by A. B Lee
“Ah, poor baby. You’ll heal, right?” She turned on her heels and started away from him.
“Oh, no the hell you don’t.” Marcus shot out a hand and grabbed her upper arm, spinning her back as he stepped up to her and caught her against the length of his body.
CHAPTER EIGHT
“Watch that other foot, you have two…” She warned him, and for a moment he went to look down. Then he growled and bit down on a curse.
“Get in my truck, I’m taking you home.” Marcus informed her.
“Best thing I’ve heard all night, aside from the fact that you’ll be in it.” She snapped back.
He turned her on her heels and guided her towards his pickup. Yanking the door open and helping her inside with a small push that had her collapsing into the passenger seat.
She lifted her index finger and opened her mouth to speak, but he was already slamming the door behind her. He heard her bite out one curse word after another and shook his head as he walked around the truck to the driver’s side.
He climbed in and the truck shook and pitched like it was a boat on the ocean…
“Put your seatbelt on…” Marcus growled in her general direction. When she didn’t immediately move; he reached out and keyed the engine to start.
“Please.” He added and saw movement from her.
The sound of the click as her seatbelt found its anchor actually disappointed him. When she hadn’t moved he had the strangest notion to lean in over her, get that damned belt, and brush his hands against her breasts as he brought it back across her chest.
He kind of wished he hadn’t of said please.
A second later and they were reversing down the lane. One road in and one road out- at least that was what the map had said when she’d checked out the directions. Well, they were going the wrong way.
“You said you were taking me home.” She snapped at him.
“I am. My home.” He growled back and her heart kicked her ribs before it hammered some more.
~^~
Marcus pretty much ignored her the whole time that she was sitting around the fire pit. The rest of the clan seemed to make a point to include her in their conversations.
There were a few growls and warning looks between the males and eyes turned towards Alex every time that someone seemed to do something they might have thought the woman would disagree with, but other than that; it could have been any other community get together in the world.
She wasn’t disappointed in the least that nobody had turned into a big old bear in front of her, because she wasn’t entirely sure how she would react to that. She’d enjoyed the food, the beer, and the company. Except for Marcus; who sat there eyeing everyone with a death glare all night.
“The Doc said bed rest for you…” Jackson reached down and gently scooped his mate into his arms. “And you’ve been out here long enough.”
Janice had noted the way that the men behaved with their human mates. It was sweet, manly and masterful like some old time swashbuckling movie on tv, but still sweet.
She flicked her eyes towards Marcus and snatched them away again when she caught him staring at her.
“But…” Alex started and Jackson’s eyebrows went up on his head.
“It’s about to snow. I can scent it in the air.” He informed her and that kicked Janice into action. She pushed up to her full height, which wasn’t tall compared to the male company that she was keeping.
“I should be going if I want to beat the snow and get home.” She announced and Marcus snorted his contempt for her words.
“Good luck with that. I’m not taking you.” He growled.
“Hold up, I wanna see this…” Alex whispered against Jackson’s ear.
“Then I’ll walk.” Janice announced as she tugged down her jacket over her backside and put one foot in front of the other.
Marcus was in front of her in a heartbeat. She snapped her head back on her neck to glare up at him.
“No, you won’t.” Another low rumble went through his chest and she felt annoyance rather than like a damned teenager at her prom. He seemed to puff his body out and she had no idea why. He was damned big enough as it was without changing his stance.
“You can’t tell me what to do, I’m a grown ass woman.” That hadn’t come out exactly how she’d wanted it too, but she was sure he got the gist of it when he leaned in towards her.
“Yes I can, and yes I will. You heard Jackson, it’s about to snow, and I’m not letting you get in a damn car or walk in it.”
Marcus flexed his muscles and he didn’t know why. Maybe he was expecting her to stomp on his damn foot again, or maybe he was expecting her to kick him right in the balls, but in his world it paid to look big and mean, and you wanted to impress your attacker.
Damn, but this man made her want to stomp her foot in annoyance and she hadn’t done that, apart from on his foot earlier, since she was a child. He really was like a bear with a sore head.
“Shouldn’t you be hibernating for winter?” She scowled up at him to sniggers from the others.
“Seriously?” He growled down at her and she shrugged her shoulders.
“You’re a bear.” She offered up to him.
“And a human.”
“Still a bloody bear though right? I’m sure you go crap in the woods, so why not go take a long nap, and I’ll see you in the spring.”
“Get in the damn cabin, woman.” Marcus growled. “Or do we have to do things the hard way again?”
She was still a little annoyed at him for the last time. She certainly didn’t want to be thrown over his shoulder and carried off in front of everyone. That would just be embarrassing. She huffed.
“I’ll sleep in the damn truck.”
“No, you’ll play Goldilocks and sleep in my damn bed.”
“I’m not sleeping in your bed.”
“Look…” Marcus took a step forward and she took a long step back. He froze and scented the air; looking for fear coming from her. He softened his stance…
“Don’t even act like this isn’t some great burden for you, some great imposition. Just stay the hell away from me.” She tossed up a dismissive hand in his direction and he took a long step back from her.
