by Liv Brywood
After chomping her way through one smattering of snacks, she lumbered toward a tree in search of honey. She peered up into the highest branches, but they were bare. She huffed and continued on through the forest.
Frustration made her fur stand on end, not just because she couldn’t find honey, but also because she didn’t know what to do about Clint. When she wasn’t fixated on being angry for letting her guard down, flashes of the night she’d spent in Clint’s arms would come back to haunt her.
When her divorce had been finalized, she made a promise to herself that she’d never fall for an emotionally unavailable man ever again. And then she’d gone and done it. Ugh!
She kicked a tree stump then roared as pain ricocheted up from her foot into her leg. A snapping branch behind her caught her attention. She spun to find another black bear strolling toward her with a cautious gait.
One sniff later, she identified Clint. Surprised, she sat back on her haunches and cocked her head to one side. What did he want?
As he stepped closer, he dropped his head and gazed up at her with a forlorn expression. Her heart fluttered for a second. Was he coming to talk to her? Had he been looking for her?
She didn’t move as he stopped directly in front of her. Her bear wanted to surge forward and tackle him, but she held the beast back. Until she discovered what he wanted, she wouldn’t make the first move. She dropped down to all fours and regarded him warily.
The large black bear inched closer. With his head still held low, he brushed his nose across her front paw. So he was trying to make amends. She stilled, but her heart pounded. Was he asking her to forgive him?
He slowly raised his head until his snout was level with hers. When he grazed the side of her face with his, she melted against him. He rubbed his head all over her face and neck as if trying to mark her. She couldn’t run. In her bear form, she knew without a doubt that he was her mate. She’d never felt like this with her ex. As she gazed into his eyes, the frustration and pain she’d been wallowing in for days dissipated.
Clint pulled back and sat on his haunches. She smiled and shook her entire body to dispel the adrenaline. At a loss for what to do, she let her bear take over. The beast raced forward and tackled him. He huffed in surprise. She hopped to all fours and grinned at him. He slowly climbed back up. As a grin spread across his face, she relaxed for the first time in days. In their bear form, they didn’t have to talk. They could rely on their instincts and play together.
When he pounced on her, she huffed out a breath. As she rolled out of the tree line into a small meadow, he wrapped his huge paws around her shoulders. She pushed him to the side with one paw then rolled to all fours. She scampered through the wildflowers, sending butterflies and buzzing bees scattering.
She glanced over her shoulder. He raced after her with his tongue hanging out and joy in his eyes. She faced forward and doubled her pace. As she sprinted into the tree line, she came to a screeching halt in front of a small stream. She turned right and raced along the bank.
A few seconds later, she rounded a bend to find Hebgen Lake sprawled out before her. She splashed into the water. When the water level reached her neck, she started paddling. She loved swimming. The weightlessness and freedom of being able to do whatever she wanted in her bear form made her forget the strain between them. They could talk about things later. Right now, she wanted to outswim him.
As she splashed across the lake, she listened to him flail behind her. Apparently he hadn’t been swimming in a while. She giggled and headed for the shore. She didn’t want him to get too worn out.
When she reached the shore, she stood on the bank and shook droplets of water off of her coat. She plodded through the mud before heading toward a patch of grass. She dropped down and rolled around on the lush earth.
Clint climbed onto the shore and collapsed. She paraded in front of him with her head held high. Normally she wouldn’t rub someone’s face in defeat, but the hurt part of her took over. She didn’t relent until he hung his head. A twinge of regret flickered as she stopped prancing around.
She waited while he shook his fur. Muddy water splatted across her. She huffed until she spotted his grin. The little brat. She lunged forward and used her shoulder to shove him into the mud. He pulled her down with him, and she rolled and wrestled with him until they both lay panting.
When she turned her head to look at him, he smiled and touched his nose against hers. She sighed. Could it really be this easy? Could she open her heart to him? And more importantly, did he want to open his heart to her?
***
Clint stared into the other bear’s large violet eyes. Logan had been right. He’d lost one mate, but now he had another. Jessica’s playful spirit captivated him as much as the love in her eyes. But they still needed to talk and they couldn’t do that in their bear form.
He tempered down the animal inside him and began to shift. Fur pulled back and smoothed out into mud-covered flesh. Paws retracted to form hands and feet. The length of his snout receded until it morphed into his nose.
While he waited for her to finish shifting, he searched for a way to tell her what he felt. It was crazing, falling in love this quickly, and it had scared the hell out of him. He wanted to confess everything in his heart and beg her to forgive him for being so indecisive.
But as she rose up before him, naked and speckled with mud, he decided all of that could wait. She moved toward him with undulating hips. Her breasts swayed with each step. Matted chocolate brown hair hung in a tangled mess over her shoulders. He’d never seen such raw beauty.
His mouth went dry. Everything he wanted to tell her danced on the tip of his tongue. But before he could speak a single word, she looped her fingers around his neck and drew him down to kiss her.
