Reforming the Bear

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “Maybe some other time,” said Liam.

  Liam walked to the restroom and then saw two other shifters getting condoms out of the machine on the wall.

  “Only drawback to being with humans. Hate these fucking things,” said one of them.

  A whole bunch of foil packages fell out at the same time. Both shifters pocketed most of them and headed out. One package still sat on the floor. Liam bent down and picked it up, intending to put it on top of the machine, but instead put it in the back pocket of his jeans.

  The idea of covering his cock with this rubber monstrosity didn’t appeal to him one little bit but suddenly the very thought of being inside Lucy seemed the right thing to do tonight.

  Chapter Ten

  Lucy knew she was being stupid, but that didn’t stop her from pulling the blanket over her head and peering out over the top of it. The wolves were howling again. She wanted to go to bed, but couldn’t muster up the courage to go the short distance from Liam’s place to the apartment. Her leg felt better, but she didn’t think she’d be up to running if the situation arose.

  Irrational fear. She knew that. It wasn’t as if wolves would pounce on her while she traipsed across the path. However, she was a city girl and out here in the country she felt out of her element.

  Liam had told her he’d probably be home late so he probably wouldn’t mind her using his couch for her bed. She snuggled down on it and set her head on one of the pillows while pulling the blanket up around her. Both the couch and blanket smelled like Liam. But then of course, they would. She held the blanket under her nose and took in the musky smell. A combination of both him and the aftershave he wore. She flicked off the light, hoping he didn’t mind her sleeping here … or even sleeping in his house.

  She was now like Goldilocks. Was he one of the bears? She laughed, not knowing why she’d thought of that particular fairy tale. On second thought, she did know why. For some strange reason, Liam did remind her of a big strong bear. The way he’d carried her from the ditch to the car that evening … not to mention those powerful arm and shoulder muscles of his.

  The wolves howled again. She bit her lip. A bear would win in a fight against a wolf, right?

  She turned over and told herself to put all thoughts of wolves out of her mind. Lucy wasn’t aware that she’d actually fallen asleep until she heard something moving outside the window. Something was being dragged off.

  She focused on the clock. It was only twenty minutes after she’d last looked. Had someone from Mike’s company found her? The bag. No problem, it was safely locked up in the apartment. And could it be a wolf outside the door?

  Unless she was mistaken, it sounded like a garbage can being dragged along.

  Food. The wolves were after food. That meant they wouldn’t be after her.

  That put her mind at ease until she heard what sounded like the back door opening.

  Lucy put her head under the blanket. Yeah, like that was going to save her from a wolf’s jaw.

  “Lucy.”

  Unless wolves could talk and they sounded like Liam, she figured she’d be perfectly safe now. She poked her head out from under the blanket, realizing she must look a mess with some of her hair sticking up and some hanging over her eyes.

  “I got scared. I hope you don’t mind,” she said when he walked into the living room.

  “What about, being scared? Nope, everyone’s entitled to that.”

  He sat on the floor in front of the couch. She smelled the aftershave on his skin and the vague hint that he’d enjoyed a beer not so long ago.

  “No, I meant about me sleeping on your couch.”

  “You’re welcome to do that too. I’ve done it many times myself. Slept here for a whole month when Danny died. Hardly moved from the spot. I kept going to sleep thinking I’d wake up and it would be a bad dream, but when it wasn’t I couldn’t move.”

  She put her hand on the side of his face, rubbed it and enjoyed the sharpness of his stubble. He was such a kind and sensitive soul. Maybe that’s why others thought he wasn’t easy to be around. He was different, and sometimes people didn’t know how to handle that.

  Lucy spotted a smudge of pink lipstick by his ear.

  “I see you enjoyed the bachelor party?” She wiped her finger over it and showed it to him.

  “Jeez, I hadn’t realized that was on me––and I stopped by the pharmacy on the way home. What must people have thought?”

  “It’s really not your color,” said Lucy, licking her finger and ridding him of the rest of it.

