Her eyes moved back to meet his. His brows were arched and he had a look of humor.
The mistletoe was kind of their thing and it angered her that he was using it for some other woman. “I’m sorry that I nearly knocked you down again. I won’t keep you.” She bent down, intent on getting back into the vehicle.
“Still thinking of me as one of those guys and not giving yourself any credit I see. I’m here for you, Jackie. You drive this route on most days and always at the same time. I planned this.” He sighed and his shoulders sagged. “Doing all of this was probably stupid.” He pointed at himself and then picked off one of the sprigs of mistletoe. “I just thought you might like it, that it might help win you over.”
“Win me over.” She repeated, sounding like an idiot.
Tyler nodded, taking a step towards her. “I can’t get you out of my mind.” His words echoed hers. “I meant it when I said that there is something great between us.”
“I thought you went into Sweetwater to find a mate.” Did she really say that? Surely not. Jackie chewed the inside of her cheek to try and shut herself up.
Tyler clenched his jaw and gave a shake of the head. “I was just hurt. I went and fetched my pack mates and we headed home. I haven’t so much as looked at another female and I won’t, I can’t. You are the one, Jackie.”
It suddenly felt hard to breathe.
“I can see that you are nervous about my admission. That the thought of us together after one night is freaking you out.”
“I’m not—” Jackie said, but Tyler cut her off.
“No, wait. Before you turn me down flat.” He took ahold of her hand and looked her deep in the eyes. “I’m hoping you’ll agree to date me. I don’t care that it is not permitted. I believe that we belong together. I just need a chance to prove it to you. You said before that you would be open to dating me.” He paused, looking somewhere over her shoulder for a few beats before locking eyes with her again. His throat worked and his jaw was tense. “It would mean the world if you would go out with me, Jackie?”
“A date huh?” Jackie had to smile. “And here I was thinking that you were wanting a kiss under the mistletoe.”
Tyler blushed. He honest to god blushed. She was damned if it wasn’t the cutest thing she had ever seen. “Forget about the mistletoe. It was stupid.” He plucked another sprig off of his body.
“No, wait.” Jackie grabbed his hand. “This is the best Christmas present anyone has ever given me. Even if it is a bit belated.” She bit down on her bottom lip for a few seconds. “I can’t wait to kiss you under the mistletoe and I would love to go out on a date with you and in that order. I made a mistake and only realized it after you left. I’ve missed you.”
“Does that mean that you’ll go out with me?” He growled, the gravelly sound affecting her in really wicked places. “I’ve missed you too…so damned much.”
Jackie nodded.
“And you want to kiss me?” He looked down at himself. “All over?”
She nodded again.
He growled deeply. “Only if I can kiss you first.”
“Deal.”
“Deal.” He pulled her into his arms. She squealed when the mistletoe pricked her, but soon groaned as his mouth closed over hers.
Chapter Ten
Almost a year later…
There was a flash of golden fur as Princess wandered off ahead of them. Tyler knew that she wouldn’t stray too far. The cuddly furball was the spitting image of her mother, Queen, so it was only fitting that they named her accordingly.
Tyler groaned under his breath, white smoke plumed. He had, had just about enough of this. He was quietly dying inside. Dying. His eyes tracked his mate as she walked just ahead of him. She was covered in several layers of warm clothing but he knew exactly what she was hiding underneath it all. It made him want to rip them off one layer at a time. Her scent made him want to drool. Who was he kidding? He swiped a hand across his mouth. He was drooling. Big fucking time. Berries with a dash of vanilla only overly ripe, juicy…damn near intoxicating since it was the start of her heat.
His dick was so hard that it throbbed. His hands itched. The den was still at least ten minutes away. Too far. It was going to take too long. He needed his mate and he needed her right fucking now. Snow crunched beneath his boots but the weather was mild.
Jackie didn’t notice him sneak up behind her and she squealed as his arms closed around her, lifting her off of her feet. He ground his cock against her ass. The one dreams were made of and cupped her tits through her thick coat. So damned soft, his chest rumbled.
“You’re driving me nuts.” He growled as he scooped her up.
“What are you doing? The den is that way.” She pointed in the opposite direction to where he was taking her.
“I saw a soft patch of grass under a canopy of trees.” Tyler buried his head in her neck, his nostrils flared. He nipped at her sensitive flesh, loving how her heart rate picked up and her breath quickened.
“And why on earth are we going over there?” Her voice sounded gruff and her eyes narrowed. “You had better not be planning to take me there so that you can throw me on the dirt and ravage me like an animal in the freezing cold.”
Shit!
Had he misjudged her need for him? Should he have waited until they were safely at the den? Jackie was going to be so surprised when she saw that the den was not a hole in the side of the mountain like she expected but rather a well-appointed cabin with views clear across the valley. He had snuck over to the den yesterday to decorate it with Christmas apparel including a tree, fairy lights and of course, tons of mistletoe.
