Bound to the Bear

by Kathy Lyons

  Her heartbeat sped up and her mouth went dry. Wild thoughts ran through her head of what he could do to her. God, she’d only known the man for a day and here she was willing to let him do…what? Whips? Chains? Would she even say no?

  And then she stopped thinking as he made it to the edge of the bed. She opened her mouth to speak. His name. A question. Hell, she didn’t know what. But the tension in her body was growing unbearable. She wasn’t used to being on display like this, and though his gaze was more than complimentary, it still made her feel self-conscious.

  But when she opened her mouth, he made a swift sound of denial. Half bark, half growl—it silenced her before she’d even found her voice.

  “I’m going to go slow, Cecilia. Very slow. The only word you can say is, ‘no.’ Do you understand? It’s the only thing that will get through.”

  She nodded, too mesmerized by his intensity to risk anything else. He was still prowling, his motions steady as he seemed to stalk her. First one side of the bed, then sliding around the base to crawl up by her feet.

  She heard him inhale, long and deep. Then he released a kind of purr from the back of his throat. Appreciation, and she flushed at the sound.

  He moved up the bed on all fours, his powerful arms outlined by the light. He set his mouth to just above her left ankle, skating his teeth across her skin enough to make her shiver. Her legs loosened then, slipping even farther apart.

  He scooped an arm under her left knee, drawing it up as he kissed up the side of her leg. Lips, tongue, teeth. He moved up her leg, thrusting his tongue in the crook made by the bend of her knee, and then drawing her leg wide as he kissed the inside of her thigh.

  She tried to draw him higher on her body. She crooked her foot behind his back and pulled, but he went at his own pace. Slow, steady, and inevitable. She was dripping by the time he made it to her groin.

  This close, she could see the tension in his body. There was sweat on his forehead and a trembling restraint in his movements. And yet, he still worked her body as if he were helping with a leisurely bath. A squeeze on her thigh, followed by a lick and a kiss. Every inch of her leg was held or caressed. And when he had adjusted her left leg to where he wanted it, he moved back down to her right knee.

  At least he didn’t start back at her ankle. Was it possible to orgasm just from a tiny bite on her kneecap?

  He pressed his nose to her inner right thigh while his hand stroked up to the crease between leg and groin. He kneaded her there, dipped his fingers into her moisture, and thrust two fingers inside.

  She arched up with a cry. Finally, penetration. Not the kind she wanted, but her body didn’t care. She gripped his fingers and squeezed her legs around him until she grew weak with the effort. It didn’t move him an inch, though he did continue to scrape teeth and tongue along her inner thigh.

  He kept pumping into her. Two fingers. Three. He did it casually, as if he barely noticed the rhythm he set inside her while his mouth tasted her thigh.

  His mouth was so close that he had to adjust his position. Her legs were fully spread, blocked open by his broad shoulders. His fingers were large and callused as they thrust inside one last time before pulling out to play in her curls.

  She should have felt embarrassed. Hell, she did feel embarrassed by her own lack of shame. But the need was too strong and she was without words to cry out, so she did everything she could to encourage him silently with her body.

  He found her clit. His thumb rolled over it while she bucked beneath him.

  Orgasm hit like a freight train, speeding through her mind and body as it obliterated everything. But when it eased, she realized he hadn’t moved. He was poised above her, apparently ready for when the first rush passed.

  She lifted her head an inch to see him better. It was all the strength she had. She met his gaze and saw a dark triumph there. Joy at her orgasm. Pride that he had given it to her. Then he ducked his head and put his tongue to her clit.

  Another contraction hit, fast and hard. Her belly pulled with the force of it, and she cried out in shock. He eased off her for a second, maybe two, then he returned. His tongue was thick and sweet where she was most sensitive.

  She nearly said it then. “No” was on the tip of her tongue. It was too much, too soon, and she didn’t need more oral. She wanted him inside her, but he was gentle as he worked her, never pushing her quite to that place. He eased off to let her catch her breath, then swooped back in when she began to gather her wits.

