay it.

  Then Ryder walked in, excitement on his handsome face and snow lightly dusting his hair, like he’d been outside. “They’re here. Let’s go.”

  “Who’s here?” she asked, slipping her phone in her pocket and making a mental note to think about mentioning the message to Ryder later. Nothing could happen to her as long as she was with him anyway.

  “The surprise.” His face was boyishly mischievous, but his body was all man as he helped her on with her coat and ushered her out of the back room. “Come with me.”

  She had no choice but to follow him, yanked along by her arm entwined through his, though his stride was much faster and longer than hers. Tall men. Sigh.

  He practically lifted her up the stairs to the top floor and then unlocked a door she hadn’t noticed behind some of the tables at the back wall. They went through it and up some stairs that seemed to lead outside. They went through a door and found themselves on the roof.

  Janna gasped at the sight in front of her. A helicopter was waiting, blades whirring, and she realized she must have been really intent on her work not to hear it approach. Ryder’s thick, dark hair whipped in the wind and he reached out a hand. She took it, and his strong grip guided her up into the cabin. She belted up, still agape, and he sat across from her, grinning like a cat that had gotten into the cream.

  “Good surprise,” she said, bracing herself against the wall as it started to take off.

  “I’m glad,” he said. He leaned back like he’d done this a hundred times, and maybe he had, and eyed her with that gleam that made her squirm in her seat.

  He looked at her like she was the only woman in the world, and she didn’t know what to do with that fact.

  “Where are you taking me?” she asked over the whir of the motor.

  “You’ll see.” His face was calm as he leaned forward to speak to the pilot. He was commanding, serious, until he turned back to her with that panty-melting smile. She squirmed again, gripping the seat next to her. Heaven forbid they end up alone in the cabin again. She didn’t know what she would do.

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then looked out over the mountain as they flew up along the ridge. Breathtaking. He reached out a hand for hers and she took it and let it rest on her knee. A guy who took her in a helicopter could have that and more. She blushed at the thought and kept her eyes on the scenery. Otherwise, she’d be tempted to rake his body again, look at his chest, his tight waist, powerful shoulders, and um, below the belt. She swallowed nervously and forced herself to stay facing the window.

  * * *

  She was adorable. Ryder couldn’t hide his smile at her excitement, so he was glad she was turned to the window, rather than watching him beam at her creepily. He couldn’t help it. Already, her happiness was his happiness. If he’d met her before, he had no doubt they’d have settled into exactly this already. What if he’d never left town?

  No, then he wouldn’t be Ryder Hart, the man he was now. And maybe she wouldn’t even want him. That thought rankled. Would she have wa
nted him as just the heir to a minor tourist hotel? He frowned but pushed away any darkness by watching her gaze eagerly out at the scenery flying by. He’d been up here before, so it wasn’t anything new to him. But it was new taking someone special. It was definitely new being here with a beautiful woman.

  He had lunch planned in the little mountain lodge that had been his father’s private retreat. And probably where he brought his women, he thought with a frown.

  But that wouldn’t ruin his day with Janna. When the chopper landed, he helped her out, and the pilot took off, presumably for a day of heli-skiing with someone like Ryan. Ryder had his own ideas for getting down the mountain.

  He carried the basket he’d had the chef put together. Nothing fancy, just some sandwiches, chips, and dessert, but anything would be fun with Janna. She followed him curiously to the lodge door and he opened it for her to go inside first, enjoying the sway of her hips as she went. Damn, he just wanted to pick her up and take her to his bedroom and make love to her again.

  But first things first. Wooing.

  He could be a gentleman even if he was half bear.

  She sat at the rustic table and let out an exclamation of pleasure when he pulled out the food. “Ryder, this is too much.”

  He scratched his head and grinned. “I told you…”

  “You like ‘em well fed. I get it. I get it.” But she didn’t seem mad about it, and she talked about the reports while they ate together. There was an easy kind of mood between them, apart from the sizzling sexual tension that felt like it was ready to break at any moment. But Ryder wasn’t going to lose control a second time. Not if it was going to give his future mate the wrong idea.

  But she kept looking up at him from under her eyelashes with furtive glances, deep-brown eyes flashing with some unknown emotion, and darned if it didn’t keep making his pants tight in the most uncomfortable way. And there was no way to shift position while being a gentleman. So he sat there in near agony, trying to focus on what she was saying and not on the velvety lips speaking the words.

  Damn.

  When lunch finished and she sat back with a sigh of contentment, Ryder felt ready to burst. He stood hurriedly and tugged on his jacket. “Ready to go?” He couldn’t wait to show her the next surprise and get outside where the cold air could cool his ardor. She wasn’t his yet. He had to go slow.

  He put out an arm, loving the feel of her small, gloved hand on his forearm, and led her around the side of the cabin, which was shielded from the cold. His own personal snowmobile was waiting for him, and Janna let out another squeak of pleasure when she saw it.

  “You ever ridden one of these?” he asked.

  She shook her head. “No, but I’m game. Except you aren’t going to try and get me in ski lessons next, are you?”

  “Why?” he asked, straddling the seat and reaching for her. “Too much for the Cali girl to handle?”

  She smirked and got on behind him. “Never. But a girl can only take so much excitement in one week.”

  “Baby,” he said, feeling cheesy but unable to stop himself, “whatever you can take, I’m going to give you.”

  She laughed, and he felt it vibrate through him as she pressed against him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her soft breasts pressed into his back and he groaned. She made him feel like a teenager again. His dad should have warned him that finding your mate made your hormones act like they’d never seen a woman before.

