by Jenny Brex
Her jaw dropped.
“What do you say?” He dug into his glovebox and pulled out the small, velvet jewelry box.
“King, don’t,” she said.
He turned and looked out his side window. The pain jolted him. He thought…
“Don’t do it now. Wait until I feel better. I want to jump into your arms and say yes. Right now, all I want to do is curl up and sleep.”
“Wait a minute…” Her words hit him. “You’re saying yes? Yes, I love you? Yes, I’ll be your bride? Yes, I’ll be the mother of your children?”
She nodded quietly. “Yes.”
“Wow,” he whispered. “I was certain you’d say no.”
She groaned. “This isn’t some set up, is it?”
“No! I promise, nothing but you first from now on. Let’s get you home and into bed. I’ll run out and get you a few things. Don’t worry, I’ll tuck you in, but let you rest alone.”
“I wouldn’t mind the company,” she said. “You’re already going to get my cooties.”
King sighed and smiled. “I’ll take your cooties any day of the week.”
Lexi leaned over and gave him a small kiss. “When I feel better, ask me again. No, wait, ask me again now.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she said. “Oh, sorry, I thought I’d have more oomph. I really don’t feel good.”
“Come on, sick one. Let’s get you home.”
“You mean my old home.”
“That’s exactly what I meant. I’m putting an offer in on this one.”
“I love you, King. As much as you drive me crazy, I love you.”
King flashes his famous smile.
Chapter 19
It took two more days until Lexi was feeling better. He’d hunkered down with her, making sure she had what she needed. When she was feeling like herself again, he got down on one knee and asked her to be his bride. Just as she’d wanted, she jumped into his arms with a loud and enthusiastic yes.
King knew there was truly only one way to celebrate. He held Lexi close and kissed the top of her head. “How about we take this celebration into the bedroom?”
“I thought you’d never ask,” she teased.
He slipped his hand around the nape of her neck, then raked his fingers up through her hair. “You and me, baby.”
Lexi looked up at King. “I can’t believe this is happening. It feels surreal.”
“Believe it, Lexi. I’ll never let go of you again.”
She tipped her chin and parted her lips. King leaned down to meet her, brushing his lips to hers. A soft peck turned to a passionate kiss. He pulled her tighter against him, wrapping one hand on the back of her head, the other on her lower back.
Lexi loved how secure she felt in his arms. When he held her, she knew she could take on the world. She’d known it in the past, and she knew it now. She never thought she’d see the day that she’d tame the bear and settle him down. She’d given up hope. Only now, she was living the dream.
“You smell so good,” King groaned. He broke their kiss, then nuzzled her neck, inhaling her fragrant scent. Bending for a moment, he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. He wanted to make love to her all day long.
Still dressed, King pulled Lexi on top him. He wanted to hold her, take his time, show her how much he appreciated her. He wasn’t in a hurry.
King’s heart burst with joy and his chest swelled with pride. He’d won the girl he’d always needed, but was too stubborn to admit. Now, here she was agreeing to share her life with him. Agreeing to have his children. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world.
Their mouths came together again as their hunger for one another grew. King stroked her body through her clothing, and then slowly peeled off a layer at a time. When she was naked in bed with him, he finally shed his clothes. Under the covers, he pulled her close.
King dotted kisses down her neck and then stopped at the curve of her shoulder. Tasting, kissing, and nibbling, he loved how she cooed and purred with pleasure at his touch. From her shoulder, he moved lower to her soft, rounded breasts.
King played with one of Lexi’s nipples, nipping at it, then swirling his tongue over it, before taking a mouthful of her breast between his lips. He squeezed and rolled her other nipple between his fingers, knowing she liked it a little rougher. He could always tell by the way her body started to move and her coos got louder, that he’d hit a sweet spot between sexy and sensual.
Lexi’s back arched, unable to hide her desire. Each touch melted her into a puddle of need and want. She ached for more. Lexi rolled her hips. She needed King inside of her, but knew he wanted to take his time. The temptation pushed her buttons, making her need him even more.
That was one thing King was good at – foreplay. He always made sure she was taken care of before he doused his own desires.
His fingers expertly moved over her body. Each touch left her hungrier than the last. He slid his hand between her legs, cupping her, and tracing his fingers through her small tuft of hair.
Lexi begged King to fuck her. She needed to feel his big cock stretch her open and fill her, but he wasn’t ready. Instead, he slipped one of his fingers between her nether lips and pressed it inside.
Lexi closed her eyes and groaned. Another finger, and her groans grew louder. It felt so good, but still didn’t quench her desire. She pleaded, but he wouldn’t give in. Not until she came. As her thighs twisted and tightened around him, she cried out. The orgasm lashed through her body like a tidal wave crashing into her.
When he finally entered her, Lexi gasped with delight. In her heightened pleasure, she was certain she’d just died and gone to heaven.
King thrust into her, faster, deeper, harder, and then groaned as his climax hit.
Collapsing beside her, he whispered how much he loved her.
“I think I could live on sex,” she said.
King raised an eyebrow. “A man needs food and rest, too.”
“Fine, be that way,” she teased.