  “The woman the lipstick belonged to wasn’t really my type either. In fact, the whole party wasn’t really my thing.”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever heard a guy complain about a bachelor party before. My brother and his friends really enjoyed his. They went on a Hangover type of adventure.”

  “Maybe I’m getting too old for that sort of thing. So what were you scared about?”

  “Wolves?”

  “Were they howling again? You do know it’s a full moon out there.”

  He smiled, and Lucy slapped his arm for messing with her.

  “I was scared to walk to the apartment so I thought I’d stay here for the night. I didn’t expect you home this early. And then I heard something being scraped along outside the window.”

  “That was me … I put the garbage can out ready for the pick-up tomorrow. You’re welcome to stay here all night, but don’t you think you might be more comfortable in my bed?”

  His bed. Did that mean he’d sleep on the couch? There was one way to find out. Ask.

  “Would you be in the bed too?”

  He leaned toward her with the smell of the beer getting a tiny bit stronger the closer he got.

  “Would you like me to be?” Liam asked.

  “I think I would. You could keep me safe from the big bad wolves outside.”

  “So would that be the only reason you’d want me beside you?”

  She ran her fingers through his hair, looked in his eyes, but his lips were upon hers before she could answer him.

  The guy knew how to kiss. She opened her mouth to him, letting his tongue slide over her lips. The very tips of their tongues kissed and dueled before he slid it deep, sliding over her teeth, making the room spin and her pussy ache for so much more than a kiss.

  He pulled away from her.

  “Well, what’s your answer?”

  “Definitely not the reason I want to be in your bed. I want you to make love to me.”

  He smiled. “So my trip to the pharmacy wasn’t wasted.”

  Condoms. She hadn’t seen them in his bathroom cabinet––but she wasn’t going to own up to being nosy.

  “Um, and what did you buy?”

  “I think you already know.”

  “And you didn’t have any on hand?”

  She was playing devil’s advocate now.

  He laughed. “I had one with me from the party, but I used it on the way home…” He put his hand up. “And I know what you’re thinking and no, I didn’t have sex with anyone. I was practicing slipping it onto my cock.”

  “Practicing? What are you, Mr. Perfection?”

  ****

  Mr. Perfection.

  Liam liked the sound of that. Everything he did to Lucy was going to be sheer perfection. Or at least he hoped she’d think so. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d said he’d practiced putting the condom on. He pulled into the spot where he usually parked before he went on one of his bear runs and made his first attempt at wearing a condom. Putting it on had been borderline comical. It had fallen off twice before he’d managed to roll it along his shaft. When he’d gotten it all the way up he felt like his dick was being murdered.

  He didn’t like it one bit and had second thoughts about going through with the whole ‘sex with a human’ thing, but then on the drive back into town he’d seen Lucy’s face, her body and recalled how he wanted to hold her and make love to her. Surely it wouldn’t be so bad once he got insid
e her.

  Liam had turned the car around and headed to the nearest pharmacy and purchased a box of the biggest size condoms they had. And here he was, ready to put one to good use.

  He picked Lucy up in one fluid swoop and carried her toward his bedroom. He pushed the door open with his foot and proceeded to go inside. He placed her gently on the bed, getting down on the floor and taking off her shoes very carefully so he didn’t hurt her.

  “You sure your leg’s up to this?” he asked.

  “It feels one hundred percent better than it did twenty-four hours ago. And I know you’ll be gentle with me.”

  He smiled. He lifted her leg and kissed the top of her foot.

  “You are going to spoil me. That’s such an old-fashioned gesture,” she said.

  He had no idea that it was. Bear shifters often did it to their partners at the beginning of their mating ritual. He got on the bed beside her and pushed the hair away from her eyes and cheeks. He leaned in and kissed her, both of them falling down onto the bed until they were lying there facing one another.

