“I love,” Talia gushed in a flirtatious voice. I stared at her, suddenly wondering if I knew this person at all. Whenever Talia was around a guy, she always acted so differently than her normal personality. She was like a changed person, someone Gemma didn’t understand in the least.
“It’s fine,” Gemma muttered as she climbed out of the car. “Thanks for the ride.”
Tony and Matty gave Gemma a funny look. “Of course, babe,” Matty said. He snaked an arm around Gemma’s waist and she twisted away, pushing him gently in the chest. “What’s your problem?”
“Gemma’s inexperienced,” Talia said in a sing-song voice that made me want to slap her. “Come on, let’s go get drinks!”
Inside the bar was smoky and dark. The guys bellied up to the bar and came back with a tray of shots and four glasses of beer. Gemma already felt nauseous, like her hangover from the day before was coming back with a vengeance. She sipped at her beer and gazed around.
“This looks nice,” Gemma said politely. “I haven’t been here before.”
Matty laughed as if she’d said something hilarious. “It ain’t nice,” he grinned. “It’s poppin’, after dark especially.” Matty pointed up at the stage. “There’s a band playin’ later,” he added, winking at Gemma. She felt sick. “You wanna dance with me?”
“I hate dancing,” Gemma mumbled. Rock, I’m sorry, she thought in her head. I’m so sorry. I hate this!
“Gemma, don’t be such a loser,” Talia said. “Come on, dance with me!” Talia pulled Gemma up from her chair and waltzed her towards the middle of the dance floor. A seductive, rhythmic beat was pulsing from the big speakers in the corner of the room and Talia shook her hips and wiggled her body towards Gemma, acting like a video girl from the 80s. Gemma blinked.
“I don’t feel well,” Gemma said. “I’m going to sit down.”
“Oh, no you’re not,” said a voice from behind her. Gemma turned around to see Matty. He put his hands on her waist and pulled her close. When she was close to him, he smelled like nasty, cheap cologne and he had bad breath. Gemma tried to push him away but Matty grabbed her wrists and pulled her back towards him, in a gross approximation of dancing. As Gemma tried to pull away, Matty put his hands on her chest and squeezed her breasts through her top until Gemma was blushing and shrieking in horror.
“Leave me alone!” Gemma shrieked. She ran away from the dance floor, tears blurring her vision. I have to get out of here, she thought frantically. Maybe I can go outside and get a cab, anything! As she ran in her high heels, she wasn’t looking where she was going and in a few seconds, she crashed into something big.
“Gemma?” The voice was familiar, and sounded surprised. “You okay?”
With tears still in her grey eyes, Gemma looked straight up into Rock’s face. He was looking down at her with concern and affection in his golden eyes and she practically melted against his burly frame, collapsing into his arms.
“I’m taking you home,” Rock said to Gemma’s ear. “Come on.” Gemma couldn’t speak as Rock wrapped his strong arms around her and lifted her into the air. She was barely aware of being carried out to the parking lot and propped up against the side of Rock’s truck.
“Thank you,” Gemma murmured. “My sister, she dragged me out here and she’s with these slimy guys.” Gemma glanced down.
“It’s fine,” Rock assured her. He opened the passenger door and lifted her up onto the high bench seat. “Wait here for a minute, okay?”
Gemma nodded. Even though she’d only been out for a little bit, she felt exhausted. She watched as Rock loped back into the bar, an angry and determined look on his face. Closing her eyes, she even managed to relax a little.
When Rock came back to the car, he was breathing hard and his shirt had ripped at the collar. Gemma examined him carefully. “Oh, no,” Gemma said softly as she reached out and touched a bruise on his face. “Are you hurt?”
Rock laughed. “Not hardly,” he said. “Don’t worry about me,” he added. “What I’m worried about is you,” he said, in the most serious tone that Gemma had ever heard him use. “Are you alright?”
Gemma blushed. She slunk down low in the seat. “I’m fine,” she murmured. “Thank you.”
The whole ride back to Gemma’s house, she was silent. She couldn’t figure out how to explain that she’d fucked up, and part of her still thought that Talia was probably right. After all, Talia was her older sister. Talia knew better, that was why she’d always given Gemma advice. Never mind the fact that she’d been wrong sometimes, she had to be right about men, right?
Rock pulled into the driveway and shifted his truck into park. “Can I come in?”
Gemma slid out of the passenger seat before he could turn the engine off. “I’ve got to go,” she said breathlessly. “I’m sorry, Rock.”
Before he could answer, Gemma darted off and into the house.
Chapter Four
In the morning, Gemma lay in bed for a long time. She could hear Arthur was up and yelling for breakfast but she couldn’t even make herself feel motivated enough to go feed her son. Instead, she pulled her phone into her hand and scrolled through the news. Rock had texted and called all night, and she’d eventually just muted his number. Now she didn’t exactly feel better, but her stomach had stopped twisting into knots.
You can’t keep chasing someone who doesn’t really want you, Gemma thought grimly whenever she began to miss Rock. You know he doesn’t want a relationship, just sex. That’s what Talia said.
