by Ruby Shae
Lucky Bear
(Wild Bear, Book 1)
Ruby Shae
Lucky Bear
(Wild Bear, Book 1)
Copyright 2015 by Ruby Shae
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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
About This Book
Finnegan “Lucky” Davis, a grizzly bear shifter, has spent the last year searching for a place to call home, and a mate to share his life. When he stops in Liberty to visit an old friend in the Wild Bear Bar, he falls for the feisty she-bear behind the counter the moment she scolds him for making a mess.
Tall, curvy, tomboy Isabelle Taylor hates the way her body reacts to the new bear in town. He’s big and sexy, everything she’s ever wanted in a mate, but she knows firsthand what it feels like to believe in silly dreams. Lucky might want her now, but no one new ever stays in Liberty.
Lucky can’t seem to catch a break with Isabelle. He knows they’re meant to be together, but she repeatedly turns down his advances until her cousin steps in and offers some advice. Suddenly, he’s got his mate right where he wants her, but the stubborn woman has other plans. He tries to be patient, but sometimes a bear has no choice but to show his mate how lucky he really is.
Lucky Bear
(Wild Bear, Book 1)
By Ruby Shae
Chapter One
Finnegan “Lucky” Davis pulled his truck into the parking lot of the Wild Bear and glanced at the open cuts on his knuckles. Even though he healed fast, the cuts had been deep and blood still seeped through two of them. He didn’t have to look to know that the cut under his eye was also red.
He shook his head and climbed out of his truck. All five of his attackers looked a lot worse, but it still pissed him off that one had landed a good shot to his face. He hadn’t wanted to show up in Liberty looking like a bloody mess, but some things never changed.
Except he was tired.
Spending most of his life in the mountains had taken its toll, and he longed for a change. He wanted a place to call home, but more importantly, he wanted someone to come home to. He knew the latter might never happen for him, but he was pushing forty and tired of the solitude the wilderness granted.
Up until twelve months ago, he’d been a park ranger for nearly fifteen years. He’d taken the job right out of college, and at the time it had been perfect. Even though full humans knew about bear shifters, some cities and towns were more welcoming than others. After growing up in a large city, he’d craved the isolation of the forest.
The job placed him far enough from civilization that his bear had finally felt free, but he’d still been close enough to several small towns that he could visit the locals when he felt like socializing. Over time, his visits into town satisfied him less and less until he gave up everything to search for a permanent place to call home.
Over the past year, he’d visited nearly every inch of the country, but this was the first time he’d been smack dab in the middle. He’d decided to check it out Liberty on the recommendation of a friend, but the brawl on the edge of town had made him wary. So far, he wasn’t impressed.
He entered the establishment and worked his way through the crowd to the bar, dismissing all the stares.
Grizzly bear shifters were taller and bigger than most humans, but at six feet, seven inches tall, he was taller and bigger than everyone. The stares didn’t bother him, but the attention he usually received, from both women and men, had earned him the name Lucky a long time ago.
He sat down at the counter and surveyed the room. Almost everyone had returned to their activities, but two men in the corner still watched him. They could be a problem, especially if they’d downed all the empty bottles on the table in front of them. Shifters tended to get rowdy with a good buzz, but they had a high tolerance for alcohol. Most humans did not. When the two species mixed with alcohol present, trouble was nearly guaranteed.
He was surprised to see only two waitresses working the floor, one of them a full human. There didn’t seem to be a bouncer present, and he wondered how they kept the crowd under control as the night wore on.
The human waitress sidled up next to him and placed her tray on the counter. She gifted him with a sweet smile, and then easily dismissed him as she yelled her drink order across the counter. He wasn’t offended. Though she was pretty with auburn hair, deep green eyes, and sexy curves, she wasn’t his type.
He wanted someone…
“You’re bleeding all over my counter,” a woman said, slamming a first aid kit down in front of him. “Are you ordering, or just sitting there making a mess?”
He looked up and, for a moment, lost the ability to speak. His dick hardened to the point of pain and he turned in his chair to face the bar completely.
She was tall, nearly six feet if he had to guess, with long, dark blond hair that was pulled back into a pony-tail. The wavy locks looked soft and thick and he longed to run his hands through them. Deep, chocolate brown eyes bored into him as she waited for a response to his question, but his throat muscles wouldn’t cooperate.
Her body was thick and curvy, but also muscular and powerful. She was soft in all the right places, but he knew she’d be able to handle a man his size. Not many women could, and his cock definitely took notice. He’d never had such a strong reaction to a woman before, especially one so hostile.
She wore jeans and a black t-shirt that said Wild Bear in blue. The words stretched across her chest, and he had a feeling her ample breasts were bound by a sports bra or some other minimizer. Nothing about her screamed feminine, but he knew she was all woman, and all his.
What the fuck?
