Men Love Curves: BBW Romance

by Ruby Madden

  Norelle wrapped an arm around her middle. The thought sickened her. “That’s rape, unless you were willing.”

  His smile faded. Cass sat up, leaned forward enough to snag her wrist and bring her into the circle of his arms. “Hey, girl,” he said softly. “Don't worry about it. They can't make me- or you- do anything we don't want to do.”

  It bothered her, though. “I can't help but feel selfish. The Clans need-”

  His expression darkened, cutting her off. “Don't start with that madness again. I don't want to hear it.” Cass rose, tugging her towards the door. “Come on, it's time for the daily courting to commence.”

  “Don't you have work to do?”

  “Baby, you are work.”

  He took her to the zoo, bought her the all access wristband and made a deliberate show out of lunch at the overpriced concessions. Laughed at her when she dipped a fry in ketchup and winced.

  “It isn't funny,” she complained, staring at her paper plate mournfully. “How can they do this to a potato? It’s a travesty. Just slice and fry in old oil with no care for texture or flavor or…” she glared at Cassius.

  “It’s a French fry,” he said, pulling her plate to himself and digging in. “Try my pizza.”

  She eyed it, lip curling. Norelle seriously doubted that was even real cheese. And the sauce… she shuddered. “This can't be pizza. It has to be ‘pizza product.’ We should have packed a lunch. I could have made something in the kitchenette far superior to this animal feed.”

  “Let me ask you something,” Cass said, eyebrow arching. “How does a chef cook all day and then come home and cook again? Wouldn’t you rather have takeout?”

  “No.”

  He opened his mouth-

  “No.”

  “Well, I guess our cubs will eat well. But they get greasy, nasty food at least once a week. I will insist.”

  Norelle stared at her pizza product. Cass examined her expression, eyes keen. “What is it?” he asked.

  “You’re a computer guy. A businessman. Doesn't the inefficiency of having a cub with-”

  “If you say ‘defective genes’ one more time, I will serve you Boyardee for dinner,” he said, eyes narrowing. “They’ve done a number on you, haven’t they?”

  She glared at him. “No, I was raised to respect authority and the security of the Den. Your parents-”

  He lifted a hand. “You don't really want to pursue this line of conversation, do you?”

  Norelle took a deep breath, struggling with her flash fire temper. Oceans. Beach. Peaceful waves. “I just don’t think it’s a good idea to flaunt our relationship in the Council’s face.”

  His jaw ticked. “We aren't even properly mated. So what relationship, exactly?”

  The sting hurt. “If this isn't a relationship, by your lofty standards, then what is it? A week long one night stand? Am I just a convenient fuck who happens to be in town?”

  Cass stood, taking her by the wrist and pulling her from the commons area. He said nothing as he led her down a narrow path where there was little foot traffic. She leaned against a building, folding her arms.

  “This is better, I didn't want to entertain the teenagers,” he said. “Now. Let’s get one fact straight between us. You are the one holding out, not I. You want the courtship, and I'm fine with that. But recall that the delay is your doing. I’ve made my intentions very clear.”

  She stared over his shoulder. “My mother says you still have to find a human woman to knock up.”

  He hit the wall. Norelle jumped, shocked. Then grabbed his fist, examining the knuckles. The stucco walls were rough and he hadn't been gentle with himself.

  “Are you crazy! Look at your skin.”

  He let her fuss. “I am not going to whore myself for the Council, Norelle,” he said. “There is nothing they can offer me, nothing they can threaten me with.”

  She looked up, cradling his fist in her hands. “It's not about coercion, it's about doing the right thing.”

  “The right thing is what we decide it is- not what they decide it is.” Flat conviction in his voice. “Why are we still having this same conversation.”

  He shifted, pushing her back into the wall. Seized her mouth in a kiss as fierce as it was exasperated. She dropped his hand, arching into his body and grabbing his shoulders, tilting her head to deepen the kiss. He only had to touch her, and her body went up in flames.