“Suzanna, can you show the Doctor to my cabin?” Marcus turned on his heels and stalked away. He didn’t even bother waiting for a reply.
Janice stared at his broad back as he walked away once more. The man had a habit of doing that and she found that she didn’t like it, not much, not only little bit.
She stomped over to the nearest snow band and grabbed a handful of yesterday’s snow, forming a hard tight ball and lobbying it at the back of his head. Splat. Right on target.
He hesitated in his stride but still didn’t look back. There was a rumble like thunder, but she still felt better for it.
~^~
“So this is where he brings all of his women…” Janice half muttered to herself as she surveyed the inside of his cabin.
Jealousy raised its ugly little head within her and she frowned hard at the notion. She had nothing to be jealous of- he wasn’t hers, never would be. He’d kissed her once, and that seemed to be more than enough for him.
“Marcus? Noooo.” Suzanna chuckled. “Marcus is territorial. He doesn’t normally let females in here, except for Alex. She gets a free pass with Marcus. I’ve had a few cups of coffee with him on the porch, but- this is his man cave.” Suzanna chuckled.
“Sounds about right. He is caveman material.” She wanted to dismiss the man and his attitude towards. Hot then cold wasn’t something that you wanted to cling to in life. For some damn reason that man had gotten under her skin and she wasn’t sure that she liked it.
“Want me to help you change the sheets on the bed?” Suzanna asked.
“No.” She shook her head. There was no way in hell she was playing Goldilocks and sleeping in his bed. “I got it, thanks.”
“You ok?” Suzanna ducked her head into Janice’s eye line
and the woman seemed to snap out of it a little with the help of a shake of her head.
“I’d say what the hell is wrong with him, but…?”
“Let’s just say that I think Marcus has met his match in you and it’s unnerved him a little.” Suzanna could have blurted out what the clan already knew, they were mates and Marcus was fighting it, but it wasn’t her place to tell.
“Or maybe he just needed half a bottle of Scotch inside of him to be in a good mood.” Janice was more talking to herself than to Suzanna.
“If you need anything, just give a knock next door or yell. Trust me, someone will hear you.” Suzanna offered and Janice nodded.
“Thanks, Suzanna.”
With that Suzanna retreated and left her to her own devices. She wasn’t about to snoop, well, much.
She found the bathroom and took care of her needs. On the way in she’d spotted his bedroom with its open door and larger than hell bed in prime position against the opposite wall, coming back out she itched just to see where the ogre laid his big old head.
Flicking on the overhead lights she took it all in from the doorway. Unwilling to go inside.
Suzanna had said that Marcus never brought women to his bed… well, she wouldn’t be sleeping there either.
She turned off the lights and walked back into the living room. Flicking off the lights and curling up into the corner cushions of the couch; she closed her eyes and tried to count sheep, but all she saw on the back of her lids was Marcus.
~^~
Temptation was a bitch with claws that tore him up from the inside. Marcus had promised himself that he was going to stay on the outside of his cabin all night to guard the woman inside and keep her safe while she was with them.
It wasn’t that he expected anything bad to happen to her, he didn’t. It was just the way of the beast.
He’d prowled around out back. Saw his bedroom light go on, and his heart kicked him in the ribs at the thought of her stretching out on his bed, and then when that light went out- well, that was all that he could think about. His women in his bed… it got so bad that he even went up to the window to see if he could see in through the damn closed blind.
He tortured himself with images of her lying there waiting for him to come to her. Then he tortured himself with the images of what might happen if he did.
The need to see her inside his bed won out in the end and he found himself creeping into his own damn cabin like a thief in the night; imagine his shock when he quietly closed the front door and turned to see her curled up like a damn cat in the corner of his couch.
He sighed inwardly. Disappointment rushed through him, not just that she hadn’t sought the comfort of his bed, but that she was still fighting against him like this.
But then; he hadn’t really told her to take his bed, just made some damn Goldilocks comment. Maybe she assumed he was going to be sleeping in it himself. Maybe she was worried he’d climb in beside her again.
He stole across the room and looked down on her. She looked uncomfortable, and that gave him a reason to reach out and lift her into his arms.
At the first movement of her body leaving the cushions; she snapped her eyes open and jolted awake.
CHAPTER NINE
“What…?” Dazed and confused, and a lot startled; Janice’s hand came up and her knuckles caught him across the face. Just a backhand that felt like she was swatting a fly.
“You’re sleeping in my spot.” Marcus informed her.
He ignored the slight pain to his nose as he started for the bedroom with her cradled in his arms.
“There’s a bed for you…” Janice frowned.
“What kind of a man would I be to let a female sleep on the damn couch while I took the bed?” Marcus gave a low growl of annoyance. That she’d even consider him to be that kind of a guy rattled his last nerve.
“One that didn’t wake me up while I was sleeping.” Janice grumbled.
Marcus had meant to just pick her up and transport her to his bed, but the feel of having her in his arms, her soft body pressed against his hard one, was too good, and he took his own sweet time in getting to his bedroom.
