ROMANCE: PARANORMAL ROMANCE: Mated, Bearfoot and Pregnant (Bear Shifter BBW Pregnancy Romance) (Werebear Hero Fantasy Romance)

by Leah Kent

  Rose turned her attention to this new woman. “Yes. Who are you?”

  The woman gave Rose a warm smile. Rose noticed that she kept her head even, but her eyes were averted downward. She was not sure what to make of that. “I’m an associate of Mr. Wright. He wanted me to come out here to assist you so that you can finally answer his invitation.””

  Rose laughed at the absurdity of the notion. She stopped when she noticed the young woman’s expression had not changed.

  “You’re serious.” Rose considered this woman carefully. Her Chicagoan accent was not as pronounced as Nancy’s, but it was evident. By the style of clothing and the vibrancy of the hair color, this was a city girl, through and through. She might, though Rose doubted it, be accustomed to suburban life. “Do you have a name?”

  “Mandy, Ms. Carter.” She gave a small bow.

  “You can just call me Rose. Mandy, have you ever been on a farm?”

  Mandy looked up at her now, her face bright. The city girl exterior melted, and Rose felt an instant kinship to this woman. “Oh yes ma’am. I grew up on a farm in rural Illinois with four brothers and two sisters. I can handle taking care of any crops you have. I can take care of any animals too. I’m very good with cows, but my favorite has always been sheep.”

  “How convenient.” Rose remembered that she had never mentioned her sheep to Marcus or Nancy. That meant that he had done his homework on her. She was not sure if this was the sign of a stalker or a simply a thorough and wealthy man. ““So Marcus sent you along to take care of the farm so I can visit him in Chicago.”

  Mandy averted her eyes down again. “Yes.”

  Rose sighed. She sat down on the steps and looked up, so that Mandy had no choice but to look at her. “Right. So why is Marcus Wright so intent on me going out to Chicago to see him?”

  She could see Mandy battling with herself on what to do with her eyes. She seemed incapable of just looking up. Finally, she resigned herself to having to meet Rose’s gaze.

  “Mr. Wright wants to be able to give you a proper thank you for saving his life. He wouldn’t go into detail with me. Please accept his invitation. He’s going to be displeased with me if I go back and you don’t. I can take care of everything here for you. I promise.”

  Mandy sounded sincere and earnest. Rose was not sure what was going on with her need to avert her eyes before, but it did not appear to be dishonesty.

  “I’m going to go to a city I’ve only been to once to see a man I’ve only met once. You realize how crazy that sounds of me, right?” Rose asked. She wanted to see what kind of awareness this woman had.

  “Yes, I know. I said as much to him. He thought since you were willing to take them down into your basement, you might be willing to take that chance.”

  Rose laughed again. She really did like Mandy. She had the kind of smarts that you learned growing up on a farm, a practicality in looking at situations. She did not suppose Mandy would associate with a man that was untrustworthy.

  “I suppose if I’m going to accept the offer, I should show you around.” Rose stood and walked down the steps. “I have a spare room that you can stay in as well.”

  “Oh, that’s not necessary. I can stay in a hotel. I don’t want to intrude on your personal space,” Many said.

  Rose shook her head. “Right, it’s been a while since you’ve been on a farm. You need to be here. Besides, you’re not going to be intruding on anything personal. All of that blew away with the storm.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Mandy once again sounded sincere.

  “It’s Kansas. Everyone’s diary ends up in Oz at some point. So, let’s get you reacquainted with farm life.”

  Rose led Mandy around the farm, showing her the barn, and where to find everything she would need to care for the sheep. Rose allowed the sheep to graze in an open field, and pointed out where that was. She also had a feed she gave them, to ensure they had a good diet and good-quality wool. She led Mandy around the perimeter of the farm, letting her know what to look for along the fence for signs of trouble. Wild dogs were only an occasional nuisance, not enough of one for Rose to buy a dog of her own. She would have to worry about rabbits and other small animals. While Rose did not have any crops now to worry over, she did not want the critters in the habit of coming onto the land or creating dens.

