Beret Bear (Rogue Bear Series 3) (6 page)

H
er hands trembled
. “Go away,” she shouted through the door. “Get out of my room.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.” She could hear Gage pacing on the other side of the bathroom.

“I don’t know who to trust. Please go.”

She looked at the unfolded pile of clean clothes in the laundry basket. At least she could put on something to wear. She threw the silk nightie in her hamper and reached for a rust colored sweater and a pair of jeans.

“Gage?” she called, wondering if the silence meant he had left.

“Yeah?”

She sighed. He was still there. But who was he? What was he?

She had seen the look in his eyes when he barged in and found Paul holding her to the wall. There was a sense of utter protection and devotion emanating from his body. She had felt safe the instant she saw him. Somehow she knew Paul wouldn’t hurt her with Gage in the room.

She cracked the door. “I’m coming out.”

“Good.”

She stood in front of him, not sure what to say. When she awoke in his arms this morning she had felt as if they were tied together. She knew his secrets. Only, there were more he hadn’t shared.

“I swear I won’t hurt you.” His eyes pleaded with her.

“I didn’t think Paul would hurt me either, but he just tried to strangle me.” She could still feel where his fingers had pressed into her throat.

Gage grunted. “He’s a damn fox. I wouldn’t expect much.”

Her eyes shot to him. “What does that even mean? Why did he say that? What were you two talking about?”

He shook his head. “I can’t believe you’ve been with that asshole two years and he never told you.”

“Tell me what?”

“That he’s an animal shifter. We both are, Avery.” He pulled his shoulders back, and she marveled at just how wide his chest was. Gage was an enormous, powerful man.

She shook her head. “That’s not even possible.”

“It is. He’s from a line of fox shifters.”

“And you’re a bear?”

He nodded. “I am.”

“Oh my God.” She sat on the bed, searching for something to keep her from falling.

“He shouldn’t have told you about me. It wasn’t his place, but foxes might as well be weasels.” Gage sat next to her. “I didn’t want you to find out like this.”

“Is any of it true? Anything you told me?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Last night? The nightmares. Razastan. Was it all just a ploy to get me to fall for you?”

“What? No. Hell no.” His eyes blazed. “I was in the Army. I was in Special Forces. Every bit of what I’ve said to you is true. I just hadn’t gotten to the bear shifter part yet.” He scratched the back of his head. “You were engaged up until about twenty minutes ago.”

She chewed on her bottom lip. “Right.” Nothing made sense, but at the same time she had clarity she hadn’t felt since she met Paul.

“Nothing has changed for me, Avery.” His blue eyes pierced her soul. “I want you just as much as I ever had. I want every part of you. I want to give you everything you need.” His hand lingered against her cheek. She wanted him to touch her as much as she was afraid of it.

“I was running. Hell-bent on escaping the memories. But I know the reason my bike broke down in St. Claire. It was to meet you.” His touch sent fire across her cheek. “I was in a black hole until I saw you.”

“I can’t even think.” She tried to push off the bed, but his hands gripped the side of her face, drawing her lips to his.

She groaned when his tongue slipped in her mouth. He kissed her hungrily, biting and sucking. The fever began to sweep between her legs. She clung to him as the kiss deepened. Then she heard it. The growl. The rumbling in his chest that reminded her she wasn’t kissing a man. This was a bear.

“Avery?”

“Oh God.” Avery pushed off his massive chest. “Yes?”

Jenny was knocking on the office door. Avery rushed to meet her. “We have a guest ready to check in.”

“Oh, right. The Sneldermans were supposed to be here at ten. Thank you.” She turned to look at Gage.

“We’ll talk later.” She walked out, plastering a smile on her face. “Hi. Welcome to the Long Pine Inn.”

H
e could kill that fox
. The bastard had revealed his shifter identity and almost killed Avery. Gage closed her door behind him, and walked past the reception desk. She didn’t look up as she signed in the new guests.

He walked through the foyer, deciding he needed an update from Glen on the bike. The air felt chilly. Fall was descending upon the small town.

Glen was polishing a headlight when Gage walked into the garage.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

“It’s going to be awhile. Parts got pushed back another few days.”

Gage huffed. “All right.”

“But, I have something for you.”

“What?”

Glen walked to the back of the shop and pulled a sheet off a motorcycle. “Want to try her out?”

Gage circled the bike. “Whoa. Where did you get her?”

“It’s my brother’s. He doesn’t ride anymore. I replaced the sparkplugs. Thought you might need some wheels while you’re waiting on yours.”

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious. Take her for a spin, Army.”

