by Ruby Shae
Aaron grabbed his bag, grateful his erection deflated when Sara walked out the door, and started for the exit.
“I’ll see you later, Gage,” he said.
“Wait,” Gage rounded the desk. “I almost forgot. There’s been some poacher sightings in the area, so be careful when walking in the woods, especially if you decide to shift. They’re rumored to be looking for grizzlies.”
“I told you—”
“I know, I know,” Gage held out his hands. “You don’t shift. Be cautious anyway, okay?”
“Fine,” Aaron sighed.
“I’m glad you’ve decided to stay,” Gage laughed over his shoulder as he walked back toward his desk.
He ignored the sheriff and left the building.
Apparently he needed a place to stay.
Chapter Two
Sara heard the chainsaw shut off and opened the oven to check the meatloaf one final time. She stirred the bowl of mashed potatoes, tossed the salad, and carried the dishes to the table.
Aaron had showed up an hour earlier, chainsaw in hand, and she nearly melted on the spot. He’d changed from the sweatshirt she saw him in earlier to a flannel shirt. He’d rolled the sleeves up past his elbows and the muscles in his forearms bulged when he grabbed the ladder and started working.
She watched him climb into the tree and start the saw before she ran back into the house. The sight of him taking care of that tree dampened her panties and all she could think about was his hands on her body, taking care of her every need.
The same thing had happened in the sheriff’s office. When Aaron stood next to her, his tall, muscled frame made her feel small, protected and instantly aroused. She wanted to rip off her clothes, spread out on the desk, and let him take what he wanted. She didn’t care if Gage watched or left, her only desire had been to feel his touch.
As they spoke, she felt her cheeks heat from her sexual thoughts and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to squeeze her thighs together to ease some of her desire. Aaron looked unaffected by her presence, but Gage had a huge smile on his face as if he knew her secret. Normally she’d feel embarrassed and retreat, but she hadn’t wanted to leave Aaron without knowing when she’d see him next.
She’d never reacted so strong to a man, and though the intense feelings scared her, she wanted to explore them. When he said he was leaving town soon, she knew she had to react quickly. Inviting him to dinner seemed like the right thing to do.
Hopefully he’d be willing to do more than just eat.
She pulled the meatloaf out of the oven at the same time Aaron walked through the door.
“How’d it go?”
“Good. I went ahead and cut the branch into smaller pieces and put it with the rest of your firewood.”
“Thank you. Are you hungry?”
“Starved. Just let me wash my hands.”
“Sure,” she said, pointing down the hall. “The bathroom is over there.”
When he returned, they sat down to eat.
“Gage said you run this business all by yourself. Is that true?”
“Yes, I moved here five years ago and started it with my inheritance.”
“Your inheritance?”
She hadn’t meant to tell him something so private and depressing, but he wasn’t like most men. She wanted to share more than first names and a quickie before he left with his friends in the morning. If she were honest, she wanted to share everything with him.
The realization scared her to death, but speaking about her parents reminded her of their love and their belief that true love existed for everyone.
They talked easily over dinner. She told him about her parents, their love, and her relocation to Bear Mountain, and he told her about his wandering lifestyle. He took backpacking to the extreme, and didn’t have a primary residence other than a storage locker and post office box in California.
The idea that he didn’t have a home both terrified and elated her. He could take off on a moment’s notice, but he could also decide to stick around longer than he’d originally planned.
After dinner, they worked together to clean the table and load the dishwasher.
“Are you ready for dessert? I made an apple pie,” she said.
“I want something sweet, but it’s not pie.”
Before she could come back with a witty response, his mouth was on hers.
His lips landed on hers gently, almost awkward at first, and then he placed his hands on her face and tentatively kissed her again. His movements were slow, sensual and cautious, as if he were afraid he’d scare her off. She held onto his waist, and bunched his shirt in her fists. When she swiped her tongue across his closed lips, he let go.
He backed her against the counter and caged her in with his hands. He gave up slow and steady, and kissed her the way she wanted to be kissed.
His lips came down on hers hard and frantic, as if desperate to taste her, and when she swiped her tongue across his lips a second time, he invaded her mouth with his own.
His tongue slid against hers and they tangled together, deepening the kiss. She wrapped one leg around his and pulled him closer, pressing up against him. She could feel his long, hard cock pressing into her belly and she wanted more.
She moved her hands up his chest, and delighted in the hard muscle and chiseled lines. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he grabbed her by the waist and lifted her onto the counter. His mouth left hers and he kissed down her neck.
Every place his lips touched sent a shock of electricity straight to her core. Her panties were soaked with liquid heat, and she desperately wanted his mouth on the rest of her body.
She knew they should probably wait and get to know each other better, but the thought of him possibly leaving sealed her decision. Even though she’d known him less than a day, he meant so much more than any one of her random backpackers. She’d never forgive herself if he left before she had the chance to touch him, or feel him deep inside, filling her pussy.
