Bear in Denial: BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romance (Shadow Bears Book 3)

by Ruby Shae

  Her. Him. Alone in the cabin.

  He knew they’d be perfect together, if she ever gave him a chance.

  He might be stuck wearing a suit all day during working hours, but CeCe’s comfortable, casual attire was much more his style. His mind flashed to the outfit she’d had on earlier, and his dick started to swell.

  He didn’t have to see the front of her t-shirt to know that the name of her business was scrawled across her ample breasts, and he loved the way the soft, thin fabric slightly pulled between the two exquisite mounds, accentuating their size. He longed to hold the weighted flesh in his hands, and he knew he wasn’t the only one.

  The faded jeans she’d worn hugged her ass like they were painted on, and there was a tiny little hole he was sure she didn’t know about above the back, right pocket. The sight of emerald green lace had made his bear roar in protest, and when she’d turned to face him, he’d taken a chance and carefully pulled down the hem of her shirt.

  Thankfully, she hadn’t noticed.

  He desperately wanted to know if her bra matched the lacy panties, but he didn’t want anyone else wondering.

  Whether she knew it or not, many of the men visiting the hotel drooled over CeCe’s luscious curves. She rarely paid them any attention, and they were too stupid to approach her, but he refused to give them any more ammo for their curvy girl fantasies.

  She was his mate, and he wouldn’t share.

  Ever.

  Even if she really did want nothing to do with him.

  Chapter Two

  CeCe glanced at the time displayed in the upper right-hand corner of her laptop, and silently cursed. She closed the program she was working in, and shut down the computer. The invoices on her desk were piled neatly in the same stack she’d started with, and the space she’d allotted for work completed still remained empty.

  Seeing Ian at the hotel today had jarred her, and she’d had no concentration since.

  Normally, she didn’t mind seeing him. From her spot near the door, she’d often seen him working the desk. Seeing him she could handle. Having him stand so close, however, feeling the heat of his body against her back, had riled her. Both the animal and the human ached for what could have been.

  She remembered back to a year before, when Marianne and Caleb had been having problems, and she'd called Ian for a favor. She’d been excited for the chance to call and talk to him, especially because they’d spent so much time flirting, and it wasn’t until later that she’d found out he’d completely comped the room for her friend.

  When he’d insisted she owed him a favor, she'd been thrilled at the prospect. The idea that he wanted her, too, and that he was willing to do something about his attraction, gave her hope that he felt something between them.

  It wasn't until later, after she'd watched him flirt with his many clients, that she’d realized she was nothing more than number. When he finally did ask her out, her confidence had been shaken, and she’d immediately said no.

  Over the next two months, her assumptions had been proven true more times than she could count. Women flirted with him on a daily basis, and in a variety of different ways. She’d seen everything from blatant, vocal requests similar to those of Mrs. White, to more subtle, silent invitations like the many women who slid their room keys across the counter, or dropped money and other things into his pockets.

  He never denied their requests, and every day she realized how insignificant their bond really was. He might be her mate, but to him, she was nothing more than another one of his many admirers.

  The ultimate blow had been seeing him with his girlfriend.

  Four months after teasing her about the favor, and asking her to dinner multiple times, she'd seen him in the coffee shop with another woman.

  A short, thin, beautiful woman, with dark hair and dark eyes just like his.

  Before that day, she hadn't been absolutely sure.

  Somewhere in the back of her mind, a sliver of hope had still remained, silently wishing for a different outcome, but witnessing Ian with another woman quickly doused all of her foolish mating dreams.

  She remembered their easy, natural exchange as if it were yesterday, and the memory of the way they’d laughed together and teased one another, like only a couple could, still made her heart ache.

  After that day, she’d kept her distance from him, only speaking to him when absolutely necessary, and luckily, he done the same. In fact, it had been six months since the last time he’d asked her out, and he’d never—ever—stood so close to her before.

  Though shifter females didn't need to mark their males to seal the bond, her animal urged her to shift and claim their mate. When the desire went unanswered, her bear roared, growled and paced beneath the surface.

  CeCe had been agitated all day, as both her human and animal sides fought within. The bear wanted to claim their mate, and the human knew it could never be done.

  She closed the lid to her laptop, and sighed.

  It was only four hours until party time, and she needed to get home and finish setting up, but she wasn’t in the mood.

  She’d started the party five years ago, when, during her senior year in college, most of her friends were single. None of them had had a date for that year’s Valentine’s Day, and so, to make up for it, she’d insisted on an Anti-Valentine’s Day party. The tradition continued every year after, but, as her friends slowly paired up with their mates, the party had never been on the actual holiday again.

  They'd grown from a group who’d once hated Valentine's Day...well, that wasn’t true. None of them had ever really hated Valentine's Day. They’d just hated being alone on the holiday. In reality, they’d grown from a group of dateless women, to a group of friends who got together every February for a fun girls-night-out.

  Except this year was different.

  This was the first year CeCe truly hated the holiday.

  The good news was she would get to see her girlfriends. The bad news? While most of them would be with their mates on the day of love, she would be at home with a bucket of ice cream and a new superhero movie.