“Thanks, man.” Gage threw his leg over the bike and sank onto the seat. He revved the engine, smiling at the mechanic. “That’s a beautiful sound.”

Glen gave him a toothy grin. “Enjoy. See you back in a few days?”

Gage saluted him as he wheeled the bike out of the bay and onto the highway. It felt like flying as he roared down the highway. The wind in his face. But this time it was different. He wasn’t running. He was breathing.

He steered the bike onto the gravel trail Avery had shown him and cut the engine. He rested the helmet on the handlebars and started walking.

The leaves crunched under his feet. He saw the creek and smiled. He sat on the flat surface of the rocks, watching the water bubble and splash.

O
nce the Sneldermans
were checked in she walked to Gage’s room, but he didn’t answer. She checked the kitchen, but it was empty.

“He went across the street.” Avery stopped in the hallway and spun on her heels to face Jenny.

“Who?” she asked.

“You’re looking for the hot guest in 401 aren’t you?”

Avery felt the blush on her cheeks. “Well, I-I…”

“You don’t have to explain to me. He’s hot. I saw him leave. Looked like he was going to Glen’s.”

“Thanks, Jenny.” Avery left her in the hall and crossed the street to the mechanic.

She found him with his head under the hood of a car. Glen had been St. Claire’s mechanic for as long as she could remember.

“Hey, Glen. Have you seen Gage?”

Glen wiped a grease splatter from his nose. “He took off.”

“Took off?” She felt the panic stab her lungs.

“I told him he could ride my brother’s bike for a few days. His is going to take awhile. Might be another week or so. You don’t mind having him up at the inn do you?”

She noticed the motorcycle sitting in the corner. She felt a sudden sense of relief. “Of course not. Do you know where he went?”

Glen shook his head. “No, but he headed toward the dam.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. She had an idea of where he might be.

S
he pulled
up next to the bike, and put her car in park. There were things she had done in her life she had considered to be risky. That time she dyed the ends of her hair pink. There was the time she lied to her father and got a tattoo on her hip. It was a small butterfly. He had grounded her for two weeks when he found out.

There was the time after prom she drank a pack of wine coolers and woke up with a nasty hangover the next day. Then there was an online account she had before she met Paul, but she was too chicken to actually meet any of the guys.

The farther she walked into the woods, she realized this didn’t fit anywhere on that scale. What she was doing now was completely out the realm of safe. She was walking into a pit of danger. She was walking toward a man who had just admitted he was a bear.

He was sitting next to the creek. His broad shoulders wide and strong. She sighed, maybe a little too loudly, Gage turned around.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” If she stepped off the trail and closer to him, was she saying she accepted him? Was she making a gesture she didn’t she was ready to make yet?

“Want to sit?” He motioned to the rock next to him.

She ventured off the path. “Ok.”

She knew his eyes were on her. No matter what she did he was always watching.

“You found your way back here.”

He nodded. “Hard to forget this place. You told me there was magic here.”

She felt a sudden flutter of warmth in her belly. She didn’t know how he did it. He was tough and strong, but underneath the powerful exterior she had seen his tender heart.

“I think things make more sense now,” she murmured.

“Because you know I’m a bear?”

She nodded. “You’ve been blaming your bear for what happened in Razastan. You don’t think of yourself as a Green Beret. When you first told me, I was in awe of you being in Special Forces, but you didn’t tell me everything, Gage.”

“I couldn’t.”

“I want you to tell me what it means now,” urged.

“Which part?”

“All of it. I want to understand. I need to understand your bear.”

“You do?”

“Yes. After last night I felt like I’d never known a man the way I know you, but there’s more. No more secrets.”

He reached for her hand. She pulled back, but tried to relax as he dipped it in the water. She felt the warmth rush over her fingers.

She looked into his eyes.

“This is how I feel when I’m near you.” He smiled, his eyes softening. “You warm me. You give me light. I feel the magic between us. You’re my home, Avery.”

As his skin drifted over hers, she could feel it. The hot springs were only immersing their hands. The connection between them was tangible wherever they were.

“How do you know? How did you know it was me?”

“I’ve been with other women. But when I saw you my heart almost jumped out of my chest. It was instant. My need for you. My desire to protect you. To give you everything. It’s my bear’s instinct to love you unconditionally.”

“What about all of those things Paul said? He said I should be afraid of you. Afraid of what you’ll do to me.”

Gage inhaled. “He was trying to scare you.”

“I’ve known him two years. I’ve barely known you two days.”

“True. But did he ever tell you who he really was? Did he mention his shifter side? He hid that from you.”