  “Is the Council more important to you that this?” he asked, voice a fierce whisper next to her ear.

  “No,” she admitted. Because it was the truth. “But I want to do the right thing. I want to be able to go home.”

  “Your home is supposed to be with me, Norelle.”

  “We can adopt, Cass,” she replied, firm. “Or you can make a half human baby. Those are the two options. I can't go against what I believe- and I believe we have to do our part to make sure our people have a future.”

  He swore, whirling away, a temper she hadn’t seen on him before. Normally so calm, and collected. Analytical. Well, except in bed- though he did tend to over think there as well.

  “Fine,” he said, not turning around. “We’ll adopt. Unless you change your mind. But I think it’s fair that after we provide them with a human child of some kind, that you think about us having a cub of our own.”

  She wrapped her arms around herself. “You make it sound so cold. The ‘human child’ would be our son or daughter. If you can’t love-”

  Cassius turned. She stopped talking, taking in the expression on his face.

  “Norelle, don’t insult me,” he said, then turned and left her.

  CHAPTER

  8

  Cass took a brief call on their way out of the zoo. He still held her hand- after she’d caught up with him, the bastard- keeping her close to him, so Norelle figured he couldn’t be that mad at her. Or he was just confident he’d get his way eventually. She glanced at his face when he made a noise. He met her stare, a blend of irritation and curiosity crossing his expression.

  “What?” she asked when he slid the cell in his pocket.

  He stopped walking. “Boden is in town. Did you call him?”

  Norelle blinked, nonplussed. “Of course not. You don’t call Boden for anything but to bring booze to a party. Was that him you were talking to?”

  “No, Musa. Your brother came to the offices. Musa deflected him here about an hour ago.”

  “Well, that’s interesting. I wonder why in the world...” she trailed off. “I bet my mother sent him. Liam can't leave his mate right now.”

  But Cass wasn't paying attention, body angled towards the parking lot. Norelle followed his line of vision and grinned. Her brother hopped down from the hood of his beat up hobby Chevy, strolling towards them.

  Mussed dark hair, worn jeans and graphic t-shirt- he looked like a college senior. Norelle knew better. He hadn't attended a class a single day in his life.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked when he was within earshot. His pleasant, open expression didn’t change. Chocolate brown eyes twinkled as he stopped in front of Cassius.

  “Been a while,” her mate said, warily.

  “Yup,” her brother replied, and socked Cass in the jaw.

  Norelle jumped, tackling her brother to the cement. Parents scattered, giving them a wide berth.

  “What was that for?” she shouted right in his laughing face.

  “Damn, you’re heavy,” he complained. “You gotta stop eating the leftovers when your shift is over, sis.”

  She gasped, affronted. “You little shit.”

  Cass grabbed her balled up fist, pulling her off her brother. “Can we take this somewhere private?”

  “Problem, ma'am?”

  Norelle glanced at the corpulent security guard. Human. What did he think he was going to do with three Bears?

  “No, Sir, no problem,” she replied.

  He hooked meaty thumbs in his belt.
“See, we can't have-”

  She let Bear peek out of her eyes. He stopped talking. “We were just leaving.”

  He nodded, backing away and returning to inside the zoo.

  Boden snorted, not bothering to get up. “See, that’s the real reason why you’re single, sis. You don’t let the males do the rescuing.”

  She leveled her best 'mother' look on him. “You will need rescuing if you don’t get up.” Turning to Cass, “Are you okay?”

  He rubbed his jaw. “It’s been a few years since someone hit me, but I think I’ll live.”

  “Took it like a champ,” Boden said, eyes gleaming with admiration. “I wish I could be all stoic and manly like you.”

  Norelle just sighed, closing her eyes as her brother scissored to his feet. Would he ever grow up?

  “Let’s go,” she said, resigned. “We can talk over lunch.”

  Cass frowned. “We already ate lunch.”

  “No, we ate a failing social experiment.”