  As Mandy demonstrated her knowledge of farm life, Rose relaxed some about the prospect of leaving the farm in her care. Marcus only intended for her to stay up to a week, depending on what she wanted. Rose agreed that she would go to visit him and let him finish working off the debt that he still seemed to think he still owed. She packed a few clothes into a duffle bag, collected her brush and toiletries, and took them out to the limousine. Nancy brought in a small suitcase for Mandy.

  It would be strange leaving the farm in someone else’s care, but it was apparent to Rose that she was going to need to see this through. Marcus Wright, it seemed, was not a man easily deterred.

  Chapter Three

  The drive to Chicago would be almost twelve hours. Rose and Nancy stayed at a small hotel in town, and set out in the early hours next morning. Rose was surprised that Nancy was able to make the drive with only a few brief pit stops, usually at Rose’s request. She could not imagine driving that many hours. Her one trip to Chicago had been by plane when she was a teenager.

  Rose’s mother died when Rose was only twelve. Rose’s grandmother thought it would be a good idea for Rose to meet her father. He lived in Chicago and Rose suppose he still did. The meeting had been awkward, and Rose spent most of her week there doing anything except being around him.

  The city was just as large as she remembered it. Nancy drove to one of the high rises that lined Lake Shore Drive. Rose thought it was a hotel until she noticed the sign advertising the parking as non-public only and another announcing that they were entering a condominium community. Nancy parked the limousine and led Rose through the building’s simple lobby and up to the top floor suite.

  The suite, apartment – Rose really did not know what to call it – was enormous. The elevator opened, with key access only, to a wide and richly furnished living room. Bay windows looked over Lake Michigan ahead of her. To her left, a staircase followed the wall up to a landing that led to a hall. Another hall was situated beneath it. To her left, the living room was open to a full dining area, where a plate of finger foods sat waiting next to a young woman who smiled and gestured to it. She wore a simple maid’s dress with a white apron over it. Her blonde hair was pulled back neatly, and she wore stiletto heels.

  “Welcome, Ms. Carter,” the maid said. “Mr. Wright is still in his office, but he will be home this evening. He wanted me to make sure that you had something light to eat after your trip. If you are tired, I can show you to your room as well.”

  While the food looked appetizing, sleep sounded much better to Rose. She indicated for sleep and followed the maid through the downstairs hall and to a door.

  The room contained a full-sized bed with a rich maroon comforter on top of it. The window over the bed looked out over the lake. A dresser stood against one wall, with a closet door next to it. A chair and table sat along another with a full bookcase beside them. The room was warm and inviting, and Rose let out a large yawn.

  “If you need anything,” the maid said, “simply pull on the cord next to the bed. My name is Nichole and I will be happy to assist you.””

  “Thank you, Nichole. I really appreciate it.”

  “You are welcome. Rest well. If you are not already up, I will wake you when Mr. Wright arrives home.”

  Rose set her duffle bag on the chair and lay down on the bed. Her next moment of awareness was of a gentle knock at the door. She started, not remembering where she was. When the door opened and Nichole appeared, she recalled her long drive from Kansas to Chicago, and the polite maid who led her to the bedroom to rest.

  “Mr. Wright is here, ma’am.”

  “Thank you,” Rose said.

&
nbsp; Nichole turned on the light for her and Rose pulled her brush from her bag, running it through her hair to straighten it from her sleep. She was glad now that she was not in the habit of wearing makeup. She thought it would probably be smeared. She checked her phone to see that it was six-thirty in the evening. She had a little more than an hour and a half of sleep. She had napped on the trip, so she thought once she had a chance to stretch her legs she would be fine.

  Rose walked out of the room and back into the living room. Marcus waited there, wearing a suit almost identical to the one that he wore the day she had met him. His dark hair was brushed back and his brown eyes were bright with his appreciation at seeing her. Rose smiled as she walked up to him.

  “Thank you for accepting my invitation at last,” Marcus said. “I trust that Mandy met with your approval?”

