by Lynn Hagen
“Come on, baby. Let’s go see your best friend.” Bear slid his fingers around Spencer’s hand as they walked to the front door. Spencer noticed a camera perched up high in a corner, turning toward them when Bear rang the doorbell.
When the door swung open, Johnny was standing there with a bright smile on his face. “Have you come to see Recker?” The man leaned closer, cupping his mouth close to Spencer’s ear. “Don’t worry. I’ve been taking real good care of him. He’s a really sweet guy.”
Spencer smiled and felt a thousand times better about what Recker was going to have to endure.
Chapter Ten
Bear looked around at the mess in his bedroom and wondered how such a little impala could own so many clothes. It was mind-boggling. From the boxes stacked high in his bedroom, it looked like Spencer could open his own clothing store. Admittedly, his mate dressed sharply.
But damn…
When Bear asked Spencer to move in with him, he had no clue that he would need to add on to his house just for the man’s wardrobe. There had to be at least ten medium-sized boxes stacked close to his closet.
The rest of the guy’s belongings fit into one box. The one small box consisted of a few pictures, an antique-looking watch, and other personal items that belonged to his mate. Not that Bear was snooping. He had seen Spencer unpack the items, shoving most of the stuff into his underwear drawer. He told Bear that the watch had belonged to his great grandfather.
Bear was impressed. He didn’t have any family heirlooms. What he wouldn’t give to have something that belonged to one of his ancestors, a piece of his heritage.
He walked out of the bedroom, leaving the mess for Spencer to deal with. Bear had dinner to cook. Spencer was currently in the shower, tempting him to postpone dinner and have a little fun. But Bear knew that Spencer hadn’t eaten all day. Besides, his mate was exhausted. He had slept the whole ride home.
Bear grabbed some things to make a quick stir-fry. He remembered at the last second to cook the meat separately. Never did he think that he would get a mate that sparsely ate meat. There was no way Bear was going to eat that soy crap that Spencer seemed to love—which meant mealtime was going to be very interesting in their household.
“What are you cooking?” Spencer asked as he walked out of bathroom, brushing a towel over his wet, short blond hair. The only thing the slim man was wearing was a towel wrapped around his waist. His cock tried to thicken, but Bear turned away and concentrated on dinner.
“Something easy and light.” Bear grabbed a large skillet and tossed it on the stove. Next he grabbed a cutting board and began to dice some peppers and onions. Spencer walked over to the counter and leaned against it, watching Bear work.
“I’m not a bad cook myself,” Spencer said as he once again rubbed at his hair with the towel. His bare chest was very distracting. The two tan nipples kept drawing Bear’s gaze away from what he was doing.
“Good,” Bear said as he poured some oil into the pan. “Then you can cook tomorrow night.”
As he worked, the kitchen began to fill with the aromatic scent of dinner. Bear’s stomach began to growl, reminding him that he hadn’t eaten since lunch. The peppers and onions sizzled and snapped as Bear grabbed another pan for his chicken.
Spencer placed a hand on Bear’s arm. “You don’t have to cook that separately. I love chicken.”
Placing the pan back in the cabinet, Bear was relieved that his mate wasn’t an alien after all. But if the guy wanted him to toss any of that that tofu crap in with the stir-fry, he was drawing the line. There were just some things a man should not have to eat. It was bad enough that weird stuff was sitting in his refrigerator.
Just as he was straightening after grabbing the pot for the rice, he felt a hand slide down his backside. The move was so unexpected that Bear lost his grip on the pot, watching as it fell to the floor with a loud clang.
His mouth went dry when Spencer bent over to pick it up, the towel rising above his cheeks. His balls were exposed, giving Bear a sight that he couldn’t ignore. Reaching between his mate’s legs, Bear cupped the soft sac.
A groan filled the room, Spencer staying in his bent position as Bear’s fingers explored the hairless flesh in the palm of his hand. “You did that on purpose.” His voice was barely a whisper as Bear’s hand glided upward, stroking his mate’s growing erection.
