His jaw tenses and his lips thin, but he shakes his head. “It doesn’t matter.”
“I think it does. Tell me. Please.”
He sighs. “There was a feud between your grandfather and mine, went back a few generations. Something stupid over the purchase of land. They were still civil, but there are some that believe your grandfather knew what we are, that he knew the truth about us.”
My brain wraps itself around what he’s saying. “If he knew about...shifters, then he knew he was really shooting a man. That would mean...”
He cups the back of my head and forces me to look at him. “Again, I don’t believe the rumors. And even if he did know, he was protecting you. I would have done the same.”
A memory flashes in my mind, the warmth of a large body pressed against me, my fingers gripping onto fur as danger surrounds us. But it’s too fuzzy to hold onto. I blink up at Gunnar.
God, the man is gorgeous. But more than that, he’s good. Honorable. And worthy of my forgiveness, even if neither of us ever get the real truth of what happened that day so many years ago.
What matters is now.
I reach up and run my hand over his freshly shaven jaw. I’m not sure which I like better on him, the beard or this. It doesn’t really matter, either way, he looks all man, hard edges except for his mouth, lips that are soft, parted and waiting for mine.
But first, “I forgive you, Gunnar. And I think it’s time you forgave yourself.”
He inhales sharply. “You’re sure about that?”
“Yes.” I move closer, in between his legs, and my body aches for more. For him. “Maybe I could show you how very much I’ve forgiven you,” I say, my hand running up his thigh, over his groin. There is a growing bulge that has me licking my lips.
He growls, low and needy, and runs his big hands through my hair, his thumb is on my chin, drawing it ever closer.
“I want you so fucking bad, Adelaide Spencer,” he tells me, his eyes blazing with intensity.
“Good,” I manage to whisper. “Because I need you to ravish me.”
“Not scared of bears anymore, is that it?” he asks when I hook my thumbs in his sweats and push them down. He groans as I take out his thick, long cock, and stroke my palm up the velvety length.
I shake my head. “No, I’m just not scared of you, Gunnar. I trust you. Completely.”
“Good,” he says, breathing me in. “Because I trust you too.”
I lift my eyebrows, looking him in the eyes. It’s like we made a pact. A promise. For now, at least, we are in this together.
Chapter 15
Gunnar
I look into her eyes, knowing this is real, and I’m going to make it last forever. When she licks her lips, my cock aches for release.
Her pretty little mouth opens and takes my length in, she runs her tongue over my hard ridges and I groan in pleasure as she begins to suck me off.
“God,” I exhale, running my fingers through her long, thick hair. Being here, in my house, in my bedroom with Addie is like a dream come true - one I never even knew I had. But her, here, is like everything in my life finally falling into place.
Her head bobs up and down, and I’m so close to coming, her mouth is tight around my cock, creating friction and suction that is all too much.
“Fuck,” I growl as she runs her hand over my tight balls. “I’m so close.”
She pulls back, the tip of my cock on her lips. “Come in my mouth, Gunnar,” she begs and I won’t make my mate wait. She takes me in her mouth again and as she sucks, I pump my hot seed deep in her throat, watching as she swallows my release. She pants for more as she finishes me off, milky cum on her pink lips.
“That was incredible,” she tells me. “I’ve never done that and it just felt so …”
I smirk, wondering where this angel came from. “Really? You liked going down on me?”
She nods. “I loved it. It made me feel so good to know I was making you happy.”
“I was more than happy.” I pull her toward me into my lap. Wanting her on my bed. I ease her onto her back, pulling her silky tank top off over her shoulders as I do.
“Really?” she asks.
I slip off her sandals, then shimmy down her shorts, before sliding her panties past her thighs. God, she looks so fucking hot.
“Yeah,” I tell her. “I felt like my life made sense. Me. You. Here. It’s just so damn right, Adelaide.”
