by Marie Mason
“Well, I’m just saying he’s a jackass.”
Quinn was nervous as hell. He patted his pants pocket for the umpteenth time to make sure the ring was still there. It was. He looked around his house, making sure everything was in place. When he’d told the family he was proposing to Paige tonight, they had all jumped in to make the night prefect. His mother had cooked a meal that could be warmed up whenever they were done, umm, celebrating. She’d also brought enough food to last them more than a few days.
Deb and the twins had locked themselves in the master bedroom to prepare ‘the setting.’ Knowing Ryland, he’d probably find a pair of fuzzy handcuffs on the nightstand and a whip hanging from the light fixture. Ryker…he wasn’t too sure what Ryker’s contribution to the night would be. Maybe it’d be an assortment of sex toys and real leather cuffs. He had a feeling his brother rode the edge of darkness in his sexual preferences.
He prayed Deb kept them in check. Although, the way his sister sometimes looked at her husband, maybe that wasn’t the greatest plan either. He was expecting candlelight and rose petals, not the latest BDSM playthings.
Deb had not only managed to leave work early, but she’d also spoken with her bosses to free up some of Paige’s time for the next few days. He knew his mate was going to be mad as hell over that. Feeling the restlessness of his bear, he knew he’d had very little choice. His need to possess Paige was reaching dangerous levels.
“Alright son, everything’s set.” His father walked out of the kitchen with his mother right behind him. He put an arm around his mate and pulled her close. Quinn wondered if he and Paige would be that way after years of marriage. He didn’t see his desire for her waning anytime soon. Or his love.
“Thanks, Dad. Mom.” He walked over and placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek.
She patted his face. “Just make me some grandbabies.”
Quinn rolled his eyes and willed away the red he could feel trying to flood his cheeks. He planned on planting his seed inside Paige, but not to give his mother a grandchild. He glanced his father’s way and knew the other man had figured out what he was thinking. There was nothing more primal than releasing yourself inside your mate.
Oh man, he was thinking of his parents. And sex, almost at the same time. That was a cock deflator if ever there was one.
“Come on, let’s leave the boy alone. Ryland! Ryker! Deb! Get down here.” His father’s voice roared just as it had night after night when they were teenagers. Quinn heard three sets of footsteps pounding down the stairs seconds before his siblings appeared.
Deb was smiling and Ryland was frowning. Ryker wore his same stoic expression. “It’s all set, little brother.”
“Yeah, make us proud.” Ryland slapped him on his arm as he passed by.
“Good luck.” Ryker’s voice was low and sincere. He gave Quinn’s shoulder a squeeze of reassurance.
Damn, was it going to be that tough to convince his mate to marry him?
He walked his family to the door and stood there as they exited. His parents were the last to leave. “Don’t look so worried. She loves you.”
“I know, Mom. I just want her to know how much I love her.” Good God, he was getting sappy. His bear sighed in contentment until the man replayed the memories of the night before. Then the animal reared up on its hind legs and roared. It wanted its mate. And it wanted her now.
Paige had managed to get away from work on time for the first time in a long time. Her bosses had also reassigned some of the work and it had freed up her schedule. She didn’t know who to thank for the reprieve but she would be forever grateful. If things went well tonight, she hoped she could convince Quinn to take a couple of days off. They could lock themselves inside his house and lose themselves in each other. She needed it. He needed it.
She trembled at the thought of having the bear all to herself for a couple of days. And the giant step she was about to take—to move in with a man. She’d never even contemplated such a thing before. She’d been on her own forever and adjusting to someone else, a bossy someone else, was difficult to say the least. Was that why she was hesitating?
A picture of herself dressed in a white gown flashed through her mind. Sweet heavens. She wanted to marry him. She was hesitating about moving in with him because he hadn’t asked that question. Will you marry me? The feminist in her scorned the idea. She was an independent woman. So why did the other two words—I do—matter so much? Was it because he would make a vow to love and protect her in front of others? As if that gave the words more power, more credence? He’d already vowed to be with her always. He’d told her he loved her. Shown her he wanted her in a thousand different ways. He’d taken her, mated her. She knew bears mated for life. She knew nothing could ever come between them. A little piece of paper wasn’t going to change that fact.
