Tempted by the Bear - Complete (23 page)

L
ucy

A
ir rasps
in and out of Sven’s and my lungs as our hearts beat in time. I stand before him in silky lingerie that is a thin barrier keeping our destiny from coming to fruition. Sven brushes his lips against mine and slides his hands down my arms as he lowers himself to his knees and pulls me against his body to nuzzle my belly. His hot breath heats up the fabric against my skin as he says, “I’m going to worship you now.”

I’m trembling with desire, and when he steps away to take off his shirt, I grab the hem of my camisole but stop when Sven shakes his head. I ask, “No?”

“No. Let me.”

Pale-blond hair tumbles over his shoulders when he removes his shirt, and I’m suddenly thankful he hasn’t cut it. The chest and cut abs that I saw the very first day at the burger place are revealed to me, and I reach out to touch his chest. I trace the lines of his pecs as he works on his jeans. They pool at his feet with a soft whoosh, and I glance down at the largest cock I’ve ever seen. Of course, I’m with the largest man I’ve ever seen, so I shouldn’t be surprised. It stands tall and proud, and my insides quiver at the thought of how he’ll do more than fill me up.

“Lucy.” I glance up at my mate as he says, “We’ll fit.”

I smile. “I know.” I lower my hand and wrap my fingers around him as he groans.

Sven’s large hands lift my camisole over my head slowly. His gaze is on my breasts that are plumped up by my bra. He trails a finger down the side of my neck and into my cleavage. “So beautiful.”

The skin on his cock is smooth in my palm as I stroke him, and he releases the clasp on my bra. I let go so he can remove it. Once he does, he grips my arms lightly and backs me up to the bed.

I scramble back and lie down as he crawls over me. I reach for him again, and he grabs my wrists to lift my hands over my head. “Keep them here so I can get to know you better.”

Now I’m the speechless one as I nod. Sven moves down my arm, placing kisses along it as he goes. I flinch a little when his lips tickle my underarm and moan when he gets to my breast. I arch up to beg for his mouth. He lets out a low growl as he cups them in his hands. “They fit perfectly.”

One of his fingers swirls around my nipple while his mouth gives the other attention. Electric shocks travel straight to my core, and I begin to squirm beneath him. He says, “My little bear likes this.”

Tiny hairs stand up on my skin as he moves his mouth down my belly, and his hair brushes along it, too. His hands are now on my hips and one moves along the edge of my panties to slip a finger under it. He trails it slowly to the junction between my legs, and I buck up in response as if I can direct him to where I want his hand to go.

A rumble comes from Sven, and he drags my underwear down my legs. He gazes at my womanhood and breathes out. “Yes. So beautiful.”

I’m sure I’m glistening with need and whimper when he plants little kisses on my feet. His hands massage my calves as he works his way up. It’s sweet torture, but I think he knows that, and I beg, “Please, Sven, please.”

He spreads my legs and lifts them over his shoulders. His breath is hot on my inner thighs. “Now I will make you never want me to go.”

I’m not sure if it’s in polar bear DNA or if it’s a true mate thing, but his tongue takes me to places I’ve never been, and my orgasm explodes out of me. As I recover, Sven’s powerful hands massage my legs and bottom. It makes my pleasure taper off slowly, and I sigh. “You are amazing.”

“You are the amazing one.” Sven kisses me, and I grab on to his shoulders as he settles his weight on me. His hard length slides along my silky slit, and I pump my hips slowly against him.

I break away from our kiss to say, “Let me get to know you now.” I try to roll him off me, but he’s too big, and he chuckles at my attempt.

“I think you are still afraid I won’t fit.” His eyes dance with amusement.

I lick my lips and bite my lower one in a pout. “But I want to lick the ice cream cone.”

He scrambles off and lies on his back. I crawl over him and grab his wrists to lift his hands over his head. The idea that I have control over this beast of a man is a rush, and I say, “Don’t you dare move, or I’ll have to get all little bear on you.”

He grins at me. “Your breasts are swaying. I’ll hold still and watch.”

“Just for that I plan to torture—I mean, get to know you—too.”

I begin at his hands with my kisses. My hair and breasts graze against him as I do, and when I get to his armpit and drink in the intoxicating scent of Sven, I understand what he meant, because tasting him like this is so hot.

His chest and stomach are all hard planes with sharp lines for my tongue to follow, and I drag my nose down the trail of hair that leads to his groin. I stop for a moment to imagine how his dick will fit in me and to tease him.

Sven begs me like I did him. “Please, Lucy, please.”

