Shifter Wonderland
(Twelve BBW Holiday Shifter Romances)
Christin Lovell, V. Vaughn, Tasha Black
Charlene Hartnady, Kate Kent, Lola Kidd
Marie Mason, Erika Masten, Harmony Raines
Ruby Shae, Elle Thorne, Emerald Wright
Shifter Wonderland
Copyright 2015 by
Christin Lovell, V. Vaughn, Tasha Black, Charlene Hartnady, Kate Kent, Lola Kidd, Marie Mason, Erika Masten, Harmony Raines, Ruby Shae, Elle Thorne, Emerald Wright
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
A Beary Merry Christmas…By Christin Lovell
Andre…By V. Vaughn
Ghost of Shifters Past…By Tasha Black
Shifter Beneath the Mistletoe…By Charlene Hartnady
Beary Merry Winter…By Kate Kent
There’s Snow Place Like Home…By Lola Kidd
Her Holiday Bear…By Marie Mason
Yuletide’s Eve…By Erika Masten
Bear Humbug…By Harmony Raines
Little Drummer Bear…By Ruby Shae
Motivation…By Elle Thorne
A Dragon’s Gift…By Emerald Wright
A Beary Merry Christmas…By Christin Lovell
Lora will get more than she expected on her first date with Stone, but will she get the happily-ever-after she’s been dreaming of?
WARNING: This e-book contains an extra curvy female, an extra buff male, an extra ornery bear, an extra dose of sizzle, and a dash of holiday cheer.
A Beary Merry Christmas
A Holiday BBW Bear Shifter Title
(Black Fall Bears, Book 3)
Christin Lovell
Chapter One
December 18th
Lora
I stared at my reflection in the mirror. It was a far cry from my standard uniform of scrubs. Not that they weren’t comfortable, but there was no feeling sexy in them; only motherly. Nursing was a profession that required a mother’s tenderness, though.
Letting my gaze roam my abundant curves, I sighed. I’d changed a good five times already. First dates were always difficult to dress for. You didn’t want to be overdressed or underdressed. There was a delicate balance to these things.
Twisting, I studied my side profile, fluffing my long sleeve, black, skater dress. Black tights covered my thick legs, grey booties were season appropriate, as was the grey scarf attempting to conceal my unable-to-be-concealed double chin. Mindlessly, I stroked the hand-knit garment. Christmas Day would be five years since she’d passed away, and not a day went by that I didn’t think of my grandmother still. I continued to have moments of disbelief, moments when I couldn’t believe she was gone.
Exhaling softly, I adjusted the long gold necklace peeking beneath the scarf, touching the top swell of my breasts, breasts that were little more than a handful for most men. The top half of the black number hugged my curves in an unforgiving yet flattering way. Something was missing, though. Grey and black weren’t exactly exciting, and certainly not enough to make a solid first impression.
Stalking back to my closet, I sifted through my options, for what felt like the millionth time. Spotting the cropped, faux leather jacket, I yanked it off of the hanger. Walking back to the mirror, I slid into the smooth material, giving it a tug over my shoulders, ensuring it was sitting properly. Studying how the pieces contrasted yet complimented each other, a smile split my face. “Perfect.”
My grin widened as I admired the way the jacket added bulk to my least bulky area: my chest, and ended at the tiniest part of my waist, emphasizing my pear shape. It was an unexpected combo that made the outfit more casual and edgy, yet classy and chic. I felt amazing in it, which meant I would hold my head higher when meeting him.
Blowing out a small breath, I fluffed my long, dark brown locks. Stone was my version of perfection. If I wasn’t his cup of tea in this outfit, then I never would be. I was hoping like hell that I was, though.
We’d met on a free dating site three months ago. Despite living two towns away, just across the state line, we hadn’t met before. We both worked a lot, but should have been able to meet before now, especially since he owned his own business and could technically make his own schedule. That piece definitely had me worried. He claimed to own the only gym in Black Fall, but I couldn’t find much in the way of an online presence for the business.
Or Stone, outside of his dating profile.
Every day that passed, I fell a little harder for him, and every day, my fear multiplied, certain I was being catfished.
Part of me hoped I was, because I’d never set foot in a gym. In one shift at work, I could easily take eight thousand steps. That was the unglamorous side of nursing; that, the long twelve hour shifts, and the doctors who thought they were God. Every job had its pitfalls, though.
The other part of me worried about the repercussions his lies could cause, if they were indeed lies, and therefore prayed harder than ever that he was who he claimed to be. I tried not to think about it too much. I could seriously regret that move later, but, for now, ignorance was bliss.
Strolling to the bed, I snatched up my smartphone. Swiping to unlock the device, I went to my photos, specifically the photos I’d saved of him.
In his pictures, he appeared rough around the edges. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that he’d broken his nose a few times; it had a sizeable bump atop it, yet it didn’t detract from his looks. It gave him a bigger bad boy flare, and his brown hair, always in disarray, gave him an I-don’t-give-an-eff quality that upped his sex appeal.
