Tempted by the Bear - Book 2

by V. Vaughn

  Her rush to move in makes sense now, and when Keith walks toward the door, I waggle my eyebrows at her as I whisper, “Are you bringing him home to help you unpack?”

  She whispers back, “That depends on where you’ll be.”

  Keith has called the elevator and says, “I’ll keep her out late.”

  I glance quickly at Lucy in shock, because I didn’t expect him to hear that. Lucy just grins at me and says, “Thanks. I appreciate that.”

  The elevator moves quickly enough that a sinking sensation unsettles my stomach, and it occurs to me that I’m having dinner with Keith as if it was expected. As we walk to the car, I try to figure out what’s bothering me. I should be thrilled that the man I’ve lusted after for more than a year finally wants me, too.

  The sidewalk drops before I notice, and I stumble. I cry out when I’m sure I’m about to kiss the pavement, but strong hands catch me and set me back on my feet. I glance up at Keith and find concern etched on his face. I say, “Thanks for the save. That would have hurt.” I grin as I recall how he picked me up off the ground the first time we met. “Seems I’ve gone from falling for you to being saved by you.”

  Keith doesn’t smile back. He pulls me into an embrace so tight it hurts. His heart beats against his chest as if he was really afraid for me. A suffocating breath later, he releases me to walk over to open my door.

  I have no idea what that was about and turn to Lucy in the back. She shrugs and shakes her head as if she doesn’t know, either.

  When Keith starts up the engine, he turns up the music, and I wonder what’s going on with him.

  Chapter 10

  Lucy

  Not much fits in a dorm room, and one car trip was all I needed to move into my new apartment. Keith and Tori have just left, and I sort through my clothes to find something to wear. Sven and I are going out for dinner and a movie. He’s taking his dating lessons seriously.

  I’m not the least bit interested in a movie and will do my best to lure him to my apartment with the promise of cable. He doesn’t need to know it’s not activated yet, because I plan for the real action to be in between the sheets and not on a screen. When he asked where we should eat, I took into consideration his table manners lack the social etiquette for anything fancy, and his appetite could bruise even my pocketbook at an expensive restaurant. I chose a local barbecue place where silverware is optional.

  I slither into skinny jeans as my phone buzzes with a text, and I reach down to discover an unknown number. But the words tell me who it is in an instant. “Big bear to little bear, do you copy?”

  “Roger that.” I figure he’s probably one-finger texting and take the time to enter him into my contacts.

  “Testing my new phone. See you soon. Over and out.”

  I chuckle as I pull on a light cotton sweater over a lacy camisole that matches my bra and panties, and I hope they look good on my bedroom floor later tonight. I gather up my clothes and shove them in the closet. I can organize things tomorrow.

  I’m grinning when I walk out of my new building and wave at Gary, the werebear-slash-Le Roux guard who is the doorman. But it puts a damper on my happiness, because I think about Tori. She’s sensed something was up no matter how hard Keith and I tried to make this all seem natural. My roommate is smart, and she’s going to figure out she’s being watched round the clock, and then the questions will come. Questions Keith and I aren’t ready to answer.

  I gaze around at the hidden cameras as I approach my car. I hope Keith speeds things up with their relationship, because keeping the werebear world a secret from Tori now is going to be hard. I drive slowly through the complex, and when I glance at the gates, I wonder why Keith didn’t have them install barbed wire. He’s beyond zealous about Tori’s safety. But I get it. The Veilleux have taken more than one mate from him, and I know he feels responsible for his late wife’s death.

  I imagine how I’d handle losing Sven, and my heart aches as tears form in my eyes. I blink quickly to keep them from falling and shake my head. I’ve known the guy for a few days, and the thought of being without him already hurts. The true mate bond is serious stuff. I flip on the radio to help me return to my happy mood.

  When I get to the Le Rouxs’, Sven is standing on the porch waiting for me. He jogs to the car, and I guess it’s so I won’t get out, or maybe he’s as anxious as I am. My skin tingles with excitement as he gets in my SUV. His scent overwhelms me like a drug, and I breathe in my favorite high.

  Sven does the same, and after he lets out a big breath he says, “Little bear.” His voice is low and incredibly sexy.