Chapter 20
As King and Lexi walked down the aisle of their small backyard wedding, they celebrated with their family and friends. Lexi’s parents weren’t thrilled she netted a bear, but at least he was a good bear. They’d settle for that over a crappy tiger. He doted over her, couldn’t stop smiling, and had bought them a new home to raise a family in. They were at least pleased with that.
It wasn’t until after the celebration that Lexi saved the best news for last. She was pregnant with their first child. She was chomping at the bit, anxious to spill the beans, but sharing it in bed with her husband that night made it all worth the wait.
King rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m going to be a father?”
Lexi nodded. “You’re okay with that, right?”
“Yeah, of course. Do you think I’ll be a good dad? I’ve never done it before, you know, the dad thing.”
“You sort of did. You took care of Jimmy all this time, from the time he was small. Look how much he adores you. You’ll be a great father.”
“Yeah? And a shifter, too. With the both of us, well, I guess we’ll need to see if we have a boy or girl and a bear or mountain lion!”
“I’m excited, but I’m nervous, too,” she admitted.
“You? Nervous?”
“What if I’m not a good mother?”
King shook his head. “That’s nonsense. You’ll be amazing, don’t even doubt it. Our kid will be the luckiest kid ever to have you for a mom. I’m certainly the luckiest guy in the world to have you for my wife,” he said, nuzzling against her.
“So you’re good with this? It happened faster than we’d planned, but we weren’t very careful.”
“I’m way good with this,” he whispered. He rested his hand on her belly. “A baby, that’s pretty cool. Neat magic trick we’ve got going on there, huh?”
Lexi smiled. “I love you, silly old-bear.”
King pulled her closer to him and rubbed
noses with her. “I hope we have a little girl mountain lion. She’d be the most adorable kid ever.”
“Wait, or a boy bear. A total mama’s boy…”
“Oh, no. No son of mine will be a…ahh, who am I kidding. He’ll totally be a mama’s boy.”
“Come here, you,” she said, climbing on top of her new husband. “No chance of me getting pregnant, this time. We should take advantage of the situation.”
“Wait a minute…” he laughed, realizing what she did there. “I love you, Lexi.”
“I love you, too.”
***
“Lexi, hurry, get the camera. Lola’s about to walk!”
“Oh, oh, coming, coming…” She ran to get her phone. Clicking the camera to video mode, she caught the image of her daughter carrying her teddy-bear and taking her first two steps.
“When she’s older and the guys start coming around…”
“We know, we know, you’ll give them the talking to. She’s a sweet girl, your little mountain lion-shifter, and so help them if they disrespect her, you’ll pound their asses so hard that they won’t know what hit them?”
King grinned. “Do you think I’ll still be intimidating when I’m old?”
“I love you, Mr. Carson.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll still be fast,” she answered with a wink. “They won’t be able to outrun me.”
THE END
Book 3 – Bearing a Grudge
Chapter 1
Jake nudged his buddy. He gestured with his chin to a woman across the room. He hadn’t seen her in ages. “Hey, isn’t that Keyoni?”
“Yeah, I think so. Didn’t she leave the area?” Denver asked.
“I’m pretty sure she did. Hard to remember, but I haven’t seen her since we were kids. What did we used to call her? I can’t remember, but it was something about her teeth.”
“Bucky the Beaver,” Denver said.
Jake flinched. “Ouch, that’s harsh. Kids can be cruel.”
“Well in your case, an asshole.”
“Hey, now.” Jake rubbed the back of his neck. “Damn, she looks fine. Are you sure that’s her?”
“It looks like her, but who knows. I need to get home.” Denver tossed a couple of bills on the bar top and got up.
He said goodnight to his friend. “Yeah, I’m going to stick around for a little while and maybe go talk to her.”
“Do you think that’s a good idea? I’m not so sure she’s going to want to get reacquainted with her childhood bully.”
“I wasn’t a bully, was I? Nah. Besides we were kids. All kids go through that stuff, and it wasn’t just me. Besides, we’re grown-ups and can laugh about that stuff now. I mean, look how much she’s changed.”
Denver patted his friend on the back. “Stay out of trouble.”
“Me?” Jake flashed a grin at his buddy.
***
Jake watched as Denver pushed open the front door and made his way outside. He thought of a couple of one-liners, but couldn’t come up with anything perfect. He hadn’t seen her in over a decade, maybe two. It’s not like he wanted to approach her with some lame come-on.
His gaze was locked on his old school mate. He couldn’t look away. Damn, that long dark hair, and the way it framed her face was sexy as hell. And her body, wow. She was all sorts of curvy and voluptuous. She had the kind of soft body that a man could really hold onto while he was…
“Jake?” Hank shot out firmly.
He snapped out of his daze and looked at the bartender. “Oh, sorry.”
“Are you done, or do you want a refill?”
“I’ll take one more. I’m going to move over to one of the booths shortly. I’ll sort out my tab before I leave.”
Hank topped off his beer, then slid it back to him.
