Taming The Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shifter Romance (Gray Bears Book 5)

by Natalie Kristen

  Olivia stuck her fingers in her mouth and pulled the wad of pink gum from the tip of her fang. “You better get going. The Sheriff's here.” Olivia nudged her from the table with her hip. She winked at Kaylee and fanned herself. “Ooh la la, a man in uniform. I'm a good girl, but I'm willing to commit a crime just to feel his handcuffs on me!”

  Kaylee spluttered out a cough. She looked over her shoulder and saw Winston standing at the door, watching her. His eyes were burning into her, sending heat racing through her veins with every quickening beat of her heart. She saw his desire and hunger, and it made her own body thrum with lust. Some of the females in the bar cooed at Winston and gave him flirtatious, come-hither looks, but he only had eyes for Kaylee.

  Kaylee swallowed and smiled at Winston. He smiled back but remained standing at the door.

  “Go,” Gareth said as he walked past.

  “B-but it's not closing time,” Kaylee stammered. “And Olivia...

  “Olivia can manage. I'll close up,” Gareth answered. “Winston is going to arrest me if I keep you much longer. He wants to take you...” Gareth gave his brother a sly smile and drawled, “...home.”

  She made a strained sound at the back of her throat. Gareth was chortling as he ambled off, and Winston...he was staring at her like he wanted to eat her, in a very good, decadent and erotic way.

  Kaylee pulled on her coat and went to Winston. “Hey.”

  “How's your first day at work?” he said, holding the door open for her.

  He tucked her hand into the crook of his arm and walked her towards his car.

  “Good,” Kaylee said with a happy sigh. “Very good. Gareth's a good boss, and Olivia...” Wants you to handcuff her to your bed.

  Winston smiled. “Olivia is a great gal. She's funny and outspoken, and she goes after what she wants.”

  Kaylee heard a low growl, and she pressed her lips together when she realized the growl came from her. She was jealous, she realized. But she had no right to be.

  “You two dated?” she asked, trying to keep her tone casual and nonchalant.

  “Nah. I never went out with Olivia, but she...”

  “She hit on you.”

  Winston shrugged. “Just some harmless flirting.”

  Kaylee huffed. She saw quite a few women flirting with Winston at the bar, on the street, in the shops, geez, just about everywhere! Couldn't the Sheriff just go about town without women throwing themselves at him?

  Kaylee ground her teeth. She was getting all worked up, even though Winston wasn't her man. He was single, available, and he could have any female he wanted.

  “You okay?” Winston asked, peering at her.

  “Yeah,” she grunted.

  He patted her hand and opened the car door for her. “You must be tired. Let's go home.”

  They drove past Broomstick Inn, but Winston didn't stop the car. “You just passed the inn,” she started. “I...my suitcase...”

  “Your suitcase is with me,” he replied. “Your car is being repaired at the garage.”

  “Okay. You took my suitcase from my car...but—” That made sense, sort of. “But where am I sleeping tonight?”

  “With me.”

  When her eyes rounded, he amended quickly, “You'll be spending the night at my place.”

  “Y-your place?”

  “Yes. I have a spare bedroom. The inn is full.” That was what Ne-ma told him.

  “Oh. I...thank you,” Kaylee whispered.

  Winston pulled up in front of a really nice semi-detached house and killed the engine.

  He waved towards the two joined houses which were mirror images of each other. “The house on the right is ours...um, mine,” he said, smiling and reddening just a little. “My brother lives just next door, so I guess you'll see him in the morning.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  Winston held Kaylee's hand and gave her a quick tour of his house. He loved holding her hand, feeling her press close to him. His lion was edgy and impatient, and he had driven to the pub two hours before closing time just so he could see her again.

  He was so hungry for the sight of her, and he never wanted to stop holding her hand. No woman had called forth his lion so strongly before. Sure, he'd dated and bedded females, but the mating heat had never touched his lion before. His heart and his beast had never stirred for any female. Until now.