  Rose smiled. “Mandy’s a sweet girl. She seemed really intent on not disappointing you.”

  Marcus nodded and gestured to the couch. “I thought this evening we would just relax. Tomorrow, I will have Nancy drive you downtown to do some shopping. I would like to take you out to a nice dinner, and it occurred to me you might not have packed for that.”

  Rose laughed and shook her head. “No, I wasn’t expecting anything like that. You don’t have to do all of that for me, you know.””

  Rose moved around to sit on the couch. Marcus sat on the adjacent chair and rang a bell.

  “I do,” he said. “I owe you a lot for what you did, and I wanted to make sure you knew how much I appreciated your alertness and generosity.””

  Nichole entered with a silver tray carrying two steaming bowls. She set the tray down on the coffee table in front of them and looked to Rose and then to Marcus. “What would you like to drink Sir?”

  “Wine for myself.” He looked to Rose. “What would you like?”

  Rose thought about the prospect of wine and thought better of it. After the ride, it would only make her sleepier. “Water please.”

  Nichole gave a bow of her head and walked back out of the room.

  Marcus turned his attention back to Rose. “The soup is just a light broth. You can sip it directly from these bowls. They are designed for it. I thought that and light finger foods where you can relax on the couch might be in order this evening.”

  “Thanks. So, why did you insist on me coming up here?” Rose asked. She wanted to let her soup cool before trying to sip it.

  “As I told you, to finish repaying my debt. I owe you my life, and Nancy’s life.”

  Rose shrugged her shoulders. “You already gave me a lot of money, more than I needed to rebuild my farm. You don’t have to do anything else. Really.”

  Marcus nodded, and Rose thought he was evaluating her against something. “Money is only that. I like to make my thanks in person, and I can do that best here.”

  Rose let out a sigh. She was resigned to accept his hospitality. He was obviously going to have it no other way. She picked up her soup bowl carefully and sipped it. The broth was light and flavorful. As it reached her stomach, she realized she was very hungry. She thought she probably should not have refused the food offered to her earlier.

  She set down her bowl and considered her host. She knew of Marcus Wright only as an investor in the farming communities in Kansas. She knew nothing about his personal life at all. When he began sending his invitations, she had taken time to look him up online. She could find plenty of information about his investment practices and philosophies. Even though he had earned his money through corporate America, he wanted to give back in other ways, hence his work in Kansas and other Midwest states. Nothing that she found talked about his personal life, and when an interviewer attempted to probe, he shut them down quickly.

  “So shopping and dinner,” Rose said. “Anything else that you have planned?”

  “That will depend on you,” Marcus replied. Something in his eyes made Rose’s heartbeat faster. She did not miss the innuendo there. ““We can start with dinner.”

  “Dinner is nice.” Rose picked up her bowl and sipped her soup again.

  She was relieved when the conversation quickly moved to other things. Nichole brought out their drinks and finger foods – a selection of fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and wrapped meats. Rose enjoyed them as she talked about the farm and the recovery efforts in the community. Marcus discussed his work readily enough, but he avoided any discussion of his personal life. Rose was curious, especially given his subtle overtures.

  When Rose began to yawn again, Marcus declared the evening over. He ushered her to her room with the promise that Nancy would be ready whenever she was up the next morning. Rose made her way to her bed and collapsed on it, falling asleep almost immediately. She dreamt of the tornado and of being carried away not to Oz, but to a high-rise condominium in Chicago, where a mysterious wizard made her a strange offer.

  Chapter Four

  Rose’s day was filled with a flurry of activity. After breakfast, Nancy took her to a boutique downtown to shop for a dress. It would be a few hours for it to be hemmed, as the designer tailored each suit for each customer. Nancy took her to one salon to have receive a full manicure and pedicure. After that, they went to another for Rose’s hair and makeup.

  By the time the dress was ready, Rose felt like a pampered princess. She wondered what all of this would mean once she arrived to dinner. In the books she read, the billionaire showered attention in order to bring a young woman to her knees before him. Rose thought that Marcus was attractive.

