“Open your eyes, Callie.”
When I do, I find him staring at me. My eyes move lower, to his crotch. He’s pulled his dick out through the zipper of his jeans, stroking it with a tight fist. Holy shit. At least the rumors about that are true. At the sight of him, a lump rises in my throat. I try to dislodge it, but I’m not too successful. He rises, prowling toward me.
“You’re beautiful,” he breathes against my lips.
Grabbing my thighs, he picks me up. As he moves, he unclasps my bra. When he lays me on the bed, he quickly removes it, licking his lips as he tosses it over his head. I try to cover my breasts, but he takes my wrists, securing my hands above my head.
“Don’t hide from me.”
His lips close around my nipple. My back arches, and I moan, trying to free my hands from his hold. He releases them, pushing my breasts together as he moves from one nipple to the next.
“Zax….”
I writhe beneath him, sliding my fingers through his hair, and wrapping my thighs around his hips. He grunts, grinding against me. My muscles contract, my body shudders. One hand moves down between our bodies, finding the crotch of my panties.
“Fuck, baby. You soaked right through this shit.”
He moves down my stomach, kissing and nipping at my skin. Stopping at my navel, he trails his tongue back up, between my breasts, and up my neck. His fingers rub circles on my clit through my panties while he kisses a spot below my ear.
“Oh, God!”
I press his face into my neck. He takes my cue, sucking on that spot until stars materialize before my eyes. Standing upright, he curls his fingers into the waistband of my panties and drags them off. Again, I try to hide myself, but he grabs my wrist.
“Don’t. You do that again, I’m going to spank your ass.”
Every muscle in my body tightens. I don’t know why, but the prospect doesn’t sound so scary. When he releases me, my hand drops to my side. He’s very perceptive, though.
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” He smirks.
“Maybe.”
When he kicks off his jeans, I notice he’s not wearing underwear. Resting on my elbows, I watch him roll on a condom. Shifters aren’t vulnerable to human diseases, but birth control pills don’t work for us, so we use condoms to prevent pregnancy.
He’s stroking himself as he leans forward. I lie back, staring up into his eyes.
“You ever had anything inside you? A toy… your fingers?” he asks.
I shake my head. He presses against me, moving his hips and sliding his dick back and forth on my clit. I sink my nails into his back.
“Zax, please….”
“Soon, baby.”
His thumb replaces his dick, making circles while a finger slides inside me. I clench around it, making him groan.
“So fucking tight.”
My hips rise up off the bed, and I feel the stretch as he tries to fit another finger in. I don’t know how much more of this I can take.
“Oh, Zax… I feel… I think….”
“Come for me, Callie.”
I scream his name as my body shudders and convulses. He doesn’t stop. The fingers inside me rub at my walls, the thumb on my clit moving faster. It’s not long before he coaxes another climax from me. Before it even stops, he begins to push inside me. He growls, his fingers digging into my thighs. The pain is momentary, pleasure coursing through me as he begins to move. Feeling him inside me, is like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle—a perfect fit. His hands roam my body, pinching my nipples, gripping my waist, my ass… lifting my hips off the bed to change his angle. Always gentle, though, worshipping my body with his touch. Instinctively, my muscles clench around him.
“Fuck, Callie…” He moves faster, thrusting into me as his thumb returns to my clit. “One more time, baby.”
I whimper, grabbing the sheets as that feeling creeps up on me again. “Zax… Oh, God… Zax!”
My body gives in to him again, shaking uncontrollably. Over the deafening beating of my heart, I hear him grunt. Then, he goes still. He hangs his head, breathing heavily.
“Zax?”
He glances up, concern in his eyes. “Are you okay?”
I nod.
Groaning, he pulls out of me and removes the condom, tossing it into a trash can by the bed. Oh, the stories that trash can could probably tell. Zax gently slaps my thigh, so I move, allowing him to climb into bed next to me. What do I do now? Do I just leave? I don’t want to overstay my welcome and have him kick me out. I turn to him, hoping to see a look, hear a word, something to tell me he felt what I did. Instead, I’m met with a snore. Blinking back tears, I quietly dress and slip out of his house.