He licked her collarbone and grazed his teeth over the juncture between her neck and shoulder. She moaned his name and he severed their contact.
“I’m sorry, Sara. I don’t know what came over me,” he said, backing away from her.
“I’m only sorry that you stopped,” she said. She jumped off the counter and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Let’s go upstairs.”
“Are you sure? I don’t want you to think I’m trying to take advantage of you.”
“Oh, please. We’re both adults and I want this as much as you do.”
His measured breathing was the only sound that could be heard as he stared at her.
Deep breath in. Deep breath out.
Seconds passed, but she waited. Somewhere in her mind, she understood he needed time to make his decision and it had nothing to do with her. She hoped he wouldn’t deny her, but if he did, she would recover.
***
Aaron stared at Sara as he processed the monumental revelation he’d discovered.
When he’d grazed his teeth over her neck, the bear inside roared to the surface. He broke their connection and fought to control the animal desperate to mark his mate.
Sara jumped off the counter and he knew he had to stall. A million emotions swirled in his head as the beauty in front of him watched him carefully, and he felt like a whiny beta as she graciously waited for his response.
He took several deep breaths and pushed the bear back, denying the animal once again. The urge to shift, roar and mark his territory hadn’t been felt in so long, he broke out in a sweat trying to fight the curse.
His bear had never reacted so strongly to a woman, not even his ex, and he briefly questioned his past choices. He’d been in love with Selena, but when he showed her his whole self, she ran out of his tent, screaming in terror. The entire village, men he’d fought with and named as friends, chased him, ready to kill something they didn’t understand.
He changed his life that day, and even when he’d encou
ntered other bears, he insisted on staying hidden. He’d lived that way for so long, he had no desire to change.
Sara scared him. She was beautiful, full of life and she knew what she wanted.
What he felt for her was ten times as strong as what he’d felt for his ex, and there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she belonged to him.
Could he make love to her and not mark her? He wanted to. He didn’t plan on sticking around, but he wanted to know what it felt like to make love with the one woman made especially for him.
“Good. Let’s go,” he finally blurted.
He hoped she didn’t mind a strong man, because he could feel his dominance rushing to the surface.
She grabbed his hand and led him up the stairs. When they reached her bedroom, she dropped his hand and started taking off her clothes. He liked that she didn’t hold back or try to hide from him.
He removed his clothing, too, and crossed the room to kiss her again.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said when he broke the kiss.
“Thank you. You’re not so bad yourself,” she said, teasing.
Smack!
He slapped her ass, and she yelped, moving closer into his embrace. He rubbed the sting away, and she licked his nipple and raked her teeth gently over the tiny bud.
Smack!
He slapped her ass again.
“Get on the bed and open your legs for me.”
She followed directions without hesitation, and he kneeled on the bed between her legs. Her bare pussy glistened in the low light, wet with her essence. He traced her pussy lips with his finger and sucked the digit into his mouth.
“Mmm… Sweeter than honey. I need more.”
He dove in between her legs and swirled his tongue around her lower lips, licking up every drop, and then sucked her clit into his mouth. She bucked her hips once, but he held on, sucking and licking until she pulled his hair and begged him to fuck her.
His cock hardened to the point of pain, but he didn’t relent.
He released her clit and circled his tongue around her pussy, licking up her essence once more. He raised her hips with his hands, and buried his face in her core. His tongue jabbed in and out of her pussy, mimicking what he wanted to do with his dick, and she moaned and gasped beneath him. Her pussy throbbed around his tongue, and her moans and sexy noises became louder with each stroke.
He knew an orgasm loomed within her reach, and when she grabbed his head and shoved him deeper into her core, he moved faster, jabbing, licking and sucking, until she screamed his name and came into his mouth. He gently licked up every drop, mindful of her sensitivity, as her breathing returned to normal.
He crawled up the bed and hovered over her, desperate to sink his hard, throbbing cock deep inside his mate. He grabbed his cock and guided it to her entrance, then he slowly sank into her tight channel. He’d never felt anything like the sensation that seemed to race over his skin.
She felt like…home.
“Oh shit!” he said. He pulled out as if he’d been burned, and jumped off the bed.
“What is it?” she panted. “What’s the matter?”
He took several deep breaths before he could speak.
“Condom,” he managed to whisper before he started pacing the room.
Sara drove him crazy, but as his mate, she was dangerous. The possibility of pregnancy resulting from sex with a mate was nearly one hundred percent. He could never have unprotected sex with her, or else he’d risk passing along his curse.
Sara reached into her nightstand and pulled out a strip of condoms.
“Aaron,” she said and waved the strip around.
Instantly, panic turned into a jealous rage.
“Why do you have condoms?” he roared.
The urge to hunt down every one of her previous partners rode him hard. They’d only known each other one day and he felt like he was going insane.
“Because I’m a sexually active single woman and I have to make sure I’m protected at all times,” she sat up and yelled back. “I would think you’d be happy, and get over here to finish what you’ve started, instead of pacing the room like a caged animal.”
