Sweet Seduction (Cowbear Haven Book 1)

by Vanessa Devereaux

  Joely nodded, getting a whiff of the horse dung again.

  “I think I should probably go take a bath,” she said.

  “Sounds and smells like a good idea,” Trey said.

  *****

  Trey watched Joely walk away. Why had he put his hands over his private parts when he’d seen her?

  Bashful wasn’t a word he’d use to describe himself. He’d spend years in a cage like home, naked with female lab technicians and doctors walking in on him, examining him whenever they pleased so why had he’d been this way for Joely?

  “Sure you don’t want to come into town to see if you can find some action?” Ian asked him as they walked to the house together.

  “No, I have paperwork to catch up on and bills that need paying,” Trey said.

  He did suddenly feel like being with a woman but there was only one who’d now fulfil the need for sexual gratification.

  “All work and no play,” Ian said.

  “Maybe next time.”

  “I’ll hold you to it.”

  Trey watched as Ian put on his cowboy hat and he and three of the other guys headed out of the house.

  “Just be careful out there,” Trey shouted to them.

  He worried about each of them like they were his kids, well maybe not his offspring, but at least part of his family.

  Each of them was all they had and he felt responsible for every werebear living under his roof. Since DL had passed, he’d taken over as patriarch, and that was even more reason why he shouldn’t get distracted by Joely.

  He’d head up to his office and dive into some paperwork and then maybe turn in for the night.

  *****

  Joely couldn’t get the image of Trey out of her mind. He hadn’t been quite swift enough with his hands and she’d taken a peek. What girl wouldn’t?

  Not every girl was living under the same roof as a hunky werebear and one that had kissed her earlier that day. She turned on the shower and stripped off the smelly t-shirt, dumping it into the sink, knowing she’d need to rinse it out or it would stink up her room all night.

  Deciding to wash her hair too, she stepped into the tub and reached for her shampoo. She worked up a lather at the same rate she was working herself up thinking about Trey and his gorgeous cock and how much she like him to make love to her.

  Don’t go there.

  She rinsed her hair and let the water cascade down her back and over her ass cheeks. She bet Trey’s hands would feel pretty good on them too.

  She was sexually frustrated and there was only one thing she could do, besides finding Trey and ripping his clothes off. She needed a little self-pleasuring.

  Joely slid her hand down over her belly. She parted her legs as she reached her mound and soon her fingers were massaging her clit. She closed her eyes, enjoying the image she was conjuring up but knowing it was so wrong. Trey butt naked in front of her. She felt the first zing of pleasure and knew she was going to have a tough time facing him after this. But for now it was too good to stop.

  Joely rested her head against the tiles and moved her fingers faster as she groaned and imaged Trey parting her legs and sliding his cock inside her. She bit her lip, pressed her toes into the bottom of the bathtub, and almost roared with pleasure when her climax hit.

  It had been good but not half as good as she imagined being with Trey would be like. She wrapped a towel around herself and got out of the shower sensing she felt more sexually pent up than before she’d stepped into it.

  *****

  Trey tapped his pen on the papers he was reading. Normally he was a straight to work sort of guy but tonight all he’d done was stare out of the window. Checks hadn’t been written and bills were still unpaid.

  Maybe he should have gone with the guys on their into town jaunt but in a way he wasn’t quite as brave as they were. One thing he hated was confrontation. No bear liked it. It was in their nature to be the sort of creatures who took a, I won’t bother you if you don’t bother me, approach to life.

  Finding a woman tonight might be just wanted he needed to get rid of the sexual tension that had built since…yeah, since Joely had stepped over the threshold of Cowbear Haven.

  It wasn’t her fault that she was in all ways perfect for him. And after all, he was a bear in his prime and by now he should have found his mate.

  He stood and walked to the window. It looked like it had begun to rain and water streamed down the pane. If he had a found a woman in town and had sex with her it wouldn’t have taken the itch away. He knew only Joely could do that for him now.

  If only she wasn’t under his roof. He could fire her. Wait for her to make a cooking blunder like he knew she eventually would, and that would be the perfect excuse. Only problem was he couldn’t do that to her. She’d come here for a reason and he guessed she was running away from something or someone and he knew all about running from your fear.

  He’d have to put her needs above his own.

  Trey noticed the guys were back and they got out of the truck with three women and were heading inside. He only hoped they didn’t have boyfriends who were going to come look for them like the last bunch had.

  He better wait up just in case there was trouble.

  *****

  Joely looked at the sketch in front of her. She’d been trying her best to work on it but she hadn’t added another single stroke for at last fifteen minutes. Maybe she’d go get herself something to drink and a snack and that might clear her head.

  She went out into the hallway and down the stairs, feeling relieved that no one was about. In fact, it looked like she had the whole place to herself.

  Maybe she’d make a grilled cheese sandwich. Umm that sounded pretty good. She’d probably regret it in the morning. Those extra calories, but that’s how she’d reacted to stress ever since her brother’s passing.

  She was about to turn to go down the hallway to the kitchen when she heard a woman’s groans. Not the sound of someone in pain, but someone enjoying a great orgasm.