Jake turned to thank him, but Hank was already gone. He’d been lost in thought once again and didn’t see him leave. He picked up his mug and made his way across the room. The closer he got, the stronger his body reacted. Strong vibrations rushed through him like magic. The intensity grew the closer he got. Electricity raced over his nerves, leaving them on edge. Something grabbed ahold of him and refused to let go.
Shit, was she the one? He’d heard rumors about fated mates, but never dreamed he could have one. Maybe it was the beer. Maybe it was how damn hot she was. Or maybe, just maybe, she was the one he’d been waiting for.
With confidence riding his shoulders, he propped himself against the side of the booth. “Hey, aren’t you—”
She cut him off before he could say anymore. “And you’re the asshole that ruined my life. See you, bye.”
“Whoa, back up. I think you’re mistaken. You’re Keyoni, right? I’m not sure who you’re thinking of, but I haven’t seen you since you were a kid.”
“I wonder why that is?” she snapped. “And I’m not interested in reminiscing, so you can leave now.”
Jake grew defensive. She was hostile before she’d even given him a chance. What was with the stick up her ass? “Yeah, uh, good to see you, too.”
Her shoulders tensed. “No, it’s not good to see you. You’re a big part of the reason I left this place. Now that I’m back, I’d prefer that you come nowhere near me. Understood? I have work to do, so if you’ll excuse me.”
“Wait a minute...” He sat uninvited. “For someone I haven’t seen since I was a kid, you’re awfully bitchy.”
“Oh, am I? Excuse me if I’m not falling all over you. And no, get your ass up and out of my booth. Go away.”
Jake winced. “What’s your problem?”
Keyoni clenched her teeth. “I have no intention of going down memory lane with you, buddy.”
“Is this about—”
Again, she cut him off. “The nicknames, the taunting, the teasing, the bullying…if you think I’m interested in making nice with you, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Jake stood and furrowed his brow. “We were kids. How many years ago was it? Talk about holding a grudge. What was I ten? Maybe twelve?”
“Bucky the Beaver,” she started. “Or how about that time I was playing in the field chasing butterflies and minding my own business, when you came along. You told me I’d never catch them because butterflies were beautiful and didn’t like ugly things. Then there was the time you made fun of how skinny I was next to the other shifter bears that had filled in before me. I had an eating disorder for years because of you.”
“Ouch, did I really say that?”
She glared at him.
“Hey, I’m sorry.” He offered his hand. “Truly, I was an asshole. I’m horrified to hear this. I don’t remember it, but you know, it was well over ten years ago, almost twenty.”
“Fuck off, Marchetti.”
He turned to leave. He got it. She didn’t want to be in his company. Only, there was a teensy problem. His body fought against him. How would he convince her that she might very well be the one, and that it was a sealed deal?
You couldn’t undo a fated mate. She’d just have to come along for the ride and accept matters. Yeah, like that would go over well. He’d go all barbarian bear on her ass, and she’d fight him to the core. Not like he would take her against her will, hell no, he wasn’t like that, but something had to give. He couldn’t explain it, but he needed her in ways that he didn’t even understand.
Jake turned back and looked at Keyoni. She’d grown from a weed into a perfect thornless rose. Too bad she had the personality of a prickly cactus. This was going to get ugly.
Chapter 2
Keyoni hated Alaska. Well, not necessarily the state, though it did house all of her bad memories. She’d spent the first twelve years of her life in Alaska, then the next ten or so in Hawaii living with her grandmother, before finishing her studies in California and Montana.
It was a hard decision to let her go, but her parents knew she needed a change. She’d grown desperate and chaotic. Her insides were tangled. She was the kid that all
the other kids made fun of. A massive bullseye target was stuck to her back. She was scrawnier than the other shifters, wore thick glasses, and had an overbite that was hard to hide. In shifter country, the weak went down and the strong survived, natural selection they said. Her human heart and mind couldn’t handle it.
Year after year, she’d trudge through her day, praying to be invisible. If they couldn’t see her, she could read her books, go to school, then get back home without somebody making fun of her or knocking her textbooks out of her hands.
In physical education, she was the slowest runner among the others. In learning to shift, she took longer to get the hang of it. She’d embarrassed herself on more than a handful of occasions. Everything she did was awkward and off.
Her mother was a shifter like Keyoni was, and told her that she’d grow into herself. Everybody had awkward years, she’d say, trying to pacify her daughter. The torment pushed her in too many directions. After enough struggles, her parents finally agreed to let her move to Hawaii and stay with her paternal grandmother.
Keyoni loved Hawaii. She could pretend her bear didn’t exist, and just be a girl. Life was completely different. As a shifter, it was competitive, about strength, about so much more than she had inside of her. She wanted nothing to do with it. Why couldn’t she be like her father, all human?
Her father originally came to Alaska to do research. When he met Keyoni’s mother, the rest was history. Keyoni wanted to rewrite history, at least the part where she was a shifter.
She studied to be a bear researcher like her father, only when her name was pulled to come back home, it crushed everything inside of her. She couldn’t breathe. Her heart lodged in her throat. It was part of the deal, because they helped pay for her scholarship. It was time to repay the debt. She didn’t have a choice where they’d send her. The idea that she’d end up back home was the farthest thing from her mind. How was it even an option?
