Gillian handed her the food and drink.
“I sense that he’s here. Am I right?”
Gillian bit her lip. Her grandmother had never had a quiet voice.
“You are.”
She broke off a piece of pastry and put it into her mouth while scanning the room.
“Lots of good-looking men, but I’m guessing your chosen one is the guy standing there talking to the couple with the little girl.”
Gillian didn’t respond. She’d expect nothing less than an accurate guess from her grandmother.
“Am I right?”
“You know you are,” said Gillian.
“You’ve set yourself a tough task there. How could a woman resist him?”
“It can be done.”
“Not with a bear shifter. Of all, people to choose. You know they have the biggest co…”
“Grandma,” shouted Gillian before she could get the rest of the word out. People standing close by stopped talking and looked at both of them.
“Here let me get you something more to eat,” Gillian said.
She turned to leave but her grandmother got hold of her hand and signaled for her to knee beside the chair.
“You are going to fail my dear and that’s fine, Matilda will take over, we’ll still carry on, we just won’t be calling the shots anymore which is okay.”
“I can quell my desires perfectly.”
“Really. I’m guessing you’re already feeling frustrated each time you see him, smell him, maybe even touch him.”
Gillian swallowed. It was true.
“What does the Mirror tell you?”
“It hasn’t revealed anything to me yet.”
“Since you’ve been a little girl, I’ve known when you’re telling me a lie.”
Gillian remembered the image of her, legs spread, panties down, bent over Cade’s bike.
Her grandmother wiped a stray hair from Gillian’s face.
“You are young, you have needs, giving into desire is fine. However, I sense he’s not the settling down kind. He’s not husband material so whatever you do, don’t fall in love with him.”
“I promise you that’s never going to happen.”
*****
When Cade Mallory was frustrated with anything, including women, he got on his bike and rode. Trey had wanted to travel with him, but he’d insisted this was a solo venture. He’d headed out of town and toward Glacier National Park. The smell of fall was in the air. Real bears would be collecting food, eating like crazy, and seeking out the perfect spot to hibernate.
He wished he could do the same this year. Not because he hated winter and the snow, but it would give him a chance to step away from Gillian. Time to think about his attraction to her and if he really wanted to pursue a relationship with a human.
If only he could avoid running into her so often.
Something was pulling them together besides them being store neighbors. Each time he saw her, she seemed to send him mixed signals. She’d been super sweet at the opening of the store with the offer to bring him freshly baked huckleberry scones. He’d glanced over at her when she’d been talking to an older woman who he’d been told was her paternal grandmother. Gillian had turned her back on him and seemed to be avoiding him after that.
Maybe she had PMS. Not that he knew much about human women and their periods but he knew shifter women could turn lethal right before their mating cycle. Once they hit their peak, they were all over you, begging you to fuck them.
Perhaps Gillian would be the same once her time of the month was done.
The thought of her begging him to fuck her made blood swirl around his body. His cock twitched before going hard. It rubbed painfully against the seat of the motorbike. A blast of a horn told him, not only had his mind wandered, but the bike had too. He was now driving on the left-hand side of the road.
“What the fuck, dude, look where you’re going,” a man shouted at him as he drove passed him.
Usually he would have flipped someone like that the bird, but today he knew it was all his fault. He hadn’t been paying attention and that could get you killed on mountain roads like these.
His wheel hit a bump, sending the seat bouncing up into his groin. He groaned because his erection hadn’t subsided. Maybe he should go find a shifter-woman and have a night of non-stop sex. That was usually appealing to him, but today, the thought almost repulsed him. For some reason, now he’d seen Gillian, she was all he wanted.
He spotted a bear to the left of the road. He slowed the bike and the bear stopped to look at him.
“It’s so easy for you. You can mate and not have to worry about anything. You can also sleep through winter.”
The bear glared at him, tossed its head, turned and ran to the other side of the road, and before Cade knew it, he’d disappeared into the wooded area to the left.
“Maybe I should get myself a cabin in the woods and forget I ever met Gillian.”
Another blast of a horn told him he was now blocking traffic on the narrow mountain pass.
“Okay, okay, having a bad day,” shouted Cade.
He put his foot on the accelerator and put some distance between him and the car behind.
Cade was going to do his best to simply put her out of his mind.
*****
Gillian dusted the bookshelf while she waited for the scones to cook. The smell of huckleberries and honey filled the air. She could see why bears found them both so irresistible.
She’d take them over to Cade’s place as soon as they were cool. She’d seen him drive his bike into the parking lot and hadn’t seen him leave again so she guessed he was still at the store. She hoped he was because she wanted to get this over and done with. She’d promised him scones, and scones he was going to get. After that, she’d do her best to keep her distance while still playing by the rules of the Quest.
Her grandmother was wrong. She could pass this first level test. A true leader, which she knew she was by the tattoos on her body, could do it with ease.