She smiles as I lean over her, unclasping her bra at the center, groaning as I take in her big, full breasts. I slide my hand between her legs. God, everything about her is so damn beautiful. Smooth skin and hips I can hold onto, nipples tight and eager, making my cock eager too.
“I want to fill you up so bad, Addie,” I tell her, my fingers pressing against her creamy slit, her pussy so wet and ready. “Do you want that too?”
She ekes out a yes, her voice a mere whimper, as I begin fingering her tight little pussy, opening my mate up nice and good. Like she needs and deserves.
“Oh, God, you feel so good,” I tell her, leaning down, needing to taste her sweetness again, inhaling her as I do. She tastes like a goddamn apple pie, sugar and spice and everything nice.
“Oh, yes,” she pants as I run my tongue up and down her, my thumb on her tender little clit, playing with her like she wants. My other hand reaches for one of her breasts, plucking her nipple like a ripe berry, her back arching as I do. God, I love to make my girl squirm.
It’s all so new for both of us, each touch, each kiss, finding new pleasure points. I could stay in this bed for a week learning how to please my woman.
“I’m so close,” she moans as I slip a finger inside her, pulsing against her G-spot, making her moan loudly as her cum pours over my hand, her wet pussy so desperate to unleash an orgasm.
It starts in her toes, builds to her belly, and I watch as it unfurls over her skin. Her breath grows shallow, her moans deeper, longer - until it’s more than a moan, it’s a cry and she screams my name and I finger fuck my mate until she is begging me to get inside her. Holding onto me for dear life as if I am the only way to satisfy her need.
Damn right I am.
I press my ready cock inside her, her legs wrapping around me as if we’ve done this a thousand times - our bodies are in sync, our hearts aligned, and as I sink my desperate cock into her willing pussy, our eyes meet, our foreheads touch. We go to the edge of our limits as we begin to rock together as one.
“Oh, Gunnar,” she whispers, tears in her deep green eyes, our bodies are slick with sweat and exhilaration, and my mate glows from the frenzy. We roll in bed, the bear inside me hungry for more. For all of her.
With a strength I didn’t know I held, I lift her from the bed, her round ass in my hand, and I step outside with her in my arms. I walk through the back door, into the dark night, stars ahead and a distant howl at the moon reminding me that we are in the wild.
Right where we belong.
This new-found love is untamed, and I need to take my mate in the open air, where my core is awake and alive.
“You are more than a man,” she murmurs, the words true and allowing a forceful surge of desire to flow through my veins. She knows who I am, and she isn’t running. She accepts me - heart, body, mind, and soul.
As God is my witness, nothing will separate us.
“Fuck me out here, on the ground,” she begs and I know she heard my bear, my need.
She gets down on all fours, her body so beautiful, so pure. The light of the moon our guide. The grass is thick and the scent of cedar trees fill the air and the night is ours for the taking.
I press my cock inside her, her cries unrestrained, and I hold her ample hips with both my hands, burying my hungry cock inside her slick pussy.
We come, hard and fast, both of us knowing exactly what we want: each other.
My seed fills her up, and I want this woman to be the mother of my children, the woman who is by my side through thick and thin, I want her to be my forever
.
It’s a lot, but damn, so is finding your mate. It changed me at my very core. As the orgasm rushes through her, I hear her heart’s echo and I know she understands what I’ve been saying.
I’m your mate.
Yes, Addie. Yes, you are.
Later, after we’ve cleaned up with a warm shower and hundreds of sultry kisses, we’re in bed, satisfied - living out my own fucking fantasy. Adelaide is curled up next to me, her cheek resting on my chest, it’s pure heaven.
“That was...perfect,” she murmurs sleepily.
I stroke her arm and kiss the top of her head. My mate. I’ve never known the peace that settles over me now. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making you happy. I promise you that.”
She tenses in my arms. It’s only a slight movement, but it’s enough for me to feel, plus I can sense her sudden unease.