  Right now his body, his heart and his lion were all pounding, thrumming and burning with need. One look into her large, blue eyes and his protective and possessive instincts had roared to life. Kaylee had experienced heartache and heartbreak, yet she was tough and brave. She didn't hesitate to help Lorni Jones when she saw that the woman was in danger. She was sweet and vulnerable, yet resilient and determined. She was determined to make a fresh start and be a contributing member of the community. She was rebuilding her life here, and he wanted so much to build a future with her.

  He wanted Kaylee to stay. That was why he had been so anxious and eager to help her get a job. He wanted her to put down roots here in Shadow Point and stay, with him.

  Winston led her upstairs and showed her to the spare bedroom. Her suitcase was tucked in a corner, and he scowled as he stared around the sparsely furnished room. There was only a single bed and a desk. No one had used this room in a long time. The room was cold and dusty, not at all lived in and comfortable.

  He put a hand behind his neck and said gruffly, “I'll get more pillows and blankets for you, and tomorrow, I'll buy an armchair and a few...”

  “No, this is fine. Thank you,” Kaylee said quickly. “I'll be very comfortable here.”

  “No you won't,” he muttered under his breath.

  “Where's your room?” she asked brightly.

  “Just down the hallway.” Winston took a deep breath and clenched his teeth. He wanted her in his bedroom, in his bed, not in this cold, barely furnished spare room.

  “Can I see it?”

  He paused, then nodded.

  Opening the door to his bedroom, he ushered her inside and forced his hands into his pockets. The urge to grab her was almost overpowering.

  She was standing at the foot of his king-sized bed, looking around his spacious bedroom. There were some clothes, books and files on the couch and strewn across his writing desk. His room was very lived in. He usually got home pretty late, sometimes in the wee hours of the morning and he would catch up on paperwork and read through reports and cases before snatching a few hours of sleep.

  Kaylee turned to him with a smile. “Nice room. I like it.”

  “You should sleep here,” he said before he could stop himself.

  Her lips parted, and she sucked in a shaky breath. The room was suddenly filled with an utterly feminine, warm and unmistakable scent.

  The scent of her desire and arousal flooded his senses, and his lion rose to the surface. Mine!

  He growled and stalked towards her.

  “Kaylee...” His voice was hoarse and guttural, more feral than human.

  She was breathing fast and hard, but she didn't back away. She looked up at him, and he saw lust and confusion swirling in those blue eyes. Her body was heating up, responding to his.

  She pressed closer to him, her hands sliding up his chest to his shoulders. It was a mate's instinct and reflex. She needed to touch him, feel him, have him.

  They wanted and needed each other. He saw the burning, consuming desire and tormenting conflict in her eyes.

  Fight it, or surrender to it?

  Kaylee whimpered as she wound her arms around his neck. When he grabbed her around the waist, she gasped and he could scent the maddening, intoxicating moisture seeping between her thighs. She was driving him out of his mind with her touch, her nearness, her heat.

  “Kaylee… if you don't want this to go further, you have to stop now,” he managed to grit out.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Kaylee tilted her face up, bringing her lips just inches from
Winston's delicious, sexy mouth. She wanted his mouth on her, all over her. She did want this to go further, a lot further. She didn't want to stop. She couldn't stop.

  Her entire body felt as though it would spontaneously combust and burst into flames if he didn't touch her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. She needed to have him near her, against her, deep inside her.

  “I don't want to stop, Winston,” she breathed.

  His huge hand cupped the back of her head as he crushed his mouth over hers. His kiss was hard and demanding, and Kaylee yielded willingly. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, and her spiraling lust both confused and excited her.

  Her hunger was fierce and unrelenting. She had never felt such scorching desire for any man before. She needed to feel his bare skin on hers, and she made a sound of frustration as she clawed at his shirt.

  “I need...” she panted, unable to think straight.

  “I know what you need, Kaylee,” Winston growled.