“D–Did not.”
Bear locked his finger into the dark-blue fabric and gave a yank. The towel slid away like a curtain that had parted at the beginning of a performance. And what a beautiful sight it revealed. With his right hand, Bear quickly reached over and stirred the food in the pan before giving his full attention back to his mate.
He had tried. He really had. But Bear was just a man and could only resist so much temptation. He wanted to feed his mate first, but it seemed Spencer wanted to be fed in other ways.
Grabbing the oil from the counter, Bear slicked his fingers and played at his mate’s hole. Spencer was still bent over, except now he was grabbing his ankles and pushing his ass against Bear’s fingers.
He fumbled with his pants until his fully erect cock was free…and then he reached over and stirred the food. If he didn’t fuck his mate soon, dinner would be ruined. Bear pulled his oily fingers free and then drove his cock deep Spencer’s tight ass.
Bear quickly grabbed his mate when Spencer nearly fell forward to the floor. He turned the man until Spencer could grab the counter for leverage and then Bear began to fuck his mate in earnest. He had to loop his left arm around his mate’s stomach and lift Spencer off his feet. The guy was so damn short that the angle was off.
Now it was perfect.
Bear slapped his groin continuously into Spencer’s ass, his cock driving in and out of his mate’s giving body. He could still hear the food sizzling, could still smell the sweet aroma filling the kitchen. But at this point, Bear wouldn’t care if the onions and peppers sizzled down to nothing.
“I’m close,” Spencer whimpered as his fingers curled into the edge of the counter.
Bear drove deeper, his hips moving so quickly that he could feel his balls tightening. Spencer pulled one hand away from the counter and reached underneath him. Bear knew exactly what his little impala was doing, and knowing his mate was pleasuring himself made his climax shatter through his body.
Letting out a long grunt, Bear fucked his mate even faster, sweat beading over his skin as his orgasm pulled him under. Spencer wasn’t too far behind him. His mate cried out, his hole pulsing around Bear’s cock.
He pulled in a ragged breath as he reached over and turned the stove off. Bear wasn’t going to be able to finish dinner until his cock eased. He kicked his jeans off until he was completely naked and then wrapped his arms around his mate as he walked out onto the back porch.
Spencer started laughing. “I feel like a rag doll in your arms.”
The night was filled with wonderment as Bear took a seat on one of the chairs. “You’re fine right where you’re at.” He kissed the side of his mate’s head as he relaxed, pulling Spencer’s back to his chest.
The tall, shadowed pines stretched upward like arrows in the sky, and there were streaks of clouds floating by lazily. He could even see the glow of eyes in the dark, too small to be a threat. Those eyes belonged to a few deer that were grazing at the creek.
“Do you hear that?” Spencer asked.
Bear heard wind whipping through the leaves, creaking tree trunks, the whine of a few mosquitos, and the sound of an owl hooting nearby. He wasn’t sure what sound Spencer was honing in on. “What are you listening to?”
Spencer turned his head upward to smile at Bear, making his heart skip a beat. “Nature.”
When Bear’s cock eased, he pulled his mate off of his lap. They were both naked already, so he grabbed his mate’s hand and led him down the steps that ran down the side of the house.
“Where are you taking me?”
Bear pointed toward the creek. “I thought may
be we could shift and have some fun. I know how much you love the woods back here behind the house.”
“Really?” Spencer’s cinnamon-brown eyes lit up with excitement. “I’ve been dying to do just that. But what if there are predators in these woods?”
“I’ll fucking eat them,” Bear said as he squeezed his mate’s hand. “Don’t worry about anyone messing with my little impala. Just have some fun and explore.” Before Bear could finish what he was saying, Spencer had shifted.
Bear was stunned at how beautiful Spencer was. He had a reddish-brown coat, and the underbelly, inside his ears, around his eyes and chin, and his buttocks were white. There was a narrow black line that ran along the middle of the lower back to his long tail and a vertical black stripe on the back of each thigh. His ears were small, his eyes still the gorgeous color they were when he was human. There were two lyre-shaped horns on his mate’s head, which Bear brushed his hands over.
