Bearly Christmas

by Becca Fanning

  Clay reached up and began stroking Chloe’s breasts, rubbing her nipples with his thumb. The sensation was exquisite and she cried out as she arched her back. Chloe moved her hips faster until she was grinding on Clay’s hard erection. He strained and groaned and pushed far inside of her. After a moment, they matched their rhythm and began to move as one, as one perfect muscular being. Chloe stared down at Clay’s gorgeous amber eyes, feeling truly exposed and vulnerable. All traces of the alcohol had left her body as they sensuously rocked back and forth and she realized that she’d never felt intimacy as true as what she currently felt with Clay.

  Clay took one hand away from her breasts and gently pushed it between her legs, rubbing against her clit with each movement of Chloe’s hips. His touch felt incredible and she gasped loudly as her wetness gushed from her pussy. Clay’s cock twitched inside of Chloe and she moaned, gripping his chest with both hands and grinding her hips hard. She began to feel like something kept gripping her between the legs and she held her breath as she desperately ground her clit against Clay’s waiting thumb.

  Beneath her, Clay’s body was soaked with sweat. He closed his eyes and strained his face as he thrust up and deep inside Chloe’s body. A thrilling sensation racked her limbs as they moved together and when she began to come, she let out a strangled cry of pleasure. The orgasm was forceful – it left her shaking and breathing hard, her forehead damp with perspiration. Clay grabbed onto Chloe’s hips with both hands and thrust as forcefully as he could. She watched as he groaned and strained beneath her, his muscular body tensing with the lust that flowed easily between them.

  Chloe gasped as she felt Clay’s cock tense and pulse inside of her body. As he filled her with his seed, she collapsed against his chest in a mess of sweat. Her limbs felt sated, relaxed, like someone had just given her a full-body massage.

  Clay gently took hold of Chloe and pulled her close. She slid off his body and wrapped her limbs against his, falling asleep before she’d even had the chance to kiss him goodnight.

  Chapter Four

  In the morning, Chloe woke up with a dry mouth and a pang in her chest. She opened her eyes, afraid that Clay would be gone. Instead, he was sitting up in bed and staring at her.

  Chloe blushed. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  Clay chuckled. His voice was husky and still thick with sleep, and Chloe felt another pang of desire as she looked at his tan, sculpted body. “Nothing’s wrong,” Clay said with a lazy grin. Chloe’s heart fluttered in her chest. “I just like watching you sleep.”

  Chloe bit her lip before grinning widely. “You wanna go get Noah and have some breakfast?”

  Clay’s stomach growled in response and they both burst out laughing.

  As Chloe climbed out of bed and wrapped her silk kimono around her lean frame, she couldn’t help but feel a touch of hesitation. What was going to happen? Now that they’d slept together, she was worried that Clay would change his mind. What if he didn’t want anything to do with her? She frowned. And what if….No, I can’t think that way, she decided firmly. I like this guy, and I told him. If he chooses to play games with me now, well, I’m just not going to do that. We may not be in New York any longer, but that doesn’t mean he’s any different. He’s a man, after all.

  “What’s wrong?” Clay leaned over Chloe. “You look tense.”

  She shook her head. “Nothing,” she lied.

  Clay stared. “Don’t give me that,” he said as he pulled his shirt over his head, covering his carved abs. “I know something’s the matter. You’re acting different. Shy, again, like you have something to hide.”

  Chloe glanced down at her painted toenails. “I’m starting to think that I was wrong,” she said softly.

  “What, like I’m never gonna see you again?” Clay’s tone was light but Chloe could tell that he was vulnerable behind the jokey words.

  She shook her head quickly. “No,” Chloe replied. “Not like that. Nothing like that.”

  “Then what’s wrong?”

  Chloe sat down on the bed and put her face in her hands. “I think I was wrong, before,” she mumbled into her fingers. “I think I’ve always been wrong.” She looked up at Clay and sighed before patting the bed. When he sat down next to her, she continued: “I used to think that everyone played games, Clay. I used to think that no one was genuine, and the only people who were acting that way were doing it to get some advantage. I never thought I’d meet someone like you.”

  Clay grinned. “I know, I’m one of a kind,” he teased. “But Chloe, you have to know, most people aren’t like that.” He snorted. “Hell, it sounds exhausting. I couldn’t imagine jumping through hoops just to make someone happy because they were too afraid to say how they really felt.”

  “I like you more than anyone I’ve ever met,” Chloe confessed. She looked away. “And I know I’m not supposed to say things like that, I know I’m not supposed to just open up and tell you how I feel. I’m supposed to play hot and cold, and then only after you confess that you like me,…” She trailed off, feeling stupid. “But I can’t live like that anymore,” Chloe said firmly. “It’s my life, and I have to take responsibility for my own happiness. I want to trust my gut, and I want to be with you.”