The last thought jarred him. Shifters didn’t have fated mates. Mates were chosen, the same way humans chose their spouses, and it was only after the mating that their bond would strengthen.
“Well?” she asked, clearly irritated by his mute voice.
“Beer. Bottle. Nothing light,” he answered.
“You got it,” she said. “Use the kit; it will help you heal faster.”
He was hardly bleeding all over her counter, but the medication would help. As much as he hated being told what to do, he opened the kit and pulled out two individually wrapped antiseptic wipes. Another realization jarred him. If things went the way he hoped, she could easily manipulate him into doing her bidding all over town.
After dabbing the cuts with a cocktail napkin, he opened the first packet and rubbed it over his knuckles. He inwardly cursed as the medicine wiped away the blood and penetrated the wound. It hurt like hell, but she’d been right. The healing process began again. He decided to wait until he had a mirror readily available before he messed with the mark under his eye.
She placed the icy cold brew on the counter, and glanced sharply toward the opposite end of the bar.
“Five dollars.”
“What’s your name?” he asked, d
igging out his wallet.
“Isabelle,” she said, looking down the bar again.
He didn’t miss the fact that she didn’t ask for his name, or that he cared more about the snub than he should.
“It’s nice to meet you, Isabelle,” he said, holding out his hand. “I’m Lucky.”
That got her attention, and he immediately regretted not using his real name. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest.
“That’s what you decided to go with? Really?” she said, sarcastically. “Well, Lucky, I think your parents made a huge mistake. You don’t look very lucky to me.”
She took the five he placed on the counter, shoved it into her pocket, and made her way to the other end of the bar.
Shit!
It wasn’t the first impression he’d wanted to make, and he inwardly cursed his stupidity. Usually, he didn’t care what anyone thought about him, but Isabelle was different. He wanted her to like him, and he didn’t need a rocket scientist to tell him she didn’t.
He watched her interact with the three guys she’d been eyeing at the end of the counter, and her demeanor hadn’t changed. If anything, she’d hardened. He couldn’t hear the conversation, but he knew the men were trouble.
Suddenly, Isabelle pulled a baseball bat out from under the counter and pressed it against the throat of one of the men. His two friends took a step back, but the instigator didn’t move.
Idiot. The guy was a full human and she was definitely stronger. Even if he stepped back, one hard push of the bat would have him gasping for air.
He got off his stool and strolled to the scene. He’d worked the door at local bars before, and keeping a level head was the number one rule when trying to diffuse a possible altercation. Everyone watched in silence as he stood behind the three men and observed the situation.
“Everything okay here, Isabelle?” he asked.
She met his eyes over the heads of the men and nodded once before speaking.
“Yeah, these three were just on their way out to find their manhood.”
One of the three men finally noticed him and tapped the leader on the shoulder, whispering something about a big shifter. A full minute passed before the leader relented, but he didn’t give up without a warning.
“You just made a big mistake, sweetheart,” he said. “You’d better watch yourself.”
Lucky stepped back, followed the men to the door, and watched them exit the building. As soon as the metal closed behind them, the chatter in the bar resumed and he reclaimed his original barstool.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she snapped. “I had it under control.”
“I know,” he said simply.
He had known, but he didn’t care. Both the bear and the man had needed to protect her.
“Then why did you get involved?” she seethed.
He shrugged.
“Because I wanted to.”
“Next time don’t,” she spat. “I don’t need your help.”
She didn’t need it, but he wanted her to have it.
“I beg to differ,” he said.
If looks could kill, he’d be dead. Her eyes sparkled in anger, and he had a feeling she was about to whip out the bat again. What did it say about him that his dick hardened even further? He liked her feisty attitude.
She opened her mouth to respond, but he cut her off.
“Does Gabe Turner still own this place?”
She studied him for a full minute before responding.
“Yeah. He does,” she said, and then she walked away.
He watched her pick up a corded phone receiver, and he realized Gabe was somewhere in the building. She’d eyed him as she waited, but then turned away before she spoke into the phone, shielding her words.
Pride filled him.
She was sexy and smart; a lethal combination.
A moment later, she returned and pointed to a hallway on the opposite corner of the crowded room.
“Down the hall, first door on your left.”
“Thank—”
She turned away, effectively silencing him, and walked to the other end of the counter.
He made a beeline for the hallway, cutting across the dance floor, and earning more stares from the patrons.
Good.
He had a feeling that after talking to Gabe he’d be around more often than not, something that was sure to get Isabelle’s fur to stand on end.
He looked forward to the challenge.
***
Isabelle Taylor watched the crowd split as the hulking bear walked across the dance floor and disappear down the hall.
Shit! I am in so much trouble!
She wanted him, and the way her cousin seemed to get off at the mention of the man’s name—Lucky—told her he’d be staying. The Wild Bear needed a bouncer in the worst way, and he seemed to be perfect for the job.
