Sweet Seduction (Cowbear Haven Book 1)

by Vanessa Devereaux

  “I haven’t ventured out much but seeing how the owner was DL’s buddy I know he wouldn’t invite bigoted people into the store, so yes, I might give it a try.”

  “Great because that way I won’t have to beg to borrow your truck to get there.”

  “You can take it whenever you need to. I’m sure living under the roof with so many werebears will start to get to you pretty soon.”

  “I’ll have my art now so I don’t think it will bother me in the least.”

  Trey turned onto the road and saw Cowbear Haven in the distance. Usually this was the point the tightness in his stomach went away and the sweat stopped dripping from his forehead. However, on the return journey home, he hadn’t felt like that and he knew that was all down to Joely. Even if she had no cooking skills, her arrival had brought a sense of calm to him. He pulled up in front of the gates, pressed in the pass code and soon they were driving up to the back door of the kitchen.

  “Once we have these things unloaded I’m going to take a look at that cut on your face,” Joely said.

  He’d almost forgotten all about that but now she’d raised the topic, he had to admit it stung like crazy. Mikey and Seamus walked outside and helped them unload everything and place it in the pantry and walk in freezer.

  “What’s on the menu for tonight?” Mikey asked Joely.

  “Um, let me see. I think fish tacos and coleslaw,” she said.

  Trey crossed his fingers hoping that maybe he’d been wrong and that she really was a cook.

  “My mouth’s watering already. How about Seamus and I get started shredding cabbage for you.”

  “That would be really helpful because I have to tend to Trey’s cut before I get started.”

  Both Mikey and Seamus pulled faces at him and hopefully Joely didn’t see them and misinterpret it as making fun of her.

  “Okay, let’s go get that cleaned up and checked out,” she said.

  She got hold of his hand and led him over to the sink. She’d obviously done a quick tour of the kitchen because she went straight to the cupboard where they kept the hydrogen peroxide and first aid kit. Trey sat on the stool as she opened up the kit and took out some cotton gauze. She ran it under the tap and then gently dabbed away the now dried blood. Trey drew in his breath not because it hurt but because she’d used cold water.

  “Sorry if that hurt,” Joely said.

  “Nope it didn’t hurt… just the water taking me by surprise.”

  She poured some of the peroxide onto a piece of cotton and gently dabbed at the cut some more.

  “I’m going to put some antibacterial cream on this and then cover it with a Band-Aid so try and keep it clean as you can.”

  “Yes mom.”

  “Do you tease everyone?” Joely asked him.

  “No just you because you’re so adorably cute.”

  It must have been the effect of the cut or peroxide or something because all those words fell out of his mouth before he had time to realize its consequences. He’d revealed what he thought about her and now she knew that he found her attractive.

  He should have explained himself, found some way to joke his way out of the predicament he now found himself in, but instead he leaned over and kissed her. Not the kiss on the cheek type that you give to a girl you’ve just referred to as adorably cute, but the mouth on mouth type that you plant on a woman you want so desperately want to make love to.

  There he’d admitted it to himself but she could never know it. He needed to pry his lips away from hers right now or she might read more into it, but instead of pull away, he found himself slipping his tongue over her lips and into her mouth.

  And she’s letting me do it.

  Joely’s tongue dueled with his and they were now lip locked. He threw his arms around her and she put her arms around him. His erection strained against her belly. Blood pulsed through his body and he was about to sweep her up in his arms and carry her up to his room when fate intervened.

  Actually a cough intervened. They both pulled away. Joely, like him, was obviously aware that someone was now standing close by. Trey looked over Joely’s shoulder to see Ian standing there.

  “Hope I’m not disturbing anything important,” he said. Did Trey detect a tinge of sarcasm in his tone? Ian was known as the werebear with the driest sense of humor.

  “Joely was just seeing to the cut on my face,” Trey added.

  “And getting a good look at it too,” Ian said.

  It was Joely’s turn to blush this time around. “I’ll just go check on how Mikey’s doing with the cabbage,” she said.

  She turned and left him sitting there. They needed to talk about what had just happened between them but that would have to wait until after dinner.

  “You know it’s not wise to mix business with pleasure,” Ian said, sitting down beside him.

  “I’m the one who wrote that rule and it was just a temporary misjudgment on my part.”

  Ian leaned back against the table top and stretched his legs out in front of him. He’d been the first rescued werebear that he and DL had brought into Cowbear Haven so he’d also have a special place in his heart for the grizzly.

  “You ever thought about looking for a mate, leaving this place and settling down to have the family we all deserve?”

  “I guess this place and everyone in it is my family,” Trey said.

  Ian nudged his arm. “They’ll always be someone else to take over for you. Never feel obligated to sacrifice what you could have. I know DL wouldn’t want you to do that or he wouldn’t have left this place to you. If you ever feel like you want to go and make a life for yourself out in the big world I’ll be more than willing to run this place for you.”

  Trey knew he would, and that Cowbear Haven would be in very good hands

  “Maybe when the right woman comes along,” Trey said.