Present day
With a heavy sigh, I shake away the memory and finish my pie.
“What’s wrong, dear?”
“Just tired, Mom. Long drive.”
“Get some sleep. I’ll clean up.”
Usually, I wouldn’t let my mom lift a finger with me around, but I’m exhausted. I should be better after a good night’s sleep.
“Okay. ’Night, Mom. See you in the morning.”
After kissing her cheek, I make my way upstairs. It’s going to be interesting being back in Fall Valley.
***
It’s now a week since I’ve been back home. What a week it’s been. I was lucky enough to land a job with the Sheriff’s department. It’s just office work, but it’s got benefits and I get to see the sexy sheriff and his equally hot deputies every day. Win-win. It’s nothing like my job at the law firm back in California, but it’s something to do. For now. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but if I end up staying, at least I’ll have a source of income.
I’ve also been running around taking care of things for my mom. The house is falling apart. I had someone assess the extent of the repairs needed, and I bought all the materials. He’s supposed to come back and begin working this weekend. I just need to pick up the paint and we’re all set.
“Hey, Callie.”
I look up from the documents I’m filing, smiling at the sheriff as he approaches. “Hi, Sheriff Caldwell.”
“You can call me Will; everyone does.”
He returns my smile, eyes so dark I can’t tell if they’re brown or black, centering on me.
“Okay… Will. Is there something I can help with?”
“Yeah. When you’re done with those, can you try to make heads or tails of the stack on my desk? Sorry, I’m not the most organized bear.”
“No problem. That’s what I’m here for.”
“Thanks.”
He winks, removing his hat as he walks away. Running his fingers through his dark hair, he hangs the hat on his door and drops down in the chair behind his desk. I transfer my gaze to his three deputies—Micah, Dallas, and Trip. Micah is a lion shifter, the color of his hair matching my vision of his animal. It’s dark, though. Michelle—also a lion shifter—once told me the darker the male’s mane, the more powerful he is. His father is the ruler of his pride, and he carries himself like a prince without being a royal douche. Dallas. Oh, Dallas. Physically, he reminds me of another bear whose name I won’t mention—big, bulging muscles, dark hair, and hazel eyes. He doesn’t talk much, but he’s been nothing but nice to me. Trip? Him I don’t understand. He’s the son of our Premier, the next bear in line to rule over our town. With his family’s money, he could probably do anything he wanted, but he’s here… a deputy in a department that will report to him one day. There’s something about him. Maybe it’s knowing who his parents are, but there’s something stately about him. Micah doesn’t even come close to his stature. Trip’s dark brown hair is always perfectly in place, even after being under his hat all day. While he’s not as bulky as the other men, his muscles are developed and he fills out a pair of jeans quite nicely. I don’t know why these men are still single. I’ve only known them a short time, but they seem nice enough. Working here might have another advantage after all.
Too bad they’re no
t Zax.
Shaking away the wayward thought, I grab the files from Will’s desk and begin working on those. They don’t take much time, so I’m done before lunch. The phone hasn’t rung all morning, either.
“You done already?” Will asks as he passes me on his way out.
“Yes. Anything else you want me to do?”
“I don’t think so. It’s pretty slow today, so why don’t you head home? I’ll rustle up something for you to do tomorrow.”
“Okay. Thanks!”
I gather my things, say goodbye to the deputies, then head out behind the sheriff. Since I have time, I browse the hardware store, picking up a few items here and there, before collecting the paint. After realizing I’ve spent three hours there, I grab dinner from Mom’s favorite place. I’ve been so busy, we haven’t spent much quality time together, so I’m looking forward to doing that tonight. I haven’t done much of anything social since I’ve been back. I wish I had some friends here. Michelle—the one friend I had—moved away after graduation, and we lost touch over the years. Being as shy as I am, I didn’t socialize much growing up. I doubt I’ll be making friends now. Fall Valley is a small town. Houses are scattered in the surrounding forest, our town center, actually situated in the middle. It’s nothing but an intersection with shops and other businesses lining the four streets. Not far from there, a massive cabin sits on a hill. That’s where the Premier and his wife—the Prima—live with their family. Everyone pretty much keeps to themselves, with our leaders only stepping in when necessary. Nothing has changed since I left.