Crap. No wonder men got so frustrated with women. They said one thing and meant something else entirely. Her breath came faster and her whole body shook. For a moment she thought she was going to faint.
Quinn heard the sound of an engine and then Paige’s car as it pulled into the driveway. He was in the kitchen, setting out a tray of food—grapes, cheese, crackers, chocolate covered strawberries. Every romantic food he could think of. Not only had his mother left dinner tonight, she’d stocked the fridge. No doubt she remembered how ravenous a bear could get when the mating heat consumed them. He shook his head. Again with the picture of his parents. But wasn’t that what he wanted? The love and commitment—and sexual heat—of a mated pair?
To know Paige was his and his alone. Forever.
Somehow he was going to make Paige see that marrying him was what he wanted, truly wanted. And once he had that ring on her finger they would be bound together in both worlds, shifter and human. Once again, he fingered the ring in the front pocket of his jeans. His mother and sisters had assured him it was perfect, and that no, she would not want to pick out her own ring. Even Molly had seen it via Skype and approved. Strangely, the twins hadn’t given him much grief over it.
He frowned when the engine continued to idle. Plunging the wine into the bucket of ice to chill, he turned on his heel. Something was wrong. His bear could feel it. By the time he reached the driveway, she’d turned off the engine but was still sitting behind the wheel, looking straight ahead. Quinn breathed her in, realized he simply liked looking at her. He liked looking at the reddish brown of her hair and the freckles that trailed along her nose. He knew for a fact they were elsewhere on her body.
He hurried over to the car. “Paige?”
She started at the sharp rap on her window. Shit. He hadn’t meant to scare her. Reaching out, he opened the door and squatted between it and the frame of the car. She looked shell-shocked. “Baby? What’s wrong?”
She turned toward him. Anguish filled her beautiful dark green eyes. “Come inside, Paige.”
Taking one of her small, delicate hands in his, he helped her from the car. He had the awful feeling she’d been about ready to put her car in reverse and drive away. Like hell. He led her to the front door he’d left standing wide open. Before she could go inside he picked her up and carried her over the threshold, practicing for their wedding day. He kicked the door shut behind him. Neither one of them was leaving until she’d agreed to marry him.
He sat her down gently, facing away from the room. The evening sun was setting, plunging the living area into darkness. The flameless candles he’d placed around the room now cast a soft glow. He wanted it to be a surprise for her. After. “Paige, baby, there’s something I need to—”
Before he could say another word, she launched herself at him. “Oh, Quinn. I love you so much.”
Quinn caught her to him, turning his face into her hair, inhaling the gut-wrenching fragrance that always lingered there. Her warmth seeped inside and made his blood rush faster. This was his mate. Fate had been kind to him, giving her to him earlier rather than later in life. His lips found hers. She welcomed his kiss, opening for his touch.
Quinn sank into the kiss, giving her the full taste of his hunger.
He eased back, letting her go except to frame her face in both of his hands. “You are my life, Paige Matthews. I guess that should scare me half to death. I know it does you. But it doesn’t. You are the very air that I breathe.”
With one fluid movement, he was on one knee in front of her, holding out a golden ring with a huge solitaire diamond that twinkled in the fading light. “Marry me, baby.”
“Quinn!” Paige’s hands flew to her mouth. A familiar panic circled, then disappeared forever, the dark, somber look in his eyes telling her, without words, that he would always be there for her. Be whatever she needed him to be.
“Is that yes, baby?” He smiled at her and she could tell by the tightness of his mouth that he wasn’t at all certain of what her answer would be. It humbled her.
“Silly bear. Of course, it’s a yes.”
“Hot damn!” he roared, coming up and crushing her to him. His fingers tangled in her hair, holding her still for his bruising kiss. It was fierce, filled with hungry, anger even.