  Of course, in her mind, she’d be Mrs. Superhero, and everything would make sense again. Until the movie was over, and reality kicked in.

  Reality really sucked.

  So did the fact that neither she, nor her bear, wanted anybody else. Ian was it for them, and the fact that he didn’t want her back broke her heart.

  The bell on the door jingled, and she silently cursed. She’d been so wrapped up in her misery, that she’d forgotten to turn the lock on the door. It didn’t matter that her hours were posted on the window, if passersby saw someone inside, they would try and enter.

  She plastered a smile on her face, and looked up to gently inform the person she was closed for the day. As much as she hated the interruption, she needed customers, and being rude to strangers wasn’t in her nature anyway.

  The Matchmaker!

  The sight of the elderly she-bear standing in her doorway rendered her speechless, and though she felt her mouth open and close, no words escaped.

  The woman was an enigma, and though many black bears had visited her in the past, including her best friend, Marianne, CeCe had never met her before.

  Hell, she’d never even seen her before.

  She just instinctively knew who stood in her shop.

  Even though she didn’t actually make life-long matches, the woman had earned the title of Matchmaker because she often paired black bears together on dates. For a nominal application fee from each party, two bears could have a pleasant evening together, whether it be for dinner, or some other function.

  Most pairs ended up as friends, and nothing more, but there were exceptions. Caleb and Marianne were a perfect example, as were Caleb’s sister and her mate, but both couples weren’t the rule.

  CeCe realized she was staring, and smiled.

  She hoped she didn’t look as crazy as she felt. The woman deserved the upmost respect.

 
; “Good evening, CeCe,” the Matchmaker said.

  She smiled, and her whole face lit up, instantly putting CeCe at ease.

  Despite a head full of white hair, which she wore pulled back in a pony-tail, and a small, frail-looking frame, the woman moved with the grace of someone half her age, and her mind was alert. She was spry, keen to her surroundings, and possessed an aura of wisdom CeCe had never witnessed before.

  She was in awe of the woman, but manners had her forcing out a response.

  “Good evening…ma’am.”

  “None of that ma’am stuff,” the woman said, clucking her tongue. “It makes me feel about a million years old. You may call me Lily.”

  “Yes, Miss—”

  The woman looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

  “Lily, it is,” CeCe smiled.

  “Good girl,” Lily nodded.

  She moved further into the room, and sat down.

  “Rumor has it, your big party is tonight.”

  The Matchmaker knew about her party?

  Of course, she did. The woman seemed to know everything.

  “Yes…Lily,” CeCe said. “It’s my annual Anti-Valentine’s Day party, although it’s more of just a fun girls-night-out.” She knew she was babbling, but then a crazy thought struck her. “Would you like to come?”

  Now that would get her in the party mood.

  Anticipation built as she waited for the woman to answer.

  “I will join you,” the woman said. “In exchange for a favor.”

  CeCe’s smile fell. What could the Matchmaker want from her?

  “What kind of favor?” she asked, tentatively.

  “It’s a simple thing, really,” the woman said. “One of my clients requested a date for Valentine’s Day, and he’s a unique case. There aren’t many who would make him a good match, but you would. You’re free, aren’t you, dear?”

  As if she had to ask.

  If the woman really did know everything, then she obviously knew about her mate and his rejection. For a moment, she considered asking the woman why she’d been given a mate that didn’t want her back, but deep down—okay, not that deep—she was too afraid of the answer.

  “Yes, I’m free,” CeCe agreed, begrudgingly, “and I’ll do it.”

  Honestly, the superhero date sounded way more fun, but she really wanted the Matchmaker to come to her party. The woman was a legend among both those who had met her before, and those who hadn’t, and a friendly date with a nice man was a small price to pay for the honor of the woman’s presence.

  “Good,” the Matchmaker smiled. “Plan to come by my house tomorrow around noon—I’ll give you directions later—and I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Deal,” CeCe said. “See you.”

  The woman practically bounced out of her office, and though she hadn’t given her any details, CeCe knew she’d see the highly celebrated woman later that evening.

  She rushed over to lock the door, and gathered her belongings. Curiosity about her date wandered through her mind, but she didn’t let the thoughts take root. The details about him didn’t matter, and she had other things to worry about.

  Like the fact that the Matchmaker was coming to her party.

  She locked up her business, and hurried home.

  She finally had a reason to celebrate.

  Chapter Three

  “Hey, gorgeous.”

  CeCe resisted the urge to squirm as the voice of the man behind her slithered down her spine. The words might have been the same, but unlike her mate, the slimy, nasty intent of the man’s voice had her wishing for a shower.

  She instinctively stepped away from him before turning to look at his face.

  The man stood only an inch taller than her, and though his blonde hair and blue eyes may have been appealing to some, to her, he looked more like a snake than a man. He wasn’t a bear, so she figured he was probably a tourist thinking he could have some fun with the local girls.

  It was a common mindset among many men who passed through the little town, and after they struck out with all of the pretty girls, they would sometimes set their sights on her. She couldn’t decide whether it was good or bad that she'd never been attracted to anyone who’d approached her, but this guy had her leaning toward good.