“Uh-huh.” I swipe my tongue from the base of his cock all the way up to the tip, where moisture is oozing out. I savor the salty flavor and move down to his feet, smiling when he groans. The hair of his legs is coarse against my lips as I move quickly. I don’t want to wait, either, and I give up on prolonging it for either of us.

Using both my hands, I grip his cock and lower my mouth over the tip. Sven pumps with me, and his growl rumbles through his body as he gets close. He grabs my head and pulls me off. He says, “Not yet.”

I sit up on my knees, and Sven places himself behind me and reaches between my legs. “Up,” he says and I lift up as he slips two fingers inside me. I gasp and reach for the top of the headboard to hang on. I arch my back, thrusting my butt out, and he slips another large digit in to stretch me wider. “Yes, little bear. I’ll fit.”

I rotate my hips to increase the friction on his hand, and he lets out a low noise as he removes his fingers to press the tip of his cock against my entrance. I push back as he slides in slowly. We both groan. He fits perfectly, and I rock on my knees as his thrusting quickens. I’m so close that my climax comes quickly, and as I’m shuddering with my release, Sven’s pounding becomes hard and frantic. He roars as he comes before we collapse in a heap.

When our breathing returns to normal, I speak. My voice is muffled by a pillow as I ask, “So are you happy you moved to Maine?”

He pulls the covers up and over his head as he lifts up onto all fours above me. I roll under him so I’m on my back. We’re in a cozy cave now, and he says, “I’d be happy if we built a tent right here and never left. Because home for me now is with you.”

I trace the edge of his lips before he sucks my finger into his mouth. “You’re all I’ll ever need. I love you, Sven.”

“I love you, too, Lucy.” He lowers himself onto the bed and lays his head on my chest. “My little bear. I’ll never live without you.”

I stroke his hair, and it’s soft on my fingers as I think about Keith and Annie losing their true mates, and I wonder how they managed to go on. I say, “Me either, big bear. Me either.”

T
ori

K
eith’s house is amazing
. Besides being an open space full of rustic features like wood beams, his furniture and fixtures are for big people like us. But my favorite part is the wall that is floor-to-ceiling window. He says it’s heavy-duty bulletproof glass in case a tree falls. It looks out into a fairyland forest he cultivated. The ground is covered in thick green moss that makes me want to wiggle my toes in it. And bits of sunlight filter through hemlocks and pines.

The cool temperature of the window chills my palm as I place my hand on it. Keith comes to stand next to me, and I say, “I could stare out here all day. This is truly amazing.”

“Thanks. It’s one of my favorite places to stand and drink my coffee in the morning.”

On our way to his house, we stopped and picked up steaks, potatoes, and fixings for a salad. I suggested wine, too, since I’ve been drinking it at home with dinner since I was a teen, but he refused to serve an underage girl. No matter, though; I’m already drunk on being with him. I bump him with my hip and say, “Need a sous chef tonight?”

“I do. I can’t wait to see you wield your mighty knife.”

“Lead the way.”

His kitchen island is higher than what is standard, and the cutting board clatters on the forest-green stone countertop. He hands me peppers and a large knife. Keith places himself opposite me and begins to cut tomatoes. The soft thud of our tools sounds as he says, “Tell me about your dreams.”

“Oh boy. They’re not exactly PG.” A flush rises up my chest to my cheeks, and I focus on the pepper I’m cutting.

He says, “Mine either.” I glance up at him, surprised. “You can skim those parts.”

“Okay. They started when I was a junior in high school. I didn’t talk about them for a long time, and when I did, my two triplet sisters told me they were having them, too.”

“You’re a triplet? Why didn’t I know that? I am, too.”

I stop chopping and gaze at him in shock. “No way.”

“Yup. Two brothers, but they don’t live around here.” He lifts his chin at me. “Go on.”

“It took me a while to figure it out, but there’s a bear in my dreams, too. When I came to look at Orono, something about this place felt right, especially when I saw the black bear was their mascot.”

“And what about your sisters?”

“They ended up at Bowdoin College, because that’s where our mother went. They never even came here, but did you know that school’s mascot is a bear, too?”

“I did. How interesting.”

“Unfortunately for them, they’ve never met the guys they dream about.”

I glance down at my hip, where my tattoo is hidden under my jeans. I wonder if Keith knows about the paw print but figure he’ll see it at some point so I say, “There’s also a tattoo involved. And once I got it, my dreams became more vivid. I knew if I ever saw you, I’d recognize you.” I lift up the peppers I’ve cut and dump them over the bowl of greens.

Keith reaches over for my hands. “There’s something you need to know about me.” His gaze is serious, and I wait for more. “I was married, and my wife was killed last December.”

