by Zoe Chant
“So do I. I’ll have to thank her some day,” Owen said. “When she’s not contagious.”
When they finished their breakfast, Owen said, “Raina, want to come hiking with me? I know some great trails. And I have a cabin in the woods. We could pack a picnic, go hiking, then come back to my cabin.”
“I’d love to.”
Owen drove Raina to her apartment, then dropped her off to pack while he went shopping to put together a picnic basket. Then he picked her up. She’d changed into jeans that showcased her gorgeous ass and curvy thighs, and a pink T-shirt that stretched temptingly over her luscious breasts. The V-neck showed cleavage that made him want to rip her shirt off.
Noticing him staring, she said wryly, “Cinderella’s back from the ball.”
“You’re still a princess to me,” Owen said, and kissed her thoroughly.
He drove her through the busy streets and then out of the city, enjoying her presence and conversation. Soon they were winding through narrow roads, into the wilderness, and then bumping along off-road. Tall trees rose up all around them, their green leaves casting shadows over the car. The air was cooler, as the trees blocked the sun, and very clear.
Now both Owen and his bear were at home, having left the city behind. Men liked the city, but bears didn’t. Spending half his time in each place was a compromise that made both Owen and his bear happy. And now he had his mate to share it with! His life was perfect.
***
Raina laid her hand down on Owen’s forearm and let him help her down from the Range Rover. His arm was warm and steady beneath her hand, as much a promise of safety as the man himself.
She stepped down to the mossy ground and breathed in the air of the wilderness. It was scented with earth and pine and growing wood. She hadn’t realized how much the air in the city smelled like chemicals and asphalt and steel until she left it behind her. The trees were old and gnarled, thick with leaves. Raina couldn’t hear any cars or any noises of people, but only Owen’s soft breathing, the rustling of leaves in the breeze, and the chirping of birds.
“It’s so peaceful,” she said. “Thank you for bringing me here.”
“You’re welcome. This is a very special place for me. I’m glad you like it.” He took out the picnic basket and a rolled-up blanket, and they set out.
As they began to walk through the woods, Raina realized that they didn’t seem to be on a trail. “You never get lost here, do you?”
Owen shook his head. “Don’t worry about that. I know this forest by heart. Besides, we’re on a deer trail. See?”
Raina looked where he’d pointed. At first she didn’t see anything to mark the trail, but then she caught the faint imprints of hooves in the moss. “Deer are so cute. Think we’ll see some?”
“Maybe. It’s a little late in the day for them, but you never know. Are they your favorite forest animal?”
“I don’t know if I have a favorite,” she replied. “Maybe foxes. They’re even cuter than deer. What’s your favorite?”
Owen had looked oddly disappointed when she’d mentioned foxes, and looked oddly hopeful as he said, “Bears. Um… What do you think of bears?”
“I’m not sure I’ve ever thought much about them,” Raina admitted. “I’ve never seen one up close. Just as well. Why do you like them?”
Owen grew increasingly impassioned as he spoke. “They’re wild. They’re fierce. Bears are powerful and smart. They can fight ferociously, but they won’t attack without cause. They’re loyal and they love their families— and their mates. A bear will do anything to protect the ones he loves!”
Raina had to smile at his intensity. She loved that he got so passionate about his beloved wilderness, even to the point of being a one-man Bear Defense Society. “And they’re fluffy and furry. You’re right. They’re great animals.”
Encouraged, Owen continued discussing bears as they hiked on. By the time they reached a sunlit glen beside a wide stream, Raina had learned all about bears.
But, she thought secretly, she still wouldn’t want to meet one. It would probably eat her. They were nice from a distance and in a zoo, but she sure wouldn’t want to run into one in the forest.
Owen spread out the blanket on the grass. The nearby stream formed a small waterfall leading into a crystal pool, and a ray of sunlight struck rainbows off its falling drops.
They sat on the blanket and unpacked the picnic basket. Raina began to laugh as she saw how lavish it was. “You bought the entire store! How did you carry all that?”
