by Reina Torres
“No. Closer.” She lifted a hand from the glass and reached back. Her grasping fingers fumbled about his hip and thigh and his cock twitched, pressing deeper against her. The soft whisper of her blouse against the swollen tip drew more than a drop from him, painting a wet line on the fabric before it was gone.
Hollis tugged again and he stumbled forward. So close that she had to rise up on the balls of her feet to continue to curl and rub against him.
His bear made a keening cry in his mind, they could both smell the sweat and arousal in the air. Hollis may think she wasn’t a true shifter, but her scent said different. She was bear and woman both, his mate.
When her hand dropped from his hip and reached down between her thighs, he felt her shake. The backs of her legs slid against his thighs and all that delicious friction brought him to the edge of sanity.
He didn’t let go of the frame. There were only a few splinters left so he pressed his palms against the wood in desperation.
And then it happened. Her breath hitched. Her back bowed, capturing him between his belly and her luscious ass, and then she screamed.
The sound came from so deep within her that he swore he felt it trembling between them. Hollis bucked back against him, bathing his skin in her release.
It felt too good to move, holding him immobile against her, but the instant her release reached the base of his dick, licking against the sensitive skin beneath, he was lost. With a shout he painted her pale flesh with his release.
When he managed a few breaths of his own he opened his eyes and searched for her gaze in the window’s reflection.
Her eyes were bright with joy, her skin flushed a becoming shade of red, and when she spoke, he hung on every word.
“That,” she told him, “was exactly what I wanted.”
#
Amos Kent looked up from his ledger when the door to his office opened unbidden. There was only a moment of questioning in his gaze before it turned to irritation.
Pushing his chair back from the desk that generations of clan leaders had used, he stood to his full height and stared down the man crowding his door.
“What is it?”
“I’ve come with another offer.”
Amos fought to hold his stance before the other bear. He was not expecting this. “After your parting words at the end of your last visit I was sure that I’d never see you again.”
The other man, younger than Amos by a handful of years, kept still before him. Neither was going to give an inch. “Things have changed.”
Ah? The vagaries of diplomacy.
“I should tell you to get to the point or get out, but I find myself both thirsty and in need of a diversion.” Amos gestured to the empty chair in front of his desk before he crossed to his cabinet against the wall.
A fine bottle of scotch was produced from behind a locked door and two glasses were set on the desk before him.
“Has your son changed his tune, Carpenter?”
A growl of distaste soured the air between them. “This has nothing to do with the boy.”
Amos couldn’t help the feeling of relief that rolled through his shoulders. Young Hammish Carpenter had been just that.
Young.
And his youth was exhibited in his overbearing ego and lack of respect for his elders.
If Hammish hadn’t left in a huff during their last visit, Amos would have thrown the boy out by the scruff of his neck.
“I’m here with another offer that I think would suit our needs better.”
Amos set a glass down in front of the other clan leader and then took his own seat. “I’m waiting.”
The scotch disappeared down Patrick Carpenter’s throat a moment before he slapped it down on the tabletop. “I’ll take Hollis off your hands.”
A raised brow met the offer. “She’s not an old Chevy that I need off my grass.”
Patrick cleared his throat and leaned both arms on the edge of the table. “Isn’t she?” He continued before Amos could explode. “You’ve been offering more and more to anyone who can take her as a mate and put themselves in line to run your clan.
“I’m not much younger than you are, but I’ve got enough time to see about getting a few cubs on her. If not, my boy should have humbled up by the time I’m ready to step down. Maybe he’ll have warmed up to the idea of Hollis by then.”
His eyes blazing with anger, Amos threw his glass across the room. It shattered against the hard wood surface of the door and the Scotch splashed and then dripped down the door.
“She may not be a true shifter, Carpenter, but she is my daughter. You’ll not be handing her off to your son like… like…”
“An old classic car?”
Patrick reached across the table for the bottle of Scotch, but before he could get his hand around it, Amos pulled him on to the desktop and held him in place with a single hand.
“I told you, Carpenter. Respect.”
Even though sweat was dripping down his face, Patrick tried to smile at the other clan leader. “I will. I will. You have to admit, this isn’t going to be easy. It’s going to be work on my end.”
“Work? How?” Amos’ suspicions were getting the better of him. He tightened the hold he had on Patrick’s arm, coming to the edge of breaking bone, something a shifter of his power and skill could easily do on command. “If you’re planning on forcing her to submit-”
“Hell no!” Patrick tried to pull his arm free, but Amos was too strong. “I’m not going to be forcing her to do a thing. I’m talking about courting. By now, she’s met more than her share of shifters. She has to realize that she’s not just going to trip over her mate in the same place she’s been living all her life.
“I bet by now she’s ready to consider making a match. There’s still the chance of a cub without being true mates. It’s happened before.”
Amos’ disbelieving look spoke volumes. They knew the chances of that happening, but neither really wanted to voice the idea. The truth was starting to sink in.
Even though it galled Amos to admit it to himself.
Walking to the cabinet again, Amos took out another glass and came back to his desk while Patrick pulled himself together and sat back down.
“When can I see her?”
