Bear Mated: A BBW Bear Shifter Paranomal Romance (Pine Ridge BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance Series Book 2)
Page 10
“Bitch!” said Tom. “You people have no place in this. This is between me and Brytha.”
“The owners of those jewels might have something to say about that,” said Lt. Huxley.
“They can’t appreciate the jewels like me and Brytha could have,” Tom said, then cast a tender glance sideways at his mate. “We would have raised our young surrounded by those jewels. Imagine Brytha’s eggs ensconced in a nest of glittering diamonds. We would have had such an amazing clutch.”
“Kings and queens, every one,” Brytha agreed with a trace of sadness.
Barbara shoved her gun back in its holster. “Maybe you still will someday,” she said. “In ten or twenty years. Less with good behavior.”
“Read them their rights,” Lt. Huxley said, “and let’s wrap this up.”
It was eight at night, but Barbara knew the Pine Ridge Crew would be up late, so after locking up Tom and Brytha and filling out the necessary paperwork, she drove through town to the great, castle-like Pine Ridge Ski Resort, which was covered in scaffolding and surrounded by construction equipment as the bear shifter crew remodeled it. Its previous owners had left it in serious disrepair. Barbara still didn’t know why the bear shifters had been ordered to rehab the resort, but she was glad they had. It would be good for the whole town to have it up and running in style again. Also, Rick had told her Connor, the alpha, would tell her the Big Secret soon. Barbara was giddy at the thought.
She parked and entered to find several of the bear shifters partying in the grand, half-ruined lobby of the old hotel. The bear shifters had been woodcutters on the edge of town (or somewhat beyond) not long ago, living in a trailer park, but with the new job had come new digs closer to the site, and they weren’t all settled in yet. Like some of the others, Rick just slept at the job site. There were certainly plenty of rooms. Soon Barbara expected that he would move in with her or that they’d find a new place together. They’d talked about it a lot but hadn’t decided yet. For the moment it was just fun to think about.
About a dozen bear shifters, most brawny, sexy lumberjack types, were listening to country music pumped out by the huge speakers and drinking beer from a keg while what looked like friends and groupies circulated among them. It was almost eleven o’clock by now, but the shifter crew was still awake and having fun. Several smiled at Barbara and clapped her on the back as she made her way amongst them.
One, a cute young woman with short blond hair, came up to Barb smiling and threw her arms around her.
“Barb! You made it! I was beginning to think you’d wimp out again.”
Barbara hugged Alice Cooper back. Over the past few days she’d begun to get to know the feisty young woman and had discovered a deep bond with her. Alice had been raised by redneck idiots who hated bear shifters, but she’d found true love with a shifter and had overcome her own upbringing so much that she now had a bear of her own.
“I’ve got great news,” Barbara said. “I—”
She squealed in delight as strong arms folded around her. She turned to see Rick Barnes smiling down at her. He kissed her—a long, passionate kiss on the lips that shot heat into Barb’s cheeks, then broke off.
Alice shoved a plastic cup filled with foamy beer into her hand, clapped her on the back, smiled and moved off with Taggart, her mate, seeing that Barb and Rick needed a moment alone together.
“What’s the news?” Rick said, obviously having heard.
Barbara grinned and told him about Tom and Brytha. He kissed her again. They raised plastic cups to each other, clinked them and drank.
“Your net-traps worked like a charm,” Barbara said. “The owner of the jewelry store tonight told me you should patent them.”
“Well, if eagle shifters keep stealing stuff, I’ll think about it. One thing is for sure: those prisons are going to have a hard time holding those two. Unless they put nets up over all the yard.” He laughed again. “They could make the prisons into aviaries!”
She grinned at the image of prisons populated by giant beautiful birds flapping about a huge glass house with countless roosts and aeries. “If Tom and Brytha escape,” she said, “I hope they have enough sense to steer away from Pine Ridge this time, at least.”
“Don’t count on it. I don’t think brain power is their strong suit. But maybe they’ll discover the joys of cubic zirconia next time.”
“Here’s hoping.”
“Who’s this?” said a booming voice, and Barbara turned to see huge, red-haired, Viking-like Connor approach, beer in hand. His green eyes blazed out of his handsome, fire-bearded face with authority and intelligence. “Ah, it’s Barbara Thompson. You’re the one that got Rick that day off work.”