The sound of the timer pinging, made her jump. She grabbed her mitts and opened the oven door. They looked perfect, even better than the batches she’d made for the store opening. She took out the pan and set it on top of the stove to cool.
While she waited, she grabbed a small pot of the huckleberry honey. Next, she pulled down one of the decorative boxes she used as part of the gift-wrapping service she offered in the store. Once the scones were cool enough, she placed them inside, put the jar of honey on top, and closed the box.
“Let’s get you delivered and be done with it.”
Gillian headed outside, box under her arm and down the pathway to Cade’s store. There was a light on, but the front door was closed.
Darn, she wanted to get the scones to him tonight while she was up to the task, Defenses high, willpower at supersonic strength.
Not one to give up, she walked around the back. She knew her store had a back-door entrance and guessed his did too. She walked by the pine trees, went to the back door and luckily, it opened. She went inside.
“Cade, are you here?”
No response but she heard movement upstairs. Just like her store, his also had a one-bedroom apartment above it. She guessed he didn’t live in it full time, but maybe he was up there making himself something to eat.
“Cade,” she called again.
Still no response but she could hear footsteps.
Deciding to head up there anyway, she took the stairs, opened the door, still didn’t see him, but could hear music and him singing.
She had to admit, he had a great voice. She was just about to call his name again when the bathroom door opened and he walked out, naked. She swallowed, almost dropping the box of scones to the floor.
Her grandma had been right, bear shifters did have big co…
“Gillian, I didn’t expect to see you tonight,” Cade stuttered.
He quickly grabbed a motorbike brochure and placed it in front of his groin.
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She didn’t know whether to turn and run through embarrassment or burst out laughing at the photo of the guy on the bike smiling with his thumb in the air, now covering Cade’s dick.
“I, I did call out to you and I’m….”
He was turning red and she guessed she was too.
“I baked you more scones.”
She put them down and noticed that the brochure had risen slightly in the air.
Cade tried to push it down and winced.
“Excuse me a minute,” he said.
He turned and she got a great view of his backside. She didn’t know why but she wanted to pinch his cute bare butt or should that be bear butt?
He returned with a towel secured around his waist but the bulge in the front was too obvious and she couldn’t take her eyes off it.
“If you’re wondering if this is for you,” he said, pointing to his groin. “Oh yeah it is. And if you know anything about bear shifters, and if you’ve got no intention of having sex with me tonight, I suggest you leave as soon as you can.”
She didn’t know what to say, what to do, but simply turned and ran, hoping she’d never see him again.
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Chapter 9
Cade had barely made it into the woods before he shifted into his bear form. He hadn’t even had chance to remove all his clothing so his pants and shirt had been ripped during his transformation. He ran and ran, paws pounding on the forest floor, the wind blowing through his fur.
Gillian stirred up a sexual need in him like no other woman had ever done. It was strong and too powerful for him to handle. Bears usually didn’t act this way even when they found their mate. Something else was at work here. He had a feeling it had something to do with the secret she’d told him about.
He ran faster, seeing some of the peaks of Glacier National Park coming into view. He stopped and took in the beauty. Anything to take his mind off what was going on in his life right now. He’d thought with the opening of his motorbike store, something he’d always wanted to do, he’d be living his dream life, but then he’d wandered next door and met Gillian and nothing had quite been the same.
Cade wouldn’t call it a nightmare because she was so beautiful and captivating, but the bear, and not the human side of him, told him something bad was going to happen. To him, to her, to both of them, he wasn’t quite sure.
It was getting close to hunting season so he decided to head back before a hunter took a shot at him.
He’d cleared his head. His erection had subsided and the pain in his groin, gone. She’d checked him out good. If only he’d known she was in the apartment when he’d walked out from the bathroom.
If only he’d waited until he’d gotten home to take a shower. However, he’d spilled oil on his shirt and the smell had been so obnoxious that he’d rushed into the shower.
Always close the door so beautiful woman can’t wander in.
When he’d seen her, seen the look in her eyes, he knew what she wanted from him, but yet, he knew she was doing her best to resist.
Cade arrived back at the area where his tattered clothing sat. He’d ridden the bike here but he could hardly ride back to town looking like this. He’d have to call one of his brothers to bring him a change of clothing. Ian had already moved out and was now living with Eve so he hoped Trey was around.
He hit the call button and gathered up his stuff while he waited for his younger brother to respond.
“Hi Cade.”
“You busy right now?”
“I was just going to watch a movie with Denise.”
“You at home?”
“Yes.”
“Can you bring me some pants and a t-shirt to the entrance of Glacier National Park, I’m in the woods on the left.”
“What the hell, Cade? What are you doing out there?”
“It’s a long story and I’ll tell you more when you get here.”
“You’ll owe me one because you know how long I’ve waited for Denise to come back from Seattle.”
“Yeah, I’ll owe you big time, now hurry because it’s getting dark.”
******
Gillian paced back and forth, debating whether to phone her grandmother or aunt but she didn’t want to burden them. In fact, sharing your struggles with anyone, including family members was actually against the rules.
