“Anyway, this bear up around Zeus’s place, what did he do?”
She laughed, shaking her head as she remembered it. “I don’t know. He knocked them off their motorcycles, stuff like that.”
“Sounds like a badass bear,” Ares said, grinning.
“But was I hallucinating due to stress?” Carly asked, looking like she was doubting herself. “I mean, why would a bear join a fight?”
Ares’s eyes were doing that twinkling thing again, though his voice was serious. “Maybe it was protecting its territory. Bears are very possessive of what’s theirs.”
“Yeah,” Zeus said, joining in with a gruff voice. “That bear especially.”
Carly looked between them in puzzlement and then laughed. “Well, I’m just glad you’re okay and the bear was on the side of justice.”
“Always,” Zeus said, unable to help himself. “But just in case, probably don’t trust any other bears.”
She waved a hand. “Of course not. Honestly, bears terrify me. I’m not even sure I’d feel safe going back to your cabin, knowing that one’s going to be around.”
Zeus tried not to frown. He knew Carly didn’t know anything about shifters, and bears were naturally scary animals, but part of him was still hurt by that. It made him that much more reluctant to tell her the truth. Could he really hope she would accept him when he did?
“Hey now,” Ares said. “Bears are just like any creatures, including humans. There are some bad ones and some good ones, but most of them won’t hurt you unless you try to hurt them or their family.”
Carly sighed and nodded. “I suppose.” She walked over to Zeus and put a warm, soft hand on his shoulder, calming the animal inside him. She might not know what he was, but for now, she made him feel at peace, at home. Made the animal inside him purr.
He had to hope she would accept him when the time came. He had to trust his bear knew best.
He turned to Ares. “So what now?”
Ares stood. “I’m going out to catch up with the police at the scene, if they’re still there. You know they’re slow to respond. If they ask about you two, I’ll tell them you disappeared into the woods. Make them waste some time sending a search party. That way they’ll be on the wrong trail.”
Zeus nodded. “That gives us time to make plans on how to deal with the Devils in the meantime.”
“Right,” Ares agreed, stretching his shoulders, cracking his neck, and heading out.
“You armed?” Zeus asked.
Ares let out a huge grin that would have looked movie-star bright if it didn’t seem so predatory. “Abso-fuckin-lutely.”
Zeus nodded. “Good.”
“You okay staying here with your lady?” Ares asked.
“Of course,” Zeus said. “When will you be back?”
“I plan to be out all night, most of the morning. If I come back here, they’ll assume you’re here. You know how the security works. No one is getting in without alerting you, and you know where the safe room is.”
Zeus did. He stood with some effort, and he and Ares did a quick shoulder clapping hug before Ares gave them a mock salute and left, leaving Zeus alone with Carly.
9
She looked him over. “We should get you changed,” she said. “Come on. Let’s find you some clothes.”
He nodded and was amused when she came to him and put a hand around his waist, as if her short, curvy frame could support him. Still, to humor her, and because he liked her touch, he let her walk with him down the hall. He gestured to the guest bedroom that Ares kept ready for him when he came into town, and she walked in with him and made him sit on the bed.
“There are clothes in the closet,” he said. “I sometimes stay here with Ares when I’m in town.”
“What do you come to town for anyway?” she asked, blushing slightly as she pulled some things out of the closet and laid them out on the bed. Her blush deepened as she reached for the hem of his shirt, and he raised his arms to make it easy for her to pull it over his head.
He was tired, but not too tired to be totally turned on by his mate removing his clothing. When she reached for the button of his jeans, he gently moved her hand away. “I got it,” he said, not wanting her to undo his pants and see just how affected he was at a time when he shouldn’t be thinking of it.
She reluctantly turned away with a sigh. “I like helping you, you know. I just… I know I’m not a badass like you or Ares. But don’t shut me out. Let me help. You know?”
He was stunned. He quickly pulled on his shirt and changed his jeans as he dealt with what she’d just said.
He hadn’t expected her to be hurt by him not letting her check out a bloody wound or undo his pants and have to see his raging boner brought on just by being in her presence. He still felt like the luckiest man in the world just to be near her. He didn’t want to do anything that put her off of him.
He and Ares had to get her out of the room so she didn’t see how quickly his wound had healed. Revealing yourself as a shifter to a human who hadn’t agreed to mate you was forbidden and carried serious consequences, up to and including brainwashing and death. He’d only been trying to protect her.
But he supposed he wouldn’t have liked to be sent away when she was hurt either.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’ve been on my own a long time. I don’t want to bother you.”
“You saved my life. Twice now. Don’t you get that I want to care for you too?”
Zeus was silent. No, he didn’t get that. His job was to protect her and take care of everything. Her job was to be happy and safe. And how could a sweet, friendly woman like her care about a wounded, grumpy warrior like him? Sure, he could take down a dozen men with his bare hands, but that didn’t mean he deserved her love or respect. He had to earn it.