Barbara blushed. The first day she’d met Rick, when she’d nearly crashed into him on the road, had been his day off. But the next hadn’t been, and he’d had to lose a day’s pay to help her out. Maybe I should’ve let him keep a diamond, after all, she thought, then instantly chastised herself for the notion.
“Sorry about that,” she muttered.
“Nonsense.” Connor winked, letting her know he wasn’t really upset, and she relaxed. “Heck, I should thank you. We probably got more work done without Rick here to brag about his exploits than we would have.”
“Hey!” said Rick, but he didn’t really sound offended. He shrugged, then smiled and said, “Hell, you probably did.”
Connor waved a hand dismissively. “Now that you’re here, Barb, we won’t have to worry about his exploits any more.” He glowered at Rick. “Will we?”
“No, sir,” said Rick easily. “I’ve found my mate. All my exploits from now on will be with her, and you don’t talk about that with the crew. Well, not unless it’s really cool.”
Now it was Barb’s turn to say, “Hey!” But she was smiling. “It would have to be really really cool,” she amended.
Connor visibly softened. He shook Rick’s hand. “Congratulations on finding your mate, my friend. I hope we’re all so lucky.” He embraced Barbara and said, “Thank you for making an honest man of Rick. And welcome to the crew.”
“Crew?” she echoed, as Connor moved off through the crowd. “What does he mean by that?”
“Only that … you know, you’re my mate,” Rick said. “That means you’re part of the crew. Kind of. An honorary member.”
“How would I become an official member?”
“I’d have to Claim you.”
“You mean … bite me. Turn me.”
He nodded solemnly. “That’s right. But I’m not pushing you. You don’t need to Turn to be with me. And like Connor said, you’re already an honorary member.”
She downed a foamy sip of keg beer. It was starting to go to her head, making her feel warm and fuzzy. “I’ll think about it,” she said. “I don’t have to decide now, right?”
“Take your time.”
She placed her free hand against his belly. He wore a tight T-shirt, and she could clearly see his abs through it. His flesh was hard beneath her palm. And beneath that was a raging bear that only she could control. Did she really want one of her own?
She smiled.
“What is it?” he said.
She threw back her head and laughed.
“What is it?” he asked again, and he was starting to grin now, too, infected by her good humor.
Trying to contain herself, she said, “Imagine me as a bear-cop! Chasing after a criminal as a bear!”
He laughed and crushed her to him, then planted a kiss on her lips. “You’d be hella sexy,” he said. “Hella-sexier.”
“I want it,” she said. “But not today. Not tonight. Tonight all I want is you, and this.” She leaned into him, but indicated the gathering with an arm, then nestled that hand too against him. Around her the party continued, and strangely she felt more at home than she’d ever felt since her mom passed. Here among this motley crew of bear shifters she had found peace and unity.
Rick kissed her on the forehead, right where the diamond had been
. In some ways, she felt it still was.
“That’s all I want, too,” he said.
She inclined her head to him, and he ducked down and pressed his lips to hers. Smiling into the kiss, she opened her mouth to receive him.
THE END
Next in the series
Bear Love: Pine Ridge Bear Shifters #3: Jessica Quinn has sworn off men after a ten-year marriage went south. Mike Buchanan's bear instantly lets him know that Jess is his mate. But how can they be together when she refuses to be in a relationship? Things get really complicated when a pride of lion shifters starts hunting her, reason unknown.
Find out what happens today!
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H0F62XQ
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01H0F62XQ
First in the series
She was raised to hate bear shifters. He was raised to hate humans. On the run, can they find happiness together? If you haven't read Bear Run, the first book in the Pine Ridge series, you can find it here:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CH3WC1W
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01CH3WC1W
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading Bear Mated as much as I did writing it. The next book in the Pine Ridge series, Bear Love, will be out soon. To be notified when it comes out, you can sign up for my update list. I promise not to spam you. I’ll only send you an email when I have a new book coming out or a discount. You can sign up for the list HERE ( http://eepurl.com/bTIcfv ).
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Belinda Meyers
Paranormal Romance Author
Email: belindameyersauthor@gmail.com
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