  I reach up and touch his freshly shaven cheek. “Hi.”

  He lets out a low growl and grabs my shoulders to kiss me. I have no trouble falling into our connection as I get drunk on his taste. When we force ourselves apart, I glance at his mussed hair and grin. “We’re ridiculous.” I comb my fingers through his hair to straighten it out.

  When Sven does the same to me, I tremble and am about to dive in for more when he grabs my wrist and says, “We’ll never get to dinner if we keep this up.”

  “So?”

  He winks at me. “You’re going to need the fuel.”

  I click the car into reverse and turn to look over my shoulder and out the back window. “Did your rulebook give us the go-ahead?”

  “I threw it out.”

  His dimple is adorable when he smiles, and I want to kiss it. “Good. Because I’ve got plans for you.”

  After Sven and I eat a whole pig’s worth of ribs, I have no trouble convincing him to skip the movie and I drive us to my new apartment. He takes in the surroundings without a word as we make our way through the grounds. Once we’re out of the car, he says, “You are really rich. This place is amazing.”

  I grab his hand. “Get used to it. It’s part of the package.”

  Sven frowns at me as we walk to the door. “You know I don’t care, right?”

  “Of course I do. I understand how true mates work. But it’s okay for you to enjoy it.”

  His forehead is still wrinkled, and I ask, “What’s wrong?”

  “I don’t know how to do this.” He waves his hand in a sweeping motion. “It’s too much.”

  I stop and turn to face him. “Look at me.” His icy-blue eyes gaze at me intently. “It’s just stuff.” I reach up and put my hand over his heart. “This is what matters.”

  He covers my hand and presses hard. “Yes.”

  “Focus on us.”

  He nods and drops his hand. I take it and lead us into my building. I introduce him to Gary and explain he’s my true mate. Sven is silent as he takes in the details around him. When we step out of the elevator, I lead my boyfriend straight to my room.

  Without a word I lift my sweater over my head, and my jeans scrape against my thighs as I remove them. I watch as Sven’s chest begins to rise and fall more quickly, and I say, “We could be in a shack right now and none of it would matter, because all I want is you.”

  Sven steps forward to take my face in his hands. “You have me.”

  I gaze into the face of a man who comes from a world that’s dying. He came to be saved, and yet I feel as if he’s saving me from a life without purpose. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do now, but I know my true mate is the key, and one day it will be revealed. He’s given me what I need. “And you have me.”

  Chapter 11

  Lucy

  Air rasps in and out of Sven’s and my lungs as our hearts beat in time. I stand before him in silky lingerie that is a thin barrier keeping our destiny from coming to fruition. Sven brushes his lips against mine and slides his hands down my arms as he lowers himself to his knees and pulls me against his body to nuzzle my belly. His hot breath heats up the fabric against my skin as he says, “I’m going to worship you now.”

  I’m trembling with desire, and when he steps away to take off his shirt, I grab the hem of my camisole but stop when Sven shakes his head. I ask, “No?”

 
“No. Let me.”

  Pale-blond hair tumbles over his shoulders when he removes his shirt, and I’m suddenly thankful he hasn’t cut it. The chest and cut abs that I saw the very first day at the burger place are revealed to me, and I reach out to touch his chest. I trace the lines of his pecs as he works on his jeans. They pool at his feet with a soft whoosh, and I glance down at the largest cock I’ve ever seen. Of course, I’m with the largest man I’ve ever seen, so I shouldn’t be surprised. It stands tall and proud, and my insides quiver at the thought of how he’ll do more than fill me up.

  “Lucy.” I glance up at my mate as he says, “We’ll fit.”

  I smile. “I know.” I lower my hand and wrap my fingers around him as he groans.

  Sven’s large hands lift my camisole over my head slowly. His gaze is on my breasts that are plumped up by my bra. He trails a finger down the side of my neck and into my cleavage. “So beautiful.”

  The skin on his cock is smooth in my palm as I stroke him, and he releases the clasp on my bra. I let go so he can remove it. Once he does, he grips my arms lightly and backs me up to the bed.