  Well, she thought that he was more than attractive. Any woman would have to be a fool not to be attracted to him. She had no desire to be on her knees in front of him, or any man for that matter. Her mother had concerned herself with submitting to the desires of a man, and ended up pregnant and depending on her own mother for support. Rose had decided that she would not give in to anyone’s desires. She made her own rules, and that was how she operated. Sure, she had no major ambitions. She enjoyed life on the farm, raising her sheep and supporting herself with her little garden. She did not need anything else.

  She also did not need her life dictated to her by someone else. She hoped that reality would not be the way it was in books. She thought Marcus was a nice man. She did not need that spoiled by his attempts to control her.

  At six o’clock, they arrived at the restaurant. Nancy opened Rose’s door and with thanks, Rose walked up to the door. A man there opened it for her, welcoming her inside.

  The foyer of the restaurant was white, crisp, and clean. A large chandelier overhead lit the area. A cute red-haired woman stood behind the maître de stand and greeted Rose as she entered. Marcus turned and with a smile, walked up to her, taking her hands in his. Rose noticed that his right hand was not as strong as his left, and wondered how long it would take him to regain full strength in the arm.

  “Our table is ready,” he said. He turned to the Maître de. “My guest is here.”

  “Thank you sir. This way, please.” She took two menus in hand and led them back and into the restaurant.

  More white greeted Rose. Everything here was pristine, bright, and clean. As she passed, it seemed that even the tablecloths were incapable of picking up drips or stains from the patrons. The expense, she thought, in keeping everything this clean had to be enormous. The Maître de led them to their table and set their menus down. Once they sat down, she left them.

  Rose opened her menu, relieved to find that the French names for dishes had English descriptions. They discussed the menu together and chose their meals and a light wine to accompany them. Conversation continued from the night before as they each exchanged stories of farm and business. She thought that in some ways, their lives were not too different. As she listened to him discuss mishaps with his company’s middle managers, she thought of her own problems dealing with stubborn sheep.

  She understood why the two were so often compared.

  Dinner was pleasant, and the wine complimented it well. While Rose picked up again on
his glances, Marcus made no overt advances. Everything was subtle, as though he were waiting for her to say something or make some move. The thought of Marcus as a lover was an entertaining one. Rose knew that she was an attractive woman, so she did not doubt his interest. She also knew that as easy as it was for the two of them to exchange conversation, she was a simple woman. Her life consisted of animals and the earth. There was nothing more sophisticated to her than the knowledge of how to rotate crop placement in her garden to keep her soil healthy.

  When they finished dinner, Nancy took them back to Marcus’ condominium. They continued their conversation up the elevator. When they stepped out and into his living room, Rose stopped talking. Nichole, now wearing nothing except for a collar around her neck, knelt down on the floor before them. Her ample breasts pushed forward as she held her hands behind her back. She kept her head down, but her posture was otherwise perfect.

  She’s a submissive. A real life submissive.

  Suddenly the earnestness of Mandy’s plea, that she not go back in place of Rose and disappoint Marcus made sense. The rest of what was happening, however, did not.

  “What’s going on?” Rose looked from Nichole to Marcus. The smile on his face as he looked down at Nichole was strange. She saw pleasure in his eyes, and something else. Was it control or power? The tantalizing look made Rose feel very curious about what it was like to experience it.

  Marcus turned from Nichole to Rose. “Nichole is presenting herself, as she is supposed to when I come home. I suspended protocol last night, to give you a chance to relax and rest. I thought a wakeful mind and the chance to get to know me as just a person might make showing you this a little easier.”

  Rose looked from him to Nichole again. The maid was beautiful in this position, and Rose felt a warmth growing between her legs. She was used to feeling that when she read her erotic books, but always attributed it to the dominant billionaire, not to the submissive herself.

  “I’m not going to do that.” Rose looked back to Marcus, expecting to see surprise or perhaps disappointment. Instead, she saw nothing change in his expression. It was as though he completely expected that from her.