Catching the Bear: BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance (The Callaghan Clan Book 3)

by Meredith Clarke

  She handed me her plate and stood. With arms extended, she let him gently lay the tome in her hands. “What is it?” she asked.

  “Her spellbook.”

  Kenzie gasped and I jumped up to help her stay standing. “Oh Calvin, I can’t take this, it should be in your family.”

  Calvin hung his head for a brief moment before returning her gaze with a sad smile. “I have no family, Kenzie.”

  His confession saddened me and I could smell the way it made Kenzie feel. Guilt and pity and gratefulness. Calvin Baptiste had always been a bit of mystery to me and my brothers, but after these last few hours with him, I had a newfound respect for him and the type of life he led.

  “I’m so sorry, Calvin,” Kenzie whispered. Hugging the book to her chest, her eyes suddenly brightened. “I tell you what,” she said to Calvin, “I’ll make you a deal.”

  “A deal?”

  “Yep. I’ll hold on to this book for safekeeping until you find your mate and have a child you’d like to pass it along to.”

  Something unrecognizable passed over Calvin’s face. “And what if that doesn’t happen?”

  Kenzie looked up at me with hope in her big blue eyes. “Then I promise you that it will stay in my family.”

  Calvin bowed his head and Kenzie wiped a tear away. I stood still, dumbfounded by her statement. Did that mean she wanted to start a family with me? That thought would have frightened me enough to move to another country just a few days ago. But now, after just one night, I couldn’t help but imagine how wonderful it would be to raise a family with Kenzie. She is your mate, my bear said. There is no other.

  There is no other.

  I felt an unfamiliar wave of emotions burning in my chest. Happiness, sadness, hope. I wouldn’t be alone. And my mate was so much more than I would have ever imagined I could catch. Kenzie was mine.

  Kenzie was mine.

  Calvin broke my thoughts when he held out his hand. “Bo?” he asked, waiting for me to grab it. “Let Major and the ISC know that I will have my people support their proposal.”

  “Your people?” Kenzie asked. “I mean, I know your people. But how?”

  Calvin gave her a grin like he’d just eaten the canary. “I have my ways.”

  Without an organized pride, the mountain lions had a different way of doing things. But I had no doubt Calvin would fulfill his promise. He was the unofficial leader of the mountain lion shifters for this part of the world. I shook his hand and smiled. “Thank you.” Then, turning to Kenzie, I had an idea. Or two. “Why don’t you go over the book with Calvin while I pack us up and make arrangements for tonight.”

  “Okay,” she smiled up at me.

  I bent forward and kissed her. An intimate kiss that probably made Calvin uncomfortable, but I didn’t care. Let him see that I’d claimed my mate.

  Let him know that Bo Callaghan had finally settled down.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t realize I’d fallen asleep.”

  After we left Calvin’s, Bo told me that we had at least an eight-hour drive until we’d be in coyote territory. Using the shifting spell had zapped all of my energy and the last thing I remembered after we got back onto a main road was lying in Bo’s lap and enjoying the way his fingers ran through my hair.

  “Not a problem.” His large hands rubbed my arm.

  I sat up, looking around and taking notice at how much flatter everything seemed. “Where are we?”

  “Almost to Nenana,” he said. “But I thought we could spend the night in Anderson.” Bo glanced my way with those dimples I was starting to love. “There’s a small bed and breakfast there.”

  “Sounds perfect.” And I meant it. My neck was sore from sleeping on Bo’s lap and the rest of my body ached from shifting into a much smaller creature today. Rubbing my neck, Bo suddenly grabbed my arm.

  “Are you okay?” The concern in his voice melted my heart.

  “Just stiff. From the change.”

  “Why do you do it if it hurts so much?”

  I sat back in my seat and closed my eyes. I had an answer but also had a feeling he wasn’t going to like it. “Because I’ve always been envious of shifters.”

  Bo sucked in a breath and squeezed my hand. “Why?”

