by Liv Brywood
He flashes a furry grin before jerking his head to the side. He starts toward a trail I hadn’t noticed until now. It’s to the right of the house where the pines grow thicker.
As we weave through the branches, I catch whiffs of other bear’s scents. They’re not shifters. They’re wild bears. I’m surprised they come this close to the house. Maybe they’re trying to understand how one of their own can turn into a human. That’s got to be a total mind-fuck for a wild bear.
Damp pine needles bend beneath my paws, only to spring back as I take another step forward. I want to break into a run, but this is Jagger’s land. I don’t want to be rude and take off without him, especially since I could get lost again.
Although everything’s been going really well between us, if I make another stupid decision, I could end up ruining everything. I haven’t been walking on egg shells by any means, but I’ve been cautious when I go outside. I always keep the house within sight.
Jagger glances over his shoulder. His mouth hangs open and his tongue lolls out a split second before he takes off into a run. I chase him past enormous tree trunks and over fallen logs. The mossy scent of the forest is such a welcome change from smog-choked LA highways. I never want to leave. I still have six more days, but what will happen when we reach the end? Will he want me to stay, or will he send me packing?
I try not to think about it as we run into a large meadow. Patches of snow hide in the shade, while confused spring wildflowers stretch their stems toward the sun. It’s so beautiful that I burst out crying. Tears roll down my face. This is everything I’ve ever wanted. It feels so close. I don’t want anything to go wrong.
Jagger circles back to where I’m standing. He sets a paw on my shoulder and moves in to give me a bear hug. I’m on my hind legs, clinging to him with every ounce of strength in my body. I never want to let him go. My bear’s more than just enamored with him.
“He’s our mate,” my bear communicates silently.
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely!”
My bear’s confidence helps stem my tears. I’m sure he’s our mate, but does he feel it too? I need to ask him as soon as we shift back.
Jagger releases me and steps back several paces before shifting.
“Are you okay?” he asks.
I nod my head, unsure of whether or not I should shift too.
“I know a great place where we can find honey,” he says. “Want to see it?”
I grin and nod vigorously. He shifts back to his bear form and we head back into the woods.
About a half a mile away, we come to a barbwire fence. Jagger shimmies under a hole in the wire. I follow him, snagging a bit of fur in the process.
He looks left, then right before crossing through a small pasture. Several cows raise their heads, slowly chewing on mouthfuls of grass as they watch us. When we reach the other side, we climb over a wooden gate into a garden. A white farmhouse sits on a hill only a few hundred feet away.
My eyes go wide. We’re trespassing in someone’s garden. I run over to Jagger and tap him with my paw before pointing. He grins and shakes his head. I follow him toward a stack of buzzing boxes. Bees?
Jagger uses his claws to take a lid off of one of the beehives. Furious bees swarm around him. He swats at them before scooping a sheet of honeycomb off the outermost tray.
After returning the tray to the hive, he covers it with the lid and carries his prize toward me. He’s swats a few more times then points toward the forest. I run ahead of him to avoid the bees. Although I’m mostly covered in fur, I don’t want a bee up my nose or in my ears.
Once we make it to the forest, Jagger sets the honeycomb on a large rock. He shifts back to his human form and through pantomime, encourages me to do the same.
“You stole that,” I say when I’m done shifting.
“He won’t miss it.”
“You know the owner?”
“My brother. I think it’s the least he could do considering everything that’s happened.” He grins and breaks off a huge chunk of honeycomb. As he hands it to me, golden streams drip onto his forearm. After I take the piece, his licks his arm. I stare until his gaze meets mine. “It’s dripping all over your breasts.”
I look down. There’s honey everywhere. Everywhere!
Jagger’s still grinning as he dips his head to lick the honey off of my breasts. He tugs on one nipple with his teeth before releasing it to nibble the other. I moan and almost drop the honeycomb. I quickly stuff it in my mouth. Sweetness bursts across my tongue. I’m dizzy from the sugar rush, and from Jagger’s naughty tongue. I highly doubt I dripped any honey on my legs, but he’s down on his knees, kissing the inside of my thighs.
I offer him my sticky fingers. He sucks each digit into his mouth, one by one until my hands are as clean as they’re going to get. I’m still sticky, but I don’t care. His tongue’s brushing against my sex and all I want is him.
As I drop to my knees in front of him, he smiles. I brush his hair from his forehead and kiss him there. I’m falling in love with his dirty mind.
I kiss his lips. And I love his dirty mouth.
I kiss lower until he rolls me back into a pile of fresh grass. Afternoon sun warms us. Long, languorous kisses become fast, hot, and demanding. He slides between my thighs and presses his rigid cock against my pussy. I open for him, taking him deep. He fills me with a sense of belonging, like everything is right in the world, and I’m exactly where I need to be.
We move slowly, savoring each other, building upon the bond we’ve been forming for the last week. His golden-brown eyes shine with emotion. I want to call it love, but he hasn’t said the words. I haven’t either. I honestly wasn’t sure until our bears met. Now, I have no doubt he’s our mate.