Her eyes narrowed further and he stopped the thought in its tracks, carefully putting her back down. “Yep,” he swallowed hard. “I will keep you warm with my body because that’s exactly what I had planned, but if—”
“Awesome!” She made a growling noise, her eyes bright. Her glasses long gone since she strengthened after mating him. She would also live much longer. See better, hear better…there were major perks to mating with a non-human. Her thick and heady scent caught him deep in the snout. “Great minds think alike. I’m going crazy with need.” Her eyes dipped to his mouth.
He grinned when she jumped back into his arms. Then groaned as she rubbed her core against him. “I love you so damned much.” He palmed her ass. “I’m so fucking glad that you’re such a bad driver and that you were stuck working on Christmas Eve.”
Jackie stretched up and bit his lip. It stung, but in a good way. His dick twitched between them. “I love you too.” She sighed, her beautiful eyes on him. “I’m infinitely glad that you’re so short sighted and that you were on your way to the Christmas Festival.”
Tyler walked over to the grassy patch and carefully positioned his female on her back. Then he unzipped her jacket, trying hard not to ruin her clothes. He couldn’t wait to spend forever with her. To raise a family with her. Though right now, he just needed to be inside of her.
“We’re going to make such gorgeous babies.” He growled as he looked deep into her eyes. “You’re going to be an awesome mom.”
“I’m excited.” Her eyes shone.
“Me too.” He nipped at her lower lip. “At least you’re not going to make me pull out this time.”
“Remember that?” She shook her head as she laughed.
“Pure torture.” He captured her breasts in his hands and squeezed.
“Actually, it was kind of hot watching you come all over me.”
He growled. “Don’t even think about it.”
Her laugh turned into a moan as he bunched her shirt under her chin and sucked on her nipple.
The End
About the Author
Thanks so much for reading my novella. I had such fun writing this lighthearted story.
I live on an acre in the country with my gorgeous husband and three sons and an array of pets including a ball python.
I am lucky enough to be able to write full time,
so most days you can find me at my computer completely lost in worlds of my making. I believe that it is the small things that truly matter like that feeling you get when you start a new book or a particularly beautiful sunset.
Find me:
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Website: www.charlenehartnady.com
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Also by Charlene Hartnady
Chosen by the Vampire Kings: BBW Serial Part 1-6
With over 200,000 copies sold across the 6 installments, this bestselling serial is available as a complete bundle
Every hundred years, tradition dictates that all eligible females in Sweetwater assemble for the choosing ceremony. Two vampire kings have separate territories within the surrounding countryside. Both are eager to pick their future brides.
What a waste of her freaking time.
Tanya is among the many women at the choosing ceremony. As far as she’s concerned it’s an outdated, sexist event and if it wasn’t mandatory she so wouldn’t be here. It’s not important that the two males are ridiculously rich and handsome.
Deep down she knows a plain Jane like her will never be picked by one of the kings anyway. Many of the women in the town square are stunningly beautiful and model thin. Most seem enthusiastic about being a queen even if it means being mated to a blood sucker, which suits her just fine.
Imagine her surprise though when King Brant sets his sights firmly on her. Once a vampire king has decided, there’s no going back. But her home is in Sweetwater. Being forced to live amongst the vampire species…big gulp…forced to mate with a vampire…is not what she had in mind for herself. Maybe she can convince him to let her go, to pick again. If not, she’ll have to find a way to escape his - very muscled and rather delicious - clutches.
Series reading order:
1# Chosen by the Vampire Kings (6 part serial) or the complete bundle
2# Stolen by the Alpha Wolf (3 part serial)
3# Unlikely Mates (3 part serial)
4# Awakened by the Vampire Prince (3 part serial)
5# Mated to the Vampire Kings (Short Novel)
Bestselling Series:
The Program
1#A Mate for York
2#A Mate for Gideon
3#A Mate for Lazarus
All parts are available in Kindle Unlimited at this time
For more information go to my Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1PRdngx
Beary Merry Winter…By Kate Kent
1 Sexy Bear Shifter + 1 Shy BBW = A Growling Hot Time!
Hot ‘n hunky playboy Zane Harlan’s animal is raging when he runs into curvy Anne Williamson at an ugly Christmas sweater party. Zane sees Anne and knows exactly what he wants. But quiet and conservative Anne has an agenda of her own. She wants a baby and she is willing to do whatever it takes to get one.
Mix lust and desire with a little magic potion and you have a recipe for hot loving. The chemistry between the pair is off the charts but can the two reconcile their differences?
Beary Merry Winter is a BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Holiday Romance. This is a standalone novella and the first story in the Shifter Seasons series. These paranormal romances can be read in any order. The story includes strong sexual themes and language.
