Bearly There: BBW Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (3 page)

And Mr. Lambert had believed her. He’d believed the lies that woman had told. He’d
fired
Esme for them!

She trembled, and Zachary must have noticed, because he immediately pulled off his dinner jacket and slung it around her shoulders. “I’ll turn on the heat in my car,” he promised, leading her toward one of the only two cars left in the parking lot: Mr. Lambert’s Mercedes and a Hummer. A look of concern came over his face. “But you haven’t told me yet if you want to come with me. I won’t take you anywhere you don’t want to go.”

Esme had to shake her head to believe this was real, that Zachary Cunningham would not only have saved her from the wrath of her boss but also wanted to take her somewhere to feed her. She’d been so exhausted by the whole night, but at the touch of his skin on hers, she’d woken right back up.

He was so gorgeous, too, she realized, with his blond hair, blue eyes, and incredibly large, muscular frame. A girl could feel safe around a guy like that, adored, protected. She could so easily fit into his arms. . . . Naughty thoughts of his arms and hands on other parts of her made her blush.

He’d never think of her like that. Of course not. She was just boring old plump Esmeralda, who was nowhere near glamorous enough to wear a name like that. Even her ex didn’t want her anymore.

“Sure,” she said at last, the words feeling surreal as they left her mouth. “I always wanted to ride in a Hummer.”

“A big car for a big guy,” he joked, helping her into the passenger seat before going around to the other side and climbing in. It was true, she realized. He was so burly that only a Hummer would do. So big, so powerful . . . Another naughty thought came to her. If he was that big, what about his cock?

The thought made her mouth water and her pussy grow moist with longing. She’d never been with a man that big. What would that be like? Would he fill her so completely, so deliciously, that she would melt on the spot?

Esme shivered and pushed down the smile that wanted to break out over her face. As if he would ever think of her like that. But
she
would sure think of
him
!

They drove in silence for a few minutes, when Esme finally found the courage to ask. “Why did you help me back there?” She ducked her head and stared at her hands. The nails were short, to keep from getting in the way while she chopped and sliced. She’d accidentally cut them enough times to know having long nails wasn’t worth the bother. “I mean, it was really nice, but you didn’t have to. I mean, you know that.”

She shut up before she could keep babbling her way into utter humiliation.

Zachary chuckled. “You’re right, I didn’t. But your boss was being a jackass. And I don’t know why Mallory lied about you, unless she was jealous.”

Esme’s eyes went totally wide at this. “Jealous? You mean, that really pretty woman who came into the kitchen?”
And yelled at me to back off from you?

“Yeah, that’s her,” Zachary said, scowling at the road. “She was seriously out of line.”

“But—but why would she be
jealous
?” This made absolutely no sense to Esme.

Zachary turned his head long enough to glance at her. “Are you kidding?” he asked. “Look at you! You’re stunning, just stunning. And you can cook, too. I have a feeling Mallory has never even boiled a pot of water in her life.”

Esme’s head was spinning. Stunning? Her? No one had said that about her in years, not since before she’d met her ex.

“Red is the perfect color for you,” Zachary went on, his voice low—and totally sexy. Esme felt the thrill from his voice running all over her body like a caress. Could this gorgeous man, this billionaire, possibly think she was hot? She had to be dreaming. “You look like an angel in that dress.”

Well, she wasn’t about to wake herself up if so! And she
did
know her way around a kitchen . . .

She’d been so distracted by thoughts of him taking her into his arms that she hadn’t even paid attention to where they were going. Only as the car stopped at a gate outside a huge mansion did her stomach do a backflip. Zachary typed a code on the keypad, and once the gate opened, drove them around the back of the mansion.

“I . . . thought we were going to a diner?” Esme said, confused. She’d never been anywhere near anything like this. How was she supposed to behave?

Zachary put the car in park and then hurried around to her side to help her out. She had to admit, she liked his gallant behavior. A real gentleman. He flashed her a smile that went all the way to his blue eyes as he offered her his hand. “We are. My kind of diner.”

Charmed and curious, Esme let him help her out. The same electric connection happened again, sending delicious jolts of pleasure up her arms and along her spine. She shivered. This man was so hot!

There was no way Esme could miss the fact that Zachary didn’t release her hand once they were on the ground. Instead, he guided her along the moonlit path to a wide-open meadow. “Welcome to my backyard,” he said, his smile both proud and shy.

His backyard. This man owned a mansion, and she was welcome in its immense backyard. Esme felt like she was in a fairy tale.

Someone had already set up a picnic for them: a blanket, little plates of toast and jam and cheese and chocolate and berries, and a teapot and two cups. Zachary helped her down onto the blanket, and he served her a little of everything, his big hands careful and deft in their movements.

Esme realized how hungry she was—she hadn’t eaten all night, only served others—and devoured the treats on her plate. But part of her was busy consuming the sight of Zachary, who couldn’t take his gaze off her. “I can’t believe I found you,” Zachary said, putting down his own plate and taking her hand again.

Wow, this man
did
want her. Esme relaxed into the knowledge that this wasn’t just a fantasy she was dreaming up during a night of sorrow and isolation. It was really, truly happening. She sipped her tea and leaned into Zachary’s solid, warm side. He felt so good that her nipples tightened, and warmth pooled in her belly. She couldn’t stop the whirlwind of sexy thoughts flowing through her mind: Zachary and her lying together in the grass, Zachary running his lips over her body, Zachary’s strong hands learning every inch of her soft skin.

Zachary’s enormous cock entering her soft, wet, tight folds . . .

It made no sense, any of this, but she somehow knew it was okay to feel this way about him. Because his hand on her thigh, his eyes on hers, all suggested he didn’t want to be anywhere else or with anyone else, either.