  Each moment became a rolling orgasm of yes. Of Hank. Of pleasure so intense she wanted it to end as much as she hoped it went on forever. Until she couldn’t catch her breath and her belly hurt from the tension. She pulled upward, grabbing his head and forcing him to look at her.

  “Enough,” she gasped. “Enough.”

  He nodded, his eyes dazed, but he didn’t move.

  She levered herself downward. She tugged on his arms, she twisted beneath him. She did everything she could to get him on top of her so he could finally fill her like she wanted.

  He refused to budge. He pushed himself upright. She managed to tug on his chest and press a kiss to his nose and eventually his mouth, but he would not go further.

  “Hank!” she cried. “Please!”

  His face was pulled tight with strain and his grip on her hips held at the edge of pain.

  “Hank?”

  “Do you remember when Peter kissed Abby?” he asked.

  What? She didn’t want to think about anyone but him right then, but he persisted.

  “She’d gone back to being human and he could see her. He knew what she was. She was afraid of how he would react, but all I saw was love in his eyes. Love as he kissed her. Love as he held his wife and his child.”

  Cecilia nodded. Of course, she remembered. The scene had been so beautiful it had hurt deep inside in a good way. The place where all her cynicism rested had cracked, and the effect had been so powerful that she’d pretended to look away. She’d ducked her head to her tablet when her gaze had really been on them.

  “I want that, Cecilia. I want to love my wife like that, to cherish my child no matter what.”

  “Of course, you will.”

  He shook his head. “I’m not saying this right.” He took a breath, his chest expanding even as his hands left her body to curl tight to his chest. “She loved him, too, Cecilia. All three of them, together. Such love. A real family.”

  She nodded. “I know.”

  “I want that, Cecilia. With everything I am, I want that.”

  There was hunger in his eyes. A need that pervaded every cell in his body. And she felt his hunger echo inside her, an ache for a love that made three people stand strong in the face of staggering change.

  “I want that, too,” she echoed. Then she tried to lift his face to hers so she could kiss him. So she could offer him everything they both wanted, but he shook his head.

  “I want that, Cecilia, but I won’t ever have it unless you choose me. You have to choose me freely.”

  She straightened. “I do choose you.”

  He sucked in a breath, the gasp loud and harsh. “I’m trying to think rationally here. Is this normal for you? To feel this way after a day? A half hour ago, you thought you had a brain tumor.”

  “You said I’m not magical. You said I have a choice.”

  “You do.” He rocked back on his heels. “But you’re exhausted and the entire world has changed for you. Maybe this is a stress reaction.”

  Now she was getting angry. Yeah, sure, she’d been thinking all those things as well. Every single one had filtered through her thoughts on the drive over here. But damn it, she knew all those possibilities and she was choosing him anyway. She wanted this. Right now. No regret.

  “I want you,” she said firmly, and she watched his entire body ripple in reaction. Like he needed to go to her right then, but his mind was keeping him back. “You don’t believe me. Why don’t you think I could choose you?”

  She
watched him react to her words. The motions were subtle, but she was watching him closely. His eyes widened, and his breath held for a moment before he released it slowly. And when he spoke, it was with a quiet pain.

  “How can I be what you want? I’m not educated, not like you. You probably make ten times the money I do. And I’m half animal.”

  “And you think that’s how I chose a man? By his academic credentials? His bank account? And as for being an animal, you can change into a bear, but you’re ten times the man of anyone I’ve ever met. You’re patient, you’re smart.”

  “You can’t know that.”

  She stopped long enough to really think about that. They’d been together for one day and it had been an eventful twenty-four hours. “I’ve seen you under pressure. That’s when the real man comes out.” She touched his forearm, stroking his smooth skin. “I do know. And I do choose you.”

  “You need time,” he pressed. “To be sure it’s not a brain tumor.”