She sat next to him and reached over, playing with the button on his jeans as he felt the blood in his body move to a specific, inconvenient location. “I get you’re a big, bad fighter. I get I can’t charge into battle with you. But it was terrifying being in there, having to stand back and watch, knowing there was nothing I could do, even call the police.”
She shuddered, and he wrapped an arm around her, holding her tight. “No, you don’t have to comfort me,” she said, starting to pull away but giving up when he insisted on keeping her close. “It’s just that when you’re done with that fight, the least I can do is take care of you.”
“I don’t fight so you’ll owe me something in return,” he said.
“Why do you fight, then?”
He eyed her quietly. “Because it’s the right thing.” Because I love you. But he couldn’t say that.
She looked slightly disappointed with his answer, and he wished he could take it back. But then she brightened. “You’re a good man, Zeus.”
“Thanks,” he said. Her words meant more to him than she could have known.
Despite how tired he was from the fight, he ached to claim his mate. Ached to hold her after the battle and remind himself of what he’d won, what he’d protected.
But he needed to save his strength. They might have to fight again soon. He touched her cheek gently, and she flushed and snuggled against his hand, making him melt inside. There would be plenty of time to please his mate later, after he’d ended every man who tried to come between them.
“I don’t know what it is,” she said. “We barely know each other, but you make me feel more treasured than anyone has in my life.”
That was because she meant more to him than anyone ever had or would. But it ached that he couldn’t say it yet. Still, he could say some things.
“You asked why I came into town. I didn’t answer. The truth is I could do most of my business from my computer at home or on my phone. But there was one thing I couldn’t do at home.”
“Oh yeah?” she asked. “What’s that?”
“See you,” he admitted.
Her eyes widened as she tilted her head up at him. “What do you mean? You came to the b
ar to see me?”
He nodded.
“Every time?”
He nodded again, glad any embarrassment he felt didn’t show. He wasn’t a hardened warrior for nothing.
“That’s…” She bit her lip and gave him a small smile that heated him down to his toes and made his pants even tighter. “That’s actually really sweet. I always liked seeing you. Unlike some of the rougher guys, you were always so polite. And never let anyone get unruly in the bar.”
He nodded. “I wanted to make sure everyone stayed in line.”
“Nice of you to do that for a waitress,” she said.
“Not a waitress. You.”
“But why?” she asked. “You want me to believe you just walked in and it was love at first sight?”
He pressed his lips into a line and considered how to explain it without his bear in the equation. “You’re beautiful and strong. You’re kind and didn’t act afraid of me because of my size. I was always just trying to get up the courage to speak to you.”
She put a hand to her head and let out a shaky laugh. “I can’t believe this. I couldn’t get up the courage to talk to you either. Something about you just drew me in.”
He pulled her onto his lap, cradling her against him, feeling secure now that she was safe and in his arms. “I’m glad it was mutual.” At least the attraction. He knew her love for him wouldn’t be instant like his was for her, but it could grow in time, as it did for humans.
She reached up and ran a hand along his five o’clock shadow, scratching the stubble there that had sprung up in only one day. Zeus blamed his bear.
“So what should we do next?” she asked. She moved a hand down over his button again, teasing him, and Zeus groaned at the temptation but pulled back, shaking his head.
“Not tonight,” he said. “We need to rest. And I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I want to take it slow with you.”
“It’s a little late for that,” she said, giggling.
“All right, then,” he said. “Let’s do something slow and romantic tonight. What do couples usually do on dates?”
“Well, they usually go out, but we can’t.”
“Okay,” he said. “How about I take you to a movie, then?”
She gave him a puzzled look. “Um, we can’t go out.”
“Right, but Ares’s home theater is pretty kick ass. We can watch one of those chick flicks women like so much.”
She shook her head. “Nah, I’m more of a horror movie fan.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
She nodded. “Come on. I’ll help you pick a really good one. And don’t worry. If you get scared, I’ll comfort you.” She laughed and helped him up.
“All right,” he said, leading the way to the basement. “As long as you stay here with me and protect me,” he teased.
She laughed, and he couldn’t resist swatting her on the butt as she went down the stairs ahead of him.
A horror movie would be perfect. Carly would be disappointed though, because nothing in the movies could ever scare Zeus. Only one thing in the world could, and that was her being in danger. And Zeus would never let that happen.
They settled into the comfy recliners and he put an arm up for her to snuggle under, and they picked out a new zombie movie that Carly hadn’t seen.
With his phone close so he’d hear any alarm, Zeus allowed himself to relax with his mate.
10
When the movie ended, Carly was too comfortable cuddling with Zeus and didn’t want to move. But it was late, and Zeus said he wanted to call Ares and check up on how things were going, so he walked her up to a bedroom across from his, made sure she was comfortable, and then went back to his room.
She hugged a pillow and lay back on the bed. The curtains were closed, but there wouldn’t be any beautiful view outside anyway. Not from Ares’s concrete fortress.
Still, she was having fun here, as long as it was with Zeus. She still had warm fuzzies from what he’d said about coming to the bar just to see her. It wasn’t any promise of a future, but it meant he’d thought of her before. Like she’d thought of him. That he’d been interested even before they’d been thrown together in this Devils situation.
