A knock on the door dragged her out of her musings and back to reality. “Just a second.”
She didn’t know what the rush was; she couldn’t have been in the restroom more than a couple of minutes. She quickly washed and dried her hands, and pulled open the door.
Deb stood on the other side, looking sheepish. “Sorry to interrupt, but you have company up front.”
“That’s all right. I was finished anyway.” Sophie frowned. “Who’s up there?”
“Come see for yourself.” With a smile, Deb turned and walked away.
“Okay...” Sophie followed. “I really don’t like surprises.”
“I’m willing to bet you’ll like this one.”
She stepped out into the main room and spotted Rick standing at the counter. She smiled, unable to help herself, and walked toward him. “Hey. What are you doing here?”
He pointed to the brown paper bag sitting on the counter. “I know you weren’t expecting me back until five to pick you up, but I thought you might want some lunch.”
“That was really thoughtful.” She peeked into the bag and found two burgers, two orders of fries, and two apple pies. “Are you going to stay and have lunch with me?” There was no way she could eat all that by herself.
“No, I have some errands to run in town. I only brought so much because I thought you might want to share with your coworker. I remember you ordering for two at the grocery store that first day we met.”
Wow. He had a good memory. She was impressed. “You’re incredibly sweet. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I have to run, but I’ll be back to get you in a few hours.”
“Okay. I’ll see you then.”
“Have a good day.” He turned and walked away.
“Thanks. You too,” she called after him, watching him go.
“He sure does fill out those jeans, doesn’t he?” Deb said, coming up beside her.
“Yes, he does.” Sophie glanced over. “But what would your mate say about you checking out Rick’s butt?”
“He would say it’s fine to look at the menu as long as I remember not to order anything.” Deb winked. “You, on the other hand, should take advantage of the carte blanche that fine man is offering you while it’s still on the table. Just because you’re not mates doesn’t mean you can’t build a lasting relationship.”
“What if we are mates?”
Deb shook her head. “You aren’t.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You would know. If the two of you were destined to be together, you would already feel it. Being mated isn’t something you grow into. It’s either there or isn’t. It’s just as simple and complicated as that.”
Sophie mulled that over. “How would I know?”
Deb frowned. “Are you serious?”
Sophie quickly weighed the pros and cons of confiding in Deb and decided she had nothing to lose. “Rick says I’m his mate.”
“Oh my God. That’s fantastic!” Deb threw her arms around Sophie and squeezed. “Why didn’t you say so sooner? I’m so happy for you.”
“I’m not a shifter like you guys. I don’t know what to think or feel. So much is going on right now; I’m not sure I know down from up.”
“You’ll figure it out,” Deb assured her.
Sophie started to ask how she was supposed to figure anything out when her life was turned upside down. Before she could speak, a little girl in a bright pink dress and bouncing brown pigtails skipped over to the desk and stopped in front of Deb and Sophie.
“Excuse me,” the little girl said in a high-pitched voice. “May I check out this book please?”
“Duty calls.” Sophie kneeled in front of the girl. “I would be happy to help you check out that book. Are you here with an adult?”
The girl nodded and pointed across the room. “My mommy’s over there.”
“All right,” she said. “Let’s go talk to your mommy.” Sophie stood back up and looked at Deb. “You can go ahead and take your lunch break if you want. Rick brought enough food for you and me both. I’ll handle things out here.”
“Okay,” Deb said. “But we’re finishing this conversation later.”
“Sure,” Sophie automatically agreed. They could talk more later. For now, she had a child interested in a new book to read. Her issues could wait.
* * * *
A loud scream pierced the quiet night. Rick jolted upright on the couch, disoriented and sluggish from sleep. He jumped to his feet and raced down the hall, his pulse racing. Adrenaline surged through him, forcing his bear to the surface. Fur burst through his pores and his fingernails lengthened into razor-sharp claws. His night vision improved and his sense of smell doubled. No unusual scents jumped out at him, but that didn’t mean his mate was safe.
He burst through his bedroom door and found Sophie curled around one of the pillows, her face buried in the soft cotton, and her shoulders heaving under the force of the silent sobs racking her body. Without a single hesitation, he climbed into bed with her and wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. I’m here. I won’t let anything hurt you.”
Sophie turned in his arms and pressed her damp face into his chest. “Don’t leave.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Awareness of her seeped into every pore of his body—her taste, her scent, the heat of her skin. His bear rumbled in approval. Everything about her screamed mate. He relaxed, allowing his claws to retract and his skin to smooth out. He could rest easy. Sophie was still safe and sound in his home, his bed, where she belonged.
“It was just a dream,” she whispered.
He wasn’t sure whether she was telling him or trying to convince herself. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? Sometimes talking can help.”
“It was stupid. I was back in my car, trying to get away from Lou. Only this time, when I wrecked, I was trapped inside and I couldn’t get out. I couldn’t get away.”
