by Fel Fern
Connor could have taken Danny to the Honey Bear, but this place still served the best sirloin steak. Not to mention their mashed potatoes were top-notch and just the right amount of creamy.
“You want to order more? You could use more meat on your skinny frame,” he commented.
Danny looked at himself and mumbled, “I need to look like this for my job.”
He frowned. “What kind of job is that?”
“Forgot I mentioned that. Let’s just say I needed to be skinny enough, but these next two months, I can eat whatever I want. Well, one month of gorging, and I’ll take the next month to slim back down.”
Conner chewed on his meat. Danny liked his well-done, but Connor always preferred his steak on the rare side. “Your life sounds complicated,” he eventually said.
Danny glared at him, then sighed. “You’re right. Hearing myself, I kind of sound like one of those guys who keeps count of his food. Wait. I am that guy.”
“You don’t sound too happy about it,” Connor pointed out.
“Eat vegetables for months at a time and see if that won’t make you grumpier,” Danny said glumly.
“I wouldn’t do anything that’ll make me miserable.”
Except this—whatever this thing between them was. Could Connor even call this a date? He knew pursuing this course wouldn’t lead to anything good. Danny certainly didn’t know what kind of trap he was walking into. Connor ought to tell Danny the truth. Those who got close to him ended up getting hurt sooner or later.
Ought to, but part of him didn’t want to ruin this evening, either. Danny talked a lot, but he liked knowing more about the little human, what made him tick, and he still hadn’t heard the reason why Danny came to the Red Mountains. Something that definitely had to do with Danny’s job, but Danny seemed tight-lipped about it, so he wouldn’t push.
Not yet.
Connor never imagined telling a stranger about his out-of-control bear or his parents, and yet he told Danny about his problems. This human was dangerous, had a way of getting past his defenses, but his bear never backed away from a challenge, even if it could ultimately ruin them.
“What do you do?” Danny asked.
“I help my brothers run the family business.”
“The cabin rental?”
“And a bar, the Honey Bear.” Danny burst out laughing. Connor didn’t get it. “What’s so funny?” he asked.
“Well, you named the bar Honey Bear, and you’re a bear,” he pointed out.
“All of three of us are born shifters, not made ones. My dad was a shifter, but my mother was human,” he said.
“When did you lose them?”
“They passed away when I was a teenager.”
“Losing both of them must have been hard at that age,” Danny said, genuine concern in his voice.
“My older brother, Rick, took over the business. Mac and I got each other’s backs though. What about you?”
“I was raised by my mom. Have no idea who my dad was.” Danny blew out a breath. “All she wanted to be was a model, but instead, she got pregnant with me. I was eighteen when she passed away from cancer, but she’d been really happy when I wanted to continue her dream.”
That made him raise an eyebrow. “Of being a model?”
“Hey, I already hear judgement in your voice, and shit, I should’ve said that. My agent will kill me.” Danny groaned.
“Believe me,” Connor said drily. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Connor could believe it. Danny certainly had the looks, and he was delighted Danny shared that secret with him. They were even now. Still, Danny’s profession confirmed the fact they both came from different worlds. Another reason why he should stay away, and yet, it wasn’t a deterrent. “What brings you here?”
“Let’s just say I need to keep a low profile,” Danny eventually said.
Connor’s bear got more curious at those words, no surprise there. Never mind. He’d wait until Danny was ready to tell him. It wasn’t like either of them would be going anywhere anytime soon. Once winter was over and Danny needed to head back, what then? Connor refused to think about that now.
“I just didn’t expect this town to be so small,” Danny admitted.
“Most of the younger generation couldn’t wait to get out of here,” he explained. “Mostly humans, but some of the shifters, too.”
“Don’t shifters usually prefer to be near nature?” Danny asked.
“True, but they get lured by better prospects, so they leave.”
“And you and your brothers?”
“No intention of leaving. Born and raised here, I’ll die here, too. Plus, my bear needs this environment to stay calm,” Connor explained.
“You don’t feel all that dangerous to me.”
At those words, Connor leaned forward and fisted Danny’s shirt, dragging the little human up so their faces, their noses, touched. Danny drew a breath.
“I didn’t even see you move,” Danny whispered.
“You should be scared of me,” Connor said, voice not entirely human. He knew by now that his bear was peeking out through his eyes, too, gauging the human in front of them.
“Maybe you’re the one who’s intimidated by me.”
He snarled, and this time Danny’s eyes widened.
“Connor, I don’t want any trouble in here,” yelled the bartender.
“Me, intimidated by a puny human?” he asked Danny, ignoring the bartender. His bear usually wanted to fight any dominant shifter in sight, never behaved around people, but this time, his grizzly waited inside of him, patient and calm.
“I get under your nerves, but I know you’ll never hurt me.”
He tightened his hand on Connor’s shirt. “This isn’t a bluff.”
“You look like you’re either going to kiss me or rip out my throat. Which is it?”
Danny swallowed when Connor transferred his grip from Danny’s shirt to his slender throat. He gave it squeeze, before dipping his head and claiming Danny’s mouth. Connor only knew rough. Some of his lovers had complained about it, but he couldn’t change what he was.