“What’s wrong?” I tilt her chin up so that she meets my gaze.
“Nothing. It’s just...it’s early to be talking about the rest of our lives.”
“You’re my mate though, it’s pretty simple.”
She rolls over, then sits up, pulling the blankets around her. “I get that, but...”
“I’m not going to push you. We can take it as slow as you want. But know this, I will spend the rest of my life making sure you’re safe, protected, and hopefully you’ll let me make you happy. Yes, I want you here, in my bed, every night - or maybe outside, under the light of the moon,” I say with a smile. “But if that’s not what you want, then—”
“It’s just I have the store. I’m just starting to get it running. There’s so much to do—”
“You don’t have to give that up.”
“And my friends,” she says, her mind racing. “I dragged them all the way to the wilds of Alaska, I can’t just...” She chews on her bottom lip. “Can we just date? See where this goes.”
I nod, even though, if the animal in me had its way, I’d have her down at city hall tomorrow, putting a ring on her finger and claiming her as mine in front of everyone in Bear Valley.
“I have to warn you though, I don’t have much experience dating.”
A smile returns to her beautiful face. “Me either. But I think it’ll be fun. And we can still have sleepovers.”
I chuckle, and pin her against the bed under me, spreading her thighs with my knee.
“I don’t think there is going to be much sleeping where you and I are concerned.”
Chapter 16
Adelaide
“Your boyfriend is here,” Harley says with a big grin, as she rings up the last customer of the day.
I glance out the window and see Gunnar walking up to the store, carrying a bouquet of forget-me-nots. Before he even opens the door, I press into his mind, you look yummy enough to eat.
I’ll be eating you, later, he sends back, his eyes dark with desire and promises when they meet mine.
We hold a silent, playful conversation, that ends with me laughing, and him growling low and needy, his arms wrapping around my waist, and our gazes never wavering.
It’s not until Piper coughs behind me that I realize we haven’t spoken two words out loud to each other. Something that’s become more common between us, and I know it freaks my friends out.
They don’t know about the whole shifter thing. But Piper had said more than once that she swears we can read each other's minds.
“Get a room, you too,” she mutters, rolling her eyes before walking away.
“Don’t worry about her,” Kate says from her spot on the couch. She looks up from her laptop and grins. “She’s in one of her moods. Where are you going tonight?”
Gunnar smiles down at me. “My mom is having a family dinner. I was hoping you’d like to go.”
Two weeks have gone by since we decided to date, and while I’ve met each of his brothers, I still haven’t met the infamous Elizabeth Koleman. I’m more than a little nervous, because she’s not just Gunnar’s mom, but also the mother of four powerful bear shifters. While I’ve come to grips with the whole thing, at least mostly, it’s still intimidating.
Gunnar must sense my apprehension because he says, “We don’t have to go. If you’d prefer a quiet evening—”
“No. I’d like to meet her.”
He grins. “Good. Because she can’t wait to meet you.” As he nuzzles my ear, I hear his voice in my head, And I know she’ll love you as much as I do.
Love.
It isn’t a word that’s been spoken out loud between us. Other than to Harley, Kate, and Piper, I’ve never said the word to anyone else. My parents aren’t exactly emotional people. But even though I bite my tongue on reciprocating the words to Gunnar, the feeling is mutual.
The bond between us is undeniable. And even though I’ve continued to push that we take things slow, I know that he is my future.
Damn right I am, he murmurs in my ear, and I realize I must have opened my thoughts up. I’m still learning to control this whole mind-reading thing.
“Have fun,” Harley says with a wink as Gunnar ushers me out of the bookstore.
Even though the population of Bear Valley is small, the houses are spread out, many of them dotting the lower side of the mountain. Elizabeth Koleman’s house is one of those. A large two-story wood cabin that looks more like a chalet, buried deep beneath the mature spruces.
“This is where you grew up?” I ask, taking in the large wrap around porch, the obvious love and attention to detail that was put into the house.