  I scramble back and lie down as he crawls over me. I reach for him again, and he grabs my wrists to lift my hands over my head. “Keep them here so I can get to know you better.”

  Now I’m the speechless one as I nod. Sven moves down my arm, placing kisses along it as he goes. I flinch a little when his lips tickle my underarm and moan when he gets to my breast. I arch up to beg for his mouth. He lets out a low growl as he cups them in his hands. “They fit perfectly.”

  One of his fingers swirls around my nipple while his mouth gives the other attention. Electric shocks travel straight to my core, and I begin to squirm beneath him. He says, “My little bear likes this.”

  Tiny hairs stand up on my skin as he moves his mouth down my belly, and his hair brushes along it, too. His hands are now on my hips and one moves along the edge of my panties to slip a finger under it. He trails it slowly to the junction between my legs, and I buck up in response as if I can direct him to where I want his hand to go.

  A rumble comes from Sven, and he drags my underwear down my legs. He gazes at my womanhood and breathes out. “Yes. So beautiful.”

  I’m sure I’m glistening with need and whimper when he plants little kisses on my feet. His hands massage my calves as he works his way up. It’s sweet torture, but I think he knows that, and I beg, “Please, Sven, please.”

  He spreads my legs and lifts them over his shoulders. His breath is hot on my inner thighs. “Now I will make you never want me to go.”

  I’m not sure if it’s in polar bear DNA or if it’s a true mate thing, but his tongue takes me to places I’ve never been, and my orgasm explodes out of me. As I recover, Sven’s powerful hands massage my legs and bottom. It makes my pleasure taper off slowly, and I sigh. “You are amazing.”

  “You are the amazing one.” Sven kisses me, and I grab on to his shoulders as he settles his weight on me. His hard length slides along my silky slit, and I pump my hips slowly against him.

  I break away from our kiss to say, “Let me get to know you now.” I try to roll him off me, but he’s too big, and he chuckles at my attempt.

  “I think you are still afraid I won’t fit.” His eyes dance with amusement.

  I lick my lips and bite my lower one in a pout. “But I want to lick the ice cream cone.”

  He scrambles off and lies on his back. I crawl over him and grab his wrists to lift his hands over his head. The idea that I have control over this beast of a man is a rush, and I say, “Don’t you dare move, or I’ll have to get all little bear on you.”

  He grins at me. “Your breasts are swaying. I’ll hold still and watch.”

  “Just for that I plan to torture—I mean, get to know you—too.”

  I begin at his hands with my kisses. My hair and breasts graze against him as I do, and when I get to his armpit and drink in the intoxicating scent of Sven, I understand what he meant, because tasting him like this is so hot.

  His chest and stomach are all hard planes with sharp lines for my tongue to follow, and I drag my nose down the trail of hair that leads to his groin. I stop for a moment to imagine how his dick will fit in me and to tease him.

  Sven begs me like I did him. “Please, Lucy, please.”

  “Uh-huh.” I swipe my tongue from the base of his cock all the way up to the tip, where moisture is oozing out. I savor the salty flavor and move down to his feet, smiling when he groans. The hair of his legs is coarse against my lips as I move quickly. I don’t want to wait, either, and I give up on prolonging it for either of us.

  Using both my hands, I grip his cock and lower my mouth over the tip. Sven pumps with me, and his growl rumbles through his body as he gets close. He grabs my head and pulls me off. He says, “Not yet.”

  I sit up on my knees, and Sven places himself behind me and reaches between my legs. “Up,” he says and I lift up as he slips two fingers inside me. I gasp and reach for the top of the headboard to hang on. I arch my back, thrusting my butt out, and he slips another large digit in to stretch me wider. “Yes, little bear. I’ll fit.”

  I rotate my hips to increase the friction on his hand, and he lets out a low noise as he removes his fingers to press the tip of his cock against my entrance. I push back as he slides in slowly. We both groan. He fits perfectly, and I rock on my knees as his thrusting quickens. I’m so close that my climax comes quickly, and as I’m shuddering with my release, Sven’s pounding becomes hard and frantic. He roars as he comes before we collapse in a heap.