  He unbuttoned his shirt with one hand, while pressing her to him with the other. There was a tearing sound and her clothes shredded and fluttered to the floor.

  Winston kicked off his pants and they fell on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs.

  Kaylee moaned at the delicious heat between their bare bodies. She raised her hips, eager to feel him inside her. But Winston only rubbed the head of his cock around her sensitive, aching clit and massaged her wet folds. He wouldn't penetrate her, just teased and tormented her.

  “Please...” she begged.

  His lips curved against her breast, and he suckled her harder. Kaylee arched her back, her head thrashing from side to side. Why wouldn't he take her? She wanted, needed him to fuck her hard, fast and deep. She wanted to feel him throb inside her, and feel his heart beating powerfully against hers.

  Kaylee made a keening sound as Winston bit down on her erect nipple and rolled it between his teeth. He licked and lapped at her nipple, giving her the sweetest pleasure and pain.

  He pushed his tongue into her clenching pussy and tasted her thoroughly. Kaylee writhed helplessly as he fucked her slowly with his tongue. Winston sucked and licked at her swollen nub, driving her out of her mind. She was on the verge of a crushing orgasm, and when Winston drove himself fully into her, she shattered completely.

  Kaylee gasped, unable to catch her breath as Winston pounded relentlessly into her. Her shudders had barely subsided when she came again. He was taking her hard and rough, plunging himself deep into her body. The sounds of their flesh slapping wetly together heightened her pleasure and she felt her juices dripping from her pussy as he thrust into her clenching, trembling body.

  “More...” she panted.

  She was about to climax again, she could feel it. But this time, she wanted Winston to come with her, fall with her.

  She wanted to feel the tremors course through his huge, hard body and have him come undone in her arms.

  “Come with me,” she whispered, holding his fierce, handsome face.

  Winston let out a roar and pulled her up to him. Kaylee threw back her head and cried out as his teeth sank into her shoulder.

  Her body clenched and pulsed as he shot his seed into her. Stars seemed to explode on the back of her eyelids and her mind blanked. She couldn't speak, couldn't breathe, couldn't think.

  She could only feel. And she felt alive, so alive, so good and so beautiful.

  She had never thought that sex could be beautiful. Sex was just sex. It was just like scratching an itch, and more often than not, it left her unsatisfied and unfulfilled.

  But this. This was beautiful, and amazing, and...perfect.

  It wasn't just sex. She had never felt so connected and so close to another person.

  Winston laced his fingers through hers and kissed her, soft and slow on the mouth.

  She looked up into his deep amber eyes and felt herself falling. But she wasn't afraid.

  He was falling right along with her. She could see it in his eyes, and feel it in his touch, his kiss. They were falling, fast and hard for each other. She could feel their hearts beating wildly together, as their bodies joined again.

  It was exhilarating and liberating.

  And it was a beautiful feeling.

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Kaylee yawned and stretched languidly. Her entire body felt warm and relaxed, sated and deliciously sore. Winston had taken her again and again last night. It was as if he couldn't get enough of her.

  Her mind was still foggy but she remembered that Winston had kissed her awake just before dawn and whispered that her car had been repaired and would be delivered to the house in the morning. She had opened her eyes drowsily to see that he was already dressed in his Sheriff's uniform.

  “I'll see you later. Go back to sleep,” he'd murmured against her lips.

  Kaylee turned and glanced at the bedside clock. It was nine o'clock. The Round Table opened at eleven. She had lots of time to get dressed and get herself down to the pub.

  Kaylee showered and grabbed a smart white blouse and black jeans from her suitcase. She gobbled down a bowl of cereal and rushed out of the house.

  Her little car was indeed waiting for her in front of the house. The keys were left in the mailbox with a note from Goodman Garage. Good as new, it said and there was a smiley face at the bottom. The note was signed by Mr Gage Goodman himself.