  Shrugging, I thought about his question. “I don’t know. I guess maybe because I grew up knowing about them and watching my parents help protect them, yet I felt robbed that I was forever stuck in this body.” I turned in my seat to face him. “Stupid, I know.”

  “Not stupid,” he reassured me. “I’m just not sure if I totally understand. I mean, your body is perfect.”

  Giggling at his characteristic flirtation, I had to shake my head. “You just know exactly what to say all of the time, don’t you?” The dimples were back even though his stubble tried to hide it. That manly stubble on my sexy grizzly that I couldn’t get enough of. His insufferable good looks had sealed the deal for me the first time I laid eyes on him, if I was being true to myself.

  His smile grew. “I can smell your arousal.”

  Through blushing cheeks, I had to turn my head. “Hey, I was trying to have an honest moment with you and then you had to—”

  “Had to what?” he teased.

  “Had to smile.”

  His laugh filled the air and settled over my skin in a familiar warmth. I had no doubt he could sense just how much I was falling for him.

  “Okay, seriously though,” Bo continued. “Why would you ever want to be a shifter? You would have to hide what you were from everyone and more importantly, hide your animal. And trust me,” his voice lowered to a deep rumble, “that isn’t always easy.”

  “I have to hide what I am anyway.”

  He glanced over and shrugged. “I guess you have a point.”

  “Being an animal just seems so…”

  “Awesome?”

  “Freeing.” I closed my eyes again in thought. “Every time I’d see Major in his tiger form, he seemed so happy. So liberated. I never really had that feeling until I figured out the shifting spell and became Cybil for the first time.”

  Bo huffed a laugh. “Cybil? You named her?”

  I couldn’t hide my grin. “Of course. Don’t you name your bear?”

  He shook his head and turned off the main road. “Nope. I don’t think that’s a thing.”

  “Well, I’m going to make it a thing,” I teased.

  “I’m not sure how my clan would feel about that.”

  “I don’t care,” I said with a straight face.

  His chuckle tingled my skin. “I’m sure you don’t. And that’s what makes you so sexy.”

  I had to look away, the blush brewing in my neck again. I thought about how much I loved being that little black house cat. But then I thought about what it must be like to have a grizzly scratching at the surface all of the time. Looking over at Bo, I watched as he focused on the road and had always appeared to be in control. I brushed my fingers against his cheek, loving the way he shuddered underneath.

  “You seem to hide your bear well.”

  “I’m an exception to every rule, baby.” He rubbed his fingers across the top of my thigh. “Plus, you have no idea how much my bear wants to rip your clothes off right now.”

  I swallowed the sudden burst of hormones the best I could. His nose twitched with the increased scent I was sure I was putting out there. “And what would he do to me?” I squeaked, although I had been going for sexy.

  When a growl formed in his chest, the smile slowly grew on his face. “Oh no, little witch. Don’t start that with me while I’m driving.”

  “How close are we?”

  Clearing his throat, he tried to concentrate. “A few miles.”

  I made a small noise and he shuddered again.

  Impressed that I could have this kind of influence over him, I got another case of boldness like last night. Reaching over, I rubbed my hand slowly up his leg until I brushed against the tight bulge underneath his jeans. Finding even more of my
inner sex pot, I slid closer and nipped the bottom of his ear. Bo leaned his head against mine and blew out a breath.

  “What am I going to do with you, sexy witch?”

  Kissing his neck, I trialed my lips down his shoulder, under his arm, and toward the prize waiting for me between his legs. He stiffened when I opened the top button but then lifted his hips while I unzipped his jeans.

  “Kenzie,” he growled. “I don’t know if this is a good idea…” His voice trailed off when I parted the opening in his briefs and exposed his hard and ready dick.

  Briefly wondering why he’d brought this out in me, I let my tongue brush against his length. Soft skin danced under my touch, getting harder with each move. Using my hands to rub up and down, I stroked his shaft while wrapping my lips around the head. The salty moisture at the tip sent a shiver of tingles into my core. Wetness pooled between my legs as I thought about all of the ways I wanted to take care of Bo’s needs right now.