The sweetness of her mouth set butterfly wings fluttering in his belly. When her tongue slipped between his lips, he groaned and pulled her hard against his rigid body. Heat from the summer sun beat down on his flesh. He slowly walked her back toward the lake.
As they descended into the cool water, he cupped handfuls of sparkling liquid and poured it over her shoulders. She pulled back and laughed.
“That’s one way to wake a girl up,” she said.
“You seemed pretty awake already. I thought I was going to drown halfway across the lake. Your bear has powerful legs.”
“She likes to run.”
“I saw that,” he murmured as he pushed a stray lock of hair over her ear. He cupped her face and brushed a feathery kiss across her shivering lips. “Are you cold?”
“A bit. The lake is fed by snowmelt,” she said.
“Where should we go to get warm?” he asked.
She tilted her head up and met his heated gaze. Blood roared through his veins. He read the response in her eyes as clearly as if she’d spoken it. But he didn’t want to assume anything. He couldn’t risk pushing her away again.
“I have a really big bathtub in my room,” he whispered as he bent to nuzzle her neck.
“Really?” she asked seductively.
“Really.”
“How big is it?” she asked.
Her tone suggested a double entendre. He arched a brow, which was met with a naughty smile. Without warning, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the soft patch of grass near the edge of the woods. As he set her down, he moved to cover her with his body.
“Someone’s going to see us,” she said.
“We’re on the other side of the lake. No one’s going to be looking over here,” he said.
“I’m going to get pine needles in my butt.”
“Not if you’re on top you won’t.” He rolled onto his back while pulling her up to straddle him.
The dip in the lake had washed off any remnants of dirt, leaving her skin clean and glowing. He slid his hands up to rest on her hips.
“What do you expect me to do up here?” she asked in a half-joking, half-seductive tone.
“Anything you want,” he murmur
ed.
He swept his hands up from her hips to pull her down to him. Her chest pressed against his as she leaned down to kiss him. Errant droplets of water rolled down her long hair to pool on his chest. He pushed her hair over her shoulders and returned her kiss with unbridled passion. Nothing kept him from fully claiming her mouth. Nothing in the world mattered in that moment but the smooth glide of her lips over his.
When her hand closed around his rigid cock, he moaned against her mouth. She swept her tongue against his before leaning back to stroke him. He cupped her breasts in his hands and massaged her taut nipples with the tips of his fingers. As he teased each turgid peak, she moaned.
Her eyes pressed closed as her jaw slackened. Pleasure radiated from her expression. He wanted to slide inside her, but she sat too far forward. After grasping her hips, he pushed her back until her sex brushed against him. He looked up at her with questioning eyes. She met his gaze as she slowly eased down to take him deep inside.
They rocked together in perfect unison. He wrapped his arms around her back, pulling her down until her lips met his in soul-melting kiss. He was drowning in her scent, in her touch, in the gentle way she swayed with the wind. The whole world disappeared as he thrust deeper and harder. He couldn’t get enough of her soft moans and sharp cries.
She undulated her entire body against his, rolling down to kiss his throat. As she sucked the edge of his neck, he shuttered. Every muscle in his body tensed, but he wasn’t ready yet. He wouldn’t stop until she came for him.
Trickles of sweat meandered along the curve of her breasts. She leaned back and placed her hands on his thighs. Her lips parted and her thighs clenched. And then she went wild.
She ground her pussy against him, riding him as she soared over the brink. Her body tightened and pulsed around him as she cried out.
“Clint, oh God!”
He couldn’t delay his own gratification a second longer. As she fell forward to wrap him in a tight embrace, he exploded. Throbbing waves of release coursed through him as an almost inhuman moan tore up from deep within his chest. He clutched her against him, releasing all of the love that he’d kept locked inside his heart for the last three years.
They lay locked together in their intimate embrace until their panting breaths slowed. He stroked her back lightly, loving the way she quivered at his touch. When he finally caught his breath, he smiled up at her.
“That was amazing,” he whispered.
“It was. We’re a perfect fit.”
“We are,” he agreed. He kissed her gently.
“It’s been so long,” she said.
“Only a few days.”
“No, I mean before that.”
“Yeah. I’ve spent the last few days thinking,” he said.
“About the past?” she asked.
“About the past. About the future.”
“And did you come to any conclusions?” she asked.
“I did,” he said.
She slid off of his body and sat cross-legged next to him. Her brows furrowed as she plucked at blades of grass. He sat up and reached for her hand to still it. She swallowed and met his gaze. Fear radiated off of her in waves.
“Hey.” He caressed her cheek. “I did a lot of thinking and I’m ready.”
“For what?” she asked in a whisper.
“For us.”
Chapter 7
“Us?” Jessica’s heart pounded as she waited for a response. He hesitated long enough to worry her. When he finally spoke, she released the breath she’d been holding.
“Yes, us. I mean, if you want there to be an ‘us,’” he said.
“I thought you weren’t ready,” she said.
“When I first arrived at the ranch, I didn’t expect to meet someone like you. I wasn’t even thinking about getting into another relationship, so the connection I felt with you surprised me.”
