by Opal Carew
If she liked the place, maybe she’d consider moving in with him? Maybe, if he could get even closer to her, he could discover if she was truly meant to be his mate. The bear inside him was still on the fence, but it was leaning more and more toward her each time they were near.
He’d deliberately held the bear back until yesterday because he couldn’t have contemplated getting involved with her until she knew about shifters. Now that she knew, he had released his tight hold on his inner bear, and the cranky animal was being stubborn, withholding from the human side just for spite. Otherwise, he’d know already whether or not Nell was meant to be his.
Or so he believed. His parents always said they knew at first sight that they were meant for each other. In fact, Brody had spent an hour on the phone last night with his dad, trying to figure it out, but his dad had seemed to think that it was different for each shifter. Many, like his folks, knew immediately. Others had to be hit over the head with it.
Brody hoped he wasn’t one of the latter. He wanted a mate. And a family. And a home that was more than just a house.
“I built into the side of the hill to take advantage of the views but did my best to leave the natural habitat intact,” he told her. “Though there’s plenty of room for a garden,” he said, thinking of her rooftop oasis.
He looked over to find her smiling in a shy way that he found adorable. Pretty much everything about Nell was adorable. If he could pick a mate, he’d want a woman exactly like her. But one thing his dad had impressed on him in their talk last night was that shifters really didn’t have much choice. True mates were granted by the Goddess and brought together by fate.
Brody pulled into the drive and drove up to the house, holding his breath to see her reaction.
“Oh, this is lovely,” she exclaimed, and he started to breathe again. “I love the way the house blends into the woods. It’s like it grew out of the hillside naturally.”
Brody felt his cheeks heat as he flushed with pleasure at her compliment.
“It’s my attempt at a human grizzly den. All the comforts and safety of being in the ground, and yet, the beautiful views and natural light my human side craves.” He had never really put it into words before, but he found himself wanting her to understand.
She turned in her seat to look at him. “You really are two in one, aren’t you? I mean, I’ve been thinking about it pretty much non-stop since yesterday, and I’m so curious about how it all works…being a bear, I mean.”
He liked that she was interested. It was a good sign, as far as he was concerned. If she could accept his dual nature, maybe she would be amenable to being his mate. If the Goddess blessed them, of course. For now, the bear was withholding the knowledge from him, the furry bastard.
“Well, the first thing you need to know…” he said, pulling to a stop in front of the house and shutting off the engine, “…is that the bear side of me will never hurt you. I’m still me when I’m in my fur. I still know all my friends, and my protective instincts are in full force. You never need to fear the bear in me, Nell.”
When she was silent, he turned to look at her and found her mouth open in shock again. Finally, she seemed to process his words. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I mean, you were so great in the bakery yesterday, I guess I just didn’t even consider it.”
“Great?” She thought he’d been great in the bakery? He thought he’d scared her half to death, but apparently, she remembered it differently.
“Yeah, I mean, you could’ve torn up the place, or roared, or something. You could’ve wiped out that little koala with one swipe of your claws, but you showed enormous restraint, I thought. You were great,” she repeated, nodding.
He was blushing again. He could feel the heat in his cheeks. He hadn’t been so emotional since he was a teen, but something about Nell brought out all sorts of strange reactions in him.
“I probably should have sat on him at least,” Brody joked, uncomfortable with the praise he didn’t quite know how to handle.
Nell chuckled. “Then I would have had squashed koala in the middle of my shop.” She giggled some more. “I shouldn’t laugh. It’s just a funny visual, you know? Like a cartoon or something.”
“It would’ve been a little ridiculous,” Brody admitted, smiling with her. “I just couldn’t bring myself to hurt the little guy. I mean, he was stupid and drunk. And did I mention stupid? But there’s something about a koala. They’re not a real bear, you know? But they’re kinda cute if you hold your breath.”
“Why hold your breath? Oh! You mean the eucalyptus smell?” She chuckled again. “He kind of smelled like a cough drop to me.”
“Well, I’ve heard that smell is intense for humans, but imagine how my nose reacted to that. We smell things, hear things, taste things…a lot more than you do. Our senses are way more acute. His scent is literally an assault on the nostrils.”
“I had no idea, but I guess it makes sense. Wow. You continue to amaze me the more I learn about you,” she said candidly.
He liked that she wasn’t holding things back from him. He’d seen her shock and her fear, though thankfully not too much fear. Her honesty was fresh and welcome.
“Then let me amaze you even more with my grilling skills. I’ve got everything set. All I have to do is light the fire and get things cooking.” He gestured toward the house. “Shall we?”
She smiled at him, and his heart stopped for a moment. “Sure. But I’m going to need some help getting out of your car, or I might fall on my nose.”
“Say no more. Your wish is my command.”
He got out of the vehicle and walked quickly around to her side, opening the door and lifting her out.
He took his time lowering her to the ground, allowing her body to slide against his all the way down. And even when both of her feet were on the ground, he didn’t let her go. He paused, letting her decide if she wanted to step away and break their connection.