  Stroking him faster and faster, I felt his hand rest on the back of my head. Not forcing the movement, but guiding. Appreciating. The Jeep slowed and he pulled to a stop. I didn’t know if we were at the bed and breakfast yet, and I didn’t care. For all I knew, he’d just pulled off to the side of the road, because his hard cock certainly wasn’t going to last much longer.

  “Fuck,” he moaned. His hips began to move in time with my mouth strokes.

  I sucked on his head and squeezed his length with increasing speed. He’d leaned back into the seat a bit, giving me more room to work. His hand slid down my back and around my side. Grabbing my breast, he began to tense underneath me.

  He tweaked my nipple and I let out a muffled moan. That seemed to arouse him even more. My sexy fucking grizzly.

  “I can’t…” he breathed. “I can’t hold on any longer…shit.”

  Bo’s cock got twice as hard in my hand and he held my head in his lap while he released. Pulse after pulse of warm liquid filled my mouth while he called out my name. I handled it perfectly and by the time he was finished, I was ready to climb on top and take what I wanted. His arousal and my control over him had excited me so much that I knew it wouldn’t take very long.

  As if reading my mind, Bo lifted my head a second before his lips crashed into mine. His hand began to rub my sex, which hit the seam of my jeans in just the right way. He positioned me so that I was lying on my back, head across his unzipped pants and exposing my entire body to him.

  “Mmm,” he rumbled. “I can’t believe how fucking hot you are.” A few more strokes, with the heel of his hand hitting my clit like this would be all I’d need.

  But Bo was a pleaser. And he knew what women wanted. In one quick movement, his hand slid underneath my pants and panties. “So wet,” he growled, fingers finding the perfect spot. Bending down, he managed to bite my nipple through my shirt, and for some reason that was such a turn on.

  I pushed his hand into my folds, wanting him to be more aggressive. Dangerous. Rough with me. He complied and a second later I felt his fingers plunge inside. Stroking and tweaking and rubbing every single place that had been yearning for him the second I woke up. I wrapped my other arm around his neck and held him close to me as the pressure built. I knew it wouldn’t take much and just a few strokes more had me seeing stars and grinding against his hand. Calling out, I bit my bottom lip to try and savor the jolts of pleasure shooting through my entire body. I couldn’t remember ever being with anyone who’d excited me so much. Bo didn’t even have to touch me to get me aroused. Just his smile…those dimples…they were enough. Always.

  Bo sighed against my chest and then sat up. He lifted me and helped get me upright before wrapping his large arm over my shoulders. “Well, we’re here,” he said, waving his hand toward the front window.

  I chuckled and looked up. In front of us sat a rather large log cabin with a wraparound porch and several dormer windows along the roofline. A forest green paint covered the shutters, making the whole structure blend in with the surrounding environment. There was a light on just behind the front door, but otherwise the place seemed quiet. “Do they know we’re coming?” I asked.

  Bo turned my head and kissed me. While his tongue pressed into my mouth, and the warmth of his hands increased against my cheeks, that uncontrollable yearning for him instantly returned. “They know we’re coming,” he whispered, somehow making it sound sexy and dirty all at the same time. He rested his forehead against mine and sighed. “I don’t want to stop touching you,” he whispered.

  “Then don’t,” I begged.

  He laughed as I pressed my fingers against his dimples. “Let’s get inside as fast as we can.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  With one last kiss, he jumped out of the Jeep, grabbed our bags, and had my door opened within seconds. I gave him a look about opening my door, only this time I couldn’t help but feel special as he did it. Bo had changed my life in just a day. How could I ever be with someone else after this kind of experience?

  It took less than five minutes for the person at the front desk to check us in and lead us to our room. Perhaps it had something to do with the way Bo and I couldn’t keep our hands off each other, or because she was some kind of shifter and could probably scent what our focus was right now. The room was a master suite, complete with a fireplace, a king bed, and a spa-like bathroom. I eyed up the antique claw-foot tub as Bo popped open a bottle of wine.