“I tried not to.” Marcus didn’t have to lie about that. It would have been easier on him if she was still asleep, curled against him instead of squirming in his arms, her hip brushing against his hard length until he wanted to groan out loud.
“You’re a strange man, Marcus.” It seemed that her annoyance with him had been doused by sleep.
“Am I now?”
“You’re just full of contradictions.”
They came to a stop at his bed and her eyes flicked down and back to his. This was… awkward.
“Look, Doc, if you’re looking for a man to give you a good time. I’m that man, but will I be here in the morning? Well that’s a different thing entirely.” Marcus didn’t lie. Not really. But he did want to scare her off.
She wasn’t stupid. He wasn’t loves young dream and she was too damn old and jaded to see the world that way. She could feel the tension within him, feel the hard press of his cock against her backside, and she knew that he wanted her, but didn’t unattached bear shifters want anything that wasn’t nailed down?
One night with Marcus and everything that he had to offer- or sleep alone in his damn bed big?
“I’ll pass, thanks.” There was an acidity to her tone that he hadn’t heard before. It rattled him and his bear. The damn thing was antsy inside of him, eager to claw its way to the surface to claim her as their mate.
He reluctantly lowered her down to the mattress. He’d been there before, only the last time he’d crawled in beside her and kept her wrapped in the protective embrace of his arms all night. This time he had no choice but to turn and force his body and his heart to walk away from her.
She’d said no to him… again.
Mine.
His bear clawed and demanded that he turn around, go back to her and claim her as their mate. And damn it all to hell, but all he wanted to do was to taste her, to sink his cock so deep inside of her body that she knew in her heart that he was hers and she was his… but pride kept his feet moving back towards the living room and that damn couch.
~^~
Janice didn’t know what the time was but it was still pitch black on the other side of the blind at the window and she hadn’t been able to get back to sleep since he’d picked her up and put her in his bed.
She sighed and turned over, away from the window, away from the night that taunted her.
She’d done it again- second, third, and more guessed herself as she lay awake. She’d turned him down when all that she wanted to do was say yes. Yes, such a simple damn word and yet she’d been too cowardly to say it.
Pride. She was a throwaway woman to a man like Marcus. Mr Love ‘em and Leave ‘em. Mr Big head and Big… she didn’t even want to think of that monster that was hanging between his damn thick muscled legs.
Or maybe she did, maybe that was the problem. She was hornier than hell when that man was around. Maybe shifter libido was catching and she’d caught a nice heavy dose of it.
She should have been running like her heels were on fire away from a man like Marcus. So why did everything within her psyche tell her to pitch a tent and wait him out?
Maybe she was that starry-eyed schoolgirl. Seeing a halo around Marcus’s head that wasn’t really there.
What had he said? ‘If you’re looking for a man to give you a good time, I’m your man?’ He’s my man…?
No, I’m that man. Damn, I’m even looking for something that’s never going to be there…
She flipped back over and sighed again. Schoolgirl antics on a grown assed woman. Next I’ll be drawing hearts and writing our damn initials inside of them…
“What’s wrong?”
His deep voice sounded like a sonic boom within the deafly quiet of the room and the turmoil of her mind. She shot up onto her elbow and tried to still her heartbeat from racing like a thoroughbred at
the biggest meet of the year as she starred at the blacked out shape in the doorway- hell, he was the doorway.
“Can’t sleep…” She swallowed down everything else that she wanted to say. Swallowed down blaming him for her tortured hours and evasive sleep.
“Nobody is going to hurt you here…” Marcus had caught the sound of trepidation in her voice.
“I know.” She screwed up her face and tossed herself back down to the pillows. “I’m not bloody scared of you or yours.”
“Good to know.” There was a small element of amusement within the tension in his voice and her head snapped back up as she narrowed her eyes on the man that she could only see as a silhouette- one damn big contoured blob that blocked out the miniscule light behind him.
“Don’t laugh at me, Marcus. I get rat shitty when I don’t get my sleep.” She practically growled those words at him and his bear picked up on that. It growled back, but in a good way.
“Good to know that too, and I wasn’t laughing at you, Doc…” He growled gently and saw her head go back down against his pillow. He knew that her scent was going to linger a long while inside of that bedding and he’d savour it for as long as he could before it drove him insane- literally.
“Don’t call me that.” She turned over in the bed away from him and he growled inwardly at losing the sight of her lying there. Those eyes fixed on him in the darkness. She might not have been able to see him clearly, but he could sure as hell see her.
Temptation. The woman in his bed called to him more than she could ever have known, ever have understood. His bear wanted to shake free of the man and go to her, claim her itself if he wasn’t going to do it.
“Janice…” He offered and saw her take a deep breath then heard her let go of it.
He cursed himself for his weakness. Why the hell couldn’t he just go to her and tell her who she was to him? Give her that choice? Scare the hell out of so she ran away never to come back, and he could just die a tortured death taking comfort in the fact that he wasn’t going to fuck up her life?