“I’ve never seen an impala before. You are so damn beautiful.”
Spencer’s tail rose high in the air, preening before he took off toward the creek. Bear shifted into his grizzly before chasing after his mate.
He found Spencer already at the creek, lapping at the water. Bear lay down on the pine needles and watched. Spencer was truly an amazing sight. The impala looked so graceful compared to his oversized body.
If Bear could laugh, he would have. Spencer’s little ears kept twitching as he backed away and then began to graze. Damn it. The guy better not ruin his appetite. He still had to finish dinner, but didn’t want it to go to waste.
Bear came to a stand when he heard twigs snapping. Spencer heard the noise as well because he hurried over to Bear. Scenting the air, he smelled deer.
Spencer was safe.
Bear lay back down and let his mate enjoy himself for a good hour before he shifted back into his human form. “We need to get back to the cabin, babe. I’m starving.”
Spencer lowered his head and began to wag it back and forth. The man was being stubborn, wanting to spend more time out here.
“I promise we’ll come back out here.” Bear turned to walk away. “Come on, Spencer.”
His mate began to walk slowly behind him, eating a leaf here and there. Bear knew the man was taking his time, trying to soak up as much outdoors as he could in his impala form. They finally reached the porch—in double the time it took to get to the creek—and then Spencer shifted. “I wasn’t ready to come back.” The man’s pout was too damn adorable.
Bear chuckled. “We can spend more time out back when we both don’t have to work in the morning. Besides, you have a department-store-size wardrobe to put away.”
Spencer blushed, his pale cheeks turning a pretty shade of pink. “I can’t help it if I like clothes.”
Like wasn’t a strong enough word. Obsessed would be more accurate. He had been joking with himself earlier about needing to add on to the house just to accommodate Spencer’s clothes, but as Bear thought about it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a roomy closet built for his mate. It might make him feel like this was truly his home.
Bear finished making the stir-fry, glad that dinner wasn’t ruined. He was a little miffed that Spencer wasn’t as hungry as he was earlier, but his mate ate enough to make Bear satisfied.
Just as they settled on the couch to watch a movie, Bear’s phone rang. This late at night, it couldn’t be good. As badly as he wanted to ignore the annoying ring, Bear answered.
“Chief Callahan.”
“Shilo’s Veterinary Clinic is on fire,” Travis said in rush. “We are short on men with Bailey not here, Reno off schedule, and two greenhorns here with me.”
“Did you call Reno?” Bear asked as he pulled from the couch.
“Yeah, but he won’t be able to make it back here on time. He took Baker to the city for a romantic night away. By the time he gets here, the place will have burnt to the ground.”
Bear cursed as he headed toward his bedroom to get dressed. He wasn’t going to ruin Reno’s time with his mate. The guy deserved a night away from the man who was determined to burn Brac Village down to the ground. The vet clinic was just inside the town limits. The pyro was setting his fires closer and closer to the middle of town.
“I called Dr. Prayze to ask him if any animals were being cared for overnight. He said he had a few kittens and a Labrador inside. There are also some horses in the stables out back.”
“I’ll meet you at the scene. Bring my bunker gear.” Bear tossed his phone on the bed and hurriedly dressed.
“Another fire?” Spencer asked from the doorway.
“Yeah, the vet clinic this time.” Bear laced his boots up and headed toward the door, stopping momentarily to give his mate a kiss. “Hurry up and get dressed.”
Spencer shook his head. “I’ll be fine here by myself. You go take care of the fire.”
Bear was hesitant. What if the pyro decided to target his house next? Although he wasn’t in the town limits, houses had been set on fire in the rural surroundings that were still considered Brac territory.
“Lock up,” Bear said as he walked to the front porch. He wasn’t sure how a locked door would help when it came to a fire, but it made him feel better to give the order. “Call me if you even think someone is close by.”