  Scooting up behind me in the doorframe of the bathroom with a glass in hand, he kissed my neck. My knees weakened like a school girl whose crush had finally shown interest. I leaned back and breathed in the smell of him—cologne, animal, woods, pine. All of them igniting those feelings of love again. “You smell so good,” I whispered.

  Nuzzling his mouth into the crook of my neck, his skin rumbled in content. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me, tiny witch.”

  I could say the same to him right now, but didn’t. This was Bo Callaghan. The youngest of the brothers and the one voted least likely to ever settle down. There were no shortages of rumors regarding his sexual prowess, and I was worried that if I confessed my feelings to him, he would be gone by morning.

  So instead, I said nothing and simply enjoyed the moment. “Want to take a bath?” I asked.

  He chuckled against me and then grabbed the wine glass back out of my hand. “Go get ready and I’ll prep in here.”

  “Well, okay monsieur,” I said and started to walk back into the room. “You know, a woman can get used to this kind of treatment,” I teased as I shook my ass and scampered away. The water turned on and I heard cabinet doors opening and closing while I slipped out of my clothes. My body wanted Bo again. It craved his touch and my heart beat rapidly thinking about having this night alone with him.

  Damnit. I was falling hard and hated that our time would come to an end soon. In fact, as I opened my suitcase and set it on one of the chairs next to the bed, my flight reservation slipped out of the top pocket. That reminder, the one that told me my place was across the country and far away from this world, slammed into my chest like a freight train. Aching for a breath, I had to sit on the edge of the bed to regain control. But then I had to think about why I was really here. I had been hired for a job and once that job was finished, I would go home.

  Home.

  To New York.

  Far away from Alaska.

  “Your bath is ready!” Bo called out from the bathroom in a sing-song voice.

  I wiped at my eyes, surprised to feel the tears brimming on the edges. Not wanting to ruin this moment, I sucked down my pain and fear and thought about the gorgeous man waiting for me around the corner. My handsome, sexy, magnificent grizzly of a man who had just prepared a bubble bath for us.

  I laughed as I saw the scene before me. Bo stood in the middle of the room, two wine glasses in his hands, and completely naked. Wearing his dimples proudly, he didn’t even try to hide his partial erection. It got larger once he saw my naked body.

  “Come
on,” he said, jerking his chin toward the tub and wiggling his eyebrows.

  The sweet scent of strawberry bubble bath delighted my nose as I sauntered closer. I took my time, allowing him to enjoy the show. He stood still, waiting and watching, his grin growing wider by the second. I grabbed my wine glass and clinked it against his.

  “Here’s to not camping,” I said.

  His rumbling laugh had me hooked all over again. “To not camping.”

  “And to bubble baths,” I added.

  “Cheers,” he said before taking a swing. Then he set both of our glasses on the floor, lifted me up into his arms, and stepped into the tub with ease. “I still can’t believe someone as small as you can hold so much power over me.” He kissed my ear as he lowered us into the water. Sitting with his back against the end, he positioned me between his legs, my own back pressed against his chest.

  I felt his erection push against my hips, but he didn’t seem too eager to do anything with it right this moment. He reached behind him and grabbed a sponge. “Kenzie Parker,” he whispered. “My Kenzie Parker.”

  His words brought back a memory from this morning, and while he began to rub my shoulders with the hot water and strawberry soap, I got the courage to ask. “What did Calvin mean this morning when he called you my mate?”

  Bo tensed behind me, breath hitching in his throat and fingers squeezing the sponge. Then he let out a long exhale and brushed his nose against the back of my head. “Have you ever talked about this with Major?”

  I shrugged. “Not really. It wasn’t a topic he’d like to discuss. In fact, he’d give me a hard time whenever I would bring it up.”

  “Well,” he said, continuing to clean me, “our animals usually guide us when it comes to finding a mate. Like doves or swans…most shifters will only have one true mate and when they find them, that’s it.”

  “That’s it? What do you mean?”

  “It’s the only person they will bond with. And it usually lasts for life.”

  For life. Shifters lived a long time. Longer than most witches. Sadness etched back into my skin. Bo would outlive me. “I see,” I whispered.