When she didn’t, he lowered his head and stole the kiss he’d been wanting since the night before. A kiss with no holds barred. Nobody watching. Nobody gossiping. Just the two of them, in the forest evening.
His arms swept around her when her knees crumpled, and he felt the sharp stab of pride knowing he’d nearly made her swoon with pleasure. Just from a kiss. He wondered what would happen when they finally made love. And then, he almost growled out loud, thinking about how much he wanted that to happen tonight.
He tightened his hold, wanting to feel every one of her luscious curves against his starving body. But then, he made himself release her, one agonizing inch at a time. He couldn’t rush this. He had to remember she was human. She probably didn’t feel the same raw urgency as shifters did. He had to do this right and give her all the space she needed.
Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do his best to seduce her, but he’d lured her to his den with the promise of dinner. He could at least feed her before he tried to convince her to go farther. Besides, he liked spending time with her. Sex would be great—no, it would be awesome—but he also wanted to just have her in his space for a little while, all to himself, to enjoy talking with her and basking in the sparkle of her eyes.
Chapter 7
Nell’s head was spinning when Brody let her go. She was dazed and didn’t really comprehend at first why he’d stepped back. She had been on the point of climbing his body like a tree and removing his clothing with her teeth. Even now, she had to fight the impulse to step closer and demand he give her more of those addictive kisses.
She wanted to run her fingers over his body, to learn the curves and hardness of his muscles. Brody was, by far, the finest specimen of a man she had ever gotten this close to. She hadn’t been in town long before she noticed that he filled out his clothes with amazing detail, his shoulders straining at the seams of his embroidered uniform golf shirts.
She liked the casualness of this town’s sheriff’s uniform—those nice, stretchy golf shirts that showed off every muscle
when he moved a certain way, and cargo pants that showcased a tight ass she had found herself watching every time he walked out of the bakery. Brody Chambers had a great butt.
And he was a truly nice guy too. Not vain, he didn’t even seem to be really aware of how good looking he was. As she was getting to know him, she had figured out that he came by his muscles honestly, doing all sorts of physical labor around the town when needed. He wasn’t the kind of man to sit on the sidelines when something needed doing, and she really admired that.
As her head began to clear, she realized he was looking into her eyes as if to gauge her reaction. She felt like a fool, caught staring at him, probably with a goofy expression on her face.
The man was lethal. His kisses should come with mandatory warning labels. May cause dizziness, light-headedness, lack of oxygen to the brain and gooey, lovestruck appearance. Oh, yeah.
“Ready to eat?” His voice rumbled through her body, warming her in very private, sensitive places.
You bet she was ready. But it didn’t sound like he was on the menu at the moment. Nell tucked away her disappointment and tried to sober up. He’d invited her here for dinner. She had to get with the program!
“Where did you put the bag I gave you?” she asked, buying time to settle her nerves.
Brody went to the backseat of the big SUV and removed the large shopping bag she had packed earlier and given him when he’d picked her up. He closed the car door and hefted the bag in one hand as he motioned for her to precede him up to the front door.
He reached around her to open the door and let her walk through first. The house was lovely. Although built into the side of the hill, there were lots of windows at the front and skylights in the front part of the roof that let the twilight of outside into the structure. It almost felt like a continuation of the woodlands she had just stepped out of. The house was rustic and majestic all at the same time.
Rough hewn beams and giant poles that had to have been entire tree trunks dominated the entryway but gave way to more modern materials at the back where the house entered the hillside. There was a techno-forest vibe where the wood blended with poured concrete slabs and brick that had been artfully arranged as walls and supporting structure. The house was definitely built to last.
“You built this yourself?” she asked, not quite believing it. This house should be on the cover of a design magazine.
“Every beam and every brick,” Brody said, and she heard the hint of pride in his voice. He should be proud. What she could see of it was amazing.
“Wow.” She moved farther into the giant living room, which fronted the house, probably to take advantage of the awesome view.
“So you like it?” He seemed unsure.
“Like it?” She turned to meet his gaze. “Brody, this place is like nothing I could have imagined. It’s ingenious. I love it.”
* * *
Hearing her sincere approval of his efforts did something to Brody. It was like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and a smile started inside his heart, working its way outward. She liked the den he had built for his mate.
Oh, he hadn’t been consciously aware of it, at the time, but Brody had always had a little ray of hope, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he might find a mate to settle with after he put down roots in Grizzly Cove. He’d designed the house on a much larger scale than he’d need just for himself. He’d also put in every modern convenience a woman—or a growing family—could need. And safety had never been far from his mind. The entire back half of the house could be sealed off like a fortress if attack came from the open front half, and there was even a secret tunnel escape route if they got trapped in the underground section.
He’d tried to think of everything. He had put a lot of effort into both the design and the construction. This was his home, and he would hate to have to leave it, but he would, if his mate didn’t approve.
Whoa. There was that word again. Mate.