He was pure muscle on muscle, not something I typically found attractive, but, yet again, there was just something about him. His biceps were nearly as big as my thigh, no easy feat, but it gave me hope that maybe he could be the first man to heft my abundance and make me feel dainty, and well protected. He fed a lot of hope within me, more than I was comfortable admitting to myself.
And his smile; just looking at his smile put one on my face. It was the single element that softened all of his hardness, that made me think he was a bigger teddy bear than he appeared to be at first. Getting to know him, I knew he could be tough, but I knew he had a wonderful, soft heart.
Aside from the fact that I couldn’t seem to verify his identity, he was everything a girl could dream of. He texted me every morning, randomly to let me know he was thinking about me, and he called me every couple nights after seven, just in case I was working that day.
He did work a lot, though. We’d had very few conversations
without interruptions on his end. At the least, if he didn’t own a business, he was definitely in management, but that wouldn’t be much in the way of consolations if this were all a lie.
My stomach knotted. Tears welled as I peered at his image. “God, I don’t want anything for Christmas, except him.” Even though we hadn’t met, I cared about him. More than I wanted to. Containing my optimism where he was concerned was next to impossible. And that made him scarier than the others. I’d opened up and had already given him pieces of me that no one else had ever had, and that scared me, because he effortlessly achieved it.
As a result, tonight could go one of two ways. It could be my biggest disappointment to date, or it could be the beginning of amazing.
There was only one way to find out.
Sucking in a deep breath, I clutched the phone to my chest, spinning to give myself a final, nervous, once-over in the mirror. This was it.
Shaking my head, I forced myself away. There was no such thing as perfection. There was only the closest thing to it. Stone was the closest thing to it that I’d found, or so he seemed to be.
Flipping off the light, I walked to the living room. Grabbing my purse off of the sofa, I was just about to stuff my phone in the structured bag when it chimed. Pausing, I glanced at the screen. My heart instantly sunk as I read his message.
‘I’m so sorry, babe, but I can’t make it tonight. I’ve been fighting a cold all week, and it finally caught up with me. I know this looks bad, waiting till the last minute and all. I was hoping the meds would kick it. I promise I’ll make it up to you.’
With a sigh, I dropped my phone on the sofa and trudged back to my room. Sadly, this wasn’t the first time a man had cancelled on me at the last minute, but, in all my thoughts over how tonight would go, this was the single scenario I naïvely hadn’t considered.
My chest tightened and my throat constricted as I walked to the closet, not bothering to turn on the light. I felt tears prick my eyes as I stripped off my date attire, tossing it on the top shelf to hang later, and plucked a pair of leggings, a tank top, and socks from my dresser, not caring if it matched or was a hot mess. I tried not to let it get to me, but in the minute since I’d read his text, every disparaging emotion under the sun washed through me.
I wanted to be angry, a part of me was, but the greater part of me was merely disappointed and concerned. Stone had been nothing but consistent. And, thinking back over our conversation the other night, he did sound a little different, as if his nose was stuffed. I assumed it was the connection, as he lived in a town that didn’t have the best call reception.
Bending, I jerked my socks on. Squatting in front of my closet, I blindly felt for my fuzzy bunny slippers. They were the last present my grandmother ever gave me.
My heart seized, a few tears breaking free, as the familiar fabric brushed my fingers. She’d always said that the right man would still make me cry; the difference was, he would apologize and try to make up for it. Every time I’d come home from a bad date, she was right there with a cup of hot cocoa, even in the middle of summer. Chocolate, warmth, and a hug were what I’d get right now if she were still here. It was moments like these that I missed her the most.
Swallowing past the lump in my throat, barely containing my sob, I straightened, dropping the slippers on the floor. Sliding my feet into the worn pink material, I closed my closet and headed back to the common area.
Spotting my phone on the sofa, I made a beeline for the kitchen. In a matter of minutes, I had a steaming cup of cocoa, topped with marshmallows, whipped cream and sugar sprinkles, and a bag of microwave popcorn.
Meandering to the couch, I set the items down on the coffee table to focus on mastering a reply. I re-read his words several times, fresh emotions hitting me with each round. I refused to tell him it was okay, because it wasn’t. He shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to drop that bomb, and I had every right to react the way I want to it. I was sitting in my living room with a face full of make-up, volumizing conditioning spray in my hair, and the modern equivalent of a t-shirt and sweats because of him.
If it weren’t for my mascara being waterproof, I would seriously look like a hot mess. Nonetheless, I still felt like one. I felt like a lot of things right now, and, sadly, it wasn’t the first time. But it was the hardest time, because it was the most unexpected. How did I miss it? How had I gotten so caught up in him so easily?
After more than a few minutes of mulling, I sent a quick, ‘I hope you feel better soon.’