  She grimaced, knowing that he was right. Everything was happening so fast. If she were honest, she’d admit that even though body felt sure, her mind wasn’t completely convinced. And then he had to hammer the last nail in her sex-fest fantasy.

  “You won’t get that time if you’re pregnant.”

  Gut punch. Sure, she was choosing him now, but she wasn’t calculating on a baby. The idea was ridiculous, except he clearly believed in the possibility. “A condom—”

  “Will break.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “What are the odds that all of Brittany’s records would corrupt like that?”

  A trillion to one.

  “Do not underestimate magic.”

  She sighed. “I want a child.”

  “I’m glad. Do you want to get pregnant right now, this very moment?”

  Yes. No. Maybe. Hell, her rational mind said that was too big a decision to make so casually.

  “Then help me give you the time to fall in love. Because if you’re pregnant with my child, I won’t leave your side. Ever.” He exhaled. “And we’ll never be a happy family like the Randolphs. We’ll never be like that because you never had the time to resolve all your doubts.”

  She dropped backward, her gaze on the ceiling. Her body was sated and exhausted. Her mind even more so, yet she recognized an underlying emptiness in her womb. She wanted him inside her. She wanted his child.

  Was that magic? Brain tumor? Or just plain biology?

  “I want that kind of love, Cecilia. I want a family like theirs.”

  “So do I.” She looked at him. “Maybe I want it with you.”

  They both heard the “maybe” like it was uttered in an echo chamber. It repeated between them, exactly proving his point. She hadn’t committed to him yet. Not fully. And if she got pregnant, then that whole decision became more complicated.

  She sighed and closed her eyes. Life was so strange. Twenty-four hours ago, none of this was even on the horizon.

  “Are you still wondering if you have a brain tumor?” he asked.

  Damn it, he was relentless! “I get it,” she huffed. “I haven’t locked in. Twenty-four hours is not enough time to make a lifelong commitment.” She opened her eyes to pin him with a frustrated glare. “Have you? Are you sure I’m the one?”

  She watched him nod. No doubt. No hesitation.

  “I’m sure,” he said.

  She could see that he believed it. He had absolutely no doubts as to what he thought or wanted.

  “You can’t know me that well yet.”

  He didn’t argue. And when she looked at his expression, there was a Zen kind of acceptance there. For him, it was a fact.

  “So…you love me?”

  “Yes.”

  She shook her head. “What does that mean to you? That you want to have sex with me? That you want me to bear your children? That you’ll—”

  “Care for you every second of your life. That I’ll spend every breath and every dime I have to make sure you are protected and happy. That you can make whatever choices you want, whenever you want. That you are free to be amazing while I cheer for you from the sidelines. I want the best for you, Cecilia. And I’m going to make sure you get it. As much as I possibly can. You are the center of my balance.”

  He said it so earnestly. And even if she doubted the certainty in his voice, she felt it in his body. There was passion in his words and determination in his body. So solid. So clear. As he declared without regret or fear that he was devoted to her happiness.

  “So you won’t make love to me because that might create a baby—”

  “Which makes everything more complicated.”

  “And you want to give me the time to settle my doubts. And possibly get a CT scan.”

  His lips quirked up at that, but his nod was solemn. And then his eyes got a kind of twinkle. “But there might be other things we can do. If you want.”

  Oh, she wanted. She 100 percent wanted. But now she understood his restraint when she had literally begged him to penetrate her. And damn, her heart melted all over again. He was holding back for her sake.

  She flashed him a coy smile as she pushed up on her elbows. And then she maneuvered a bit more, sitting up in front of him. “Lie down,” she ordered. “It’s your turn.”

  His eyes blazed, but he didn’t move. “No penetrative sex. You promise?”

  God, when had that ever happened? The guy making her promise there would be no penetration. No babies. “I promise.”

