by Liv Brywood
He headed into the bedroom and found a fresh pair of jeans and a flannel shirt. He took a moment to compose himself before heading back into the living room. Emily stood near the microwave in the kitchen. When it beeped, she pulled a bottle out and tipped it up. A single drop of milk landed on her forearm.
“Here you go, baby.” She popped the end of the bottle into Tucker’s mouth. He sucked and sucked while his gaze darted from her to Kade.
“What do I need to do to prove to you that I can take care of my son?”
“Stop fighting with other bears.”
“Even if they attack me first?”
“Don’t put yourself in that situation. Was Bruno’s scent on your property?”
“No. It was on the other side of the river.”
“They why go investigate? He didn’t trespass.”
“But he was close. How do I know he wasn’t planning something?”
“Like what?”
“Revenge.”
“You both spent a night in jail and were released. If he started that fight, then why would he want revenge?”
“Well…” Kade scratched at the stubble on his jaw. “I may have hooked up with his sister a few times.”
“Trish?”
“She came on to me.”
“Women throw themselves at you all the time, maybe you should stay away from the ones with jackasses for brothers.”
“Every man’s a jackass when it comes to defending his sister’s honor.”
“Wow, you just went medieval on me. This isn’t 17th century England.”
“You know what I mean.”
“I know, but at a certain point it makes more sense to stay away from people who are known troublemakers. Why can’t you date one of the nice girls in the bear clan?”
“Nice girls are boring. Most of them anyway…”
“Meaning?”
“You’re not boring.”
“You’re assuming I’m a nice girl.” She smirked.
“Aren’t you?”
He stalked forward until he had her pinned to the sink. He gently took Tucker from her arms and set him back in his crib. The baby spit the bottle out and closed his eyes, content and ready to go back to sleep.
As he returned to the kitchen, he put the half-full bottle in the fridge. Emily watched him with a wary gaze.
“If you’re not a nice girl…” He stalked toward her. “… then you must be a bad girl. I don’t believe it.”
“You don’t know everything about me.”
“Don’t I?” He caged her between his hands and took another step closer. “Show me how bad you can be. Make me believe you.”
When her gaze dropped from his eyes to his mouth, he took it as an invitation. He crushed his lips to hers, smothering an answering moan. He ignored the pain in his arm as he lifted her onto the kitchen counter. With nimble fingers, he unbuttoned her shirt and pulled it open. A pink, lacy bra held back full breasts. He reached behind and unflicked the clasp with his thumb and forefinger.
As her breasts spilled free, she gasped. He pulled her bra off and tossed it onto the kitchen table. His palms closed over her heaving chest. Her legs parted. When he stepped between them, their eyes locked. Desire simmered in hers, while the need to claim her burned in his.
He trailed the tips of his fingers across her nipples, coaxing them into taut peaks. He seized a nipple between his teeth and bit hard enough to tear another moan from her trembling lips. She arched back, resting her head on a cabinet door.
His tongue whirled around her other nipple. Her taste drove his bear crazy. If he hadn’t ran his bear the previous night, the beast would have torn free in an instant. Fortunately, he could control the beast, for now.
The musky, sweet scent of her arousal curled up to taunt him. It invaded his senses, setting off prickles of awareness throughout his entire body. He’d never felt more alive, more sure of anyone, or anything, in his life. She claimed to be a bad girl, and he was determined to find out exactly how bad she could be.
9
Emily surrendered to Kade’s maddening kisses. She couldn’t think with his tongue in her mouth. One minute they were fighting, and the next she was half-naked with her legs wrapped around his waist. Kade made her crazy. He sucked her into the whirlwind of chaos that always seemed to surround him. She was supposed to be mad at him, not tangled up in his embrace. But no matter how much her logical mind reasoned that she should resist, her heart refused to listen. No matter how mad he made her, she still wanted him.
Delirious from his frantic need to brand every inch of her body with his mouth, she didn’t stop him when he pulled her pants off. Her panties followed, leaving her bare-assed on the kitchen counter.
He parted her legs and nipped at the inside of her thigh with his teeth. White-hot heat coiled in her pussy. Wet and desperate for the kind of release only he could give, she leaned back against the counter and let him do everything he wanted. And he wanted everything.
His tongue raced toward her center in ever diminishing spirals. Hot breath curled against her pussy, teasing it with the lightest pressure, leaving her wanting more. When his tongue fluttered across her lips, she whimpered. She inched her bottom over the edge of the counter and hooked her legs around his neck. He paused to flash a devilish smile. Yearning enslaved her body. Spread wide and waiting, she shivered in anticipation.
As his tongue ran up and down the length of her, she whimpered. Her fingers sunk into his lush hair. She pulled him closer, giving into her dark desire to be claimed by him. His tongue vibrated against her clit. Manic with the urge to come, she yanked on his hair.
“Please, more!”
He laughed against her, slowing his strokes. Frustration coursed through her. She slid her hand behind his head and tugged. He grinned and pulled back slightly.
“I see it now.”
“What?” she demanded.
“You are a bad girl.”
“Kade, please!”