  “Where did you learn to fuck like this?” the woman’s voice rang out.

  “You think this is good baby, well I’m just getting warmed up,” a male’s voice responded.

  “Are you hard again already?”

  “One of the traits of the werebear, non-stopping fucking, baby.”

  How she wished she hadn’t heard that. And she didn’t want anyone to think she was listening or worse yet watching a werebear and a woman doing the wild thing. The woman cried out again and as Joely turned to leave she ran straight into the chest of someone.

  She looked up to see it was Trey.

  They both looked at one another as the sound of furniture being scrapped along the floor, and the sound of the woman’s cries of pleasure echoed throughout the place.

  Say something, think of something, this is soooo embarrassing.

  “Couldn’t sleep?” Trey finally said.

  “Just going to make a grilled cheese sandwich. You want one?”

  She shouldn’t have invited him but it seemed the only way out of the dilemma.

  “Sure, for some reason I’m hungry too.”

  Trey followed her to the kitchen where she got out one of the cast iron pans and set it on the stove while he pulled out a loaf of bread and some slices of cheese.

  “Grab some of that cream cheese would you?” Joely asked him.

  “You don’t like regular cheese?”

  “I use cream cheese instead of butter…well I fry them in butter. My mom’s secret recipe.”

  “Is your mom a cook?”

  “No, but she used to make some great stuff for me and my brother. Maybe she still does for someone.”

  He knitted his eyebrows together.

  “I haven’t seen her in close to fifteen years.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “I guess she thought divorce meant you not only leave your husband but your kid too.”

  Trey sat on the stool watching as Joely made the sandw
iches, put a generous amount of butter into the skillet, and then loaded the sandwiches into it. He obviously hadn’t caught on that previously she’d told him she had previously told him she had a brother but now she’d mentioned that her mom only left one child behind. She leaned against the oven as she waited for the sandwiches to grill on one side.

  “Do those guys wake you up when they came home?” he asked.

  “What…no, I got hungry and came down here. Hope you don’t mind that I make impromptu sandwiches late at night.”

  “Not at all and if that tastes as good as I think it will then you can cook all you want on the understanding you make me something too.”

  She smiled and flipped the sandwiches over, watching the cheese now ooze out from between the two slices of bread.

  “How about you? Did they wake you?” she asked.

  He shook his head. “I was doing paperwork and thought I’d stretch my legs.”

  “You want to grab two plates because these babies are ready.”

  Trey walked over to the cupboard, pulled down two plates and brought them back to her.

  “Milk pairs nicely with these,” Joely told him.

  “I’ll go get us some.”

  Joely put the plates on the table as Trey walked over to her carrying two glasses of milk.

  He sat and their knees brushed.

  “Dive in,” Joely said.

  Trey lifted the sandwich, took a bite and then put his thumb up and nodded.

  “This is to die for,” he said.

  A piece of melted cheese stuck to his chin and Joely couldn’t help but wipe it away. The stubble on his skin brushed against her fingertips. Once again they simply sat looking at one another.

  “I think these are something you should add to the menu. The guys will love them,” Trey said.

  He moved on his seat and their knees brushed again. There was a sudden burst of laughter out in the hallway.

  “They sound like they’re having a good time,” Joely said.

  “They always do until someone’s boyfriend gets up the courage to jump the fence and come here looking for a fight because his girl went home with a werebear.”

  “Guess you’re irresistible.”

  Trey smiled. He wiped his fingers and mouthed and then downed the rest of his milk.

  “That was delicious but I think I need to get back to paying checks or they’ll be shutting off the lights in this place.”

  Had calling them irresistible made him uneasy and hence his sudden need to leave?

  “I’ll see you in the morning and let’s meet after breakfast to discuss the bear run.”

  She’d almost forgotten about that.

  Chapter Ten

  Joely finally got to sleep an hour later only to be woken shortly after by voices outside in the hallway. It sounded like something was wrong. Maybe there was a fire.

  She rolled out of bed blearily eyed and opened the door. She stepped into the hallway and saw some of the guys were gathered outside of Trey’s door.

  “What’s happening?” she asked.

  “It’s Trey, he had a bad nightmare. It happens all the time to most of us but he’s not had one for about a year.”

  She remembered having nightmares when her brother died and then again when her mom left.

  “Can I go in and see him?”

  “Ian’s with him right now but I don’t think either of them would mind.”

  Joely slowly turned the door handle and went into Trey’s bedroom. It was the first time she’d been in here and she felt sort of strange like maybe she was intruding in his private world. Trey sat up in his bed, Ian sat on the side of it and the two men were talking but then stopped and looked at directly at her.

  “I hope you don’t mind me coming to visit.”

  “I think it’s just what Trey needs right now,” said Ian, standing. “Here take the wet washcloth and put it to his head now and then.”

  He handed her a blue cloth and then before she could say anything else, he was gone.

  “Are you okay?” Joely asked. She sat on the side of the bed. Trey didn’t have anything on his upper body so she was able to get a clear view of his chest with all its scars and marks.