She shook her head. They both knew the answer. “What did he mean when he said you would claim me?”

Gage tightened his hold on her hand as the water ebbed around their wrists. “The other night in your bed…” He paused. “I told you I would take you to be mine when you were free.”

She nodded. She could barely breathe. His eyes were so intense.

“It means your body will belong to me, and mine will belong to you. It means we will seal our fate together. It’s my pledge to you, and yours to me.” He ran his thumb against her lip. She sighed, feeling his skin pry her lip forward. She touched the tip of his thumb with her tongue.

“How?” she asked.

His eyes flared. “I think you know how.”

Her chest rose. The tingles were shooting through her body. His voice was deep and husky. “I want you to tell me, Gage. Tell me how you are going to claim me.” Maybe it was a challenge. Maybe it was a way to give her five more seconds to think about what she was doing. Whatever it was, it was turning her on with every word coming out of his mouth.

“Can’t I just show you?”

She shook her head. “Tell me.”

He pulled their hands from the bubbling spring. “First, I’m going to take every layer of clothes from your body.” He pulled the scarf from her neck and dropped it on the ground. “Then I’m going to kiss you. I’m going to lick you. I’m going to taste between your legs.”

She felt her knees go weak as Gage told her how he was going to use his tongue on her body.

“I’m going to suck your tits deep in my mouth. And when you ask me to make you mine, I’m going to sink my cock in you.” His eyes gleamed with seduction. “I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked, Avery.” His hand tangled in the back of her hair. “Every time I slid inside you, I’ll be bringing us closer together.”

She whimpered, knowing her panties were slowly getting soaked.

“And when you feel your orgasm tearing at you like lightning strikes, I will come so deep inside you you’ll feel the heat of my magic in every part of your body. It will bind us together forever.”

His eyes met hers. “That’s what I’ll do to you.”

Avery quivered. This was definitely more dangerous than pink tips in her hair. She licked her lips.

“Does that scare you to know what my bear wants to do to you?” he asked.

She blinked. She should take her time and think about what she was saying. “No.”

G
age’s mouth
crushed against hers. He felt the softness of her lips move under his. He thrust his tongue inside, tasting the sweetness of her mouth.

His hands slid to the edges of her sweater. He pushed it up, tugging it over her head. He smiled at her breasts. Two beautiful, lush globes bobbing for him. Avery’s eyes lowered as he drew her to his mouth. He greedily pushed the bra out of the way, anxious to suck hard against her.

“Ohh,” she groaned as he nipped at the perk on her tit. His tongue lashed over the pink mounds.

He felt her hands slide to his T-shirt. She lifted it off his head and threw it near her sweater. He wanted to rub against her breasts. He wanted to feel every inch of her skin on his body.

“I want you so badly, Avery.”

She nodded, her eyes trailing over his chest and landing between his legs. His cock jerked under the tight pants. He was aching for her.

She fumbled with his buckle, while he wiggled her free from her jeans. He spread their clothes out on the grass next to the creek, and laid her bare back on the ground.

He looked down at his mate. So beautiful with her roundness. Her breath rapid and her heart beating so fast he could hear it. His fingers hooked on the edge of her panties. He couldn’t take his time even he wanted to. He wanted to bury himself in her. He wanted to make her his as if his life depended on it.

She lifted her hips off the ground so he could slide the panties over her thighs and off her ankles.

“I want all of you at one time,” he growled, taking in every inch of her exposed flesh.

“Me too.”

His palms grazed over her breasts and the swell of her stomach. When he reached the tops of her thighs, he licked his lips. He pressed his thumbs against the inner muscles until her legs opened wide for him.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” he growled.

He leaned toward her, watching as her bud pulsed with want. He drew a long slow lick over her center, parting her with his tongue.

“Oh God.” She clutched at his shoulders, her hips bucking toward him.

It was the only invitation he needed to taste more. He pried her folds wide with his fingers as he began to lap at her center. His tongue moved in and out, while she clutched at him, the frenzy building in her hips. He thrust it deep inside, swirling against her inner walls.

“Gage,” she whimpered. Her head thrashed to the side, when he pinched her swollen nub.

He continued to move his tongue along her folds, circling the bud, then dipping inside her. He watched as the rhythm in her hips quickened. He pressed on her knees, bringing her hips off the ground. With one last slow lick, he felt her lose control.

She screamed as the waves shook her. He lapped at her honey while she rode out the orgasm.

He looked over the landscape of her body. He’d never seen anything more gorgeous. Her tits perked. Her skin flush from coming. Her legs spread wide for him.

He smiled. “I’m going to love fucking you.”