Amos narrowed a look at the other man. “You keep pushing like this, Patrick, and I’m going to wonder what’s really going on.”
“What’s going on,” the other shifter shot back, “is that we’re both busy. We have clans to take care of and it takes me hours to drive here. I’d like to put the question to her while I’m here so when I return home, I have some kind of answer to tell my clan.”
Amos tipped his glass toward his lips until he blocked Patrick from his vision as his mind worked through the issue. He didn’t like being pushed, but he was so close to finally getting Hollis settled.
Damn it all to hell.
“I guess I can see the logic in that,” Amos threw the drink back into his throat, enjoying the slight burn it had on its way down, “finish your drink.”
Amos set the glass down next to the phone on his desk. Picking up the handset be pushed a button and waited for someone to answer at the house.
“Yes, sir?”
“Janice? Have my daughter come to my office, there’s something I need to talk to her about. And tell her to come immediately.” He looked at Patrick and nodded, satisfied at the quick reply and eager to get things settled.
The silence on the other end of the line pricked his temper.
“What?”
“But, sir,” even through the phone line he could hear the woman’s hesitant indrawn breath, “Hollis left the valley a few days ago.”
“Where?” He demanded to know, cognizant of Patrick’s narrowed gaze. “Where the hell did she go?”
He swore he could hear the woman trembling at the fury in his voice.
“She said she was going to find her mate… that you would be happy and-”
Amos tore the phone from
his desk and hurled it across the room, yanking the cord from the wall.
After a few long breaths, letting his bear calm him, little by little, Amos looked up at Patrick and gave him a nod.
“If you still want the willful chit, go get her.”
“And that will make me your heir?”
Maybe it was the hard look in the man’s eye that really matched his own all too well, or maybe it was the kick in Patrick’s heart rate at the idea of a hunt. Either way, Amos was enough of a controlling bastard to agree, on one condition.
“You get her with cub and the cub will be my heir. I want my blood to live on.”
Patrick nodded, his smile tightly set in his muscled jaw. “I’m fine with that.” He downed the drink in his glass and left. A determined length in his stride.
Chapter Six
Hollis woke to a delicious heat surrounding her. Her eyes fluttered open and took in the scenic woods outside the window.
Not her window... a different window.
Her mind came awake in a rush and she started to get up but the arm laid over her belly kept her in place.
“Going somewhere?”
Memories of the night before flooded her mind and she blushed from head to toe. “Conor?”
He heard the growl that crawled from his throat as he rubbed his cheek against her shoulder. “You’re not sure?” Slowly, he moved on the bed and pressed a line of kisses from her shoulder to her neck, drawing her closer so he could straddle her body.
The scruff on his cheeks and chin ghosted over her skin and she pressed closer to him. “Oh, I’m sure now.” She lifted her hands and settled them on his shoulders. “I can’t believe you let me do that last night.”
He stilled and moved so he could look into her face. “Let you?” Conor shook his head. “Baby, if you want to touch me all over, do it. I won’t stop you. If you want me to kiss you head to toe, just ask. If you want me to bury my face in your-”
The doorbell put Conor on alert. Hollis could see it in his face and feel the sudden tension in his body. She couldn’t help taking a quick look at him, hunched protectively over her body. All that muscle made her body ache in all sorts of amazing ways.
The bell rang a second time and Hollis started to get up, but Conor shook his head. “Stay here. I’ll go see who it is and tell them to leave.”
Widening her eyes at him she sighed. “We’ll go and see who it is.” He opened his mouth to speak and she poked a finger into his chest. “Don’t be silly. I’ll stay safely out of the way.” He visibly relaxed... a little. “I know what bears are like,” she reminded him as she wiggled out from under his body, “my parents are bears, remember?”
She got to her feet and remembered that she hadn’t unpacked anything. All she’d done when they arrived at Conor’s house was get hot and bothered.
Another blush started on her cheeks.
“Here,” Conor was at her shoulder, holding out a shirt, “this should cover you up until we can get rid of our ‘guest’.”
We. Our.
It felt so good to hear him refer to them as a couple. She was more than human enough to feel relief, more proof that she wasn’t really a bear. A bear would have felt the security of the bond, even now.
Sighing, she pulled the shirt on over her head and held out her hand.
Conor looked over at her as he pulled on a pair of jeans. “You need something, little one?”
“Uh, pants would be good.” Looking down at herself she felt the hem of his shirt ride up in back. Knowing that part of her backside was visible she straightened her poster. “I’m not quite covered here.”
He shrugged and smiled, his eyes darkening to black, letting his bear look through his eyes.
“We like you just the way you are.” Holding out his hand, he waited until she set her hand in his. “Come on, let’s get rid of them and I’ll make you something to eat.”
Her stomach was the only part of her that didn’t have a bone to pick with his words, but she followed along as they moved out of his bedroom and into the main part of his home.
Instinct made her draw in a breath as they neared the door and saw Conor’s smile when he heard her do it. She just didn’t want to remind him that she’d only picked up the habit because she’d spent her entire life around bear shifters. Her mannerisms would likely echo that of a real shifter even though she didn’t have the abilities, but that might never be enough.