  “I think she might have already done that.”

  Trey looked at Ian who raised his eyebrows as he always did when he knew he was right.

  “I really have to get the rest of the supplies put away.” Trey stood.

  “A couple of us are venturing out tonight to try and find ourselves some dates. Since there’s been a female around the guys’ hormones have kicked in and they need some loving.”

  “Just be careful out there because as you can see I had a run in with a couple of jerks this afternoon.”

  “So that’s what the first aid was all about.”

  “Two douchebags who were insulting Joely about her weight and it got my bear up.”

  “Oh what a bear won’t do for a member of the opposite sex.” He stood and patted Trey on the shoulders. “I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Chapter Eight

  Joely fanned her face and not just because she was standing over a hot grill turning pieces of fish and watching them turn golden brown. The kiss had left her blushing, sexual frustration had set in, and yes, she was confused too. She flipped two pieces of fish and stood back remembering what the bus driver had told her about werebears trying to get into your panties.

  Was Trey trying to get into hers? Did she want him to get into them?

  Yes, she did, but he was technically her boss.

  “How’s the fish coming along?”

  Mikey’s question jarred her out of her train of thought.

  “It’s looking good,” Joely said, not quite believing how she was achieving what looked to be the most mouth-watering fish in the world. Maybe all good cooks were sexually frustrated and great dishes were the result.

  “We have the cabbage and carrots all shredded. We usually add store bought dressing.”

  Now she could really shine because her mom used to make to die for coleslaw and this was her chance to show them what she could actually do.

  “How about you take over turning this fish and I’ll go make the coleslaw,” Joely told him.

  They switched places and soon she was adding mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, pepper, salt, and her mom’s secret ingredie
nts, just the right amount of sugar and celery seed, to the bowl.

  She reached for a spoon and mixed everything together, making sure each shred of cabbage and carrots was covered in the creamy dressing. It smelled heavenly. She took a fork and helped herself to some. Oh yeah, just like her mom used to make and she hoped everyone would love it as much as she always had. She heard the bell sounding which meant the guys would start heading into the dining room soon. She hadn’t seen Trey since the kiss and wondered if he was as sexually pent up about it as she was.

  Joely turned around and saw that the fish was ready, the tacos were stacked high, and now all they needed to do was get everything into the dining room. Trey entered the kitchen just as she was putting the coleslaw into serving dishes. He glanced over at her and they both looked away.

  Geez, that had been awkward and she wondered if he was regretting what he’d done. She carried two serving platters into the dining room where the guys were starting to filter into.

  She had to admit the meal looked pretty good and maybe she could continue to bluff her way through this.

  “I can’t wait to dive into this I’m starving,” a werebear said, as he took two taco shells, some fish, and a generous heaping of the coleslaw.

  She watched as each werebear dived in, and two gave her the thumbs up.

  “You coming to eat before everything gets cold or we run out of food.”

  It was Trey and he had his hand on the small of her back. She turned around and looked into his eyes and then to his lips, remembering them on her own.

  “Sure.”

  “Looks like you’re on a winner tonight,” Trey told her.

  “Looks that way.”

  They both helped themselves to fish and coleslaw and sat on the bench next to one another, their thighs brushing up against one another.

  “Wow, this coleslaw is quite something,” Trey said.

  “It’s my mom’s recipe.”

  “You thought about selling this to stores and restaurants?” Trey asked her.

  “You think it’s that good?”

  “I do.”

  Maybe he was trying to focus on anything else but what happened between them earlier.

  She watched at the guys got second helpings of everything and five minutes later they’d run out of coleslaw.

  “Can we have this stuff for the Cowbear Haven picnic this year?” one of the guys asked as he stopped by their table.

  “I think that can be arranged,” Trey said.

  “Picnic?” Joely asked, when the werebear had walked away.

  “It’s an annual event that takes place to welcome any new bears that arrived after the Bear Run.”

  “Which is coming up soon.”

  “Very soon and we need to sit down and talk about that and I think we also need to talk about what happened earlier,” Trey said.

  Joely hung her head. Part of her wanted him to be interested yet part of her wanted him to say it was a mistake. That way things could go back to as they were and all the awkwardness would disappear.

  “That’s probably a good idea,” Joely said.

  Once dessert, which was ice cream again, was served she followed Trey into his office.

  “I have a strict policy about the guys not getting involved with female workers…well you’re our first one, and it’s me who should be apologizing. That was inappropriate and I shouldn’t have done it,” he said.

  I know but I’m so glad you did.

  “No need to apologize because it was hot in the kitchen and you’re a bear and…”

  Where am I going with this? My comment made him sound like some sort of animal savage.

  “I didn’t mean that…”

  “It’s okay,” Trey cut in quickly. “I know what you meant and it’s fine. Now, I’m going on my evening run with the guys.”

  “Can I sketch the guys going into the woods? I saw them last night and thought they’d make a great subject to add to my portfolio.”

  “Sure, you do anything you want. This place is your home just like it is for everyone else.”