  Boden followed them back to the mansion where he promptly made himself at home as Norelle pulled eggs, mushrooms, asparagus and blue cheese from the fridge, putting the ingredients for a simple quiche on the kitchen island. It was a pleasure to cook in such surroundings. If she wasn't careful, she'd find herself mating Cass just so she could continue to cook in his kitchen.

  Her brother slid onto a stool next to her. She gave him a warning look, holding her knife in a way that couldn’t be mistaken for anything but threatening.

  “I don’t remember buying those groceries,” Cass said, examining her prep area.

  “You didn’t. I asked Musa to have your secretary put some food in here. That is what she's for, right?”

  He folded his arms. “That's efficient. I hadn’t thought of it before.” He paused, thoughtful. “I’ll have to add it to her job description.”

  “Council’s pissed,” Boden said, pinching several cheese crumbles into a ball between his fingers and popping it into his mouth. Norelle smacked him upside the head. He edged out of her way, snagging an egg.

  “Now, what do you think you’re going to do with that?” she asked.

  Boden paused, frowned down at the egg. Shrugged and put it back.

  “I’m a little tired of this obsession- excuse me, focus- everyone seems to have with the Council.”

  Norelle sighed, hearing the edge in Cass' voice.

  Her brother leaned on the counter. “Ma told me to bring both of you back home even if I have to throw you in the trunk.”

  “Is that why you brought your car and not your bike?” Norelle asked, slicing mushrooms. She made certain to preserve the integrity of their shape. Food was visual, after all.

  “I admit I’m disappointed in how you've turned out, Boden,” Cass said. “You were always the rebellious one.”

  “Oh, I don’t agree with the Council,” her brother replied. “They never should have made Norelle promise not to mate. That’s bullshit.”

  Norelle stopped chopping, staring at him. “What? You never said anything.”

  Boden shrugged. “Cause you were dead set on being a good girl- I didn’t want to piss you off. You’re fucking scary when you’re pissed. But since you've decided to stop being so boring-”

  “I was boring before?” The insult infuriated her. Indignation manifested in the jerky chop of her hand. “So even though I had a career, family, hobbies- that didn’t count. I was boring because I didn’t have a mate? That is the real bullshit, brother.”

  Boden eyed her knife. “That’s not how I meant it. It’s just not natural to be single.”

  “Better stop before you dig that grave any deeper,” Cass advised, glancing at Norelle’s knives.

  Her brother sighed. “No one understands me.”

  They argued a bit more, discussing the situation back and forth. Nothing new was said, mostly just a rehash of the same old arguments. Boden and Cass were all for open rebellion, Norelle preferred to reason with the people she'd respected and obeyed her entire adult life. Just because she now had a potential mate didn’t mean her values and beliefs all went out the window. Just because there was now a choice to have cubs if she wanted them didn’t mean she all of a sudden disagreed with the Council’s platform. Choice didn’t make her a hypocrite. It just made her more... choosy.

  “Are you going back with Boden?” Cass asked when they were alone in his bedroom. He’d talked her into staying the night, despite her insistence they court from separate residences.

  She turned to watch him as he shut the door. “I’m on exile for thirty days- and I have strict instructions not to come back unless it’s with you. So unless you’ve changed your mind…”

  “Not likely,” he replied, sliding arms around her waist. “One might wish you were a bit more rebellious.”

  “That’s just because your parents were hippies.”

  His hand rubbed circles on the small of her back. “Hmm. Not really. They just wanted to be together.” Cass stared into her eyes. “Is that wrong?”

  Norelle looked away, sighing. “No, I guess not.” She took his hand, leading him to the bed. They stretched out, Norelle half draped over his chest. “It would make things easier for us if you came back with me. We can face the Council together, explain ourselves.”

  “You mean face your mother. The whole Council doesn’t live in our one Den.”

  “Duh, Cassius. You know what I meant.”

  His arms tightened. “I don’t need their permission to take what belongs to me. I don’t need their approval to mate the female I love.”

  Almost, she started to argue, until he busted out the L-word. She froze.