Owen shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what you liked, so I figured I’d get a selection.”
The basket contained bottles of water, lemonade, and champagne, plus carefully wrapped glasses, napkins, and silverware. It also had a loaf of crusty French bread and several types of cheese, sliced ham and roast beef and sandwich fixings, salmon salad, cold shrimp and cocktail sauce, fruit salad, a box of assorted macaroons, and another box of assorted cupcakes.
“I like everything,” Raina said. “Except for the bananas in the fruit salad.”
“I’ll have those,” Owen said.
Raina picked up a chunk and placed it between his lips. In return, he fed her a juicy strawberry.
“It’s so beautiful here,” Raina said as they ate. “I’m surprised we haven’t run into any other hikers.”
“Oh…” Owen looked slightly embarrassed. “We won’t. These are my woods. I own this land. It’s completely private.”
“Wow.” Raina shook her head, amazed. “I keep forgetting you’re a billionaire. You’re so down to earth.”
“I’ve only been a billionaire for five years,” Owen reminded her. “What did you expect a billionaire to be like?”
“A man who never goes hiking or does anything with his hands but count money,” Raina admitted. “Like that creepy guy you had to scare off me at the auction.”
“Austin Stroud.” Owen’s green eyes narrowed with anger, and for a moment, his handsome face went hard and frightening. “You never have to worry about being bothered by anyone like that again, Raina. I’ll scare off anyone who even looks at you in a way you don’t like.”
“Thanks. I know you will.” Moved that he would offer to protect her, Raina put her hand over his.
The touch of their hands was like an electric shock. She didn’t know which of them reached out first, but they were suddenly kissing passionately, overcome with desire. Owen’s tongue plundered her mouth, fierce and lustful. Her hands were under his shirt, hers under his.
With a sweep of his big hand, Owen shoved the remains of the picnic off the blanket. He laid Raina down and undressed her, his hands rough and urgent. Her shirt tore, but she barely noticed. Within seconds, he’d completely stripped her. She lay nude on the blanket, a gentle breeze caressing her body and Owen’s heated gaze warming her.
“I can’t wait to taste you, Raina!” Owen said.
His words turned her on even more. Maybe she could taste him, too. At the thought of sucking that huge cock, a trickle of liquid flowed from her pussy, making her squirm.
“I can smell you,” Owen said. “God, it’s so hot. I can smell how wet you are for me.”
“What’s it smell like?” Raina asked.
“Like musk and honey. I have to taste it.” Owen’s voice was roughened with passion. “And I will!”
Still fully dressed, he lowered himself down over her and began kissing and suckling at her breasts. Raina moaned as his hot tongue trailed over her nipples, making them harden in his mouth. He caressed and fondled her with his hands as he kissed and licked at her.
She ran her hands through his soft hair as he worked his way downward, kissing ever bit of the belly that everyone had always told her was fat and ugly. But Owen’s passion made it feel like a natural part of her, even a beautiful, desirable part.
His warm breath stirred the nest of curls between her legs, making her gasp. Then he pushed her legs apart, and bent to lick at her pussy. Raina’s fists clenched in the bla
nket with the exquisite shock of sensation.
Owen lapped at her as if he loved her taste. He drew back long enough to murmur, “You do taste like honey.”
Then he returned to making love to her with his tongue. He teased at her clit, sending rippling waves of nearly-unbearable pleasure through her body. Raina moaned and cried out, not caring what she sounded like, unable to do anything but writhe in the grip of the most incredible feeling she had ever known. Then a tremendous climax crashed over her, and she heard herself scream in impossible delight.
As the aftershocks faded, Raina was left not sleepy, but ready for more. Ready to please Owen, who had given her such intense pleasure. She stripped off his shirt, then his shoes and jeans. And then his boxers, letting his cock emerge from its cloth prison. She’d seen him erect before, but it was still startling how huge he was.