  Clay grinned. “That’s fantastic,” he said. “You have to know by now how much I like you, too,” he replied.

  Chloe felt a hot rush of adrenaline spike through her body.

  “Noah’s my son,” Clay continued. “And now I’m just happy that I get to be a part of your lives.”

  “What?” Chloe gaped. “Are you kidding me?”

  Clay shook his head. “Dead serious,” he said with a grin. “I donated sperm. It wasn’t supposed to be used, it was supposed to be for this…project,” he added. “But I was contacted recently, and told the truth. And Noah’s my son. I was looking for you,” he added. “And when I saw you, I just knew in my heart that I was going to love you forever.”

  “But-“

  “There’s more,” Clay said, “The whole point of that project was to do research on Bear Shifter DNA. I’m a Bear Shifter, Chloe, and that means Noah is too. I know this is a lot to take in, and if you need time to process-“

  Tears came to Chloe’s eyes. She sniffled and melted against Clay’s shoulder. “I should be freaked out right now,” she said softly. “But I’m not. I’m just excited. Is that weird?” She giggled. “I can’t believe that for once, my stupid intuition was actually right about something.”

  Clay wrapped an arm around Chloe and pulled her close. “I’m glad,” he said as he nuzzled her tousled blonde hair. “And I promise, I’ll always make sure your life is exciting. It’s not going to be like New York City, but Ithaca’s not so bad.” He winked at Chloe.

  “Really?” A tear ran down her cheek. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me before.”

  Clay winked. “As long as you like hiking,” he added casually. Chloe’s face fell. “I’m kidding!” Clay said quickly. “No hiking, I promise. Just lots of love, and lots of excitement.” He looked into Chloe’s eyes and she felt a flutter of love. “That sound good to you?”

  Chloe kissed Clay, closing her eyes and gently pressing her lips against his. When they broke apart, she sighed softly. “That sounds perfect. Me and my two Bears.”

  “Good,” Clay whispered into her hair. “Because I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  Rust

  Secret Baby Bears V

  by

  Becca Fanning

  Blurb

  Samantha

  Rust was a man in pieces. He never had much going for him, truth be told. His broad shoulders and the golden shine in his Bear Shifter eyes meant he had few enemies, but that didn’t matter now. Haunted and tormented by a terrible event, he decided he’d had enough drowning in pity and sorrow. He would meet his fate, no matter the consequences. And if he could make someone’s life a little better in the process, so be it.

  Prologue

  “
Hey, what about me?” Rust turned to the old lawyer. “What about my kid?”

  The men on the other side of the table settled into an uneasy silence.

  “Unfortunately, sir, there were complications,” Partridge said. “We wish we had good news for you.”

  Rust balled his massive hands into fists and slammed them down on the antique telephone table, shattering it into tiny fragments of wood.

  “God damn it,” Rust said. “Be straight with me.”

  Partridge swallowed uncomfortably. “I know this is probably difficult for you to hear-“

  “What are you saying?” Rust roared.

  Partridge’s cheeks flushed. “I apologize,” he said sadly. “There was simply nothing the doctors could do.”

  Chapter One

  Samantha Cardiff took a deep breath as the phone rang for what seemed like the hundredth time that morning. Her narrow blue eyes flashed with irritation. Don’t let it be Randy, she thought. Her micromanaging boss had been breathing down the back of her neck for two weeks now, and Samantha thought he was looking for any excuse to fire her.

  “Hello, thank you for calling the Langdon Center. This is Samantha, how may I help you?”

  There was no reply. Samantha frowned and tried as hard as she could to listen. There was nothing creepy – no one breathing or making lewd noises – but she had the feeling of being disarmed all the same.

  “I can’t hear you,” Samantha said cheerily into the receiver. “You’re going to have to speak louder.”

  When there was still no reply, she hung up and frowned at the phone.

  “That’s the second time that’s happened this morning,” Sam said under her breath as she situated herself in her orthopedic chair and turned her attention back to the spreadsheet on her screen. “I wonder what exactly is going on.” She frowned. Samantha had only been working as an administrative assistant for the Langdon Center for about a year. She didn’t exactly enjoy the job – on good days, it was tedious and on bad days, she went home with migraines – but she knew that it was good for her to be getting out of the house and staying active.

  “Hey there, Sam,” Randy said with forced cheer. He walked up to her desk and mimed a fist bump before putting his hands back in his pockets and rocking on the balls of his feet. “Almost ready for the weekend? Big three days off!” He let out an awkward guffaw.

  Samantha stared. “Right,” she said slowly. “Three day weekend. That’s exciting.” Her heart began to thud a little faster than usual and she swallowed. Not now, she begged herself. Not now, don’t think about it now, don’t think about it. “Are you doing anything?” She plastered a cheerful smile on her face as she looked at Randy’s face.

