by Flora Dare
But Jake wouldn't stop treating her like she was made of spun glass. If she was any kind of glass, she was borosilicate Pyrex. It took a hell of a lot to break. He came for dinner every single night. But never sat next to her and hadn't tried to steal a single kiss.
Maybe he'd realized she was more trouble than she was worth. She wanted to scream in frustration.
Maybe she should just go on a road trip. Mama was figuring out her move to Grayslake. Turns out Ethan was right about one thing, there was some money floating around. Nothing like his crazed mind had seized on, but enough so that Lira could drive and drive and drive until she forgot her fair-weather mate.
She stared at herself in the mirror, frowning at her curves. Maybe if she'd been built like Angela, she could have kept his interest longer. No, Jake had worshiped her body. It was easy to beat yourself up, to turn everything inward.
After dinner, she would drag him out for a walk, and he would either spit out his problem or she'd say goodbye. He was her mate, dammit, and it meant something. She wasn't going to let him get away from her that easy. And, if he wasn't her mate, then, like Magda, she wasn't going to settle for anything less.
She'd pack her bags and he'd either move her to the Clan house or she'd drive off into the metaphorical sunset to find some other shifter town full of potential mates. Who was she kidding? Her body practically screamed for Jake.
~ * ~ * ~
Jake paced the porch. He was crawling out of his skin having to keep his distance from Lira. He knew it was going to be difficult, but not throwing her over his shoulder and carrying her away took every bit of his willpower.
But she was still recovering and had promised that he would give her the space she needed. He wanted her to choose him because she had to. Because she felt the mate bond. Not because it was what she had to do to stay in Grayslake with her family.
He hadn't even so much as kissed her since she came home from the hospital. He knew if he kissed her, he wasn't going to be able to stop at that. Then Memaw would never let him come back.
The door snatched open and Nancy stood there with her hands on her hips. "Stupid bear. Really, you both of are. Get into the dining room."
Jake followed her meekly.
Even Gran was glaring at him, as he walked into the room. Lira wasn't there yet.
He settled next to his grandmother who just huffed at him and said, "What is the wrong with you, boy? Did your mother drop you when you were a cub and not tell me?"
He just stared at her, baffled. What had he done? Everyone ignored him as Lira walked in the room. His eyes went soft as he stared at her. She was so beautiful.
She wore some sort of flowy strapless dress that followed the curve of her breasts. He swallowed hard because all he could imagine was tugging it down and watching it slip off her lush body. He drug his eyes upward, catching the exposed scar on her shoulder and scowled. She would always be marked by her attack. Ethan had hurt her, tried to kill the other women. And he hadn't been there. How could he forgive himself when her injury stared at him?
Jake just wished he'd killed Ethan when he had the chance, so she would know she was safe. Instead of a drawn out court case.
Dinner was a whirlwind until they were finishing dessert and Gran said, "Lira, you said you wanted to go for a walk after dinner? Jake, you will escort her." It wasn't a question.
"I really should be going. I don’t want to keep anyone up late." Lira flinched at his words. "But of course we can walk a bit of dinner off first."
He stood and offered a hand to his gran, but she waved him off. "You children go ahead, we'll catch up."
Alone with Lira? Out of sight of the house? Jake swallowed hard and pressed his lips together. He could do this. This would help prove to Lira he'd meant it when he said he'd go slow. He offered his hand to Lira and avoided her eyes.
He tucked her hand in the crook of his elbow and led her down the path at the back of the house. They walked slowly, in silence for a few minutes until they were out of sight of the house. His bear was restless and cranky and wanted to feel his mate melt in his arms.
Lira finally broke the silence. "Dammit, why won't you even look at me?"
He froze, this what not what he expected.
She pulled her hand away from him. "Are you regretting me? Don't freeze me out, just tell me if you are done with me."
His eyes were wide as saucers and he stammered, "I just don't want to hurt you. Your shoulder. And you said you needed slow."
Lira said, "Slow? That didn't mean glacial."
"And regretting you? The only thing I regret is that I wasn't there when that asshole showed up. He never should have been able to get near any of you. I should have tracked him down. I failed you, and he hurt you."
She pointed to her shoulder and said, "You mean this? Yeah, that sucked. But it turns out I'm a motherfucking bear, and, if you didn't know, bears do not like being shot." She grabbed his hand and pressed it against the raised and lumpy skin. "The scar will get smaller and smaller, until it basically disappears unless you know what to look for."
Lira's skin was so warm against Jake's hand and he pulled her closer, letting her scent wrap around him. His mouth ran dry as her face tilted up towards him. He stroked down her face with one finger, then stepped away.
"Please Lira, this is already so hard on me." How could she not know how close to the edge he was, that if he took her in his arms, he was never going to be able to let her go, no matter how much it embarrassed his Gran?
She growled at him and said, "Keep up with me now, or leave and never come back."
She turned and ran from him, down the path. The beast inside of him almost deafened him with the need to chase, to follow and to catch. Oh to catch her, and take her, over and over again. His legs were moving, and as he almost caught up with her, Jake heard her laugh and she transformed.