“It surprised me too,” she said.
“But the more I got to know you, the more I realized that we were in similar places in our lives. Both single parents. Both reeling from past relationships, but in different ways.”
“We both have kids the same age too,” she added.
“I ran into Logan earlier today. He said that Hailey and Eddie have become friends.”
“Cindy told me the same thing,” she said.
“Maybe the kids already realize what we’re still trying to understand,” he said.
“Kids don’t have all the baggage that we have.”
“Well… they do, but in a different way. They both lost parents, so I worry about how they will react to having someone new come into their life.”
“It’s a valid concern,” she said.
“I guess we’ll just have to see how they react to finding out about our relationship.” He intertwined his fingers with hers.
“Our relationship,” she repeated.
She smiled before leaning over to kiss him. She couldn’t get enough of his lips. When they finally parted, she sighed.
“How can we make this work?” he asked.
“My job is pretty flexible. I can put in for a transfer to Billings. My mom and brother live there. They’ve been begging me to move back ever since I got divorced. This would be the perfect opportunity.”
“Are you ready to make such a huge change?” he asked.
“I’m afraid that if I don’t, my bear will rip me to shreds.” She laughed. “She took one look at you and decided you were our mate. I’ve spent the last few days wondering if she was wrong.”
“Really?” He frowned.
“I had thought that my ex was my perfect mate and look how that turned out. So I worry that my picker is broken,” she said.
“I don’t know everything that happened when you met your ex, but we both have to let go of the past. And we need to listen to our bears. Mine can’t get enough of your scent. He loves it.”
She blushed.
“And I can’t get enough of you,” he added.
“Then I guess that leaves us with only one option,” she said.
“What’s that?”
“We have to find a way to break the news to the kids,” she said.
He laughed and leaned over to press his forehead against hers. Flutters of desire sparked in her belly. She already wanted him again and it hadn’t been more than ten minutes since the last time. But they’d have the rest of their lives to make up for it. Right now, she wanted a warm shower and more cuddle time with him.
“Should we head back to the house?” she asked.
“That sounds good. I’m starving,” he said.
“You worked up an appetite.”
“I’ll say.” He stood and helped her to her feet. “I guess we’re going for another swim?”
“It’s the fastest way to the other side, unless you want to walk ten miles.”
“Not right now. My legs can hardly hold me after all the swimming.” He grinned as he waded into the lake. She quickly followed.
As they swam to the other side, she wondered if this was all a dream. How could she have gotten so lucky—literally—in such a short amount of time?
Fate, her bear said. He’s our fated mate.
When they reached the other side, they clasped each other’s hands and walked toward the B&B. They passed the fire pit on their way to the back door. Although it was only noon, a couple sat roasting marshmallows. They looked up and gave them a knowing smile. Jessica blushed but held her head high. She’d never thought she’d find another man to share her life with, but she’d found him, and in the most amazing way. Who would have thought that sending her son to summer camp would have ended like this?
***
Later that afternoon, Jessica lay encircled in Clint’s arms on his bed. They’d made love again. Each time was sweeter than the last. She couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life with him.
“I love you,” she blurted.
“I love you too,” he said.
He nuzzled the edge of her earlobe be
fore dipping to kiss her neck. She arched against him, ready to melt into him again. But just as she straddled him, the shrieks and laughter of the returning kids filled the air. She groaned and pressed her face into his chest.
“I guess we’re going to have to get used to being interrupted,” she grumbled.
“At least for the next thirteen years,” he joked.
“Let’s get dressed so we can see our little munchkins.”
“Sounds good. We only have a year before they’ll enter first grade. Then we’ll have a few hours alone,” he said.
“I work during the day,” she said.
“But you get a lunch break, right?” He flashed a wicked grin as he pulled on his pants.
“You’re a lot naughtier than I expected,” she said.
“Oh, sweetie, you have no idea.”
She chuckled as she finished dressing. They walked down the stairs together and arrived at the front door a second before it burst open. Kids spilled into the B&B. Everyone was chattering at once, talking about the trip. Some parents took their kids outside while others directed them into the living room.
She found Hailey and Eddie standing side by side outside on the porch. They were whispering to each other as she strolled up to them.
“Hi, honey,” she said. “How was camp?”
“This is my friend Hailey,” Eddie said.
“We made pictures for you with melted crayons,” Hailey said.
“Abby said we can’t have them until later,” Eddie said.
“Why not?” Clint asked.
“Because they could melt on our clothes,” Hailey said.
“Oh, I see,” Jessica said.
“Do we have to go home now?” Hailey asked.
Her bottom lip quivered until Clint scooped her up in his arms. She smiled and flung her hands around his neck.
“We’re going home tomorrow,” Clint said.
Tears formed in Hailey’s eyes. She buried her face in her dad’s shirt.
“What’s wrong, honey?” he asked.
“I don’t want to leave my friend,” she wailed.
“Me neither,” Eddie said. “I’m not going. I like it here. We’re going to stay here forever and ever.”