Glimpsing at the time, I blew out a cleansing breath. My best friend, Sharon, wouldn’t be out of work until ten. She worked in a call center about fifteen minutes from my apartment. We’d spent countless nights consuming stuff we shouldn’t and daydreaming of the day we found men who were worthy of forever. The piece that made me feel ridiculous, like a naïve fool, was that I thought I’d found him. I even said as much to her a few weeks ago. How quickly things could change.
I wanted to believe that he was actually sick. I wanted to believe that he would message me again. But the last guy who said that never spoke to me again, out of nowhere. I really did think Stone was different, but, then again, I also never thought he’d cancel on me at the last minute. There was nothing I could do about either, though.
Picking up the television remote, I tuned into the Hallmark Channel for a marathon of cheesy holiday-themed romantic comedies, only until my best friend could come console me with stories about the wedding day I was beginning to think would never happen, though.
Chapter Two
December 18th
Stone
“Come on, Doc. There’s gotta be something more you can do for me.” My throat felt like it was on fire. My head had been throbbing for days thanks to the pressure in my nose. I felt like I was slowly suffocating to death.
She glanced sidelong at me, continued to type notes on her iPad. Focusing on the screen for a few more moments, she came to a stop and faced me. “Listen, honey pie, you’re a bear, not an anomaly. And I’m a doctor, not a miracle worker. I’ve already doubled the normal were dosage because of your mass. Now you just need to follow the directions, rest, and let you and your animal recover.”
I knew I wasn’t thinking straight when I had the fucked up urge to throw a tantrum, as if it would help any. “But I have a date.” Damn. That sounded pathetic and whiny even to my own ears.
“I’ll write you an excuse.” She smirked, her eyes glittering, much the way Lora’s did in her pictures.
Dammit. The paper crinkled beneath my ass on the table as I shifted uncomfortably. Desperation rose up inside me, stirring my beast. Not every paranormal creature had a perfect mate. I’d been on this earth for thirty-five years and had yet to scent mine. I refused to settle with a woman who didn’t make me happy. If I couldn’t have my perfect mate, then I at least wanted happiness. And I hadn’t stopped smiling since I started talking to the extra curvy beauty. There was something about her. She had sass and spark, yet was easy-going and compassionate.
And I was about to crush her. I’d dragged my ass for months, waiting for some imperfection to reveal itself, the way it did with every woman before her. But she wasn’t every woman before her. She wasn’t a lot of things, and that made me appreciate her all the more.
And feel all the shittier for getting sick now. Fuck! I didn’t want to disappoint her. “Please, Doc. Come on. You’ve got a grown bear begging you here.” My lungs seized, sending me into a coughing fit. Dammit.
She shifted her weight, throwing one wide hip further outwards. “I see plenty of needy bears all day, Stone; your pleas won’t have a magical elixir appearing out of nowhere.” She stepped closer, resting a hand atop my forearm. “If she’s the right woman for you, she’ll be there when you’re well again. And if you think she’s the right woman for you, then your protective instincts will ensure you keep your distance, unless you want this cold to be her Christmas gift from you.”
Shit. Check mate.
She grew pensive, dropping her gaze for a moment. “Unfortunately, there’s no winning in my profession. I’m only delaying the inevitable.” Before I could process what she’d said, the sadness in her voice, she spun on her heels. “No exercising for a week. I’m sending your prescription electronically to the pharmacy; fill them as soon as you leave here. Drink lots of fluids; get lots of rest, and” -she turned to look at me, her hand on the doorknob- “no exercising. Don’t think I won’t have Jake and the other guys ride your ass out there.” She gave me a sugary sweet smile. “Feel better, honey pie.” She winked, leaving me to stew over my predicament.
Dammit. Of all the times to get sick. It’d been years since my last cold.
Hopping down off of the table, I winced, my body rebelling against the motion. Whipping out my phone, I rolled my muscles, trying to ignore the soreness dominating every limb. I hadn’t been strong enough to shift in several days, and my usually ornery bear had been unusually quiet and subdued. Checking the time on my phone, I quickly calculated how much time I had before I was supposed to meet her. If I hurried, I could get a dose or two in my system, let it do its thing, and see her tonight still.
Scrolling through my phone, I found her pictures. Since I started talking to her, all other women ceased to interest me. There was something about the extra curvy brunette. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was something special about her. And, after getting to know her these past few months, I was thinking about a long-term relationship with her.
If I could get my ass well enough to meet her and not feel like I was risking her health to do so.
The doc was right. This damned cold was the last present I wanted to give her for Christmas.
Slipping my phone back in the pocket of my sweatpants, I headed to the checkout desk. I had a lot to do in a short amount of time, the last of which would require a miracle. I was a bear on a mission, though. And anyone who had ever underestimated me quickly discovered that, when in beast mode, I was unstoppable, especially when it came to getting what I wanted.
Shifter Wonderland: Twelve BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romances Page 1