  “I hope I didn’t wake you when I called out,” he said.

  “Once I’m asleep, that’s it. I don’t hear a thing until all the guys’ voices out in the hallway.”

  A bead of perspiration clung to his forehead so she reached up and put the washcloth on it.

  “Maybe this would be a good time to tell you about the Bear Run, what it means, and how it important it is to welcome werebears here.”

  “I’m listening,” Joely said.

  “Do you know about the Trenton Corporation?”

  “Yeah, I’ve heard it mentioned in the news,” Joely said.

  She knew they were a big drug company that had a lab about twenty miles away.

  Another bead of sweat pearled on his forehead and she dabbed at it.

  “They use werebears as guinea pigs.”

  She wasn’t sure if it was a tear or a bead of perspiration that slipped from his eye, but she wasn’t going to let it drip into his mouth so she brushed it away. She guessed he’d been one of those guinea pigs.

  “They held me for two years,” Trey continued.

  She grabbed his hand and squeezed it. She could only imagine what it was like because she’d read horrible stories about animals who were abused in labs and never saw daylight ever again.

  “The Bear Run… does that have something to do with all this?” she asked.

  Trey nodded. “They give some of us chance to escape and give us a few hours to run and if they don’t catch us we’re free.”

  “I’m so sorry that wicked human beings exist.”

  She touched the two raised scars on his chest and hoped she wasn’t hurting him.

  “Is this what they did to you?” she asked.

  “That and a whole lot more.”

  It was her turn to have a tear drop from her eye.

  “So all the guys here are from the Bear Run?”

  “Most of them. Some of them just found this place because they were sick of being considered outsiders in the towns they were living in.”

  “And your nightmare. Was it about the experiments?”

  “It was about the run that day. I was back running. I could hear the blood pounding in my head and thought they’d catch me.”

  “But they didn’t.”

  Trey shook his head. “I ran into DL who was out riding. He’d been thrown from his horse and had a broken ankle but I stopped to help him.”

  “Trey that is the bravest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  She wondered if she’d escaped from someplace just as bad as the Trenton Corporation if she could find it deep within her heart to stop and help someone.

  “He knew where I was from and he told me to help him up on his horse and we’d ride back to the ranch together.”

  “And you both made it okay?”

  Trey nodded. “We both healed together and he never forgot what I did for him that day. It’s the reason he left this place to me when he passed a few years ago.”

  She put her hand on the side of Trey’s face. “There’s nothing to ever be scared about because all the time I’m here, I won’t let anything happen to you or the other werebears,” Joely said.

  He smiled, turned his head so he could kiss the palm of her hand. It was at that point she knew she’d found a man who’d stolen her heart.

  Chapter Eleven

  Trey woke the next morning to find Joely curled up asleep in the chair by his bed. He hadn’t realized she hadn’t left and he guessed he must have dozed off while she’d still been sitting on his bed.

  He knew the chair wasn’t very comfortable and sleeping in it was probably unbearable. The blanket she’d obviously used to keep herself warm had slipped to the floor. He crept out of bed, picked it up ready to put it around her but the floorboard squeaked and she woke up wi
th a start.

  “Sorry to startle you,” Trey said.

  “That’s okay.” She sat up but then held her neck. “Ouch.”

  “You didn’t have to watch over me all night but I’m glad you did,” Trey told her.

  “And I’m glad you told me about the Trenton Corporation and the Bear Run. I’ve been using their cold medicines for years and I’ll never buy another one of their products. In fact, I might start a protest outside their headquarters.”

  “Yeah, I think people have already tried that. I’m sorry you had to see me in such a well, I guess you’d call it, a fragile state.”

  “I’d be a whole lot worse. I was a mess when my younger brother died.”

  “I’m so sorry…I didn’t know that you’d lost someone close.”

  “He got hit by a car and my parents, well they say a marriage can’t survive the loss of a child and theirs didn’t.”

  “So that’s why you haven’t seen your mom in so long?”

  Joely nodded. “I think she couldn’t stand to look at me because she’d see my brother. We looked a lot alike. And if you want to talk about fragile. I couldn’t go to school for months after he died and I even changed my name.”

  “Your name’s not Joely?” Trey asked her.

  “Nope, it’s Missy but his name was Joel so I added a y and become Joely in his honor.”

  That was the sweetest thing he’d ever heard and she did in fact look more like a Joely than a Missy.

  “Hope you don’t mind that I didn’t tell you that when I applied for the job.”

  He was going to bring up the topic of her not being a real cook but after her kindness at sitting with him most of the night he didn’t have the heart to burst that bubble.

  “I guess I should start getting breakfast ready.”

  She must have read his mind.

  Joely stood and walked toward the door.

  “Joely,” Trey said.

  She turned around and looked at him. Her hair was all over the place, her t-shirt and pants creased from sitting in a chair all night but to him she looked the most beautiful woman in the world. In fact, he’d love to wake up beside her every morning for the rest of his life. To hold her, to have her hold him when he had a nightmare and the demons returned.