One of the headlines from the previous day caught her attention. “Bear Goes Wild In Local Bar!” The headline proclaimed, as if it was something that happened occasionally, like the big mattress sales on Memorial Day. Gemma stifled a laugh as she read through the piece – apparently, somehow a bear had gotten into the bar that Talia, Tony, and Matty had taken Gemma to the day before. It must have been right after we left, she thought to herself with a grin. I would have liked to see that. The paper didn’t mention anything too bad – apparently the bear had chased two patrons outside (an Anthony Trevari, 34, and a Matthew Frimg, 31 – both locals) and then disappeared.
Gemma’s phone rang and she answered automatically, hoping that it would be Rock. Instead, Talia’s voice shrieked hysterically at her from the receiver. Gemma winced and pulled the phone away, rubbing her forehead with her hand.
“Tals, what is it? What the hell are you screaming about?”
“A bear, Gemma,” Talia said, sounding exasperated. “A fucking bear came into the bar! It chased Tony and Matty away, and I haven’t heard from Tony since!”
Gemma couldn’t help but giggle. “Serves them right,” she said, too low for Talia to hear. “Are you okay?”
“Of course I’m okay,” Talia said. She sounded annoyed. “I can’t believe it, though. Can you? A bear? I didn’t even know there were bears around here!”
Gemma laughed again. “Yeah, that is crazy,” she agreed. The doorbell rang and she put the phone down for a second, her heart slamming against her chest. “Hey, Talia, I have to call you back,” she said quickly. “Someone’s at the door.”
Gemma walked nervously into the front hall. Arthur was shrieking in his room and she went in and grabbed him, holding him firmly on her hip as she opened the door.
Rock was standing there. His hands were twisted in front of him and he looked deeply upset. “Can I talk to you?”
Gemma let out a shaky breath. “Sure,” she said, stepping back. “Come on in.” As Rock came into the living room and lowered himself down onto the couch, Gemma felt self-conscious about her ragged yoga pants and ratty t-shirt. Arthur was evidently happy to see Rock – instead of being shy like he normally was, he was grabbing with his little hands and reaching out for Rock’s big body.
“Sorry,” Gemma said. “He’s unusually active this morning.” She set Arthur down in his playpen and watched as he crawled around, picking up pieces of a toy train and slamming them down on the floor. “What’s up?”
Gemma’s jaw dropped. “What?” The word came out softly.
Rock nodded. “It’s true,” he said. “Haven’t you ever wondered why he doesn’t really look that much like you? Or about his eyes? Or about his immense strength and size for a two-year-old?”
Gemma felt like someone had punched her in the gut. She nodded. “Yeah, but-“
Rock shook his head. “No, let me finish, please,” he replied. “Gemma, I’m a bear shifter.” When she didn’t react, Rock kept going. “My clan – the other bear shifters and I – were contacted by Speculon Labs for a research project. They wanted us to donate sperm. It was stored at Speculon, and somehow there was a mix-up…..I fathered a child. And it was Arthur. We were contacted by a lawyer last week, and I’ve been searching for you and Arthur ever since.”
Gemma stared. A million thoughts were running through her head. “Is that why you came to the party?”
Rock nodded. He gave her a sheepish smile and Gemma felt some of her resistance melting away. “I had to see you and my son,” he said in a deep voice. “I had to. It was like…well, I can’t explain it, but it felt like a need,” Rock finished. “Do you understand?”
Gemma wasn’t sure that she did, but she nodded anyway.
“The other guys, I mean the other bear shifters, well, they’re my family. We always looked out for each other,” Rock said gruffly. “But now I’m thinking that I’m going to have to leave them.”
Gemma frowned. “Why?”
Rock laughed again. “Because I found my mate,” he said softly, reaching out for Gemma’s hand. There was a small, electric thrill that ran up Gemma’s spine when Rock touched her, more powerful than before. Suddenly, she understood.
“Are you kidding me?” Gemma wanted to believe Rock’s words more than anything, but suddenly she was afraid. She’d spent her whole life alone, and she couldn’t handle the disappointment if Rock wanted to walk away. After all, it wasn’t very likely that her soulmate would literally stumble into her backyard.
“No,” Rock said. “I’m very serious.” He paused. “I never thought I wanted to become a father, but as soon as I found out about you and Arthur, I knew I had to be with you,” he said slowly. “I want to be with you, Gemma.” He waved a hand in the air. “I had my fun in the past, but you’re my future. You and Arthur.”
Tears formed in Gemma’s eyes and she wiped them away hastily. “I want you, too,” she said softly. “I’m so sorry I ignored you before….I, I thought I was doing the right thing.”
Rock stood up and walked over to Gemma, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. As he nuzzled her ear, Gemma felt a sexual and emotional thrill shoot through her body.
“Now that I have you,” Rock whispered softly. “I’m never letting you go, ever again.”
Gemma’s heart warmed and she snuggled closer against his muscular body. “This is what I’ve always wanted,” she said. “You. A family. A real family.”
Rock kissed the top of her head, sending a rush of pleasure through Gemma’s body. “I feel exactly the same way,” he said, squeezing her close.