She pulled away. “I’m so sorry, Quinn. I should have moved in with you days ago. Weeks ago. I was scared. You scare me.”
“What?” His bear recoiled from that thought.
“Having someone to love, loving someone. It was all I ever wanted. But I’ve been on my own so long, when you were finally here…” she trailed off, biting her lip in remorse.
“Sweetheart.” His bear breathed a sigh of relief. She loved him.
He pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. For a shifter, it was instinctive to immerse yourself in your mate, for the two to become one. Better, stronger. He could understand her hesitation, her fear of losing herself to him. He was a damn bossy bear. His lips cruised her face, placing kisses wherever he could. His arms were tight and firm around her. He wanted to wrap her in the cocoon of intimacy that wove its way around them whenever they were together and keep her there forever.
“I vow I will always put your needs and your wants before my own, Paige. I and my bear will protect, defend, and most of all love you.”
Paige’s eyes filled with tears. “I know, baby. I know.”
Gold flittered through Quinn’s eyes, his bear pushing toward the surface. Paige liked that look. She liked it a lot. She knew he’d proposed to her because he understood it was something she needed. A reassurance that meant absolutely nothing compared to a shifter’s instinct to be with their mate.
When his head lowered this time, the kiss was dark with urgency. Their hands fumbled with their clothing, until Quinn pushed her away and ordered, “Stand still, woman before I cum in my pants.” She only giggled at his command, then gasped when his claws came out and sliced through her bra and panties before pulling them away. As soon as the pieces of fabric drifted to the floor, he tossed her over his shoulder.
“Quinn, what are you doing?” She gripped the waist of his jeans, the only piece of clothing left between them.
“I’m tossing my mate over my shoulder so I can fuck the hell out of her.” He slapped her ass as he took the stairs to their bedroom two at a time.
Paige struggled to hold back the tears of happiness. “Well, it’s about damn time.” That earned her another slap on the ass that made her pussy even wetter.
“Oh, baby, you are so beautiful.” He tossed her on the bed with more urgency than finesse and she giggled again as she bounced not once, but twice. Sometimes Quinn didn’t know his own strength. He’d never hurt her. She was as sure of that as she was that the sun was going to rise the next morning. And he brought her such feeling of joy.
Joy wasn’t the only feeling he made her feel. Her pussy tingled as she looked up at him. He stood by the bed breathing hard. Lord, he was magnificent. He was rock hard, a solid mass of thick, corded muscle. Paige loved his good looks, she wasn’t a dummy. But she appreciated his sense of humor and intelligence. He was the whole package. And he was all hers.
On fire to touch him she rose up on her knees. Her hands skimmed skin that felt like warm, supple leather. Entranced, she traced the expense of his chest. The ridges and slopes came alive under her fingertips, rippling at her touch. The sinews of his neck and shoulders were taut and straining beneath her fingers. She pressed her lips to his shoulder, marveling at its smooth shape. He tangled his hands in her hair and dragged her head backward.
“Mine.” His voice rumbled in his chest. There was such fierce satisfaction in his voice that her pussy clenched in response.
“Yours.”
Quinn’s heated mouth roamed down her throat, biting at the soft skin. His teeth closed over the mate mark, pressing lightly against the still fresh mark of last night. His tongue drew lazy circles over the tender spot. The skin had healed, but it was still sensitive. It would be forever. She moaned a soft, breathy sound that whispered through his head and sent a jolt straight to his cock.
His hand slid lower, easing from the small of her back to the swell of her luscious ass.
“I love it when my woman gets that expression on her face.”
“What expression is that?” Paige didn’t move. She continued to stay with her head thrown back, her eyes closed as she watched him touch her, taste her.
“That you want me.”
“Damn straight,” she said, cupping the back of his head with her hand and tugging it downward. She whispered in his ear, letting him know just how she wanted him.
Quinn’s knees almost buckled at the lust rolling off his mate. “I knew there was a bad girl lurking in there somewhere.”