“Mom!” I yell as I walk through the door. “I’m home!”
“How come you’re home so early?” She asks as she enters the kitchen.
“Slow day. I brought dinner.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.”
She kisses my forehead, staring at me, her eyes reminiscent.
“What?”
“You have your father’s eyes.”
“Oh, Mom….”
Now she’s going to start crying. Other than my eyes, I’m the spitting image of my mother, only younger. It must be hard for her to look at me and see so much of herself, but still be reminded of my dad every time she does. I didn’t know my father well. He died when I was three. All I know is that he’s my bear half, and was—still is—the love of Mom’s life. She said he was her true mate and there would never be anyone else for her. I wish I could find someone like that.
You did.
I push the nagging voice away and wrap my arms around my crying mother. When I was younger, she’d ask me to shift because it made her feel closer to Dad. Not many half-human werebears can shift. It’s a bit of a toss-up, depending on whether you inherit more of your human parent’s genes, or your shifter parent’s. I don’t shift much anymore. Every time I do, I want to stay in that form. Life is so much easier when I’m on all fours, human problems fading into insignificance.
“I’m fine,” Mom says. “Don’t worry about me, my sweet girl. Let’s eat.”
After a quiet dinner, she tells me she’s going to head to the church for a bit. I try to convince her to let me go with her, but she refuses. I relent, cleaning up while she gets ready.
Two minutes after leaving, she comes back through the door, a confused expression on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“My car won’t start.”
“Here.” I hand her my keys. “You can use mine. I’ll give yours a jump in the morning.”
“Thanks, honey. It’s still early. Call Zax and have him tow it. I’m pretty sure he’ll have it fixed by morning.”
Zax. Shit. I haven’t seen him since that first day, but the man has the only garage in town. Fuck. Taking a calming breath, I find the number in Mom’s book and dial it with a shaking thumb.
“Knight’s,” comes the voice on the other end.
Thank God. It’s not him.
“Hi, this is Callie. I’m June Masters’ daughter.”
“Hey, Callie! I remember you. We had English with Miss Denton. Scott Peterson.”
“Oh. Hey, Scott! How are you?”
I totally remember him with his wavy blond hair and intense green eyes. He was on the football team, and probably the cutest boy at school. He was also funny and smart. And Michelle had a huge crush on him. I did, too, until Zax showed up.
“I’m good. I—”
Irritable grumbling in the background cuts him off. That can only be coming from one person. Scott clears his throat.
“What can I do for you, Callie?”
“My mom’s car won’t start. I was hoping I could get a tow truck out.”
“Sure, no problem. I’ll be there in a bit.”
“Thanks, Scott.”
I sigh in relief as I hang up. At least I won’t have to deal with Mr. Grumpy Bear. I just can’t figure out what has his undies in a bunch. No. If I remember correctly—and trust me, I do—Zax doesn’t wear underwear. Fuck. The memory of that night surfaces like it does every day, and I see him stroking himself as he stared at me. I gulp just like I did then. Hard. To this day, I wonder if his size is a bear thing or a Zax thing. Either way, Mr. Knight has got it going on. The sound of a horn tooting outside breaks my reverie, and I move to the door to greet Scott. Only, it isn’t Scott who’s standing on our porch.
“Zax.” His name comes out as a whisper. Fuck. I hate how I get all breathless around him.
“Keys,” he grunts.
I guess someone’s mood hasn’t changed. I retrieve Mom’s keys and drop them in his palm, careful not to touch him. He turns away, going to work on hitching the car up to the truck. I follow, watching his muscles ripple as he moves.