Shifted.
To her magnificent bear form. She was a match to him, a splendidly large Kodiak bear, who was speeding away from him, shreds of fabric falling around her. He gave his bear free rein, shifted and followed her into the woods.
After the burst of speed, they settled into a mile-crunching lope through the woods. Bears weren't built for speed, but could cover ground if they put their minds too it. Jake thought she was leading him somewhere. If nothing else, the run would tire him out enough that he might be able to keep his hands off her.
They burst into a meadow with a huge, flat rock in the center. Lira bounded up it, leaping to the top and shifting back to human. The moon bathed her in silvery light and her hair curled around her. He leapt up next to her and shifted.
She was in his arms before he could react. Hers lips against his and he couldn't resist and melted into her. This time Lira pushed him away.
They faced each other and she said, "I need you. I want you. No games. No more waiting. You're right, I could have died. And I would have died not saying yes to you, over and over again." She turned away from Jake and started pacing. "If you don't want me anymore, or you just want some fun, tell me. My bags are packed, I'm ready to go."
Ice cold fear shot through Jake's body. "You can't go."
"I can and I will. I'm not spending another night at the B&B. If it's not us, I'm hitting the road."
"I don't understand, what you do mean? Talk to me like I'm a big stupid bear. Because right now? I'm a big stupid bear trying not to freak out."
"I spent the afternoon packing up all my crap and putting it in the car. Because if you won't have me, I'm not staying in Grayslake to be hurt."
"If I won't have you?" Time stood still for Jake. He thought he knew what she meant, but his big dumb bear self was freaking out pretty hard.
"I was so scared before. I don't mean about Ethan. I realized that day that I was keeping you at arm’s length because while Ethan’s cheating hurt, you had the power to destroy me. And that's why I had everyone riding interference. I figured out a lot of things that day, but one of them was that I was at le
ast going to let you know. And let you choose."
"Are you telling me you want to be with me?"
She sighed. "Yes, you goofy bear, I want to be with you, even if it means I get hurt. Life is short, and things can happen we have very little control over. I'd rather be happy with you for as long as we have. But I'll also make it easy for you. If you want freedom, just go, I'll be leaving tonight."
Jake started growling and reached for Lira, but she danced out of the way. "Are you out of your mind? Do you...I just...I'm going to..." He stood with his hands on his hips. "Get that sweet ass over here right now, or I'm going to put you over my knee and spank you until you can't sit for a week."
Lira was so tense, she could barely speak and her voice cracked, "Threat or promise?"
"Both, if I can't hold you now."
Lira let him pull her into his arms. The night air had chilled her skin, and his warmth as he wrapped his arms around her made her sigh.
He said, "You are my mate. You might be able to shift, but there is a lot you have to learn about being a shifter. Being my mate is forever. That's why I could wait. Will wait. If that's what you need. Because you will always be my heart. When I wake up, you the first thing I will think of. And when I fall asleep, you are the vision that will take me to slumber. If you run? I'll chase you forever."
He lowered his mouth to hers, showering her with lightning fast kisses. She started laughing and he frowned at her.
Lira said, "I'm sorry, but, I was so prepared to watch you run away as fast as you could, and I would have to go back to the house and say goodbye to everyone and get in my car and leave."
Jake’s hands tightened around her and he said, "What on earth would make you think I didn't want you?"
"You never tried to even kiss me!" And she really wanted him to kiss her and never stop.
"You idiot! I knew if I started kissing you I wasn't going to stop and I promised you we'd only go as fast as you wanted."
"I couldn't go faster before, but I'm ready for you, now."
"Did you really pack your car with everything?" She nodded against his chest as they sank onto the rock. "I would be privileged and honored if you would come with me to the clan house, as my bride." Lira could feel Jake tense as he waited for her answer.
She took a deep breath and said, "Anyway you want, that's how I'll come to you."
"That's a promise I'll hold you to, when I'm dragging you to City Hall tomorrow." A little squeak escaped Lira's lips and Jake stroked her face softly. "Too soon?"
"It was a knee jerk reaction. I said any way you want, I'll come."
He nipped her ear and said, "Well, I guess I'd better get to work."
~ * ~ * ~ The End~ * ~ * ~
Thank you for reading Secrets to Bear. To find out more about upcoming book releases join my mailing list or like me on Facebook.
~ * ~ * ~
About the Author
Flora Dare lives in Durham, NC in a cute little pink house, with her husband, Scott and their hellion of a puppy, HaliToeses. She writes love, lust and mayhem in almost every flavor, and like The Pirate Movie, she wants a happy ending, every time!
Other Titles by Flora Dare
Want more bears? Double your pleasure with Bears Repeating.
Looking to try something a little different? Try Alpha Alien or get Taken by Space Pirates.
Have some paranormal cravings? Find out Her Selkie Secret.
Legal Bits and Bobs
DISCLAIMER
The characters and events portrayed in this book are a work of fiction or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.