  Kaylee was about to drive off when she saw Gareth coming out of his house in his bathrobe. She honked at him and shouted through the car window, “Want a lift, boss? But you'd have to get dressed in a hurry.”

  Gareth picked the newspaper up from his driveway and raised his brows. “Where are you going?”

  “Huh? To the pub, of course. It's almost eleven.”

  Gareth scratched his neck. “Ah, I forgot to tell you. We are closed on Tuesdays.”

  “Oh!”

  “Don't look so disappointed. It's your off day!” he laughed.

  Kaylee nodded and smiled sheepishly. “Maybe I'll go down to Broomstick Inn and see if Ne-ma and Gramma need any help...”

  “Oh, wait! There's something I need to pass to you.” Gareth scampered back into his house and appeared a minute later holding something glittering in his hand.

  “Winston asked, no, ordered me to pass this to you,” Gareth said.

  “This...it's a dagger,” Kaylee said breathlessly. It was a small but ornate dagger, its golden hilt decorated with precious gems.

  “This is no ordinary dagger. It's a dagger from The Round Table,” Gareth declared.

  “You took this from the pub!” Kaylee gasped. “I remember seeing this dagger on the wall, in a glass casing, just above the knight's armor...”

  Gareth sheathed the dagger and handed it to her. “Keep it with you for the time being. Just remember to return it. It's a family heirloom.”

  “But...”

  “Winston's orders.”

  “Why would I need a dagger?”

  “The dagger's blade is pure silver.”

  Kaylee took the dagger carefully and blew out a breath. “This might sound like a silly question to you, but why would I need a silver blade?”

  Gareth tilted his head and stared at her. “Silver is the only thing that can destroy a paranormal,” he said slowly. “There's a serial killer at large, a rogue wolf shifter.”

  Kaylee nodded at once. She understood why Winston wanted her to have it. “Thank you, Gareth.”

  “Shadow Point is a pretty safe town,” Gareth assured her. “My brother is just...” His eyes widened suddenly as he fixed on a spot at the side of her neck. He froze for an instant before his face split in a wide, delighted grin.

  “The sneaky bastard!” he chuckled. “Marked and mated, and he keeps all quietlike.”

  “What? Who?”

  Gareth simply winked at her before turning back to his house.

  “I...I'll return your dagger as soon as I can, boss,” she c
alled after him.

  “No need to return it. Keep it with you at all times,” he said over his shoulder. “Keep it well.”

  “But it's your family heirloom! I can't...”

  “Of course you can. Our family heirloom belongs in the family, and you're family. I'm just your boss, but you—are my big sis-in-law!”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Kaylee drove her old beat up car, which was still old but no longer beat up, down the street. Goodman Garage had done a fantastic job with her car. The engine was purring smoothly, with none of the usual ominous clanking and ticking. Her trusty little Nissan had been given a new lease of life, like her.

  Kaylee tuned in to the local radio station and hummed along as she drove. She reached Broomstick Inn in a few minutes and saw Ne-ma and Gramma approaching the inn dragging a big shopping trolley behind them.

  “Ne-ma! Gramma! Let me help you,” Kaylee cried, running up to them.

  “Oh! Hello, Kaylee.” Ne-ma beamed.

  Kaylee took the trolley from her and grunted at the weight. “Wow. You guys bought a lot of things.”

  “There's a sale at Magic-Mart. All magical supplies at fifty percent off!” Gramma crowed.

  “We didn't know that wands came in such pretty colors now. We only got boring black ones when we graduated from Spellwell High.”

  “How many wands did you buy?” Kaylee asked as she hefted the trolley across the threshold.

  Ne-ma held up two fingers.

  “Just two wands each?” Kaylee raised a brow.

  Ne-ma giggled and shook her head.

  “Two...dozen?” Kaylee ventured.

  “Nope!”

  “Two hundred!” Gramma announced happily. “Each.”

  Kaylee gasped. “That's four hundred wands!”

  “They were going at half price,” Ne-ma justified.