“I will.” Spencer gave him another quick kiss before Bear hurried to the truck. It took him less than five minutes to get to the clinic. Of course he had sped a little along the way to get there so quickly. Before he even reached the bend to the clinic, Bear saw billowing plumes of smoke high above the treetops.
Bear pulled his truck next to the rig and got out, going for his bunker gear. Sampson was pulling another hose from the truck, and Travis and Flint were apparently already inside, fighting the blaze.
He could see an orange glow on the left side of the building and knew where he needed to go. Just as they reached the building, a window exploded from the heat.
The two worked to get the fire out on the left side as Travis and Flint worked the right. As soon as the water vapors began to fill the air, Bear hurried toward the attached stables to check on the horses.
They were unharmed.
Bear walked back toward the front of the building and saw a small black car pull up. He recognized the vet. From the wildness of the man’s hair, Bear would have thought the man had just rolled out of bed. But he had seen the man around town. His hair always stuck up everywhere, as if he never thought about combing it, or constantly ran his hands through the strands.
“Are any of the animals hurt?” he immediately asked. The vet didn’t ask about structural damage or what was ruined in the fire. He wanted to know about his patients. It said a lot about the cougar shifter’s character.
“No, we got the kittens and dog out. The horses are still in the stables, but the fire didn’t reach them,” Bear said as he pointed to where Travis was kneeling, running his hands over the dog’s brown coat of fur. Flint was holding the kittens in his arms, and seemed to be having a hell of time keeping them from jumping free.
“Thank you for saving them.” The vet reached into the backseat of his car and pulled out a small cage. He walked briskly over to Flint and lifted each kitten from the firefighter’s arm and placed the small orange balls of fur into the carrier.
Bear’s eyes swept over the fire-damaged clinic and knew they had to find the pyro…and soon.
Chapter Eleven
Spencer opened the door and stepped inside, immediately surrounded by the aromatic scent of coffee beans and the sound of shouting orders and people murmuring. He found Johnny already waiting for him at a table. The man was wearing orange boots that reached his ankles and a matching half jacket. One thing Spencer could say, the guy had a flair for colors.
“I can’t stay long.” Spencer took a seat and grabbed the ice tea Johnny always brought him. “I’m meeting Bear for lunch.”
“It’s just as well,” Johnny said, a little too bubbly. “I have to leave early because
it’s my godson’s birthday. I’m supposed to help Gabby decorate the Den for the party. Do you want to come?”
A kid’s party? “I think I’ll pass.” He liked kids, but tried to steer clear of a room filled with the little ankle biters. They were adorable on their own, but not when there was a crowd of them. Spencer thought about all the times he had seen a bunch of kids gathered and inwardly winced. The ones he had seen at parks or off in the kiddie play section at the mall were terrors. He didn’t think the ones at the Den were, but running around with toddlers wasn’t something on his to-do list. “I need to head out. Have fun decorating.”
Spencer walked from The Café and headed toward the firehouse. He could have just called Johnny and told him that he couldn’t meet him, but he was killing time. Bear would be off in another ten minutes. Spencer hadn’t wanted to get there early and sit in his mate’s office. It was too nice out today.
As he strode through town, Spencer saw more of the campaign signs with Bart Fishman’s name plastered on them. He still hadn’t figured out who the man was, but Spencer seriously doubted the guy would win against Maverick.
He wasn’t even sure why Bart Fishman was wasting his time.
Just as Spencer was about to turn the corner, strong arms grabbed him from behind, a kiss dropped on his head, and then he was lifted off his feet. He started to shout, until Spencer recognized the distinct scent of his grizzly bear.
“You better be lucky I know your scent. I was just about to give you a beat down.” Spencer shouted as Bear lifted him up into the air and threw him over his shoulder, chuckling deeply.
“Then I’m a very fortunate man.” Bear swatted him on the ass and then set him on his feet. “I was just heading back to the firehouse when I spotted you.” His mate grabbed Spencer’s hand and pulled him in the direction he had just come from. That didn’t make one lick of sense to him.