  “Okay, the, I’ll go up and get my supplies.”

  *****

  She’d managed to pull off a half decent meal so maybe he’d been wrong about her being a phony cook.

  Maybe.

  Coleslaw and fish tacos were hardly gourmet fare but he had to admit it was one of the best meals he’d had in what seemed like forever. The way to a werebear’s heart is through his stomach.

  “You coming Trey?”

  A hard pat on the back jarred him from that thought.

  “I certainly am.”

  Nothing like a shift and run to get the day’s stress out of your body. Not to mention the heightened libido. When he’d told her about the kiss, added it had been a mistake, and that it wouldn’t happen again, it had been nothing but lies falling off his tongue. He’d known what he was doing when he leaned toward her lips and put his mouth on hers. From now on he’d do his best to be professional and hoped he wouldn’t succumb to temptation ever again.

  He stepped outside and expected to see, no, he’d hoped to see Joely sitting there with her sketchbook but she was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she’d changed her mind or decided it was too chilly to be outside sitting drawing.

  Trey took off his jacket as he made his way to the wooded area and saw most of the guys had already stripped off because a pile of clothes sat in various areas around the trees.

  He quickly took off his jeans and t-shirt, closed his eyes and went to what he called his happy place. The zone where a man began to become a bear. He’d been denied the pleasure of doing this for so many years so each time was now sacred to him. He took a deep breath and then another and soon he was in his bear form and running at full speed, hoping to catch up with the rest of the group.

  The wind ripped through his fur and his paws felt the coolness of the fallen leaves and earth underneath them. Ten werebears were right ahead of him and he knew they felt the joy of this nightly run too. Two of them turned around and glanced at him, giving him a signal that only a bear could interpret as come on let’s race.

  Trey switched to high gear and soon he was side by side with two other bears as they ran at full speed. He pulled ahead and laughed when he saw neither of them anywhere in sight. He’d always been a fast runner and when it was his turn to one of the candidates for that year’s Bear Run, it had literally saved his life. He kept running, not thinking where he was heading until the mountain range came into view. He pulled up quickly, remembering what was on the other side. The day he’d climbed over it to try and get to freedom

  Chapter Nine

  Maybe she was making a big mistake.

  Just twenty-four hours ago she’d been scared seeing the bears even from the safety of her bedroom window, but now she was going to venture among them.

  She stepped off the path and into the wooded area to the left of the ranch. She knew this was where they went to run. The wind picked up, lifting the pages of her sketch book.

  A rustling noise to the left caught her attention and made her heartbeat race. She laughed when it was just a bunch of last year’s dried leaves blowing around. She found a tree stump and decided to sit. In the distance she could see them.

  They looked so beautiful running around. Joely wondered which one was Trey. From this distance they all looked about the same height, although some had darker fur than others.

  She dropped her sketch pad when two came up close beside her. She picked it up and they glanced her way. Quickly, pulling out the pens from her pocket, she got to work sketching them, her hand moving quickly to try and capture the roughness of their fur. A few more appeared and she guessed they were heading back to the ranch. They seemed to ignore her which was a huge relief. She knew it was just rumors that they were savages at heart but still she’d initially felt on edge.

  They were walking away and she hadn’t got chance to sketch at least an outline so she could continue painting them later. Joely got up
and followed them through the thick of the bushes.

  Big mistake.

  They’d now shifted back but hadn’t yet put their clothes back on and here she was looking at four naked guys.

  “Beautiful evening isn’t it,” said one.

  “It sure is,” she responded.

  “You should think about joining us one evening. You can even strip naked like us,” said another.

  Earth swallow me.

  She tried her best not to look but all the guys were well endowed and she was just curious.

  Yeah, right you are, Joely Mills.

  “Joely.”

  She recognized the voice of Trey and looked over to see him standing there naked. He quickly put both his hands over his cock and balls. She almost wanted to laugh at the fact that the other guys had no problem with her seeing them but he obviously did.

  “I didn’t know you were coming this far into the woods,” Trey said.

  The other guys began laughing as they pulled their jeans back on.

  “I’m sorry if I’ve done something wrong,” Joely said.

  Oh god, she was stuttering now.

  “It’s not that but I didn’t expect you to be here.”

  More laughter from the other bears.

  “I’ll just head back so you can get dressed.”

  Joely turned around and ran but tripped and fell into a pile of mud with a full face plant.

  “You okay?”

  It was Trey right behind her now.

  “I’m fine.”

  Joely sat up and felt the mud drip from her face down onto her chest

  Shit, this mud smelled like, yeah real shit.

  “The horses use this path so you might want to go in and shower or take a long bath,” Trey said.

  He lifted her up and she turned to see he had his pants back on, but not his shirt.

  She couldn’t help notice two things. The way the muscles in his chest stood out and the scars on it and his arms.

  He looked at them too and then back at her.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to stare.”

  “How about one night we sit and I tell you about how I got them. It’s not a pretty story but if you’re going to live with us and be here to help with the next Bear Run I think you should know.”