“I can’t believe that fits inside of me,” Raina muttered, then blushed to hear her own words.
“It fits perfectly,” Owen assured her. “You’re exactly the right size for me. In every way! Some women are so little and skinny, I always feel like I’m going to hurt them by accident.”
Raina smiled, for once glad of her size. “You can relax with me. I won’t break.”
She pushed gently at Owen, and he obligingly rolled over on to his back for her. A drop of pre-cum was a gleaming bead at the tip of his cock. She leaned over and lapped at it, enjoying its slippery texture and slightly sweet taste. Owen gasped at the touch of her tongue, and Raina smiled to hear how much pleasure she was giving him.
She licked her way along his great shaft, feeling the delicate skin slip over the iron-hard flesh. Owen’s strong hands clutched at her shoulders, and his breath came fast. She could smell his natural scent, musky and intoxicating, as she closed her mouth around the head of his cock and sucked hard.
Owen’s green eyes opened wide. “Oh, God!”
When she released him, he said, “I can’t wait any longer. I have to be inside you!”
He sat up, took a condom from the wallet that lay on the grass beside them, and rolled it over his huge shaft. Then he pulled Raina into his lap, impaling her on his steel-hard rod. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head with the intensity of the sensation. She’d never known it could feel this good to be so filled and stretched.
He felt so right inside her, as if even their bodies were made for each other: the big curvy woman and the huge muscular man.
Owen thrust into her, all the while holding her tight in his strong arms, kissing her and stroking her. She let her own hands slide over his powerful back and the bulging muscles of his shoulders. Her nipples were exquisitely stimulated as they rubbed against his chest, hardening into taut nubs. The sitting position made Owen’s cock stroke her clit with every thrust, sending her farther and farther into pleasure.
Her orgasm was like lightning striking a tree, making it shatter and then burst into flames. Raina screamed, helpless in the grip of an ecstasy like none she’s ever felt before. Just as it started to fade, Owen growled his own climax, his strong hands gripping her shoulders.
Then they lay still and contented. Raina was still trembling with the aftershocks of orgasm. They kissed gently for a while, and then Owen lifted her tenderly and carried her to the crystal-clear pool.
“I’ll never get tired of you carrying me,” Raina said.
“And I’ll never get tired of carrying you,” Owen replied.
He stepped into the pool. Raina gasped as the water touched her. It was colder than she’d expected, but bracing rather than freezing. They rinsed off, playfully splashing each other, then dried off with the blanket and got dressed.
“What a perfect day,” Raina said with a happy sigh.
Then a terrifying roar split the air. Raina gasped and spun around. Owen jumped in front of her, protectively.
A huge black bear came crashing through the woods, roaring and snarling. Its bared fangs gleamed white, and its eyes were maddened and red.
Raina screamed in terror.
Owen stood tall and waved his arms at the bear.
“Go away!” Owen bellowed. “Get out!”
His voice was so loud and frightening that Raina was briefly calmed. He’d told her while they were hiking that bears were more scared of humans than humans were of bears, and that yelling at a bear would drive it away.
But this bear didn’t seem scared. It roared again, then reared up on its hind legs, towering even taller than Owen. Then, with a snarl, it raised a gigantic paw to swat at Owen’s head, claws out.
Raina screamed again, this time in horror. No matter how big and strong Owen was, one blow from that bear’s paw would rip his head off.
“Run!” Raina screamed.
But Owen didn’t run. Instead, he seemed to stand even taller… and broader. Before Raina’s shocked eyes, his shirt and jeans became a coat of shaggy brown fur. In the blink of an eye, Owen had become a gigantic grizzly bear.
Raina stood staring, unable to believe her eyes. Owen— her sweet billionaire Owen— had just transformed into a bear. The man she’d started to fall in love with wasn’t a man at all. He was a werebear!
She watched, paralyzed with shock, as the bear that had been Owen stood up on his hind legs, looming over the black bear. The Owen-bear was far bigger than the black bear, a giant hairy animal with gleaming white fangs.