She still didn’t know what the future held exactly, but she liked the way it was headed.
She liked the way Zeus looked at her, with that intense, possessive gaze.
Her old boyfriend hadn’t even been willing to face debt for her, yet this man had faced gunfire.
She heard Zeus finish his call and opened her door to find him pacing the hall. His square, masculine features were tensed slightly, as if he were thinking something over.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
He looked so handsome in a flannel shirt that outlined his broad shoulders and perfectly cut pecs. The sleeves were rolled up, baring muscular arms that she longed to put her hands all over. And his abs…
Her mouth watered.
She wanted this man like she’d never wanted anyone, and it seemed like a hunger that would never cease.
But he’d already said no for tonight.
His eyes met hers as he tucked the phone away in his pants.
“Everything’s fine,” he said. “They’re searching the woods, just like we want them to. They can search for days up there. It’s dark and easy to get lost in.”
She nodded. But somehow she knew she’d never get lost up there with Zeus. She could see it being a home for them.
Home. That was an odd word. She’d wanted to stay in Bearstone Village and pay her debts, but she’d never thought of this place as home. Now she was starting to think of Zeus as home. But was she just a silly girl getting carried away by the first man to be truly good to her?
Was Zeus planning for this to end when she wasn’t in danger any longer? She didn’t think so, but she’d been abandoned before, and she hadn’t seen that coming either.
Still, she wouldn’t think the worst about Zeus when he’d been nothing but kind to her.
She went to him and curled her arms around his waist. Every moment with him was precious, and with the danger facing them, who knew what would happen in the next hours or days? Carly wanted to live life to the fullest, wanted to take everything Zeus had to offer while things were still good.
And her body ached to feel him again.
“Zeus?” she asked. “Are you sure we can’t do anything tonight?” Her hand found his tight butt and gave a squeeze, and he groaned as he rested his lips on her hair in a soft kiss.
“I don’t know,” he said. “It’s been a long day. I know you’re tired. We both need our rest for tomorrow.”
“Just a little?” she asked, looking up at him with pleading eyes. Anything would do, and she could see he wanted her as much as she wanted him. A little drowsiness would be worth it.
“All right,” he said, a gleam in his eyes as he hoisted her in his arms. “Just a little.”
She tried to get down. “It’s okay. Don’t carry me. You’re still—”
“It’ll be a cold day in hell when I can’t carry my woman to bed to please her,” Zeus growled, kicking open the door to his room and laying her on the massive bed. He came over her and nuzzled her neck. “Now, how about that little something you asked for?”
She sighed against him. She couldn’t help but trust Zeus. Something inside her just responded to him. Felt right with him. Never wanted to leave him.
Zeus placed a soft kiss on Carly’s neck, sending a tiny shock of pleasure through her before she could respond. She loved the feel of his huge, hard body against her softness. Loved the way he gave her everything, made her feel special and wonderful all at the same time.
Holding her close, he moved up to take her lips in a long, hard kiss that was as strong as it was sweet. She opened her mouth instantly, and he came inside, each stroke more passionate and precise than the last. Just the way his tongue roved inside her mouth blew her mind, making her want more and more.
He left he
r mouth, leaving Carly breathless and euphoric, and ran his fingers along the exposed skin at the bottom of her shirt. He pushed the hem up slightly and kissed along the waistband of her pants, then over her soft belly, coming to her belly button. He kissed it once, then ran his tongue along the edge. At first, the sensation was arousing and ticklish, but the more he did it, the more she relaxed into a steadily building pleasure.
Zeus licked inside her belly button, and it sent another shock of pleasure down her spine. He looked up at her with his deep-blue eyes, dark and intoxicating, and just the sight of his aroused gaze turned her on further.
Carly moved to take off her shirt, but Zeus stopped her, holding both her hands in his. To her surprise, he took each of them and examined them closely, rubbing his thumbs along her knuckles. He isolated one finger on her right hand and drew it to his mouth, kissing it first, then bringing his lips around it and sucking on it.
At first, Carly was confused, but the second his lips touched her, her skin lit on fire where he touched it and lightning trailed all the way from her finger down to her toes. When he kissed between her knuckles at the base of her index and middle finger, even more pleasure shot through her, drawing a sigh from her lips.
“How are you doing that?” Carly asked, surprised.
“It’s you. Your beauty. You’re so perfect everywhere, Carly. I’m just showing you how much,” Zeus said, then took her other hand to his mouth and gave the same treatment.
She’d never known she could feel so much in the different parts of her body. No man had ever taken the time to find out. And now, having this amazing, gentle, powerful man exploring every inch of her, she could barely believe it was happening.
He kissed up her hands and over her arms, each sensitive inch lighting up at his touch.
Already, she was so turned on, so pent up; she wasn’t sure how much longer she could wait for the main event.
Carly reached out for Zeus’s pants and tried to unbutton them, but he stopped her, holding her hands in his.
Big Bad Bear Page 7