  He shifted around on the bed and she moved to accommodate him. And because she had already burned off a lot of her tension, she was able to take her time with him. She stroked his body with tender caresses while his breath grew short and tight. She kissed his nipples and teased his belly. She wasn’t as thorough as he had been, but he didn’t seem to mind. When she grasped his penis, his hips surged upward. When she sucked him into her mouth, he whispered her name.

  He was going to come too soon, so she pinched the top and pressed deep into the space behind his balls. She was a doctor and some things had been fun to learn in biology class. But even with all her training, he would not be held back. He gripped her leg and looked at her with such burning need. So she squeezed his stalk and pulled down while he thrust.

  Once. Twice. By the third, he had arched up on the bed and his cum shot from him in an impressive display. She never thought it would be fascinating to see, but she was wrong. Turns out, she was fascinated by all of him. Every single moment.

  “Yabba dabba do,” she murmured when he finally regained his breath.

  He gaze locked on hers in surprise, and then he burst out laughing.

  “Yabba dabba do,” he echoed breathlessly.

  She chuckled and together they cleaned him up. Then he lay back down and spread open his arms, inviting her to cuddle up beside him. She went willingly, tucking herself as tightly as possible against him.

  Could she do this? Could she settle right here happily for the rest of their lives? Was she ready to make that decision right now?

  Maybe. Her body said yes. Her mind was so busy running in a dozen different directions that she ignored it.

  “Just sleep, Cecilia,” he said as he pressed his lips to her forehead. “We’ll figure out the rest in the morning.”

  “Okay,” she agreed, and she shut her eyes. She let her mind spin away until she couldn’t hear it anymore. She was drifting on the sweetness of his breath, of his heartbeat, and just being with him right here, right n—

  Her phone rang with an annoying chime. It was the standard iPhone ring, and yet it had never bothered her more. She wanted to ignore it. Hell, she desperately wanted to throw the damn thing out the window, but she knew that was irresponsible. What if it was Dennis calling with a breakthrough? What if it was another patient like Brittany? One who would survive but only if she and Hank were there to help?

  She jerked herself upright and thumped angrily across the room. Her phone was at the bottom of her tote, so she had t
o pull out her tablet and computer before she could read the phone’s screen. And when she did, she let out a blistering curse.

  Hank was by her in a second, his body taut, his expression fierce. “What is it?”

  “My boyfriend,” she spat. Then she thumbed on the phone.

  Chapter 19

  Hank felt his entire body strain with violence. His bear wanted to kill the rival now. His mind strained to hold the animal back. Of course, she had a boyfriend. She’d told him so.

  Meanwhile, she brought the phone to her ear. He wanted to snatch it away and roar into the phone. He controlled himself only by clenching his hands into fists and grabbing onto a Zen mantra in his mind.

  The greatest worth is self-mastery. The greatest worth is self-mastery.

  He would not kill her boyfriend. But he would listen in to her conversation without apology. Fortunately, his ears were good enough to hear it all.

  “Hello, Yu. I’m so sorry—”

  “You got caught up in your work. So what else is new? Hey, I sent over an email. I’ve got a theory of what the Detroit Flu does to the neural system as it pairs with the endocrine—”

  “Yes, I saw.” Her voice was impatient, and she rolled her eyes as she spoke. “It’s an interesting thought, but I haven’t got the resources to investigate it. Listen, Yu—”

  “I know, I know,” he said still laughing. “I thought we could work on it when you get back. Before the next outbreak—”

  She snorted. “There’s always an outbreak, but Yu—”

  “Not if you put in for a transfer. Not if we get a grant, and with my credentials, we could get a big one—”

  “Yu, stop!”

  He did. A long pause as she took a breath.

  “Look, I’m sorry to do this over the phone, but we’re over. Please understand that I think you’re an incredible guy, but we’re just not compatible. I’m so sorry.”

  Silence again, and then rustling as the man shifted his grip on the phone. “Cecilia? What are you talking about?”

  “Look, I could give you reasons and explanations, but they won’t help. You know there’s never been any real passion between us. You forget me as often as I forget you. I can’t even remember the last time we kissed.”