Gunnar takes my hand as we walk up the steps. “My father built it for my mom when they got married.”
“It’s beautiful.”
He turns me in his arms and pulls me close. “I can build you something just as nice. I’ve got some land—”
“Slow,” I remind him. “We’re taking things slow.”
He sighs. “I know. But I want to give you everything.”
I don’t tell him that he already has. But I still have so many questions for him about his world. If we did get married, and eventually had children, would they be little bears? Kids are hard enough to handle, I’m not sure I could deal with toddlers who could randomly shift into cubs.
Gunnar chuckles and I realize I’ve projected my thoughts again. “You don’t have to worry about that. The bear is sort of locked inside of us until puberty. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t have full control over my animal when...” His expression tightens. “I was new to the whole shifting thing when the incident happened.”
The guilt that never seems to leave him wraps around me like I’m feeling his every emotion.
“It’s the past,” I remind him, leaning up and pressing my mouth to his, but just as I do, the front screen door flies open and a whirlwind of energy and pigtails flies out.
“Uncle Gunnar!” The child jumps into his arms, hugs him, before wiggling down and glancing up at me with interest. “I’m Finley. You must be Uncle Gunnar’s mate. Daddy told me that you know about the bears.” Her last two words are whispered.
“I do.” I smile down at her.
“Daddy says I can’t be a bear when I grow up because I’m a girl. But I think that’s stupid—”
“Hey now,” Gunnar says, placing a large hand on her head.
The door opens again and Weston, Gunnar’s twin brother, comes out. Gunnar told me that he had a daughter, but not much about her. In fact, there’s still a lot I don’t know about the family.
“Hi Addie,” Weston says, giving me a small, tired smile, then saying to Finley, “Grandma needs your help inside.”
The girl bounces back into the house. When she’s gone, Weston shakes his head and says, “We’re going to have to reschedule dinner. I just got a call, and there’s been another grizzly sighting just outside town.”
“Shit.”
“Bennett and Blaine are already heading over there.”
“Sorry,” Gunnar says to me. “I can drop you off—”
“Nonsense,” a woman says as the front screen o
pens. Dark hair with streaks of grey is pulled back from a friendly face, and eyes that are both speculative and kind study me. “Adelaide can stay with me and Finley. Better for us to get to know each other without all the men’s noise, anyways.”
“Sure. That would be nice.” I force a smile, and Gunnar takes my hand, giving it a small squeeze, but I can tell he isn’t about to argue with his mother.
“I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
I don’t mention that the last time he’d gone on a hunt, he’d disappeared for days.
He kisses me hard before turning and heading toward his truck with Weston following.
“So. You’re my son’s mate.” Elizabeth raises one brow as she opens the door and nods for me to follow.
“I...” What am I supposed to say to that? “Gunnar keeps saying I am. But I’ll be honest, this whole...thing is...”
“Strange.” She gives me a sympathetic smile.
“Yes. Very.”
“I felt the same way.”
“You did?”
Finley is at the kitchen table, husking an ear of corn, brows drawn down in concentration.
Elizabeth takes a casserole out of the oven and sets it on the counter. “And I knew about the bears. I can’t imagine what a shock all of this must have been for you. Especially with what happened with your grandfather.”
“It has been. But I feel like I’ve finally got some answers.”
“I’ll be honest, I was worried when Gunnar told me about you. That boy has been through a lot.”
I nod, seeing the motherly worry in her eyes.
“And you’re not allowed to tell about the bears,” Finley says in a sort of whisper-yell, her eyes wide and serious.
Elizabeth smiles down at her granddaughter, and I see another sliver of concern in her eyes. I don’t know Weston’s story, or why his daughter is motherless, but from the small pieces of information Gunnar has shared, I know their past is laced with tragedy.
Untamed Virgins (Mountain Men of Bear Valley Book 1) Page 8