Beary Merry Winter
(Shifter Seasons)
Kate Kent
Chapter One
“Ugh,” I grunted as I passed by a park bench, watching yet another couple smooching. It was a chilly December day but the pair seemed oblivious to the cold as they huddled close together. That was now four different couples I’d seen kissing during my short walk to and back from the bank to make a deposit for Courtland’s Gems, the jewelry store I worked at. Today, as on most days around the holidays, there had been several happy lovebirds that had come into the jewelry store to pick out that ‘special ring’. It seemed that everyone was in love—everyone except me, of course. And I had to admit, I was a little jealous.
Normally I tried not to let it bug me, but at this time of the year with Christmas around the corner, it bothered me a lot. It meant another year of trimming the tree alone, making eggnog for one, and driving along the streets to ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the Christmas lights by myself.
I knew I had to shake it off. I was finished with men. My past relationships had ended badly. When I’d caught Byron, the man I had thought of as the love of my life, cheating with Vanessa, the woman he rented an apartment from, it was the final straw. I found out later he’d been seeing Vanessa almost the entire time we had dated. It hurt so much. No way could I go through that again.
So, I’d decided on life without a partner. I wouldn’t have to wait on a man, put up with his bullshit, or worry about getting cheated on.
As I rounded the corner to get back to the store, a woman was passing by me, pushing a stroller. I couldn’t resist glancing in the carriage. A little baby wearing a small pink knitted hat was snuggled in a fluffy yellow bunny print blanket and blissfully sleeping inside.
“How old is your little one?”
The woman stopped walking and beamed at me. “She just turned eleven months.”
“She’s beautiful,” I let out a sigh. I wanted to pick that sweet child up and hold her so badly. I looked at the woman’s tummy. She had a skinny frame with a big stomach. It looked like…
“Her baby brother is coming soon,” the woman said, patting her belly.
“Congrats!” I exclaimed, trying to sound excited. It was hard. I had to admit I was envious.
“Do you have kids?” she asked, smiling.
“I wish I did. But no, I don’t…maybe one day.”
“Well, good luck to you.” She fussed with the baby’s blanket for a moment, making sure the child was tucked in just right. Then she waved a hand at me. “Take care.”
“Thanks,” I said, grimacing. I turned and continued my walk back to the jewelry store. Luck—I was going to need a lot of luck if I wanted a baby. That was my one big problem with giving up men. I dreamed of a precious, tiny little one to love and hold. But without a partner, there was little chance of that happening. I’d tried adopting but I hadn’t found an agency willing to work with a single person, and in-vitro fertilization was just too expensive.
Absorbed in my thoughts, I was startled by a manly voice as I reached for the door to the jewelry shop.
“Can I get that for you?”
I looked up to see a hulk of a man pushing open the door to the jewelry shop for me. As we stepped inside, I couldn’t help but admire him. Damn, he was hot in that bad boy, rough, sexy way. He sported a scruffy beard, thatch of chocolate brown hair, bedroom eyes that were so dark they were almost black, and his body—his build took my breath away. He was large, at least 6’5”, with a thick neck and rippling muscles. I’m a big woman, fairly tall at 5’8”with a lot of curves, but I was petite compared to him. With his size, I knew he had to be a shifter.
“I should have gotten the door for you,” I said, smiling at him. “I’m Anne Williamson.” I reached out my hand and shook his. “I work here. Can I help you with anything?”
He held my hand just a little too long before he let it go.
“Zane Harlan’s the name. Yeah, you can help me. I’m looking for something special.”
“Of course,” I said. They were all looking for something special. Tell me something I didn’t k
now. Most men were clueless when they walked into a jewelry store. They had no idea what to look for. If I was unethical I could have sold them the most expensive stuff we had. Courtland’s Gems had a lot of beautiful, pricey pieces; from the creamiest, cultured pearls, to sparkling diamond necklaces. But we also had gorgeous jewelry at lower prices, and I made it a point to show people a variety of things so they could find something in their budget.
“So, what can I help you with today? Are you looking for earrings, a bracelet, a necklace, a watch…is this for yourself or for someone else?” I glanced up at him. God, his eyes were gorgeous; so deep and dark, fringed with long, lush lashes.
“…a ring for someone special.”
I glanced away quickly, sighing. Of course he wanted an engagement ring for his fiancée—another Christmas engagement.
“Most of our rings are over here.” I waved Zane towards several glass cases near the side wall. “Tell me a little more about the type of ring you would like.”
Zane frowned as he glanced at the showcases filled with glittering jewelry. I knew he was overwhelmed by all the choices.
“What do you like?” he asked.
I hesitated for a moment. “My absolute favorite ring is this lovely one that’s set in white gold. Look here…” I said as I stepped behind the showcase of diamond rings. I unlocked the case and pulled the diamond out. It had just recently come in to Courtland’s Gems and I knew it would sell quickly. The ring was gorgeous. The cut, color, and quality were top notch. It was exactly what I would want in an engagement ring. What girl wouldn’t? It almost pained me to show it as I knew someone other than me would eventually own it, but it was my job.
Shifter Wonderland: Twelve BBW Paranormal Holiday Shape Shifter Romances Page 25