  When our breathing returns to normal, I speak. My voice is muffled by a pillow as I ask, “So are you happy you moved to Maine?”

  He pulls the covers up and over his head as he lifts up onto all fours above me. I roll under him so I’m on my back. We’re in a cozy cave now, and he says, “I’d be happy if we built a tent right here and never left. Because home for me now is with you.”

  I trace the edge of his lips before he sucks my finger into his mouth. “You’re all I’ll ever need. I love you, Sven.”

  “I love you, too, Lucy.” He lowers himself onto the bed and lays his head on my chest. “My little bear. I’ll never live without you.”

  I stroke his hair, and it’s soft on my fingers as I think about Keith and Annie losing their true mates, and I wonder how they managed to go on. I say, “Me either, big bear. Me either.”

  Chapter 12

  Tori

  Keith’s house is amazing. Besides being an open space full of rustic features like wood beams, his furniture and fixtures are for big people like us. But my favorite part is the wall that is floor-to-ceiling window. He says it’s heavy-duty bulletproof glass in case a tree falls. It looks out into a fairyland forest he cultivated. The ground is covered in thick green moss that makes me want to wiggle my toes in it. And bits of sunlight filter through hemlocks and pines.

  The cool temperature of the window chills my palm as I place my hand on it. Keith comes to stand next to me, and I say, “I could stare out here all day. This is truly amazing.”

  “Thanks. It’s one of my favorite places to stand and drink my coffee in the morning.”

  On our way to his house, we stopped and picked up steaks, potatoes, and fixings for a salad. I suggested wine, too, since I’ve been drinking it at home with dinner since I was a teen, but he refused to serve an underage girl. No matter, though; I’m already drunk on being with him. I bump him with my hip and say, “Need a sous chef tonight?”

  “I do. I can’t wait to see you wield your mighty knife.”

  “Lead the way.”

  His kitchen island is higher than what is standard, and the cutting board clatters on the forest-green stone countertop. He hands me peppers and a large knife. Keith places himself opposite me and begins to cut tomatoes. The soft thud of our tools sounds as he says, “Tell me about your dreams.”

  “Oh boy. They’re not exactly PG.” A flush rises up my chest to my cheeks, an
d I focus on the pepper I’m cutting.

  He says, “Mine either.” I glance up at him, surprised. “You can skim those parts.”

  “Okay. They started when I was a junior in high school. I didn’t talk about them for a long time, and when I did, my two triplet sisters told me they were having them, too.”

  “You’re a triplet? Why didn’t I know that? I am, too.”

  I stop chopping and gaze at him in shock. “No way.”

  “Yup. Two brothers, but they don’t live around here.” He lifts his chin at me. “Go on.”

  “It took me a while to figure it out, but there’s a bear in my dreams, too. When I came to look at Orono, something about this place felt right, especially when I saw the black bear was their mascot.”

  “And what about your sisters?”

  “They ended up at Bowdoin College, because that’s where our mother went. They never even came here, but did you know that school’s mascot is a bear, too?”

  “I did. How interesting.”

  “Unfortunately for them, they’ve never met the guys they dream about.”

  I glance down at my hip, where my tattoo is hidden under my jeans. I wonder if Keith knows about the paw print but figure he’ll see it at some point so I say, “There’s also a tattoo involved. And once I got it, my dreams became more vivid. I knew if I ever saw you, I’d recognize you.” I lift up the peppers I’ve cut and dump them over the bowl of greens.

  Keith reaches over for my hands. “There’s something you need to know about me.” His gaze is serious, and I wait for more. “I was married, and my wife was killed last December.”

  My stomach drops. “Oh, Keith. Oh my god.” No wonder he didn’t want to start something with me. I squeeze his hands. “I’m so sorry. Oh, god, I’m such an idiot. I kept pushing for something to happen with us, and your wife had just died.” I let go of him and turn to go wash my hands.

  Keith stands next to me, and water rushes as we both clean up. He says, “Stop. It’s okay.” He flips off the water to take my hands and dries them on a towel. “It’s more than okay. You gave me something to look forward to each week.” The cotton is rough on my skin, and I feel like a child until he places his hands on my hips and pulls me close. “I really needed it.”