  He was Ryder Hart. Billionaire. Magnate. Always in control.

  Except with this curvaceous, playful woman who seemed to always be one step ahead. Even when they’d made love, she’d been with him every step of the way, leading and wanting and moaning her pleasure until he did what she wanted.

  Damn did he want to do that again.

  He hadn’t been lying when he told her what Ryder Hart wants, Ryder Hart gets.

  But that didn’t mean the acquisition would be an easy one. Then again, he usually found the more difficult an asset was to acquire, the more worth having it was.

  He started up the snowmobile and, after making sure Janna was holding on tight, started down the mountain.

  The snow was falling lightly, packed in tight drifts on the trees around them and slowly fluttering to ground when disturbed by the wind. Despite the sound of the motor and the whoosh of the air going past, there was something so still and quiet about the white all around them.

  His heart was warm, knowing it was just them here alone together. There wouldn’t be skiers or snowboarders on this hill. It was private and marked off with signs that warned against trespassing.

  There were apparently some benefits to being a lodge owner and having your own mountain. Even in this little tourist town mostly known for skiing and bears.

  The bears around here should be hibernating, but sometimes they were disturbed. And then there were bear shifters who didn’t follow those rules. Even bear shifters that could shift had varying levels of bear blood. Having any bear was just so rare compared to the other shifter races.

  He wondered how he’d explain that to Janna.

  He could almost feel her heartbeat against his back; he was that close to her. He could smell her arousal at their touch, remember the scent from last night, and he found himself hitting the gas too hard in response. He told himself to go slower, but they still found themselves back at the base of the lodge all too soon, to both their chagrin.

  She seemed reluctant to get off and get back to work. When she got off the snowmobile and made as if she were leaving, he caught her by the hand and pulled her back, catching her lips with his.

  The kiss was gentle, the antithesis of the other night, and when he pulled back, a single snowflake fell on her bottom lip, melting when he came back against her. He loved the fit they had, the feel of her, and he pulled her body against him as he gently deepened the kiss. When he let her go, she stumbled slightly and he put a hand out to steady her.

  “Full of surprises,” she murmured, touching her lips. Her hair was in beautiful disarray from the ride, extra curly and wild. He wanted to see how it would look fresh out of bed.

  “Thanks,” he said. “I had a great time.”

  “So,” she said, composing herself and smoothing down her coat. “Back to work?”

  He sighed and got off the snowmobile to follow her in. “I suppose.” He put an arm around her and was rewarded with a grin. “If we have to.”

  She nodded and led the way into the lodge. “Work before play.”

  Ryder sort of wished it were the other way around.

  10

  The rest of the workday went by briskly, except for a couple of interruptions from Ryder’s brothers to tease them about working on vacation.

  But Ryder was difficult to ruffle, so she hid her blush and worked alongside him and tried not to react to the teasing. What was really on her mind was what was going to happen once they were at the cabin again. And the fact that she shouldn’t ever ride on a snowmobile behind Ryder again. It was far too dangerous. The feel of his wide back against her soft breasts, the hard abs under her hands. It had been heaven.

  She made a note to call her girlfriends for some girl time the next day. It was exactly what she needed to clear her head. That thought reminded her of the phone message, and she drummed her fingers on the desk while thinking whether she should tell Ryder.

  She would wait and see if more messages came. She knew she was safe here, and perhaps if she showed him, he’d overreact. She’d just have to be cautious.

  He was putting away papers briskly and eyeing the clock, and she put away what she was working on as well. They’d made good progress, often with long stretches of silence, which suited her well because she preferred that when trying to focus.

  But now that work was wrapping up, all she could feel was the tension in the air around them.

  In a few minutes, he’d be taking her back to the cabin. And she didn’t know if she could handle that.

  At the end of this week, s
he could very well be going back to her small apartment and her small business and the daily visits from her ex and the weekly girls’ nights out.

  That hadn’t been too bad, up until Ryder Hart walked into her life. Deciding she needed a dose of reality, she pulled out her phone and fidgeted with it until Ryder looked over at her, puzzled.

  “You need to call someone?” he asked, drawing up to full height to look down at her. Damn he was tall.

  “I was thinking about calling the girls.” Disappointment flashed across his face but was gone quickly, and he smiled politely.

  “Sure. If you’d like, I’ll send the jeep for them. I don’t want you to feel lonely up here while you’re working.”

  She got the impression that he’d like to be the one keeping her from being lonely, but she appreciated that he didn’t have any problem with girl time. If what they had gone longer than this week? He’d need to be okay with her girlfriends. That was non-negotiable. “That would be great, thanks.”

  An unreadable expression moved over his features and he nodded and ducked out to make a phone call. She dialed on hers as well.

  Leslie was first to pick up.

  “Hello? Where the hell have you been?” she asked, sounding exasperated and relieved at the same time. “You weren’t at work, and Sherry said something about going off for a week with some guy, and I know you weren’t planning to not tell your best friends about it!”

  Janna laughed, wincing a little at Leslie’s exuberance. She couldn’t help but think she’d be a good match with Riley. Both seemed to have a little too much energy at times and too much fun interfering in other people’s lives. But she loved Leslie all the same.

  “It’s Ryder.”

  “Ryder Hart? Um, excuse me, but if you’re on a first-name basis with Ryder Hart, then I need details immediately. Not that I’m not supportive of you finally stepping out of Scott’s shadow, but come on, girl. Deets!”