He plunges into me, stealing my thoughts. I become pure sensation as he rocks into me, pulling me with him toward the ultimate release. His roving hands brand every inch of my skin. His lips claim every inch of my body. And when I’m wild with need and ready to explode, he pushes me over the edge.
I cry out, scaring birds from nearby trees. They flap off in a flutter of wings as I ride waves of ever-increasing pleasure. I sweep Jagger into the whirlwind of orgasmic ecstasy. He clings to me as he comes. Still probing, still moaning my name. It’s the most erotic sound I’ve ever heard.
When he finally stills, we’re wrapped in an embrace that goes far beyond pleasure. There’s something deeper and more meaningful here. Love.
Jagger rolls onto his side and traces his finger along the edge of my hip. His lips part before he presses them together. Something’s holding him back from whatever it is he wants to say.
“What is it?” I whisper.
“You.” He swallows hard. “You’re changing me.”
“You’re changing me too.”
I pull him down into my arms. He trembles as I caress his back. I know he’s scared. I am too. I’m afraid this is too much for him. I’m afraid that my mate will run away because he can’t handle the emotion. He’s run before, so why not now?
Later, we head back to his house. We shower in silence, both deep in thought. I want to talk to him about how I feel, but our connection is still tentative. If I pull on it too hard, it might unravel.
To ease the tension between us, I suggest we sit in the library for a few hours and read before dinner. He agrees.
He’s sitting across from me in a wingback leather chair. I’m curled up on a chenille settee, pretending to care about the book in my hands. But I only truly care about one thing—how this thing between us will end.
I try not to think about every way this could go wrong, but I need to talk to him about what he’s done to my heart. It takes several minutes before I can summon enough courage to set the book aside. I take a deep breath and turn to him. He suspects nothing. He doesn’t even look up from his book until I stand and cross the room. I slide into his lap. He pulls me close. I lean over until my lips are pressed against the shell of his ear before I whisp
er, “I’m falling in love with you.”
His breath whooshes out. His eyes dance around as he searches my face. It’s my turn to swallow my nerves. Why isn’t he saying anything?
“Angela…”
I regret giving in to my impulsive nature. He’s tense and clearly uninterested in having this conversation right now.
As I try to stand, he grabs my waist and pulls me back.
“Wait.” His husky voice trembles. “I’m just… surprised.”
“I shouldn’t have said anything.”
“Do you really mean it?” he asks.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak without bursting into tears. I hadn’t realized how much I really cared until this moment. I love him. I’m not falling in love, I’m already there, and if he isn’t, then we have a huge problem.
“I don’t know if I’m there yet,” he says softly. “It’s just so sudden.”
“It’s been a week,” I say, lamely.
“A week is nothing in terms of a lifetime.”
He makes a good point. Only a fool would fall in love in a week. Maybe I’m a fool, but I can’t deny what I’m feeling.
“I really like you,” he says.
“But?”
“There’s no ‘but’, it’s just, early. I need more time.”
“We only have a few more days.”
“I know. But look at how far we’ve come so far. My bear really liked spending time with you today.”
I want to ask if his bear thinks we’re mates, but trying to push the relationship right now is the worst possible thing I could do. It’s better to wait, to give him the time he needs, and to hope that it’s going to be enough. I know love takes time to develop, but time is running out for us.
Chapter 8
Jagger
Is love possible when you’ve only known someone for two weeks? I would never have thought so before I met Angela, but now I don’t know. Her confession four days ago has forced me to dig deep within my heart to find the answer. But ultimately, none of this introspection was really necessary. My bear took one sniff and knew she was our mate. And that scared the shit out of me.
Angela’s still asleep by my side. She’s leaving tomorrow morning. Flight 1542. She needs to be at the airport by eight am. I don’t know what to do. This overwhelming love in my heart is terrifying. I don’t know if it’s normal or not.
I glance at the clock. It’s just before eight am. Twenty-four hours until she’s gone. If I ask her to stay, I think she will. But am I ready? What kind of commitment would it be if I entered into it with any shred of doubt?
Unable to sleep, I slide out of bed and put on a robe. I head into the kitchen. My phone’s vibrating on the counter. Gerri’s face pops up on the screen.
“You must be psychic,” I say.
“Not psychic, but I always like to check in the day before someone’s scheduled to leave to see how things are going. Normally I would have called several times already, but I didn’t want to scare you off.”
“I’m not scared.” My voice conveys the exact opposite sentiment.
“It’s normal to be worried when you’re trying to make a big life decision. But you already know what to do.”
“I do?”
“Of course,” she says. “You know what’s in your heart. Two weeks of being with someone twenty-four hours a day is the equivalent of a year of dating. If you don’t know how you feel by now, we’ve got bigger problems.”
“It’s just all so fast.”
“Life moves fast when you want it to. I’ve known people who’ve gone from homeless to millionaire in a year. All it takes is a leap of faith.”
“Right.” I rub the back of my neck and check the hall to make sure Angela isn’t coming.
“What does your bear think?” Gerri asks.
“My bear likes her. A lot.”
“Because she’s your mate?”
“Something like that.”