  Not wanting to be rude, she smiled, finished preparing her coffee, and then left to find a table. The coffee shop was crowded, but luck was on her side. She found a small, round, two-person table hidden in the back, and sat down.

  The night before, her party had been a huge success, but now she dreaded her visit with the Matchmaker, and she didn't want to talk to anyone. Especially some random tourist looking for a good time. Unfortunately, snakes always found their prey, and the man from the counter soon approached her again.

  “It's really crowded in here,” he said. “Mind if I join you, gorgeous?”

  “I'm sorry, but this seat is taken,” she lied.

  If he stuck around, he would eventually know about her fib, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. Most smart men would take the hint, but apparently, this man wasn't smart.

  “Taken by who?” he sneered. “I saw you come in here alone.”

  Asshole!

  He had a lot of nerve, especially if he thought she would let him sit with her just because she was alone. She opened her mouth to tell him to fuck off when another voice boomed around them.

  “That's my seat.”

  Ian.

  She'd been so focused on the snake trying to force himself on her, she'd missed the huge, looming presence approaching behind him. Ian towered over the guy, and the width of his shoulders looked like a mountain behind the smaller man's frame. Mr. Snake wasn't one to back down easy, she could see it in his eyes, but when he turned, ready for a fight, her bear growled low.

  “She's. With. Me.”

  “Sorry man” the guy said. “I thought she was alone.”

  “And yet you still stuck around after she told you different,” Ian accused. “We both know exactly what you were doing. No means no, asshole. Now, get out of here.”

  “Come on, man,” the guy whined. “I was just—”

  “Get. Out.” Ian seethed, cutting him off.

  The guy seemed to suddenly realize that he was in danger, and he practically ran out of the coffee shop. They both watched until he disappeared completely out of sight, and then Ian turned back toward her.

  How dare he swoop in and act like she lacked the ability to care of herself.

  But it was nice to be taken care of, and he’d seemed so possessive.

  Too, possessive, in fact.

  Anger and lust warred within, but she latched onto the anger. It was easier to understand and control.

  “I had it under control,” she snapped.

  “You might've had it under control,” Ian shrugged, “but why should you have to deal with him when I'm here? Besides, you were taking too long.”

  He flashed her a smile, and she faltered.

  His last words were meant to tease, she was sure of it, but the others sounded so protective, so much like those she expected to hear from a mate, that they left her speechless.

  Ian interrupted her silence by sitting down across from her. She wanted to tell him to leave, that the seat was taken, but she couldn't muster the words. She liked having him so close, and so did her bear.

  She sighed.

  Would she ever be free of him?

  He did save me from that horrible man.

  Despite whatever else was going on, he had saved her, and she did owe him her gratitude.

  “Thank you,” she finally conceded.

  “You’re welcome,” he said simply. “How was the party?”

  Ian fit in everywhere, and though he looked colossal in the normal-sized wooden chair, he didn't look uncomfortable or out of place. She envied his confidence, but then she remembered why he was so secure.

  He had a multitude of women plying for him on a daily basis.

  “It was fabulous,�
� she bragged. “Definitely the best one yet, and I doubt I’ll ever top it.”

  “What kind of stuff do you guys do?”

  “What do you mean?”

  Why does he care?

  “Well,” he smiled. “It’s an Anti-Valentine’s Day party, right? So, what does that mean? Do you perform ex-boyfriend cleansing rituals? Make voodoo dolls resembling men who have scorned you? Sacrifice a virgin?”

  Sacrifice a virgin?!

  CeCe erupted into laughter.

  “What? No virgins?”

  His grin left little doubt to his teasing, but this time she didn’t care. She missed sharing moments like this with him.

  “No,” she said, wrapping her arm around her waist. Her laughter had subsided, but her stomach hurt from the intensity. “No virgins. We laugh, sing, dance, play games…eat.” She shrugged. “It’s more of an annual girls-night-out, than a Valentine’s Day—or Anti-,” she made air-quotes with one hand, “Valentine’s Day—party. No one really hates the holiday.”

  “So you don’t hate Valentine’s Day?”

  “Not at all,” she smiled. “I just enjoy seeing my friends every year.”

  He seemed happy with her response, and continued.

  “What made this year’s party better than last year’s?”

  “The Matchmaker came.”

  “What?” he barked. “Why?”

  His smile fell, and just like in the hotel the day before, his anger was a tangible thing. She didn’t understand why he cared about her guest list, unless… She shook her head. He had a girlfriend, and there was no viable reason for his sudden mood swing.

  As if on cue, his girlfriend knocked on the glass window between them, making them both jump. She focused on Ian, tapping her wrist as if she wore a watch, and he waved his hand as if to silence her. The woman glared, but she turned and walked a short distance away.

  The brief connection between them was lost, and ice filled her veins. How could she have been so stupid? How dare he act like she mattered, especially when his girlfriend waited outside? Even worse? She fell for his charms again.

  She should have told him to leave when the snake left.