The way he’d casually approached the men harassing her proved he had experience working in a bar, or bar-like setting. If he wanted the job, Gabe would give it to him.
Fuck!
Who the hell named their kid Lucky anyway? She knew it wasn’t his real name, but she needed any anger she could muster to keep the momentum going. Though she wasn’t usually a pleasant person, fighting with him had been difficult. She’d nearly melted when he came to her rescue, even though she had a feeling he would do it for anyone in need. When he’d said her name, she’d been lost.
She glanced at her watch and cursed. Jared, the other bartender, wasn’t due to arrive for ten more minutes and she desperately needed a break now.
For a town located in the center of the continent, Liberty had amazing weather. In most cities, the flat land was a beacon for heat, but the trees from the nearby forest and nature preserve created a wonderful cross breeze that kept the town cool all year around.
She needed to breathe in fresh air as if her life depended on it.
Lucky, or whatever his name was, made her wish for foolish dreams long forgotten and she needed to get a grip. She’d always been a tomboy, but add to that her height and extra weight, and the cards were stacked against her. She could mix a drink better than anyone, handle a full-size truck like it was a racecar, fight off even the biggest of men, and beat anyone at billiards, but she royally failed in the girl department.
Jeans and t-shirts were her clothing of choice, and though she owned other garments, she rarely wore them. She didn’t do make-up, and styling her hair involved not pulling it back into a rubber band, which rarely happened. She did own some sexy lingerie for intimate moments, but she’d only ever shown them to one man, and he hadn’t been impressed. At least not enough to stick around.
Finding a mate to spend the rest of her life with was a silly, unrealistic dream. Men didn’t want a curvy, Amazonian, plain tomboy on their arm, especially one that was over thirty. They wanted someone small, petite and beautiful.
Basically, everything she wasn’t.
The moment Lucky had walked into the bar, he’d drawn the attention of everyone in the room. Except for a few troublemakers, the patrons quickly ignored him when they didn’t sense a threat, and it seemed she was the only one who couldn’t forget him.
She’d never seen a man or beast so tall, and her pussy throbbed as if readying itself for his large, thick cock. His wide chest took up the space of nearly two men, and his black hair matched the more than one day’s worth of stubble surrounding his strong jaw. When she’d approached him, his smoky grey eyes seemed to see into her soul, and she desperately wanted to know what it felt like to be wrapped in his thick, muscled arms.
When Michelle, one of the waitresses from the floor, had smiled at him, she’d wanted to rip the other woman’s throat out. She’d never felt such a strong, jealous reaction before and it pissed her off. For a moment, her bear had wanted to fight her friend over a man, and the possessive feelings had shaken her. Fated mates were something out of romance novels, not real life, and she knew she had no right to feel so violent toward
the other woman.
His cracked knuckles had softened her rage, but only for a moment. When he’d introduced himself, his use of a seemingly fake name had made her blood boil. He was just like all the rest, ready to fuck the pitiful barmaid before he set his sights on the real prize. Or prizes. She mentally cursed her stupidity. Of course he’d be a cocky asshole looking to bang a few of the locals before moving on to the next town. Or his next job.
Liberty was a mid-sized town where shifters and humans lived together fairly peaceably, but the location of the bar meant they welcomed many travelers on their way to other destinations. A couple of weeks, or months at the most, and he’d be gone. No one new ever stayed long enough to make Liberty their home.
Thankfully, three troublesome humans had approached the bar, and she hadn’t needed to worry about what to do with her rage. She’d focused on the anger, and when the ringleader insulted her by offering sex instead of money to clear his tab, she hadn’t wasted any time showing her strength.
She’d been ready to beat the man down, but Lucky had taken away her chance. As soon as the men had noticed the massive shifter behind them, they’d relented and left the bar. He’d not only taken away her fight, but he’d stayed calm, cool and collected when she’d turned her anger toward him.
God Damn!
She felt like a walking time-bomb, ready to explode at any minute. She’d been looking forward to releasing some aggression on at least one of the men, and now she was all wound up and trapped behind the bar. Her bear felt caged in and restless, and a light sheen of sweat covered her brow and upper lip.
She briefly thought about Jared and wondered if that was one of the reasons he always looked for trouble. The man would fight every night if her cousin wasn’t around to stop him. If they had a bouncer, Jared could stay behind the bar, and hopefully out of jail. He wasn’t a bad man, but she knew his personal demons ran deep.
She discretely wiped her upper lip on her shirt sleeve and continued to man the bar. Tanya, a shifter, and Michelle both came up to place orders, and she’d breathed a sigh of relief when her hostility toward Michelle had abated. She concentrated on making drinks until Jared strolled behind the counter at the same time her cousin emerged from his office.