She bit at his mouth, trying to get him to kiss her again. “Well, there is. Now what are you going to do about it?”
Damn, Quinn thought, if she hadn’t just challenged the bear. He licked his lips in anticipation of the night ahead.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR…
Marie Mason has always known, somewhere deep in her soul, that being a writer was what she was born to be. Thanks to the new and exciting world of self-publishing, Marie was finally able to make her dream come true. Part two of the dream is to be a full-time writer, spending the wee hours of morning creating new and exciting characters for her readers. That part might take a little longer. If you’d like to contact her with a comment or suggestion, her email is [email protected] or you can find her on Facebook.
BLIND DATE WITH A BEAR
A BBW PARANORMAL ROMANCE
When Quinn Blackwood thought it was time to go hunting for his mate, he couldn’t believe fate handed her to him on his very first blind date. His family thought it was a hilarious turn of events since the big bear shifter had been looking forward to sowing a few more wild oats before settling down with his one true mate. No one was laughing when Paige got the wrong idea and believed Quinn was just looking for a good time.
Paige Matthews had finally given into the cajoling of her co-worker and agreed to a blind date with the woman’s brother. Paige admired the family of bear shifters and had nursed a secret crush on the oldest Blackwood brother, Quinn, since moving to town. Even though she’d known the odds were against it, she was terribly disappointed that she wasn’t his true mate. She did however, decide to take him up on his offer of a good time, cause this good-girl craved the bear’s sweet loving.
EXCERPT:
Quinn did more than give her a casual look. He turned on the padded barstool, giving her his full attention. He tried not to let his mouth hang open or show her his bear panting with need. She was cock-hardening tempting even if she was dressed ultra conservative in that white button-up blouse and black slacks. Nothing form fitting or eye-catching about her outfit. The only concession she’d made to dressing for a date were the earrings dangling from her shell-like earlobes. They were black and sparkled with each movement of her head and enticed him to look at the sweet curve where her neck and shoulder met. The place most shifters marked their mates. He wondered if she would taste as sweet and satisfying as he imagined.
Okay, slow down, buddy, he told
himself. That was two overly possessive type thoughts he’d had about this woman in less than ten minutes. Yes, he’d felt the instant attraction, the instant awareness that this woman was his. His bear was closer to the surface than it had ever been in his life. Inside, he heard the animal whisper to the man.
Mine. Take. Mate.
He stood up and faced her. Like he said, his size intimidated most women. One good look might be enough to scare her away. His bear didn’t like the thought of that.
The man knew she might take one look and run. Yeah, he liked larger women—make that freaking loved women of size—and Paige fit the bill with big boobs and a big butt. Besides the attraction, though, he needed a woman who could go toe-to-toe with him, giving as good as she got. While bears might appear laid back and easygoing, they could be, well, a bear to live with. He didn’t want a shy, mousy woman who’d let him run roughshod all over her. Dominate her—hell yeah.
What were his sisters and mother always telling him and the twins? There was a fine line between being dominating and domineering. Sometimes shifter males learned that difference the hard way.
Before he could say anything, he saw her head turn, her green eyes watching his every movement as he rose. Her gaze raked him from top to bottom and back up again before she spoke.
“You’re very big.”
Oh, baby, he thought, you don’t know the half of it.
SEASON OF THE WOLF
A BBW HOLIDAY ROMANCE
The curvy woman stepping off the red, two-engine plane wasn't just a Christmas guest, she was his fated mate...
Wolf shifter, Jason Dupree had returned to his hometown of Winter, Montana, to take the position as head enforcer of his pack and sheriff for the small mountain town. Snow was not his favorite thing. When his sister asks him to pick up her Christmas visitor while the white stuff is falling, he is not a happy wolf. The woman is working on her Ph.D., in of all things, the sexual habits of wolf shifters. In ordinary circumstances, Jason would have been delighted to help her with her research. But, he's suffered injuries that almost proved fatal, even for a wolf.