“It won’t start. Probably just the battery.”
“So you’re a mechanic now?” he snaps. “Just let me do my job.”
“Sorr-yy.” I raise my palms, indicating surrender. If this is how he wants to be, then so be it. “When do you think you’ll have it fixed?”
“By closing tomorrow,” he answers, still not looking at me.
“Well, what time do you close?”
“Around seven.”
“Okay. I’ll come by before then.”
He grunts again, climbing into the truck’s cab and driving away as I watch. I don’t know why I ever thought he was the one.
Fucking jerk.
***Zax***
Fucking hell. I tried, I really tried. I did the pick-up instead of Scott because I wanted to see her. Since she came back, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her at all. When I heard Scott say her name, it took everything in me not to grab the phone from him. I didn’t like him talking to her. I don’t want any man talking to her. She’s mine, goddamnit! Fuck me, there I go again—laying claim to what’s not mine.
I went over there to sort things out, but the moment she opened that door, I lost it. I remembered it was her who left me, and all my plans fucked off out the window. I don’t know what to do, and that pisses me off even more. I’m Zax motherfucking Knight. Every woman wants me. Other than Callie Masters, it seems. I want her and I don’t know what to do. My bear wants her and he’s kicking my ass to do something about it. Fuck it. The next time I see her, I need to keep my shit together and figure this the fuck out. If I don’t, I’m going to lose my fucking mind.
I glance at her mother’s car as I pass by on my way to the next job. It was the battery after all. I had it fixed in five minutes, then I did a full inspection, changed all the fluids, rotated the tires, and also did a front end alignment. Scott grinned at me like an idiot all day. I finally got sick of him and told him to go home. He better be gone by the time Callie gets here. If she’s still coming. She could always send someone else to pick up the car.
I crank up my music, drop down on the creeper, and roll under Mr. Jacobs’ car. Callie. Her face materializes before me. Fucking beautiful. She doesn’t know it, either, and it just makes her even sexier. Having her back in Fall Valley makes me wonder how I lasted this long without her. The
fuck am I doing? If she’s coming by, maybe I should get cleaned up. I don’t want her to find me covered in grease. I want to touch her and I don’t want to get my dirt all over her creamy skin.
It’s too late by the time I pick up her scent. She’s already in the garage. Sliding from under the car, I rise to a sitting position, and my face almost ends up in her crotch. She lets out a little squeak, but her fingers twitch as if she wants to touch me. My dick instantly gets hard. I just want to push that little skirt aside and bury my face in her sweet pussy. I know she wants me, too. The scent of her arousal has both me and my bear going crazy. Slowly, my gaze travels up to her face. She’s staring down at me, breathing accelerated, lips parted, eyes dilated. And once again, I lose my nerve. Fuck me. I quickly get to my feet and move toward the office, turning down the music on the way.
“Car’s ready,” I tell her as I wipe my hands in a rag.
She follows quietly, looking everywhere except at me.
“What was wrong with it?”
“Just needed a new battery.” I check the paperwork. “That’s $150, parts and labor.” For what I did, it’s way more than that, but she didn’t ask for the extra stuff. I wasn’t planning on charging for that anyway.
“Okay.”
She reaches into her purse, pulling out the cash, and holding one end as she extends it to me. I can easily take it without touching her—which is her reason for holding it the way she is—but I can’t help myself. I grasp her hand, sliding my palm down her fingers before taking the bills from her. She gasps, her musky scent getting stronger. I didn’t get to taste her before, and my mouth is watering at the prospect. I toss the keys on the desk, then turn my back to her.
“Asshole,” she mumbles as she walks away.
“Bitch.” I regret the word the moment it comes out. It was a knee-jerk reaction and I didn’t mean it. There’s no way I’m apologizing, though. She did call me an asshole. Just like a woman to blame a man when she’s the one who’s wrong. She left, not me.
“What did you call me?” she shrieks.
Runaway Bear Page 2