Danny really seemed into though, responding with surprising passion. The little human even parted his mouth so Connor could slip his tongue in only for Danny to suck on it. Fuck. Danny tasted so pliant, so sweet. His. Connor’s bear rumbled in approval at that.
Realizing they were still in a public place and Connor didn’t like any watchers, he pulled away. Danny panted, blue eyes wide.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, a command.
Danny nodded, looking a little shaken, uncertain and unlike the confident Danny he knew. He pulled out a couple of bills to pay for their meal. Danny began to argue, but he raised a hand.
“I invited you for dinner,” he said.
“Then, I appreciate the meal,” Danny said.
Connor placed one possessive hand on Danny’s neck as he guided the human out the bar and back to the cold night. Fat snowflakes continued to fall over their heads. Danny groaned.
“Is it always this cold?” the human grumbled as they got in his truck.
“This? Not the coldest yet,” Connor said, starting the engine.
“Seriously?”
“Yup. This isn’t the best season to visit. Summer and autumn are.” Then Connor remembered Danny would no longer be here by then.
Claim him, make him yours, his bear said inside him. That way, Danny wouldn’t need to leave the Red Mountains. Mates needed to be close to each other. Distance would only put strain on the mating bond, would only make the pair miserable. “It’s like having a hole in your heart,” his father once told him when their mom left for a week to visit her sister.
Connor wasn’t that much of a bastard. From what little he heard, Danny seemed to love his job. That was something Conner would never take away. Most likely, he’d move for his mate, but his bear wouldn’t survive in the city. The animal would only turn wild and—
What the hell was Connor
thinking that far for? This thing between Danny and him couldn’t be ignored. Sooner or later, they’d move things to the bedroom. He couldn’t wait to fuck that sweet little ass, to feel Danny underneath him, clutching at him, begging him for more.
They didn’t need to make things complicated, sure, but would a short affair be enough for the two of them?
Chapter Five
Danny didn’t drink more than one bottle of beer, but he felt intoxicated nonetheless, drunk from that sizzling kiss they shared in the bar. He touched his kiss-swollen lips with his fingers. He had a feeling a man like Connor didn’t do gentle, but slow and careful wasn’t exactly been what he’d been looking for.
With Shaun, it had been that way, too, with Shaun insisting not to rush things. Little did he know that Shaun had other ways to entertain himself. No. Danny promised himself to stop thinking about the past.
“What are you thinking about?” Connor asked, interrupting his thoughts.
The entire town had been blanketed in snow, painting a white winter wonderland. With Connor next to him, it looked almost magical, dreamy.
“About my ex.”
Connor growled at that.
“He was an asshole,” Danny said quickly. “I caught him cheating behind my back with someone I thought was my friend. I guess that’s the other reason I’d been eager to head here. I didn’t want to run into him.”
“Sounds like a jackass. I can hunt him down for you, remind him he just made the biggest mistake of his life.”
He sucked in his breath, aware of Connor’s glowing amber eyes. Danny knew it wasn’t just Connor in there, but also Connor’s bear. It should have frightened him, being with a shifter who admitted to not having full control of his animal, but it was the exact opposite. He felt safe with Connor, and it was nice, having someone defend him.
“You’re not lying,” he said.
“Never had the need to.”
“In my world, being the best liar is a mark of a professional.”
“Why do you say that?” Connor seemed genuinely interested.
“When my agent gets me a job with requirements I’m not sure I can fulfill, I tell them yes, I can do this. One time, I had to pose with a huge snake. It scared the hell out of me, but I did it anyway. If I decline this job, another model will take it.”
“Didn’t know modeling could be so tough.”
“The honesty is refreshing though,” he said.
“Then you have nothing to worry about when you’re with me. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to, and I’ll never lie to you,” Connor said quietly. It sounded like a fierce promise.
His heart started beating erratically, and he longer felt cold at all. In fact, the temperature in the car seemed to soar, making his skin hot, his hands clammy. Danny couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this nervous—in high school, maybe, when he asked his crush out on a date.
“Connor,” he began, because if Connor was going to be blunt, so was he. “This thing between us—”
“Doesn’t have to be complicated.”
Connor’s ready response surprised him. Being around the werebear sure made things confusing. When Danny came to the Red Mountains, he planned on holing himself up for the winter until his agent gave him the green light that he could come back. This place had only meant to be a temporary stop, and yet, driving past the silent streets, Danny began to wonder what it would be like living a small town with his grumpy bear.
Stop it, he chided. God. He’d only known Connor a day. What would Connor think of him?
“You’re right,” he blurted.
“Both of us know where this is going,” Connor ventured.
“Where is that?” he asked in a teasing voice.
“With you on your hands and knees while you beg for my cock.”
His pulse raced at those words. He let out a shaky laugh. “You sure stretch the definition of romantic, bear.”
“I don’t have a clue how to be fucking romantic, just telling you how it’ll be once we get back.”
“And if I say no?”
Silence for a few seconds. “I’ll back away. I might have a monster bear in me, but I don’t force anyone against their will.”