  Liam ran his index finger down the side of her face and along her jawline. Her skin was so soft. He carried on running his finger downward until it reached her collarbone and then the hollow spot where her neck and chest joined. The subtle scent of her perfume drifted his way. He took it in, enjoying the fragrance. She was aroused. He could smell that too. Not as strong as the scent of shifter female. Lucy’s was sweeter and in fact, aroused him more than that of his own kind. His cock began a steady beat, pounding against his boxers and jeans.

  He drew an outline of her right breast through her t-shirt. He’d seen her nude and the mere thought of seeing her body unclothed again made his cock grow harder.

  Her nipple hardened against his finger and pushed outward. The smell of her arousal grew stronger, forcing him to roll her onto her back and lift her t-shirt upward. She raised her arms allowing him to remove it. She wasn’t wearing a bra. How lucky for him. Her nipples were red and beautiful and all he needed to do now was taste them.

  Liam leaned over and took the left one into his mouth, hearing her groan as he sucked on it. He popped open the clasp on her jeans, unzipping it with finesse as he continued to suck. Pushing his hand inside her pants and panties, he realized he couldn’t get any farther without taking off the rest of her clothes. As if she could rid his mind, Lucy lifted her hips and butt, allowing him to get up on his knees and pull the clothing from her body.

  He hoped she didn’t mind him just staring. Well, not exactly staring but admiring her beautiful body. Her luscious skin. He gently touched the scrapes and bruises, wishing he could give her some of the shifter’s restorative powers to heal her quickly. He ran his hand over her navel, lingering there while he in his own crafty way studied the curls on her pubic region. They fascinated him because this was actually the first time he’d seen them up close. He let his hand slide and move over them.

  She widened her legs. He got the sense that she wanted to be touched there not only by her actions but because her arousal grew stronger, making him hard and needy. Liam explored her curls some more, letting his finger glide through them and then down until his middle finger hit a fleshy outgrowth.

  He swallowed. This was where a human woman’s clit was located. Not inside their pussy, but above its opening. He pressed on it seeing her legs wobble while hearing a sexy groan escape from her mouth.

  “I should warn you that I’m a woman who likes her clit pampered before the main event.”

  Now that put some pressure on him. He had to get this right.

  He circled it with his thumb, feeling it harden and grow almost like his cock was doing right this minute. Liam applied more pressure while seeing her legs part some more. He spied her folds and just the slightest hint of her opening. Would he be able to hold off, pleasure her, thrill her and put his own needs on hold?

  She wiggled her butt and he got back to playing with her clit. Circling it, massaging it until he heard her continual groan and then without warning her lower body stiffened and her legs shook.

  Cream bubbled from her opening, its odor driving him a little insane. He ran his fingers down her folds to reach it and then slid his finger inside her. Tight and warm. Why had he waited so long to have sex with a human?

  He knew why. He hadn’t met Lucy.

  He tickled the walls of her pussy seeing her wiggle and smelling her getting more aroused. The sweet smell engulfed the room. If he didn’t get his pants off they might never go over his swollen cock and that would be a disaster.

  ****

  He was Mr. Perfection. The way he’d teased her clit, the expert way he’d run his finger around the inside of her pussy. She was primed and ready for him.

  Liam stood so Lucy reached out and helped him undo his pants, tugging the zipper extra hard over his erection. It finally yielded, allowing him to lower them and then take off his boxers.

  Lucy swallowed twice. He was big and beautiful. In fact, she’d never been with a guy that looked in such good shape, and whose cock made her pussy do back flips just looking at it.

  Had he seen the stream of juices that had just erupted from her? She’d never been this aroused before.

  Liam reached for a condom and she couldn’t help but smile when she saw him rolling it on his cock. She tried to picture him practicing the act before he’d arrived home. Surely he’d done this many times before. He definitely wasn’t a virgin, was he? Or maybe he’d had a girlfriend who was on the Pill.

  He snapped the rubber and she wasn’t sure if that had been on purpose or by accident. When she heard him give a slight groan she guessed the latter, but tried not to smile.

  Lucy laid flat on the bed, feeling Liam gently part her legs. Even her bad leg didn’t hurt because she was too busy thinking about what it was going to feel like having a man like Liam making love to her. And what that beautiful cock would feel like buried deep inside her.