  “You can’t say it back?” he asked, softly.

  “I- I wasn’t sure if…” she trailed off, burying her head in his chest. Took a deep breath.

  “You don’t have to say it, Norelle,” Cass said. “I’m not putting strings on you.”

  She lifted her head. “I’m pretty sure I do love you. It’s just- I have a restaurant back home. My family is there.”

  He shrugged. “Open up a second location here. I have plenty of money to loan you. For a reasonable interest rate, of course.”

  She snorted.

  “Business is business, after all,” he continued. “And it’s not like you aren’t just a few hours’ drive away. Then, there are these modern inventions called cells. And laptops. E.T. can phone home.”

  “Funny.” She tickled his side. He swore, jerking away from her fingers.

  “You fiend, stop that,” he exclaimed. “I’ll have to punish you.”

  Her brow arched. “Are you male enough to punish me? I might be too much female for you.”

  Her hand traveled to his hardening cock, getting busy. Followed by her mouth, her tongue. And when she’d shown him just how much of a female she was, he turned the tables, and reminded her that the outside might be geeky chic, but the inside was all Bear.

  ***

  She sat at the cafe near Cass' building- in just a few days she had almost a ritual going. Drive with Cass in the morning- she was used to getting up early anyway- walk around downtown and sit at her now favorite shop for morning coffee and people watching. Sometimes have lunch with Cass, sometimes find a trendy or out of the way place to eat by herself, always with an eye towards new flavors and unusual menu items. Visit the outdoor markets, talk to local vendors. She packed a box of produce and interesting foodstuffs and same day mailed it to Liam, with instructions and notes on how to prepare the more exotic fish and produce.

  This morning she drank her espresso and worked on a forest scene in her coloring book. A newly discovered hobby, having found the book in a small bookstore along with a set of artsy colored pencils. It was... soothing. Her hands kept busy creating something, which allowed her mind to wander or plan or just stay quiet.

  A cough to the side and a convenient puff of breeze carrying the scent of shifter warned her who was standing next to her. She
turned her head.

  Staring at Sahr, Norelle said, “Hello.” Cautiously.

  “Forgive me for disturbing you,” he replied, face and tone the epitome of self-deprecating chagrin. “I wished the opportunity to speak with you again, but the Bear hasn’t been forthcoming with your contact information.”

  She should hope not. Norelle sighed. “I can probably guess what you want to talk about, and it's flattering-” not really, if she was just the first female shifter of any species he'd encountered in the city “-but I'm not interested.”

  He nodded. “Of course. May I sit?”

  Shrugging, she watched him pull up a chair. He hooked an ankle at his knee. Stared out at the street, contemplative. Long fingers rubbed his bare head. Norelle waited, patient.

  “There are too few of us,” he said after a while. “Even if we all find mates and have children- there are still too few of us. I often wonder if we’d just eaten the humans like the ancestors wanted…”

  The note in his voice gave her pause. This wasn't a male bent on serious flirting or seduction. After a moment he continued. “The state the Bears are in now, we were at a hundred years ago, only we didn’t take such drastic action as your Council has. My brothers are becoming desperate. My niece-”

  He stopped talking, expression shuttering.

  Curiosity piqued, she prompted, “You have a niece?”

  Sighing, he looked down into his lap, folding his hands together. “Yes. She’s young, and not thriving. Her mother was not a Lion and the child is often... sickly. We aren't sure whether her dual bloodline is to blame.”

  “What was her mother?”

  “A witch.”

  Oh. Well. That was... interesting.

  “I wish I could help you, but I'm just not the right gal. And Cassius and I...”

  Sahr waved a hand. “Yes, yes. I will not cross the Bear. He rules this territory with a light, but firm grip.”

  She opened her mouth to refute that Cass ruled anything, and that this wasn’t an official Territory, then decided not to bother.

  “Have you tried online dating?”

  Shiftermatch.com. Come mate a Lion, produce babies to save the species, and be pampered for life. At least, she assumed the pampering part.