“Hey, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m sorry. I was just teasing you,” he said quickly. “God, I’m not going to get laid now, am I?”
“Should I punish you for that?” Connor curved his lips to a smile, as if he already imagined what he’d do to Danny. It sent a shiver down his spine, seeing the look of hunger in Connor’s eyes.
“What does punishment entail?”
“You at my complete mercy.”
He could already imagine Connor above him, holding him down and—his dick pulsed against his jeans and he swallowed, wondering if Connor could smell his arousal.
“Looks like both our dicks are in complete agreement,” he said.
Danny blushed. This again. He’d never describe himself as shy, but Connor was different. In his job, Danny sometimes hid parts of himself and pretended he was confident, sure of his actions. Eventually, all that pretending paid off, but being around Connor made him feel exposed, like he didn’t need to hide. He told Connor that, heart pounding. It felt scary, being this open with another person, but it felt right.
“I’m glad,” Connor said. “Be yourself with me. No secrets.”
“What if I tell you I have really annoying habits? I snore really loudly, and I only eat the blue M&Ms.”
“I can wear earplugs, and I hate the blue ones anyway.”
That made him smile. Finally, they arrived at the cabin. By then, night had fallen. The lights in Connor’s cabin were on, and as he got out, he noticed another man standing on the porch, nursing a smoke, curious gaze on him. Connor got out, bared at his teeth at the guy. Danny instantly saw the physical resemblance between them, the same black hair, but the other man’s eyes were blue-green, not just green.
“What do you want, Mac?” Connor asked.
“I just want to meet our new tenant.” Mac had a mischievous look in his eyes though as he went down the stairs to meet them.
Connor placed a hand on Danny’s shoulder. He blinked. When had the werebear moved?
“I’m Mac, Connor’s younger brother. You must be Danny,” Mac said, holding out his hand. He shook Mac’s hand, ignoring Connor’s glare. Mac’s handshake was firm, but he hesitated when Mac looked at him closely.
“You kind of look familiar. Have I seen you before?” Mac asked him.
Sweat tickled down his back. First, he outed his real identity to Connor, but that was fine, he trusted Connor. He was sure Mac wouldn’t mean him any harm, but one day here and he couldn’t even keep his promise to Trish, his agent?
“Must be a coincidence,” Connor said.
“You guys already had dinner?” Mac asked, thankfully changing the topic.
Connor rolled his eyes and told Danny, “His version of dinner means cereal and beer, and whatever’s in the house. Thanks, bro, but we’ve already eaten.”
“Aw, without me?”
“I’m seeing Danny to his door,” Connor said. “So fuck off.”
“Since when are you a gentleman?” Mac wore a knowing smile though, as if he knew his brother wasn’t just seeing Danny to his cabin. “Well, I’m not going to interrupt. I don’t want to fight you in bear form. Come over for dinner sometime, Danny. I’d like to get to know the human who managed to tame my brother better.”
“The human didn’t tame me.” Connor practically growled out the words.
“Uh, I still need to unload my groceries and shopping,” he said.
“I’ll help you.”
There was no refusing the werebear, because Connor was already undoing the tarp he put over his shopping and grabbing nearly all of his bags.
“Boy, having a big, strong bear shifter for a lover sure has its perks,” he said, taking the rest.
“Wrong, we haven’t had sex yet, little human, but we’re about
to.”
His breath hitched at those words. They entered his cabin. It was a lot chillier inside than he expected.
“Can you teach me how to start a fire?” he asked Connor.
“Sure, it’s easy. Let’s set your stuff down first,” Connor suggested. That done, he squatted as Connor started a fire. Warmth filled the living room in minutes. He took off Connor’s jacket.
“Thanks for this, by the way. It was really helpful,” he said.
“Keep it.”
“I got a new one for myself, and besides, what about you? You only had on that sweater the entire time we were out,” he said.
“We bear shifters are resistant to the cold. Well, it doesn’t affect us as badly as humans.”
“Oh.” This was new. Danny didn’t know his next move. “Would you like something to drink? I mean, all I got is water, soda, and—”
Connor saved him from further embarrassing himself by moving at a breathtaking speed and shoving him against the nearest wall, then sealing his mouth over Danny’s.
Chapter Six
Danny melted from the mind-numbing kiss. He began to paw at Connor, but the werebear restrained his hands above his head. That felt good, too. Who knew a big, muscled werebear could easily turn him on just by holding his body in place?
Teeth clashed and tongues tangled. Connor moved lower, kissing the side of his neck, and he groaned when he felt the scrape of teeth. He let out a needy moan as Connor fisted his shirt. Hearing the ripping fabric, he widened his eyes.
“Brute,” he whispered. He sported a huge woody now, and so did Connor.
“Your brute.”
The mention of ‘your’ made his chest tighten, like his heart wanted to burst out of his chest.
“Yes,” he said in complete agreement, leaning in for another kiss. Connor placated him, this time moving slow and tender. Up until that moment, he didn’t think his werebear was capable of gentleness.
Connor pulled away. “Pants off.”
“Exactly my thoughts but you, too. I want to see all of you.”