Gemma knew that somehow, despite all odds, she’d managed to finally find her happy ending. She closed her eyes as Rock’s lips met hers, kissing her in a way that made her feel safe, loved, and warm. She knew that for the rest of her life, they’d be together. My happy ending, she thought as another tear ran down her cheek. Finally.
Jackson
Secret Baby Bears III
by
Becca Fanning
Prologue
“What about me?” Jackson narrowed his golden eyes at the elderly lawyer. “Am I a father, too?”
Partridge turned to face him. “You are indeed, young man,” he replied. “Now, before this gets too out of hand, Dodson University has promised a stipend to be divided amongst you, as reparations for your troubles. They’ve assumed that you wouldn’t want anything to do with the child’s life, and part of accepting the stipend means signing a document saying that you will not go looking for your children. This is very important, do you understand?”
“Fuck that,” Jackson said. He sneered at the lawyer. “If I’m a father, I want to be involved in my kid’s life.” He glanced around at the other guys. “And I have a feeling that the others are with me.”
“Definitely,” Rust and Clay said in unison. After a brief moment, Alec nodded, too.
“Me too,” Rock said. He closed his eyes and leaned against the back of his chair. “I can’t know that I have a kid and not do anything about it.”
Partridge looked nervous. “Sirs, you’ll have to excuse my reticence,” he said. “Dodson University and Speculon Labs weren’t exactly expecting this response from you.”
“Why, do they think we’re a bunch of deadbeats?” Alec frowned.
“No,” Partridge replied automatically. “But you did sign a document, waiving all rights to the sperm once you donated it.”
“I don’t give a shit what I signed,” Jackson growled. “If I had a kid, I’m gonna be in their life. Understood?”
Chapter One
“Lisa! Are you ready to go yet?” Olivia Hendricks struggled to maintain her grip on her son, Max, as she hopped around in one shoe. She was standing in the foyer of the townhouse that she and Max shared with Olivia’s friend Lisa. The two of them had been roommates back in college, and living together again had really lifted Olivia’s spirits over the last few months.
As she waited, Olivia glanced at her reflection in the mirror. Despite spending over an hour getting ready for Kate’s wedding, she still felt like she looked the same as she did every other day: frazzled, too casual, and always looking like she’d just gotten caught in a rainstorm.
“You look great,” Lisa said with a smirk. She floated into the hallway and Olivia gasped.
“That is so not fair,” Olivia said, rolling her eyes. “We have the same dress. How come it looks so much better on you?”
Lisa laughed. “It totally doesn’t,” she said, leaning in to look at her own reflection. Olivia watched as Lisa pouted and primped in front of the mirror. Kate had chosen blush pink strapless tulle gowns for the bridesmaids, and it was the most expensive dress Olivia had ever owned. She hadn’t exactly been thrilled at the choice, but Kate had always had perfect taste, and Olivia knew that the wedding would be beautiful.
“And what about you, big guy?” Lisa cooed, leaning in to look at Max. He made a grumpy face, then turned and hid his face in Olivia’s neck. Lisa laughed.
“He’s mad about having to wear this little tux,” Olivia said, straightening the diminutive jacket on her son. Max wriggled and twisted in her arms and Olivia groaned. “You are getting so heavy!” She said in a soft voice as she looked into Max’s golden-brown eyes.
Max giggled. “Heavy,” he repeated, flailing his arms in the air.
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Settle down,” she cooed into his ear. “Okay,” she said to Lisa. “Time to go. Finally.”
In the car, Olivia strapped Max into his car seat, noting that the straps strained against his chest. “You’re getting so big,” she repeated in amazement. “You were supposed to fit in this until you turned five!”
“Kids grow like weeds,” Lisa called from the front seat. “You know that, they always lie about how big they really get.”
Olivia wrinkled her brow. “I don’t know,” she muttered. “He seems…..just too large, you know? I mean, I was a small baby, and I think Derek was a small baby, too.”
“Olivia,” Lisa said in a warning tone. “You know we made a pact, no talking about Derek today.”
Olivia blushed. “I know,” she mumbled. “Sorry.” She finished strapping Max into his car seat and slid into the passenger side. The day was humid and muggy, and Olivia was already anxious for the wedding to be over. Besides, it was hard not to think about Derek – he was a groomsman, after all.
“I just wish he would leave me alone,” Olivia added after a few seconds. “I mean, he’s been calling me nonstop lately.” She let out a long sigh. “I wish he’d take the hint and drop off the face of the earth.”
Lisa frowned. “But don’t you miss him?”
Olivia sighed. “I’m still hurt over what he did,” she said softly. “But he hurt me too much, I couldn’t take him back. Not after I found out he was sleeping with that stupid slut he works with.”
Lisa frowned. “He always seemed like a good guy to me.”
“Good guys don’t cheat on their fiancées, especially not with a toddler at home,” Olivia snapped. She blushed hotly. “I’m sorry,” she added. “I didn’t mean to be such a bitch. He’s just such a jerk, and I feel like I let him get off easy. I never told anyone he cheated, aside from you.”
Leeward Bear (BBW Shifter Romance) (Fisherbears Book 3) Page 32