He offered her another strawberry, slipping it past her lips. Esme nearly moaned. But then she fed him one, and she happened to glance down and see a bulge straining between his legs. She couldn’t restrain the grin that burst up then. He wasn’t just okay with having her there, but he wanted her, too!

“You’re incredible,” he whispered, his voice so low that it set her quivering. “So beautiful, so talented.” He pointed up at the sky. “Have you ever wished upon a star?”

“Of course,” Esme said, trying to keep her voice steady. “Hasn’t everyone?”

“Tell me what you wished for,” Zachary said, leaning forward. His blue eyes were dark with desire, the same desire making her slippery.

Esme wondered if she should say it. She’d never told anyone the truth before. But right now, under the clear, dark sky filled with stars like specks of dust, she couldn’t believe there was anything to fear. “I’ve . . . I’ve always wanted to be seen,” she admitted.

Zachary smiled. “I see you, Esme,” he murmured. “I see you, and you’re so beautiful.”

As he took her hand again, linking their fingers together, she knew he did.

* * *

“What about you?” Esme asked. “What have
you
wished for?”

Zachary sucked in his breath.
For you, of course
, he wanted to say. But what he wished even more was that he could show her his bear, that he could tell her about all the things his bear and he had done together. Maybe his bear wasn’t so bad, after all. If nothing else, he had led Zachary to Esme.

But the words refused to pass his lips. Would she run away if he did?

“You know I love food,” he began. Esme nodded, her head tilted to the side as she listened. God, was she gorgeous. And it wasn’t even just her round, soft body or heavy breasts, though they certainly didn’t hurt, or even her bright smile. No, it was the spirit behind her dark, curious eyes. His bear wanted to know that spirit in every way he could.

His bear growled at him.
Don’t you dare let this one get away.

I have no plans to
, Zachary told his bear.
Unless she decides she doesn’t want to be here.

His heart squeezed at the idea, and his whole body went cold. Now that he’d found his mate, how could he ever let her go?

“Nah, never mind me,” he blurted out. “Tell me more about being seen.”

Esme looked disappointed, but she didn’t argue. “I’ve never told anyone this before, but I feel like . . .” She dropped her head, and Zachary wanted to pull her into his arms and hold her close enough to take away the pain. He made himself wait.

Sure enough, she raised her head again. “Ever since I gained weight, which I couldn’t help, I feel like people have stopped seeing me. Well, except to say I needed to quit stuffing my face. Even my ex. That’s why he dumped me.” She laughed self-consciously. “Stupid, huh?”

Within Zachary, his bear lunged to his hind legs and bared his fangs. How
dare
anyone treat this amazing woman like that? He could sense how deeply she’d been hurt, and he wanted to tear apart the people who’d done it, especially her ex.
Destroy them
, demanded his bear.
That’s what these claws are for.

On Zachary’s right hand, the claws began to burst through his fingers.

It took all his effort to push them back down before Esme noticed. He wasn’t about to scare her away. “I think,” he said, and cleared his throat, “I think everyone who can’t see you for who you are, anyone who thinks you need to change to please them, is a damned fool.”

When she looked up at him, her face was full of pain, and her eyes glittered. He wanted nothing more than to wipe away those tears, to tell her he would see her clearly for the rest of their lives, but he swallowed the words. Instead, he offered her his hand.

She took it and pressed it to her cheek. She smelled so good, like cinnamon and strawberries. He wanted to lick her. The thought made him even harder. God, he wanted her to lick him! To take his stiff, eager cock in her small, soft hand and stroke it hard. Harder and harder, faster and faster.

He almost exploded right then. No woman had
ever
made him this excited. In fact, looking back, he wasn’t sure he’d actually desired any of them. Not compared to what he felt now.

Take her
, his bear urged.
Our mate.

Not yet
, said Zachary, though it was the most difficult decision he’d ever made. He wanted her so very, very much.

Instead, still cupping Esme’s cheek, he asked her a question. “What if I told you I see you? All of you, and I think there is no one in the world like you?”

“I—” Esme started. “I . . . I think I would die of happiness.” Her eyes grew huge, and she immediately clapped a hand to her mouth. The movement forced Zachary to drop his own hand, and he felt the loss keenly.

“Well,” he said, facing her, “I do.”

He didn’t yet know her last name or what her favorite flower was or if she liked to read, but none of that mattered. They had the rest of their lives to discover all those things. What he did know was that her soul called to his, that she pleased his bear in a way no other woman ever had.

So he decided to tell her a secret. At least part of one. “I’ve also always wanted to be seen,” he explained. It was true, after all. He didn’t necessarily want his bear, but he
did
want the woman who could see and accept his bear as part of him. Would Esme be that woman? “I’ve always done what everyone else expected, whether it was being the first in my family to go to college—I got the best grades I could and worked my way through each semester to scrape together whatever financial aid wouldn’t pay for—I took over BNS Pharmaceuticals and turned it around, I became so wealthy that I could afford to set up everyone in my family for life. I’ve never done anything wrong. I’ve never taken any chances, you might say. So no one has ever really seen me.”

Esme gazed back, and one side of her mouth turned up in a mischievous smile. “What if,” she asked, “
I
told
you
that I see you, too?”

“You do?” he asked, genuinely confused. How could she see he was a shifter?

“Yes,” she said simply, smiling. “You are a man who saved me from my boss. You are a man who loves fine food and desserts but wants to share them with someone who truly appreciates them, too. I saw that when you were eating.”

“You watched me,” Zachary said then, laughing. Everything she said only made her even more charming to him.