by Anya Nowlan
CHAPTER THREE
Tara fidgeted nervously, her fingers twisting around the strap of her purse as she stood outside of Mae’s. It was ten minutes past the end of her shift and Colden was supposed to show up already, but he was nowhere in sight. Tears threatened to sting her eyes, though she kept them down with valiant effort. It wasn’t so much that he had not shown yet, but that she had been waiting for the date for so long and now it seemed to be going down the drain without any help from her.
Maybe he saw me? she pondered, but disregarded that possibility quickly. He hadn’t looked up once, though perhaps he felt her presence as strongly a she did hers.
Tara had just resigned herself to her fate and taken a few steps down the street towards her apartment, when heavy breathing and pounding footsteps sounded behind her. She whipped around, a familiar warmth flooding her core even before she could see who it was. Her lips twisted into a hopeful smile, seeing the flustered large form of Colden rush down the street towards her. When he stopped before her, just a small distance from her, she felt a sudden calm brush over her. It didn’t matter that he was a werebear, he was just the man she had always imagined him to be. Though, of course, she would be properly wounded at his tardiness.
“I’m so sorry I’m late, Tara,” he said, his breath heavy and his chest heaving. Her gray eyes rolled over him, noticing that he had changed his clothes since last she saw him (well, being nitpicky, she had last seen him naked, but still). Colden was wearing new jeans and a proper blue button-up shirt, the tiniest hint of a white undershirt and a tuft of brownish chest hair peeking out behind two unbuttoned buttons at his collar. It made her a bit embarrassed that she had not thought to change, but she hoped he would not mind too much.
“I thought you weren’t coming,” she said with a small voice. The man tilted his head and exhaled deeply, his hands clutching her arms. She gasped, her eyes widening. They had never touched before and it was as if lightning strikes of heat and lust coiled through her, starting from his fingertips on her skin.
“I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” There was no room in his tone to doubt his words.
Tara nodded softly and gave a small smile. She didn’t want him to pull away from her, but she imagined it looked right silly as the pair of them stood transfixed in front of the diner. A glance at the window confirmed her suspicions – curious eyes were drinking in the sight of them. She blushed and brushed his hands from her arms, twirling about and continuing in the direction she had been headed in. Colden fell in step next to her easily, though he had to slow from his usual pace to keep from striding off in front of the girl. After a moment of hesitation, she slipped her hand into his wide palm, her blush deepening. It all felt a bit rushed, but she had been yearning for him for a year and she was going to be damned if she’d allow coyness to mask her true feelings for him.
They walked in silence, neither one knowing what to say. It took Tara a while to realize that she didn’t even know what they were walking towards. The girl glanced up at the much taller man, his eyes seeming pained with thoughts he couldn’t share with her. She was about to ask where they were going, as there weren’t that many options, when alien words spilled across her lips. Before she could stop herself, she had given in to the loud demanding voices in her mind once again. Though, admittedly the first time she had spoken her mind to Colden that day had brought with it rather pleasant consequences.
“I saw you change today.” Her voice wavered, almost wishing she could grab onto the sentence and gulp it back down. The heat that emanated from his rugged palm up her arm was met by a cold jolt, fear engulfing her.
What if he doesn’t want me to know?
Colden looked at her, fear mixing into his expression. It made her heart ache. The last thing she wanted was to cause him agony.
“You did?” he asked quietly, his soothing, deep voice almost a whisper. She nodded, gripping their entangled fingers with her other hand as well.
“Yes, by the river. I didn’t mean to snoop, I was just taking my lunch break to clear my head and then…I…I’m sorry.” The tell-tale sting of tears prodded at her eyes once more and she lowered her head, trying to choke them down. Tara didn’t want to see it all end before it could even start, her thoughts a jumbled mess.
Colden stopped and pulled her to face him, his other hand gripping her by the elbow and urging her to look up at him. Her gray eyes met his soft hazel and she felt like she could melt right into them, the depth and emotion threatening to carry her away.
“You have nothing to apologize about. Is there somewhere we could talk?” Colden’s body was just inches from hers and it seemed he wanted to press her against him as much as she wanted to be embraced, but both of them reigned in their need. Tara nodded.
At least it’s not over yet.
CHAPTER FOUR
It only took a few minutes to reach her apartment, a cozy little attic above a hardware store. When the door clicked shut behind them, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. Dealing with her thoughts and emotions was hard enough, but doing it all in public seemed nigh impossible. Colden smirked slightly and plodded across her small living room, plopping down on the couch. He patted the cushion next to him and she complied, following his lead. Her home, though impossibly small, had all the touches of a feminine hand without being overdone. It felt homey and safe, two things that Tara needed most in her life.
Tara waited anxiously for him to speak, Colden clearly searching for his words. Finally, he sighed, resting his head in his hands.