“I thought you were a bear shifter, but right now you sound like a chicken shifter.”
“What?” My jaw drops.
“You’re a chicken shifter. You’re in love but you’re too chicken to do anything about it.”
“I’m going to do something about it.” I scowl. How dare she try to tell me what I can and can’t do. I’m a man, dammit. I can make my own decisions. She’s totally wrong. I am not a chicken shifter.
“Good!” Gerry says. “You go get your woman and you tell her what you feel. She’s not going to hurt you. No amount of thinking is going to change that risk. But she’s not your ex. She’s perfect for you.”
“How can you be so sure?” I ask.
“Well because I matched you two up,” she says triumphantly. “Of course she’s perfect. And after you’ve pulled your head out of your ass and asked her to marry you, I expect a wedding invitation.”
I’m left staring at my phone after she hangs up. I have no idea what just happened, but I do know what I need to do.
As I walk back to the bedroom, I hear Angela stirring. I step into the doorway. She rolls to face me and sits up. The sheet glides down her silky skin to expose every inch of her sexy body. But that’s not what I’m focused on. I’m captivated by her smile. By the way she makes me feel every time she looks at me. It’s as if I’m the only man in the world. Gerri was right. I was being a chicken shifter about this. It’s time I made it right.
“Hey, honey.” I slide into the bed next to her.
“Oh, honey now? I hadn’t realized we’ve moved on to assigning terms of endearment to each other,” she jokes.
“Should I call you my sexy, curvy babe instead?” I tease.
“I actually like that better.”
I laugh before taking her into my arms. I kiss her softly before pulling back.
“So you’re supposed to be leaving tomorrow,” I say.
“Yeah.” She looks away.
“But I’ve been thinking… maybe you could stay.”
“I only took two weeks off of work.”
“Maybe you could stay forever.”
“What?” Her eyes light up.
“I’m not a chicken shifter,” I mutter.
“A what?”
“Never mind.” I pause, trying to get my heartbeat under control. My heart is threatening to pop out of my chest, but if I stop now, I’ll never make it through this. “I know things got off to a really rocky start.”
“That’s an understatement.”
“I know. And I’m sorry about that.”
“I forgive you,” she says with a grin.
“You came here looking for a mate and I was… I was scared. I’ve had my heart broken before.”
“Hasn’t everyone?”
“Not everyone, but most people, I guess.” I slide my hand into hers and our fingers lace together. “Anyway, what I’m trying to tell you is that, I love you.”
Her eyes go wide and sparkle with moisture. I rush on before I lose my nerve.
“I know this is really fast, but I feel like I know you. It’s only been two weeks, but after everything we’ve done together, I’m totally convinced—”
“I love you too,” she whispers.
A single tear spills down her cheek. I brush it away. I hate seeing her cry and hope to God it’s tears of joy.
“I don’t want you to leave. In fact, I don’t even want you to leave long enough to go back and pack. I don’t want to spend another second without you in my life. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted in a mate, and I just hope I can make you happy for the rest of your life.”
“The rest of my life?” she whispers.
“Shit, I’m doing this all wrong.”
I slide out of bed and get down on one knee.
“Angela, I love you more each day. You stole my heart and it couldn’t have been taken by a better woman. You make me happier than I’ve ever been in my entire life. I should have a ring and do this the right way, but nothing about our relationship has been typical, so why start now?”
>
I laugh nervously. She’s still. Her hand covers her mouth as she slowly nods.
“Will you marry me?” I ask.
“Yes,” she whispers.
Joy fills my heart and soul. My bear dances around in my chest, happy in the knowledge that we’ve finally found our mate.
I rush to catch her in my arms as she jumps out of bed. I spread soft kisses across her face before claiming her lips with all of the passion she ignites in my soul. She’s mine, now and forever. I’m the luckiest bear in Colorado.
“Who should we tell first?” she asks when we finally pull away for air.
“I’m pretty sure Gerri already knows so… probably your landlord.”
“My landlord?”
“Somebody’s going to have to pack all of your things.”
She laughs and swats me playfully.
“You clearly know nothing about people in LA. He’d probably throw everything in the trash. Since I already have the flight booked, let me go pack and I’ll drive a rental truck back.”
“A rental truck? How much stuff do you have?” I remember the pile of suitcases in my closet. “How big is your apartment?”
“Tiny, but I’m good at fitting a large amount of stuff into tight spaces.”
“Oh really?” I say in a sultry tone. “Tell me more.”
“How about I show you instead?”
She pushes me back into bed and starts nibbling on my neck. I have no idea what this has to do with tight spaces, but I’m not about to stop her. I know I’ll end up in her tight little curvy body soon enough.
***
Angela
One week after Jagger proposed, we’re back at his home, sitting on the front porch together. I can’t stop admiring the way light bounces off my princess-cut diamond engagement ring. My hand feels like it’s floating because I can’t seem to put it down. Jagger had waited until we returned from LA with all of my things. He drove the rental truck while I followed in my car. Now that we’re home, I can hardly wait to start our new life.
“I think we should have the wedding before it snows again,” he says out of the blue.