The Owen-bear let out a terrifying roar of fury.
Raina’s paralysis broke. She had no idea what was going on, but she wasn’t going to stick around and see which bear would be the first to eat her. She turned and fled into the forest.
Raina’s heart banged like it would smash through her ribs. Her lungs burned. Twigs whipped into her face, but she didn’t dare stop. She’d never been so terrified in her life.
But beyond her shock and terror, she felt grief and betrayal, anger and shame. She’d been such a fool to think that a man who was sweet and sexy, handsome and brilliant, would ever look at her twice. Owen wasn’t Prince Charming— he was the Big Bad Wolf.
The Big Bad Bear, Raina thought with a hysterical laugh.
Then bitterness overcame her. Women like her didn’t get fairytales, let alone fairytale endings. They didn’t get true love. They got betrayal and disillusionment. They dreamed of princes, and fell for monsters.
Tears ran down Raina’s cheeks as she bolted through the woods.
***
Owen roared his protective fury at the attacking bear. He had his back to Raina, but heard her run away.
Good, he thought. She’s getting to safety.
Then Owen’s paw lashed out to block the other bear’s blow. Furious that the other bear had frightened his mate, Owen struck out. His paw hit the black bear on the side of his head, knocking him to the ground.
The bear turned and bit at Owen’s leg. Owen jerked aside, and the black bear’s heavy jaws snapped shut on air.
The black bear rolled away and stood again, snarling at Owen. Then it dropped down and lumbered off into the forest.
By then Owen’s bear was in full control of him. Owen could think of nothing but his fury at the enemy bear for threatening his mate. His animal rage cast a scarlet haze over his vision. He had to protect his mate. He had to avenge his mate’s fear. No mate of a bear should ever be afraid of anything!
Red rage in Owen’s heart, he pursued the black bear through the forest. His protective instincts were fully roused. His great paws sank into the earth, and he crashed through branches. Nothing would stand between him and the bear who had attacked his mate!
The black bear fled before him, darting into a thick grove of trees, growing very close together. Owen’s size hampered him. Unable to squeeze through the trunks, Owen was forced to go around. By the time he reached the other side of the grove, the black bear was gone.
Still seething with protective fury, Owen tracked the bear to a stream. There his scent vanished. He’d gone into the water, and who knows where he’d come out.
Owen roared in fr
ustration. His roar echoed through the woods.
But then, as he stood at the stream, his rage slowly faded, allowing human thoughts to return.
The black bear was gone. Owen had left Raina behind. He had to go back to her.
He started to retrace his steps, then remembered that he was still a bear. He’d scare her if he showed up as a grizzly.
Owen became a man again. The moment he did, a very human thought hit him like a ton of bricks: Raina had seen him shift.
He groaned aloud. After all his plans to wait for the perfect moment to explain that he was a bear shifter, answering all her questions and soothing her fears while in human form before he ever let her see him shift, he’d turned into a bear right in front of her, with no build-up whatsoever.
What in the world did she think?
Then he remembered the sound of her running footsteps. Now that he was a man, he could think like a man thought, and guess what Raina might have been thinking. Had she really been getting to safety, away from the attacking black bear? Or had she been fleeing from Owen?
Owen bolted back toward the clearing where he’d left her, desperate to find her and explain. Raina was his mate, his match, his everything. There was no way he was going to lose her over a misunderstanding.
***
Raina staggered, exhausted. Her legs hurt, her chest hurt, her eyes burned, and a stitch pierced her side. She was forced to stop to catch her breath, leaning against a tree and gasping for breath. Once she could breathe again and the pain in her side and lungs had subsided, she realized that she had no idea where she was.
Other than the middle of Owen’s forest, she thought grimly.
And he’d driven her there. Her car was still parked in the city. If she could find the road, she could flag down a car, but she didn’t know where the road was.
“Raina Williams, you’re in deep, deep trouble,” she muttered to herself.
A polite cough made her whip around with a scream.