She had it under control.
Yeah, sure you do.
She glanced in the antique Mirror and saw her and Cade again. This time they were on a bed making love.
She picked up one of the brass candlesticks ready to throw it at the Mirror. Some said breaking one would bring seven years bad luck. For her, it would be a lot more serious.
Gillian placed it back on display.
Seeing him naked, seeing his erection, had made juices run down her legs. No other man had caused that to happen to her. She never expected the temptation to be this bad.
He’d seemed borderline angry when he’d told her to leave. She couldn’t blame him. She knew when guys got to the point, they were super aroused, and there was no turning back.
Poor Cade. She’d have to find another way to put an end to this mutual lust and attraction. She wasn’t allowed to use potions or spells but she’d find some way around it.
*****
Cade walked out of his room and toward the kitchen. Caffeine was what he needed.
He’d slept a total of one hour and not because of his problem.
Denise had stayed over after the movie, and she and Trey had enjoyed a night of non-stop sex. Yeah, he knew they’d enjoyed it, well, at least Denise had. He’d never heard a woman be so vocal when she came. Either his brother was an expert or Denise had up till now, had only been with lousy lovers.
He filled the coffee pot and sat down and yawned. Both Trey and Denise emerged from the bedroom at the same time.
“I’m cooking both of you breakfast,” she said.
“None for me,” said Cade. “I just don’t feel I could eat anything.”
His brother put his hand on his forehead. “You think you need to go see Bear for a check-up?”
“I don’t think there’s any cure for what ails me,” Cade said.
“My brother is all worked up about his neighbor at the store,” Trey told Denise as she got eggs and bacon from their fridge.
“Oh, that’s right, everyone’s talking about her and how wonderful her store is. I think I’ll go check it out today.”
“She’s giving him mixed signals and he’s sexually pent up,” said Trey.
“You know we like to do that. We like to play hard to get.”
“I know but this is different,” said Cade.
“Have you tried just asking her out on a date? I mean once you’ve spent time together you might find out you have nothing in common. Sometimes that can take the edge off the pent-up desire. Or on the other hand, when you take her home, the two of you can have a long fuck feast and get it out of your systems and move on.”
Cade bit his lip. Denise did have some valid points.
“Yeah, I’ll give it a try.”
“Am I not dating the smartest woman in town?” asked his brother.
He wouldn’t go quite that far, but he knew a woman’s input never hurt.
“You know just how to get into my panties Trey Mallory.” She kissed his brother on the lips, got hold of his hand and led him back to the bedroom.
Cade knew he had to get out of the house, and soon. Hearing them having one of their own fuck feasts was the last thing he needed.
*****
Gillian looked out of the window of the store. No sign of Cade which was a good thing because she still hadn’t figured out what to say or even how to react to what happened between them the other night.
It was her own fault for heading into his apartment unannounced but how was she to know he’d been in the shower and wander out into the main room, naked. Talk about bad timing on her part. Normally her sixth sense would have given her some indicati
on but when she was around Cade, it didn’t seem to work. In fact, the opposite came into play. She’d have to be on her guard even more now.
“You’re going to be late.”
Her aunt’s voice made her jump.
Gillian looked at her watch, she was right. She’d set up an appointment to go and meet Maisie King at Downward Facing Wolf. It could be a big order for the store and one she couldn’t afford to miss.
“You okay with looking after the shop while I’m gone?” she asked Aunt Louise.
“I’m sure I’m more than capable. You’re not the only one who knows about oils and all these other goodies.”
Gillian smiled. While she’d inherited most of who she was from her mother, her father’s side of the family had their share of talents too.
“Oh, and if you see Cade, not that I think you will, but…”
“I’ll give him a kiss for you. Now run along because a Finnagan is never late.”
Gillian didn’t have a response to that because she knew kissing Cade on her behalf was something her aunt would actually have the courage to do. Gillian grabbed her purse and samples and headed out to the parking lot. She got into her car and glanced one more time over to Cade’s store. People were outside looking at one of the bikes, but no sign of him.
She backed out of her spot and exited the lot. She got onto the main road and turned north to Whitefish to where she’d been told she’d find the yoga spa.
The lights turned red and she stopped, waiting and watching as cars made their left-hand turn. She heard a rev of a motorbike and saw Cade ride by her. She looked at him, he glanced momentarily at her before whizzing by her car.
The blast of the horn from the driver behind her told her it was now green and in her favor. She hit the accelerator and almost flew through the intersection.
The heat rose in her cheeks again. At first, she thought it was a wash of shyness whenever she saw him, but now she realized it was some sort of chemical reaction she had toward him. Maybe more of a test had been placed upon her than she’d initially thought.
She upped the dial on the air conditioning and drove about another ten miles down the road until she saw the sign for Downward Facing Wolf. The place was beautiful with its log cabin look and gorgeous carved wolf with its head up to the sky in a howl which made it look like a sun salutation pose.
Bewitching The Bear Page 4