“I didn’t want you to find out like that, Tara,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes and his chin with his calloused palms. He leant forward, pushing his elbows on his knees and keeping his gaze on her. Despite the tenseness of the situation, Tara squirmed uncomfortably. Just being around him made her wet and this time was no exception. She was having a hard time telling him to forget all about it and just take her, but she knew as well as he did that it would never work that way. There needed to be honesty and he wanted to give her at least that much. She deserved to know.
“I am a werebear, though I guess you figured that one out already. I live alone, up in the mountains. My brothers are nearby, but we all have our own lives. I guess they are smarter than me – they know we can scare humans by being too careless. Sometimes, when we get angry or excited, it’s hard to control the bear.” She smiled at the sight of the man flushing, his cheeks tinted with color. “I was so glad you wanted to see me that I threw caution to the wind. I wanted to get another change of clothes from home and it’s a bit of a trek, I can’t make it fast enough on foot. And barely fast enough if I shift, as we saw,” he said, smiling weakly.
Tara grabbed one of his hands in hers, urging him to continue. She had finally found the courage to approach the man she had felt such a strong connection to, she wasn’t going to let either of their nerves ruin it for them. He looked at her dainty hands clasping his big paw and the tension seemed to dissipate a little in his gaze.
“I hope I didn’t scare you, Tara.” Colden looked up at her and her shimmering eyes and sweet face took his breath away. She was gorgeous and he had been wanting to get to know her since she arrived in town. For a long time he had wondered if the bond he felt with her was the one that their pack elders had talked of so many times, the happiness a bear could find if he met his true mate. But, he had driven it from his thoughts time and time again, sure that he was just being overly hopeful and that he was fooling himself if he thought she felt the same way. But today, she had shown that she could be much braver than he and it stroked his urgent need for her.
“A little. But I got over it,” she said and both of them smiled. Tara was trembling all over, adrenaline coursing through her veins. She kept glancing at his lips, wanting to kiss him and make away with all the uncertainties and she hoped it didn’t go unnoticed.
Colden wetted his lips, his shoulders stiff from trying to keep himself from grabbing the gorgeous woman in front of him. Her
hourglass curve and those soft red curls had driven him wild and being so close to her without touching and tasting more was torture.
“Good. I’ve wanted to ask you out from the first time I saw you, but I kept missing my chance and falling all over myself. Sometimes, when a bear finds the woman meant for him, they both feel an immediate connection, as if they were old friends reunited across many years. I felt that for you, but I didn’t know if you felt the same for me…” he said, his words trailing off as she nodded quickly. Her expression exuded urgency, the red locks bouncing up and down on her chest.
“I did, I felt that I had known you my whole life.” That was all he needed. Next thing she knew, she had been scooped up by his muscled arms and she was straddling him, their lips locked in a passionate kiss that had been in the making much too long.
They moaned into each other’s mouths, Tara’s hand caressing his scraggly hair and the skin of his neck. He pushed her against him tightly, as if wanting to make sure she could never wander too far from him ever again. Their tongues mashed together, moans escaping their lips as they discovered each other’s mouths and let their shared passion be known, loud and clear. Her fingers tore at his buttons, the barely concealed lust taking over her with full force. It was as if Tara’s body was coming to life for the first time, awoken from a dreadful slumber by Colden’s deep kiss. She bucked against him and he grabbed her ample ass with both hands, kneading the supple flesh. Tara wanted to touch and feel all of him, right now, the need almost blinding.
Her heart soared after his words, finally knowing that he had felt the same for her as she for him. She had stressed over her immediate desire for him for so long that having it now become more than welcome, she didn’t know what to do with herself. The buttons came undone and she pushed his shirt down his shoulders, her hands sliding over his broad muscles. He was hard under her touch, not an ounce of unneeded flesh about him. Built for agility and strength, his body took her breath away. She felt tiny and soft next to him, Colden seeming to enjoy her curves as much as she loved his edges.
Colden kissed her mouth as if he was making love to her, soft and gentle, but with enough force to show her that he meant business. Tara’s hands trailed across Colden with curiosity, learning each muscle and crease. When she went to remove his undershirt, he complied. His broad chest made her want to curl up on his lap and rest against it, but there would be plenty of time for that later. Their urgency grew with each passing second, his hands tearing at the buttons of her waitress outfit. He pulled loose the belt and then the buttons popped open easily, until she was left only in her lingerie before him. Colden drank in the sight of her luscious curves and then kissed down her neck to her chest. Tara arched her back and moaned as his fingers undid her bra and cast it aside as so much useless baggage.
Her bountiful breasts fell free and he attacked them with the hunger of a man who had been denied his claim for a year. He sucked one of her nipples into his mouth and the skin pebbled to a tight peak underneath his tongue. She giggled and the man bucked against her, his hips rubbing against her sex. Tara was wet and wanting, throwing caution to the wind. She would have never allowed things to move so quickly if it were any other man but Colden, but the rugged beast had a hold over her that she couldn’t and wouldn’t shake. She wanted all of him, right now, and there was no option of waiting any longer.