A caged animal.
Little did she know, she’d nailed him in less than twenty-four hours.
He was a caged animal, had been for nearly a century, and right now his bear wanted to claim his mate. He continued to pace.
Sara watched him silently as the seconds turned into minutes. Eventually, she got off the bed and left him alone in the room. He heard the spray from the shower and cursed.
She’d recognized his turmoil and given him an easy out. He could leave, never see her again, and they’d each go their separate ways with no hard feelings. Except he didn’t want an easy out.
He grabbed the strip of condoms, ripped one open, and rolled it down his dick. He stormed to the bathroom, burst through the door and pulled the shower curtain back. Sara stood under the spray, soaking wet with her hair plastered against her face, and looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes. He hated that he’d made her cry.
He stepped into the tub and crowded her against the wall.
“I’m sorry,” he said, and then he kissed her the way he had in the kitchen.
It was possessive, demanding, and unyielding. She kissed him back, stroke for stroke, until he felt as if he would explode.
He slid his hands over her ass and lifted her high against the wall.
“Aaron—”
He could hear the protest in her voice, but he cut her off by entering her in one thrust.
“Oh god,” she moaned.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, locked her ankles around his waist, and held on as he pounded into her pussy. The soft flesh fit him like a glove, and he didn’t relent. He thrust harder, faster, and pushed deeper until she screamed his name. Her pussy tightened around his cock, and the sensation pushed him over the edge. He pushed deep inside her core and roared his release.
Sara dropped her head on his shoulder and sighed, loosening her hold around his neck. He gently lowered her legs to the floor of the tub. When she could stand on her own, he took care of the condom, adjusted the water temperature, and grabbed the soap.
He lathered up his hands and washed her body from head to toe. He took his time, caressing and touching her everywhere.
She watched him silently and brushed her fingers against him when he was within her reach. When every inch of her skin had been touched by the soap, he quickly washed himself, and then guided her under the spray, rinsed away the soap, and shut off the water. He dried her with a big, fluffy, white towel, and then did the same for himself.
He pulled her into the bedroom and instructed her to get on the bed, under the covers. She complied without comment, and he flipped off the light and lay down behind her. He pulled her body flush with his, and fell asleep to the soft, steady breathing of his satisfied mate.
Chapter Three
Aaron woke up alone and looked at the clock on the nightstand. He’d often slept late, but he didn’t usually mind waking up alone. Sara’s pillow lacked warmth, and the fact that she’d been gone longer than a few minutes bothered him.
He hated the implications of his feelings, but he couldn’t deny them. He wanted to be near his mate. He got out of bed to track her down when he heard voices from the kitchen.
He’d forgotten about her business and the continental breakfast she served every morning. She opened her home to her guests from seven to ten, which explained her absence.
With her departure explained, he released some of the tension in his shoulders. He would still see her, but he could wait until her guests left. He didn’t want to embarrass her, or create an awkward situation.
He looked in the linen closet for fresh sheets and a towel, and then he made the bed and took a long hot shower. He found a new, packaged toothbrush under her sink and he brushed his teeth and used her brush on his hair.
By the time he finished, it was a few minutes after ten.
He descended the staircase and went into the kitchen to find her.
“I’m sorry, but not this time. I have plans tonight,” Sara said.
She leaned against the kitchen counter with her back facing him, talking to a younger man with long black hair. They didn’t touch, but they stood close and talked quietly even though they were the only two people in the room. The kid was only a couple of inches taller than her, and skinny, but in a deceiving way. His body was lean, but muscular.
The guy whispered something and Sara laughed and grabbed his hand.
“Me too, thank you,” she said.
What was she thanking him for?
“Maybe next time. I’ll be back in June,” the guy said.
“Maybe,” Sara agreed. “If you don’t stay here, stop by and say hello when you get into town.”
“I will,” he said, and hugged her.
When she hugged him back, jealousy swamped him.
“Let. Her. Go,” he demanded.
He stepped further into the kitchen and glared at the couple, his fists clinched at his sides, ready for a fight. They separated normally, as if he hadn’t issued a challenge, and Sara introduced him.
“Good morning, Aaron. This is my friend, Jake.”
“Get your hands off of her,” Aaron seethed.
The guy, Jake, held his hands in the air as if being arrested.
“Dude, you need to relax. Have some coffee or something,” Jake said, rounding the counter and walking toward the backdoor. He didn’t have a care in the world, and Aaron mentally commended him. The guy didn’t show an ounce of fear.
“You going to be all right?” he asked Sara, his hand on the doorknob.
“I’ll be fine. Thanks Jake.”
“I’ll call you,” he said, and walked out the door.
“He is not calling you,” Aaron put his foot down.
“Oh really?” she shot back. “And how will you stop him? Did you suddenly decide to stick around for a while?”
“Who is he?” he ignored her.
She sighed as if exhausted by his questions.