Still, she walked beside him, hoping that the distraction on the other side of the door was going to be a pleasant one. She needed that distraction.
Conor opened the door without looking through the glass and knew that he had scented the identity of someone on the porch, someone that was a friend.
When the door swung open, Hollis lifted her hand to smooth her hair and stopped halfway knowing that the movement would lift the hem higher on her legs.
“Willa?” Conor’s tone was just hospitable enough that she didn’t want to kick him in the shins. “Is there something you need?”
Willa turned to Hollis and smiled at her. “Are you really going to put up with that for the rest of your life?”
Hollis knew she was only joking. Likely, Boone had his growly moments too. “Well, I think I’ll put up with him, but if he doesn’t feed me soon, I may have to rethink my decision.”
Oh, the wicked look in Willa’s eyes made Hollis smile. “So, if I feed you, will you give him another chance?”
Turning to look at Conor with a purposeful expression of confusion, she turned back to Willa and nodded. “If you want me to.”
“What is going on here?” Conor roared the words like a wounded lion.
“You better lower your voice around my mate, Conor.”
Both women looked at Boone where he stood against the side of his truck, his arms folded as he glared up at the porch. Willa waved off at Boone. “Calm down, you know he’s just mad we’re butting in on his private time.”
She looked back at Conor.
“You too. Calm down. I’m not in the mood or the shape to pull two pig-headed bears apart just because one of you is waiting to mark your mate and the other,” she tossed an affectionate look over her shoulder, “the other one is waiting to get his mate off of her feet.”
Boone huffed. And even though he was at the curb by his truck, Hollis could clearly hear his grumbling words. “I’ll show you pig-headed later, love.”
Willa gave Hollis a helpless look, but her sigh was pure, sweet, affection. “See what I have to put up with?”
Hollis smiled right back. “You’re a very luck woman, Willa. So am I.”
“Conor?” Willa focused her gaze on Hollis’ mate. “May Boone come closer? I need him to bring a basket up here?”
Conor’s hand tensed around hers and Hollis understood what was happening. She’d seen others go through similar problems. She may be his mate, but without his mark on her body, Conor’s instinct was to keep any other men away from her. It was an instinct that born of generations of shifters protecting their claims from outsiders.
It would do no good to assume that Conor would allow Boone anywhere near her, even though Boone and Willa were mated themselves, Conor and his bear would naturally see his neighbor as competition.
She felt a tremor through their joined hands and knew he was fighting for control.
“Conor.”
His head turned with a snap as he looked at her. His eyes shifting between darkness and his human as he struggled for control, but he heard her. A good sign.
“Boone is no danger to me. He’s not going to let Willa carry anything while she’s carrying their cubs. You know our bear knows that he’s no danger. Back down.”
She’d chosen her words carefully. Reminding Conor and his bear that she was theirs went a long way to getting the situation under control. The eyes that looked back at her were now human through and through.
“Okay.”
“Okay,” she repeated, “he can come here to the porch.”
&n
bsp; Conor nodded his agreement but his hand wrapped around hers a little bit tighter.
To soothe him, she laid her hand over the back of his.
Boone lifted a basket from the back of the truck and moved down the walkway and stepped up beside Willa. He kept his gaze on his friend as he held out the basket.
Hollis tugged on his hand, trying to get him to release her. “Conor?”
He gave her a look and she was surprised to see a hint of a smile. “You’re going to lift both of your arms? Now, I wouldn’t mind the view but-”
Hollis pulled her hand away and grabbed at the bottom of his shirt and pulled it down an inch longer. “You’re a jerk,” she grumbled under her breath, but everyone else smiled, “I’ll get you back later.”
Conor’s eyes darkened again, but not in anger. “I certainly hope so.”
When Boone reached out, Conor took the basket from his hands. “Willa thought you might like to have a picnic with Hollis. There’s also some containers just under the lid. That should do for dinner.” Boone set his arm over Willa’s shoulders. “But if you’re really hungry, it might not.”
When Conor offered his thanks, Boone walked Willa back down the stairs and before her feet could touch ground, he had her swung up into his embrace, her laughter trailing behind them.
“That was sweet of them,” Hollis turned to look up at him, “wasn’t it, Co-”
She felt him swallow her words and she leaned in against him. She heard the truck start up a moment before Hollis felt Conor’s fingertips gently bite into the sensitive bit of skin at the very top of her thigh, as his palm cradled her backside.
#
Later, as Hollis napped in the shade provided by the pine trees on his property, Conor lay beside her, watching the soft strokes of sunlight that made their way through the needles and branches to paint her skin in their golden light.
His mate had been hungry and he’d taken extreme pleasure feeding her from the basket that Willa had brought over to their home.
Bite sized pieces made it easy for them to play a little while on their picnic and it helped them both be at ease. If they had gone anywhere else, he would have been desperately close to insanity.
Having his mate near any man would have been dangerous, but if they had gone to a restaurant or a movie theater... he shuddered to think of what he might have done if they’d had a male waiter or if a man had a seat close enough to touch Hollis.