The wide silver belt buckle, adorned with an engraved bear, came loose with a snap and the zipper followed quickly. She could feel the thickness of his hardon through the blue jeans and it intimidated her, but she wanted to have her taste. When she pressed down the edge of the pants and his cock sprung free, rigid and broad, the girl gasped. Colden smiled to himself, but wouldn’t stop teasing her. He had moved between nipples, licking at them both with his sharp tongue, raining kisses on her chest whenever he got the chance. His hands gripped and touched her, bringing heat and excitement wherever they went. She was ablaze with need. Tara’s hand wrapped around his rod and she groaned loudly as she jerked him with her hand, feeling the weight and length of it in her hand. He was huge and thick, more than impressive. Her pussy pulsed with heat at the thought of him inside of her.
She sought out his mouth and kissed him quickly, letting her tongue twist against his. Tara slipped off his lap, kneeling on the plush carpet in front of the couch. His eyes were hazy with lust, matching her own, and the jagged intake of breath as her lips touched the head of his cock made her buzz with satisfaction. Her tongue glided across the velvety head, dropping under the rim and teasing him where he was most sensitive. The tiniest taste of precum salted her taste buds and sent a quick brush of need through her. The world sank away from her, leaving only the man she adored and the intensity of the moment to longer between them. She couldn’t ask for anything better.
Lips slipped over the head, taking it in her mouth. Tara sucked on it gently, though she knew she would struggle to take him very deep. One hand wrapped around the shaft and she stroked him with measured motions, her head starting to bob up and down on him. He growled in ecstasy, an animal sound that should have made her shiver with fear, but instead tingled her with glee. She loved knowing that she could make him succumb to her hunger, that she had as much control over him as he over her. Her eyes fluttered closed as she fell into a steady rhythm, sucking him off with the passion of a wasted year that needed to be made up for. Every now and then, her enthusiasm took her too deep, making her gag on him, but he never pushed further. His fingers coiled into her hair, playing with it and tugging a bit, but he gave her just enough space to keep from forcing her to do anything she didn’t wish to.
Her talented tongue swirled and taunted over his erect cock, lapping at his bulging veins and the delicate head. When his thighs quivered and she could feel his rod pulse, she had to stifle an urge to grin. Colden was such a big, powerful man and yet the gentlest of touches could make him crumble before her. She loved every moment of it.
His thighs flexed, the thick muscles shuddering as her tongue ran the length of him. Colden let out another rumbling growl and before she could object, the girl had been hoisted from the floor and placed back on the couch on her knees. Colden jumped up with the speed of a much smaller man and hooked his fingers around the lacy fabric of her panties. He pulled them down and inhaled deeply, a wide grin coming to his lips. She smelled absolutely delicious, especially to a man who had been looking for his mate. He still couldn’t believe that he had truly found her, but there was no doubt in her mind that she was the one. Only a woman with a big heart and a kind soul could open herself to the idea of loving a bear and she had felt the same connection as he did. He would only curse himself for waiting so long, but that was a problem to hash out with himself later. Much later.
The man wanted nothing more than to plunge into her silken depths right away, but he reigned himself in with great difficulties. His rough hands slid over her skin, starting from the curve of her ass and ending on her shoulders, before wrapping around her and caressing the gentle peak of her breast and her soft stomach. He loved her curves and her softness against his hard muscles, she was everything a woman was supposed to be – smart, kind and to him, the most beautiful thing in the world. Gentle lips kissed Tara’s shoulder and neck and the girl bucked into him a bit, her rump bumping against his hard cock. It made her inhale sharply, feeling the wet rod, still glimmering from her diligent sucking. He chuckled and it made another tremble traipse up and down her spine in quick succession.
“Tara, if we do this, there is no going back. It’s not the season yet, but trust me, the bond will be the same none the less. You will be my woman, my mate, and I will be yours, truly and completely. Are you sure you’re ready?” he asked, his voice a soft murmur. Almost before he could finish, she was nodding her head. It was a mix of wanting him as badly as she did, but also that she couldn’t imagine herself with anyone else ever since they met. She had eyes for no other man and the idea of being his and his alone sounded fantastic to her. Tara could hear th
e strain in his voice and the way that his fingers kept flexing around her, kneading into the skin, told her that he wanted it as much as she did. Without another word, he pressed forward, his hard rod parting her folds around it.
She moaned and pushed back, the man grabbing her by the hips. He kept kissing her shoulders and back as he slowly thrust into her, giving her all the time she needed to adjust to him. Small whimpers escaped her lips as he continued on, spearing into her tight tunnel. He was so big that trying to take him made her eyes water with tears, but she wouldn’t imagine of telling him to stop. Colden started pumping into her with small motions, each stroke taking him deeper in her. Her pained groans soon turned into moans of pleasure, her back arching and her nails digging into the sofa. He felt so good in her and his size stretched her wide, making her feel even the tiniest of movements in her and the slick sliding of his cock in and out of her slit. His hips came crashing into her and she gurgled a yelp, the man sinking into her fully. For a second, she went rigid with shock, but a wave of soft heat washed over her and her body relaxed.