“What do you want?”
“I want you to… I want…” She swallowed, unable to express all the filthy things she wanted him to do to her.
He stepped back.
“Where are you going?” She asked with far too much desperation. “Come back.”
“And?”
“Eat my pussy,” she demanded.
Shocked by her outburst, she completely lost it when he clamped down on her clit. She ground her pussy against his mouth. She didn’t care if he was shocked by her salacious request. She just wanted to come. Hard. And oh my God, did she.
She came so hard, she roared. Her bear flailed in ecstasy as rolling waves of orgasmic bliss erupted from her pussy. She screamed his name, spasming against his still-licking mouth.
As she fell back, she smacked her head against the cabinet. She swore.
“Oh, baby. Here, let me help.”
He scooped her into his arms and carried her to bed. As he lay her on the rumpled sheets, a fresh wave of desire rippled across her skin. She sat up and reached for his belt buckle, but he already had it partially ripped free. He stripped in record time before crawling onto the bed.
“How do you want it?” he growled.
“What do you mean?”
He grabbed her hips and flipped her onto her belly. The bed squeaked in protest as he pressed the full length of his cock between her thighs.
“Like this?” His voice rumbled in her ear.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been face down, ass up. She’d only had one boyfriend since Kade and he’d been strictly missionary—boring.
In answer to his question, she wiggled her butt.
“Dirty girl,” he whispered as he pushed his thick cock into her pussy.
She clenched around him, pulling him deeper. With her hands braced on the bed, she had enough leverage to push back into him. He pumped harder, filling her until he couldn’t possibly stuff her any fuller, before easing back to give her a second to breathe.
In and ou
t, over and over, rougher, faster until her heart beat hard enough to stun her bear. She writhed beneath him, letting him take more control with every sharp thrust. She loved it when he got rough. Kade didn’t make love like a gentle teddy bear, he fucked like a wild animal. And right now, it was exactly what she needed.
He laced his fingers in her hair and tugged her head up. When she turned to look at him, he ran his tongue around the shell of her ear. He bit her earlobe before licking away the pain. Driven wild by his feral kisses, she ground her ass into his belly and took him even deeper. His answering groan thrilled every inch of her.
Without warning, a second orgasm rocketed through her body. She screamed and bit the pillow. She clawed at the sheets, tearing holes in the soft cotton. She was never like this, never totally out of control and enslaved by lust. Kade did this to her. He was the only man alive who could awaken her animalistic instincts.
An urge to shift surged through her. She gasped at the rising strength of her animal. Sharp claws pierced the tips of her fingers.
“Hold on,” Kade said in a strangled tone. “Don’t shift. I’m so—Fuck!”
He slammed into her, surging as hot spurts filled her body. She shuddered as another orgasm stole her breath. His thrusts slowed before he finally stopped, still inside her.
The tips of her claws retracted. She nearly wept with relief and joy. An overwhelming sense of contentment settled into her heart.
“Mine,” Kade whispered.
She stilled. His? Did he think she was his mate? A shifter would never say that to anyone but their mate.
“Of course he’s our mate,” her bear silently grumbled, as if she were the dumbest person in the world.
“No, he’s not,” she silently answered.
“Is too.”
“We’re not having this conversation right now.”
Kade rolled off of her before laying on his side. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him, spooning her.
“Mmm.” He nuzzled her neck.
She didn’t know how to respond. Although pure contentment settled into her body, her mind was overwhelmed by her bear’s response. She’d never considered him her mate before, so why now? Was it the baby? Did that bring out her bear’s need to mate? Or had they been mates all along, but she’d been too stubborn to see it?
As Kade fell into a deep sleep, she lay awake. Consumed with worry, she couldn’t push away the fear that she’d just made a huge mistake. Instead of leaving to investigate his story, she’d stayed, and had ended up in a very compromising position. The whole situation was out of control. She didn’t understand what was happening between them but was too afraid to ask him what he was thinking. Was he just looking for an easy lay, or did he want something more?
She’d tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together more than once, but how could anyone expect her to think logically about a man who could make her come hard enough to forget her own name?
* * *
Kade whistled as he grilled two huge steaks on the bar-b-que on his back porch. Emily still lay in bed sleeping. She was probably still tired after the rough ride she’d taken on his cock. He grinned. He’d never expected her to be so crazy in bed. Walking back in for round two seemed like a great idea, but he was starving. Steak first, sex second.
His arm still stung where the other shifters had clawed him, but he was healing fast. He held Tucker in one arm while he cooked with the other. He regretted not adding wheels to the bottom of the crib for better portability, but they weren’t going to be outside for more than a few minutes. Kade had Tucker bundled up in several blankets, so he was toasty. The steaks were almost done, so they’d be back inside soon.
After checking to make sure the steaks were medium rare, he forked them onto a plate. As he turned to head back inside, footsteps crunched through the snow. Someone wearing a huge red snow jacket rounded the corner. When the person pushed back the hood, he groaned.
“Why is my grandson outside in the cold?” Olivia asked.
“What are you doing here?” The last thing he needed was Genevieve’s mother poking around the house, especially with Emily inside.