“That doesn’t sound stupid to me.” Rick brushed the hair from her face, kissed her forehead, and then her temple. “But it isn’t real. You’re not there. You’re here with me and I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”
She looked up at him with wide, glistening eyes. “You’re so good to me. Why are you so good to me?”
Rick frowned, confused by what she meant. “Why wouldn’t I be? You’re mine.”
She snuggled closer, pressing her body up against his. “I want to be. Make me yours.”
The meaning of her words rocked him to his core. Rick groaned at the thought of stripping her down and claiming her in his bed. He would give his left nut to make her his right then and there. However, he didn’t think she was after the same thing he had in mind. She wanted a distraction. He wanted forever. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea, Sophie. I want you—you have no idea how damn much—but I’m not sure I can be with you and not claim you.”
“Do it then,” she compelled him. “Claim me.”
“Are you sure you know what you’re asking for? Once we do this, there’s no going back. It’ll be you and me forever.”
She gave a shaky nod. “I want that. I want you.”
Overwhelming need settled in his gut and made his balls ache. “You have no idea how important you are to me or how excited I am to hear you say that.”
“Then show me,” she challenged him.
“Gladly,” he murmured, already lowering his head and covering her mouth with his own. He couldn’t deny her anything. He didn’t even want to try. He wanted this as much as she did. Maybe more. Sophie was smart, beautiful, and full of spirit. He couldn’t wait to seal the bond between them and claim her as his own. He slid his lips over hers gently, once, twice, and then a third time for good measure, before darting his tongue out to taste her. A hint of honey and something unique and infinitely sweeter burst over his taste buds and reconfirmed what he already knew. No one but his mate could possibly taste that fucking good.
Rick’s desire skyrocketed. He couldn’t wait another second to have her bare and writhing in pleasure beneath him. With that thought in mind, he skimmed his hands up her sides, pulling up the soft material of her nightgown.
She seemed to read his mind and raised her arms, allowing him to pull the gown over her head. He slung the garment to the side, happy to be rid of it, and gazed down at her lush, pink-tipped breasts. He traced the valley between her breasts with two fingers. “You’re so beautiful.”
Unable to resist, he cupped both breasts and massaged the soft, supple flesh. He ran his thumbs around the areolas and watched her nipples tighten and peak beneath his touch. He bent his head and pulled one stiff peak into his mouth. He licked over and around her nipple, doing his best to drive her out of her mind with pleasure, and then switched sides to her give her other breast the same attention.
“Rick.” Sophie moaned his name and arched her back. She wrapped her legs around his waist and squeezed.
The sense of urgency within Rick doubled. He yearned to feel her legs wrapped around him just like that once he was buried inside her sweet heat.
He shoved at his pants and boxers, pushing them over his hips and down his thighs. Lifting one leg and then the other, he finally finished removing them and kicked them aside. Turning his attention to Sophie, he grabbed the slender straps of her string bikini panties and gave them a yank, ripping the thin material from her body.
“Jesus, Rick.” Sophie stared up at him with wide eyes. She lay trembling beneath him, her thighs open and welcoming.
“Shit. I’m sorry,” Rick said, afraid he’d scared her or pissed her off. “I’ll buy you more. Anything you want.”
She shook her head and smiled up at him. “I don’t care about the panties. You just surprised me.” Her soft hands fluttered up and over his chest. She cupped his face and pulled him down for a long, lingering kiss.
He stretched out on top of her, careful to keep most of his weight balanced on his forearms. As much as he loved her height and generous curves, she was still tiny in comparison to his larger, bulkier build. He had to force himself to remember to be gentle, and not let himself get too carried away.
She twined her legs around his hips and wiggled until his cock fell into position between the lips of her pussy. She rocked back and forth, rubbing her hot, damp flesh against him.
The extra stimulation was too much for him. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he was going to seriously embarrass himself by coming all over her stomach. He reached between their bodies, grabbed hold of his cock, rubbed the bulbous tip through her slick folds. He aimed the tip at her entrance and paused. “Are you ready for this?”
“Yes.” She rocked her hips upward into his touch. “Please.”
Reassured she wanted this as much as he did, Rick drove forward and gave her everything he had in one long, slow thrust. Her channel was slick and hot, surrounding him and holding him tight. He’d never felt anything so damn good or right in all his life.
“Oh.” Sophie cried out and sank her nails into his biceps. “Oh God.”
Rick closed his eyes and breathed deeply, trying to stave off his climax. After a moment, he dared to shift his hips forward and back, luxuriating in the friction and heat of her body. He could feel everything, every inch of her channel, the walls snug and rippling around his cock.
Rick eased his hips backward, slowly retreating, and then thrust back inside, closing his eyes as pleasure raced through him. Sophie fit him like a glove, so hot and tight around him. He couldn’t get enough.
His body surged into high gear, doing what came naturally. He rocked his pelvis, making love to her with long, slow strokes. She moved with him, rocking up into his every downward plunge.