Why was it that he kept thinking about a permanent arrangement when it came to Nell? She was human, which would make life difficult, but she was also so…incredibly perfect. Maybe the shifter mate he’d always envisioned in his life wasn’t meant to be. Maybe he was meant to have a human mate. Oddly, the thought didn’t bother him as much as he expected it would. Not when the human woman in question was Nell.
For her, he’d do just about anything. She was delicate, so he’d have to temper his more animalistic tendencies, but his bear was starting to think of her in mate terms too, so it wanted to protect her. If the bear decided she was it, then the human half of his nature wouldn’t argue. His human side had been attracted to her from the very beginning. It was the bear that had reserved judgment.
And now, the bear was puffing out Brody’s chest, proud that the small woman liked the den he had built.
“Come on back to the kitchen. We’ll just get the grill started, and I’ll put the steaks on,” he said, focusing on the task at hand.
He’d invited her over for dinner. He would make sure he actually served the food before he lost complete control and pounced on her. It was the least he could do.
The kitchen was in the front part of the house that stuck out from the hillside. It was off to the left side and had a door that led to an outdoor deck that was secluded by pine trees and the surrounding forest. There was a wooden table and chairs out there Brody had carved from tree trunks and stained to match the environment. He’d spent many evenings out on this deck, from which he could see the front of his property through the screen of branches but remain hidden from view.
“It’s like a hidden grotto out here,” Nell observed as he led her outside.
He’d left her shopping bag on the kitchen island before heading out to light the grill. If he didn’t get the fire going, it would be a long wait for those steaks he’d promised her.
“I eat out here most of the time,” Brody admitted, rolling back the wooden cover he’d made to camouflage the huge grill that was his pride and joy.
“Wow,” Nell said, peering at the propane-powered giant that filled the back of the deck. “That’s some grill.”
Brody beamed. “One of my little indulgences,” he admitted. “Bears like meat, and my human side likes it cooked to perfection. This grill is the compromise, so I went all out to get the best one I could afford when I built this place. I cook out here almost every night.”
“What about when it rains?” This part of the country received a lot of rain, but he’d come up with a way around that too.
“Behold,” he said, like a showman, as he pressed a button and the canopy he had painstakingly designed deployed to cover the deck.
“That is so cool,” Nell whispered as she looked up to admire the dark green canopy he had rigged so that any rain would slide off to either side, away from the house. It kept the deck and grill area dry while not cutting them off from the night air or the view. She turned back to look at him. “You’ve really thought of everything. I’m impressed.”
Brody couldn’t resist. He leaned down to steal a kiss.
The taste of her mouth was like ambrosia to a starving man. Honey and light. Sweetness and life.
Brody lifted her in his arms and seated her on the wooden table, moving between her thighs. The feel of her soft body flowing around him made him tremble. How much better would it be when they were skin to skin and he could sink inside her tight warmth, learning the feel of her body taking him…accepting him?
He wanted that with every fiber of his being. He wanted to belong to her and have her belong to him. The human side was totally on board with that concept, but the bear was still reserving judgment, though he was starting to see the merits of having a soft human woman share his den. She would bring laughter and wonder…and cubs.
Even if she could never run with him in the woods and hunt by his side in bear form, he would have cubs to teach and play with. Young to raise and love. His mate would love them, and he would love her. They would make a family.
The bear approved of that idea wholeheartedly.
“Brody.” His name was a whispered plea on her lips, driving his passions higher.
He lowered his lips to her throat, nipping a little, enjoying her flutters and the small squeak when he pushed a bit too hard. He drew back, meeting her gaze.
“I’m sorry. We should eat first.” He stepped away, though it was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do.
“First?”
He had turned away but looked back at her to gauge her reaction. Her tone had been flirty. The look on her face was…daring. She was smiling, and one eyebrow was raised in question.
“Uh…” He cleared his throat. “I mean…”
Nell hopped off the table and walked slowly over to him, placing her right hand over his racing heart. She was still smiling, and he wasn’t entirely sure he knew what to make of her expression. She looked…confident, as if she knew something he didn’t. Hell, she probably did. Women were mysterious creatures, and Nell was a prime example of her species.
“It’s okay, Sheriff, I know what you mean.” She tapped her fingers over his heart playfully, and his breathing hitched. “As it happens, I think we’re thinking along the same lines.” She stepped back when he would have given in to his instincts and reached for her. “I’d like my steak medium well,” she said brightly, and it was some time before he could make his brain work again, and figure out that she had just placed her dinner order, as it were.
So much for thinking along the same lines, he thought sadly. But he had promised her dinner, and it looked like she was hungry, so he would feed her. And bask in her presence.
He liked having her in his home. She added a liveliness to the place that didn’t normally exist.
“I’ll just go get the steaks,” he said, heading back into the kitchen after lighting the grill.
She followed on his heels, going straight for her shopping bag. The bag was full of plastic food boxes, which she unpacked neatly, and he realized as they worked in the kitchen together that she’d brought way more than just a fresh salad.