“I’ve come to check on him.”
“That’s not your job.”
“Not my job?” She reared back as if she’d been slapped. “It’s my only job. I need to be sure my grandson is being taken care of properly.
“He’s fine. Please leave.”
“Tucker, darling, Grandma’s here,” she crooned. She stood on her tiptoes to peer over the bundle at Tucker’s face. “He’s pink. How long has he been outside? He must have a sunburn.”
“It’s not a sunburn. He’s slightly warm from being wrapped up in all the blankets. We’ve only been outside a few minutes.”
“You put him at risk for hypothermia. I’m taking him home until I can speak with the judge. I’ll have no problem getting full custody after this stunt.”
“Mrs. Slater—”
“Kade, what’s going on?” A sleepy-looking Emily appeared at the back door wearing only a flannel shirt. When her gaze landed on Olivia, her face went white. “Oh, shit.”
“Deputy Redson?” Oliva’s hawk-like nose turned up. “What are you doing here?”
“I was checking on Tucker.”
“In your underwear?”
“My pants got wet. They’re drying right now.” Emily tugged at the hem of his shirt to cover her thighs.
“Are you sleeping with him?” Olivia asked in a snotty tone.
“No.” Emily and Kade replied at the same time before glancing at each other. They couldn’t have looked more guilty.
“She slipped on the porch steps and fell in the snow,” Kade lied smoothly. “Her jeans are in the dryer.”
“And her shirt? Did she fall face first?” Olivia asked.
“Uh, yeah. Yes,” Emily said.
“Judge Franklin will be want to hear about this.”
“You don’t need to tell him,” Emily said quickly. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“You’re both the worst liars I’ve ever met.” She pulled her phone out of her pocket and pointed it at Emily. The phone flashed and snapped.
“Did you just take a picture of me?” Emily asked.
“Yes. I’ll email it to the judge and he can decide what to make of it. Have a nice day.” She sneered before stomping through the snow toward the front of the house.
“Dammit.” Kade started to chase after her, then reconsidered. Attacking her wouldn’t help his case.
“Why didn’t you warn me?” Emily asked.
“I didn’t even hear her pull up,” Kade grumbled.
“What was she doing here?”
“She was trying to find a reason to get the judge to take Tucker away. She found one.”
“I’ll talk to Judge Franklin.”
“He’ll never buy our story.”
“If he doesn’t, then I’ll step down and let someone else take the case.”
“You can’t.” He stalked inside and set the plate of steak on the kitchen counter. “No one understands me the way you do. If they send someone else out to investigate, they’ll take him away for sure. I can’t seem to do anything right with you people.”
“You people?” Emily frowned. “What do you mean?”
“No one believes that I can be a good father. I get it. Everyone probably thinks I’m a carbon copy of my dad. He was a mean drunk. That son-of-a-bitch beat on my mom every chance he got. Like father, like son, they’ll say.”
“No one thinks you’re like your father.”
“Don’t they?” he asked, bitterly. “They sure as hell love to treat me like him. Even you didn’t believe my story about what happened last night. You thought I’d been out drinking and fighting.”
“I was wrong. I believe you now.”
“Why now.”
“When you were asleep, I called Five Claws and talked to Martin. He said you haven’t been in since the brawl a few days ago.”
&nb
sp; “You didn’t believe me until someone else confirmed it.”
“No, but can you blame me?”
“I’ve never lied to you. Never.”
She stepped closer and placed her hand on his bicep. “We haven’t been… friends… in a long time. Right now, everything I know about you comes from your rap sheet. I need time to get to know you again.”
“How much time?”
“We have 90 days to get to know each other again.”
“Unless Olivia shows that photo to the judge.”
“I need to go to town and talk to him before she does.” Emily gave his arm a squeeze before heading into the bedroom. He followed.
“What if he doesn’t believe your explanation?”
“Then I’ll tell him the truth, that we had crazy monkey sex, but that it won’t cloud my judgement.”
“What?” His jaw dropped until she grinned. “You’re fucking with me now.”
“Everything’s going to be okay. Let me talk to the judge and explain what’s going on.”
“What is going on?”
She swallowed and busied herself putting clothes on.
“Emily…”
“I don’t know, Kade. I’m trying to take things day by day. Last night was… amazing. But sex isn’t the only thing that makes up a relationship. I’m not that kind of person.”
“I know you’re not. You’re so much better than the women I usually date.”
“Not better, different. You and I are very different people. I don’t know if whatever this we have between us will work. But… I want to find out.”
“You do?” The tension in his belly uncoiled.
“Yeah.” She flashed a tight smile. “I’ll talk to the judge and come back later.”
“What if the judge says we can’t be together because it’s a conflict of interest?”
“Then we’ll have to keep our hands off of each other for 90 days. 87 now, if you really want to get technical.”
“I don’t know if I can wait that long,” he said.
“Think of it this way, you’ll be able to practice self-control.”
He growled. She laughed and leaned in to give him a quick kiss.
“I’ll be back later. Don’t get into any trouble while I’m gone.”