  She closed her eyes feeling the tip of his cock nudge her opening. Seconds later, he was inside her, filling and stretching her and exciting every nerve ending in her body.

  He kissed her, a tender graze of his lips on hers, before he began moving and before long turning it into a steady thrust. Lucy placed her hands on his arms and ran her index fingers around the edges of his biceps.

  Was getting involved with Liam on a physical level wrong? Not the sex, but the fact that she didn’t plan to be around on a long-term basis. Maybe they should have talked about that before he’d picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.

  She closed her eyes. It had all happened so quickly, and she’d never been one to resist a good-looking guy who wanted to make love.

  Liam shifted positions slightly, aiming his cock more toward the back of her pussy. The G-spot. She bit her lip, feeling the very first stirrings of her orgasm building deep within her body. He picked up his pace as if he could read her body, what was going on inside it, and what she needed next.

  Mr. Perfection.

  She whimpered just a little feeling the nerve endings in her belly and her pussy begin to stir, each one of them waking up from a long sleep. Yeah, it had been awhile since she’d slept with a man. A whole year, at least, maybe longer.

  She dug her heels into the bed, forcing her body upward toward Liam’s. He suddenly stopped moving and Lucy wondered if she’d done something wrong, something to upset him, but then she felt it. It began as a slow steady beat inside her channel, and then it got faster, wilder, almost like he was using his cock as a vibrator.

  Lucy guessed she was so lost in the moment, she was imagining things. He really was still thrusting and not stationary. Whatever it was, her mind playing funny tricks on her or not, it felt so fantastic. Sinfully good … and a huge orgasm was on its way.

  She screamed out, not believing that she could ever be that loud, especially during sex. She’d never really been vocal while making love. Well, she’d never had a cause to be.

  Liam held onto her, his cock s
till beating double-time within her. She groaned, her legs shook and two wonderful orgasms washed over her in quick succession. He began moving again, at a speed she didn’t think was humanly possible.

  Not that she was complaining in any way but he wasn’t giving her body breaks in between the climaxes. Constant pleasure. Was there such a thing? Obviously.

  Mr. Perfection.

  She held his arms, digging her nails in, hoping she wasn’t hurting him as he took her on a roller coaster ride. The pleasure tunnel was coming up soon. Lucy cried out again and then felt him go still. Despite him being sheathed, she felt a warmth spread within her.

  “You have a pretty heartbeat. Very rhythmic and almost like music,” he said.

  “You can hear it.”

  “Oh yeah. Almost makes me want to dance.”

  She laughed and he tapped her on the nose.

  “I need to go for a run,” he said.

  “Right now?”

  “Best time to do it.”

  “Post-sex?”

  “Yes.”

  “Maybe, once my leg’s one hundred percent again, I’ll try a post-sex run. Well, that is if I have the opportunity to have sex with you again.”

  “You want to?”

  “Yeah, I definitely want to.”

  He winked at her.

  “This wouldn’t be your sneaky way of getting out of post-coital snuggling and spooning, would it?”

  Liam laughed and shook his head. “I’ll give you all the spooning and snuggling you want once I get back from my run.”

  “Really?”

  “It’s guaranteed.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Liam had never felt so good. Tonight it wasn’t all about the shifting and running. His body felt relaxed for the first time since his brother’s death. For years he’d thought maybe if he’d put a stop to Danny’s interest in motorbikes when his brother had been a teenager, then the accident would never have happened.

  However, now he realized that was stupid. His brother loved bikes like Liam loved cars. It wasn’t a bike or any lapse of judgment on Danny’s part that had cost him his life. It had been the lack of common sense of the man who’d hit him. He’d been the one breaking the law by getting behind the wheel of his car when he’d been twice over the legal limit. He’d been put in prison, locked up behind bars but it had been Liam who felt he’d been serving the sentence. The guilt, the loneliness, and the waking up in the middle of the night asking himself if he could have been a better brother.