The primal urge to rut and stake his claim was so strong, almost more than he could bear. The beast inside him growled, restless, and desperate to strike now and leave their mark on Sophie. His gums ached from holding back the fangs he would use to pierce her skin and bind them together for eternity.
Sophie moaned his name and squeezed him with her thighs and threw her head back against the pillow.
Encouraged by the sounds of her pleasure, he picked up his pace, pounding into her fast and hard, holding nothing back. The bed springs squeaked from their exertions and added extra noise to her moans and his grunts of pleasure.
Desperate to make her feel good, he slid one hand between them and found her clit. He used his thumb to rub firm, unrelenting circles around the slick bundle of nerves.
The walls of her pussy tightened and rippled around his cock. He massaged her clit harder and thrust into her with long, deep strokes.
“Don’t stop,” she cried out, staring up at him with wide, passion-glazed eyes. “Rick. Please don’t stop.”
“Never,” he promised, not about to quit or slow down when she was right on the edge. He wouldn’t ever leave her hanging. Making her come was more important than finding his own release. “Come for me. Let me feel you.”
“Almost... almost there.” The last word trailed off in a ragged moan as she came, her channel clenching around him.
He buried himself inside her with a final deep thrust and gave in to his own release, whispering her name into her hair as his orgasm crashed over him.
The beast inside him roared to claim their mate, for him to do it now before it was too late. Rick struck fast, sinking his fangs into her neck while her body was still in the throes of orgasm. Sophie shouted and clung to him, her body trembling beneath him.
A trickle of her blood filled his mouth even as his saliva seeped into her wound, the exchange of fluids sealing their bond. He eased his teeth from her throat, careful not to cause her any more discomfort, and licked over the puncture wounds.
He gazed down at her, took in her flushed cheeks and the messy hair spread over the pillow, and realized he’d never seen anyone more beautiful. Foreign emotions swelled inside him, his and hers. Their bond settled into place and filled a gap in his soul he hadn’t even realized was there prior to that very moment.
Sophie gasped, likely experiencing something very similar. “Oh my God. I can feel you.”
“I can feel you, too.” Mostly he sensed satiation and contentment, with an underlying thread of curiosity. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out what she was curious about. Their bond would take some getting used to for both of them, but he was looking forward to exploring and nurturing the fledgling connection between them.
He leaned in and kissed her softly, so pleased and fulfilled. For the first time in a long time, he had a reason to look forward to the future.
Chapter Eight
For the next few days, they fell into a routine and life was good. Rick drove her back and forth to work, they made dinner together, ate with Toby more often than not, and then made love until they collapsed. She’d never been so happy.
Being claimed by Rick didn’t make her psychic or give her the power to shift. The only noticeable change was a heightened awareness of Rick and the eradication of any shred of doubt she may have possessed about his intentions. He’d claimed her, right and proper, and there was no going back. They were inexplicably tied together, for better or worse. After a lifetime of looking for love in all the wrong places, she’d finally found someone she could count on, someone she could trust.
Naturally she expected it all to come crashing down around her at any moment. If life had taught her anything, it was that nothing good ever lasted.
Every time she started to worry, Rick seemed to sen
se her mood and did his best to pull her out of the doldrums by telling a bad joke or kissing her silly. The latter worked much better than the former. One touch of Rick’s lips and she forgot everything except the pressing drive to strip off her clothes and climb him like a tree.
He didn’t seem to mind. If anything, his drive to reassert his claim was just as strong as her longing to be as close to him as possible. Being wanted with that degree of intensity was more than a little heady. His desire for her made her feel sexy and confident, which boosted her flagging self-esteem. And it gave her the courage to love him without barriers, not even the cover of darkness she’d always counted on to hide her flaws and imperfections. She’d stood naked and vulnerable in front of him in the broad daylight and seen nothing but raw need in his eyes. The sincerity of his desire went a long way toward soothing a lifetime of insecurities about her body. He didn’t seem to care that her breasts weren’t perky and her stomach wasn’t flat. He wanted her just the way she was and that was pretty damn liberating.
Her newfound confidence made her stand a little straighter, smile a little brighter, and hold her head up high. She found it easier to ignore the looks of curious strangers at work and finally had something in common with Deb.
Shortly before lunchtime on Friday, Rick came into the library carrying another brown bag from the local fast food place. She smiled and waved at him from her position behind the desk and finished checking out the young girl with an affinity for cozy mysteries. She glanced back in Rick’s direction and noticed the two deputies standing behind him. The smile slid off her face and her pulse kicked into high gear.
She rounded the desk and hurried to her mate. “Hey. What’s going on?”
“Hey you. Come over here.” Rick set the bag on the desk and pulled her into his arms for a tight hug. He kissed her cheek and then looked her square in the eyes. “Listen, someone matching Lou’s description was spotted at a gas station on the edge of town. They aren’t sure if it was really him though. The proprietor who called it in said the guy paid at the pump and he couldn’t be one hundred percent sure of what he saw.”
Pleasant Valley Bears: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Pleasant Valley Shifters) Page 6