  “Oh, god, yeah,” Randy stretched his arms over his head and folded them behind his neck. “Family’s going swimming, to the beach, I think we’re even gonna have a barbecue!”

  “That sounds great,” Sam said mechanically. She turned her eyes back to the screen.

  “What are you doing?” Randy eyed Sam with curiosity. “Anything fun?”

  “I don’t think so,” Sam replied. She tried to smile again but it was physically painful. She and Randy locked eyes for a moment, then he loped off in the other direction.

  As soon as Randy had left her desk, Sam grabbed her purse and darted into the bathroom. She could feel her lip quivering and her eyes beginning to fill with tears. Don’t cry, she begged herself. Don’t start crying now. You’re at work, for fuck’s sake! Pull it together!

  Sam went into a stall and sat down on the toilet. She bowed her head so her thick black hair tumbled over her shoulders. She knew that the panic would pass, but it always took a few minutes to feel centered again. These panic attacks had been coming for about two years now, almost like clockwork, but recently they’d begun to ebb – just a little. Sam knew, deep down, that someday they’d likely go away. She just had no idea when that day would come.

  After a few minutes, Sam stood up and walked out of the bathroom. Thankfully, Randy was nowhere in sight and her desk was empty. Almost time for lunch, she told herself. So at least there’s that. Maybe I can treat myself today, get some Chinese food or something. Yeah, Chinese, I haven’t had that in—

  Sam jerked her head up as the front door to the Langdon Center opened. A tall, muscular man strode in. He had thick brown hair, tanned skin, and golden-amber eyes. There was a cleft in his chin and his sleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows, like he’d just come from working outside.

  Sam stood up, flushing at her quick response to the man. “May I help you?”

  “Yeah,” the man said. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. It was impossible not to notice how brawny he was. “I need to speak with you.”

  “I’m sorry,” Sam said. She looked away. “What can I do for you?”

  “It’s personal, nothing to do with this place.”

  “Um, I’m sorry.” She looked back at the stranger and a weird little thrill went rippling through her body. “I’m not interested.” She blushed. “I mean, I’m not dating right now.”

  The man frowned. “I’m not asking you out.” He exhaled loudly. “I just need to speak with you.” He leaned over and Samantha jumped. When she realized he was reading her nametag, she blushed again. “You are Samantha Cardiff, right?”

  She frowned. “Am I in some kind of trouble?” Panicked thoughts began to run through her head – what if this guy is some kind of bounty hunter? Or a killer?

  “No, nothing like that.” The man swallowed loudly. “Please,” he added in a softer voice. “This is really important.”

  Samantha pursed her lips. “Okay,” she said. Shit! Why did I just agree? Who the heck IS this guy?

  The man seemed relieved. “Thank you,” he said. Samantha could tell that he was genuine. He handed her a slip of paper with a crudely written address. The handwriting was like a child’s – shaky and uneven. “This is a café a couple of blocks away,” the man said. “Can you meet me there in half an hour?”

  Samantha looked over her shoulder at Randy’s cubicle. It was empty.

  “Sure,” she said. “I’ll see you then.”

  The man turned heel and loped out of the office with an awkward, clumsy kind of grace. Samantha couldn’t shake the weird feeling in her stomach – who was that guy? She shivered, even though the office wasn’t air-conditioned and it was the middle of summer. Sam couldn’t remember the last time she’d met someone so intense.

  Twenty minutes later, Samantha sat sweating under the outdoor awning of The Corner Café. Her brow and the back of her neck were damp and she reached into her bag for a handkerchief, wiping the exposed skin. Her stomach was doing flip-flops – when the waiter arrived, she ordered an iced chamomile tea with mint and honey.

  “Anything else?”

  Sam swallowed and shook her head. “Not just yet,” she said. Her voice was barely above a whisper.

  When the man walked up a few minutes later, Samantha couldn’t tell if she was relieved or even more scared. He bowed his head to her and then lowered himself heavily into the dainty wicker chair.

  “Thanks for meeting me,” he said gruffly. “My name’s Rust. Rust Mondale.” He wiped the sweat off his brow and poured himself a glass of water from the carafe in the middle of the table.

  “I’m Samantha Cardiff. Well, Sam, really, but no one calls me that anymore.” She looked into his eyes. Despite the heat of the day, a chill ran down her spine. “But I have a feeling you already knew that.”

  Rust nodded. “I did,” he said. His voice was oddly formal, polite. “So, I’m sorry to ambush you like that. You were probably scared.”

  Sam gave a quick jerk of her head. “What is all of this about?”

  Rust sighed. “Wouldn’t you like to order first? Relax a little bit?”