My stomach drops. “Oh, Keith. Oh my god.” No wonder he didn’t want to start something with me. I squeeze his hands. “I’m so sorry. Oh, god, I’m such an idiot. I kept pushing for something to happen with us, and your wife had just died.” I let go of him and turn to go wash my hands.

Keith stands next to me, and water rushes as we both clean up. He says, “Stop. It’s okay.” He flips off the water to take my hands and dries them on a towel. “It’s more than okay. You gave me something to look forward to each week.” The cotton is rough on my skin, and I feel like a child until he places his hands on my hips and pulls me close. “I really needed it.”

I gaze up at him. “You must miss her so much.”

“I do. Even though we’d only known each other for a few months, our connection was special.”

Jealousy seeps into my mind, and I blink as I try to keep it from taking over.
Is he telling me he’s not ready? What the hell?
I try to pull away, but Keith doesn’t let go. “Just like ours. I know you feel this, Tori. It’s because we’re meant to be.”

What?
“I don’t understand.”

“I know.” He leans down to kiss me, and my mind races. I want to be with him more than I want to breathe, but how am I supposed to compete with a dead wife? The moment his lips touch mine, I cave in to my desire and kiss him back. I can’t help myself. I reach up and grasp his strong shoulder and lose myself in it. He’s gentle at first, but it becomes something more intense when his tongue begins to dance with mine.

We break apart slowly, and he kisses me lightly a couple of times before he finally stops. Keith’s voice is soft when he says, “There’s so much more I need to tell you. But know this. I love you, Tori. I love you as much as I loved my wife. Maybe even more.”

Emotion surges in my chest, and my throat thickens as tears fill my eyes.
I love him, too.
I whisper. “I love you.” I’m not sure if I’m asking a question or if saying it out loud helps me believe this is happening. But once the words are out, I’m sure, and I say it again with volume. “I love you.”

Keith captures the tear rolling down my cheek, and the pad of his thumb is warm on my skin. “You’re so young. I’m not sure why we’re supposed to be together, but I can’t deny it any longer.”

“You believe in fate?”

“I do. And soon you’ll understand why.”

I frown at him. “What does that mean?”

Keith asks, “What do you know about bear?”

A
nnie

T
he news
about Helga’s bipolar disorder rocked my world. And it gave me immense insight into Tristan and Isabelle. While my mate practices extreme measures of control to ensure he never loses it, Isabelle is searching for love and acceptance to heal her wounds. Her destructive behavior, followed by a forced mating with Luke, is all a reaction to the pain she suffers.

My immediate reaction is to want to fix everything, but I can’t undo the abuse the De Rozier twins suffered. So I do the next best thing. I take measures to protect the next generation. I will not let any child be alone with Helga ever again.

I open the door to greet our prospective nanny. She reaches out her hand and greets me first. “I’m Zoe. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Le Roux.”

Her grip is firm, and if it weren’t for the tiny freckles sprinkled over her nose and the bouncing ponytail, her self-assurance would make me think she’s older than nineteen. “Call me Annie. Come on in, the girls are excited to meet you.”

I consider myself a good judge of character, and the biggest test of it is to watch people with children. I introduce Zoe to the girls and leave them to play. I make myself busy in the kitchen to remove myself so I can listen and observe.

The mixing bowl clatters on the counter, and I open the fridge for butter. My first objective is to make sure our nanny loves the kids, but I had another need on my list. She must also be a fierce warrior, and my ex-boyfriend Ian gave Zoe a glowing recommendation. While I’d like to hope she’ll never have to fight Helga, I needed the peace of mind that she would be able to take action to keep the girls safe.

Sugar and butter scrape against the bowl as I cream them together. I glance up at the sound of giggles. Zoe is playing their favorite make-believe princess game, and she has a wonderful sense of humor as she pretends to be a bumbling prince. I grin, because she’s perfect. Those little girls need to laugh and enjoy life, and I plan to make it happen.

Tristan took his mother out for a run, and they should be back soon. The oven beeps to indicate it’s reached the temperature I set. Zoe’s next test will be what my mate thinks of her, although when I mentioned a nanny, he was visibly relieved. I don’t think he enjoys sharing our time with the children. It hurts my heart that sometimes he can’t find joy in his daughters. Usually it’s after he’s spent time with Helga, but perhaps that is part of the reason we were brought together. I think I’m supposed to teach him about family love.

I’m spooning out cookie dough on a baking sheet when the rhythmic thudding of Tristan and his mother’s heavy polar bear feet galloping towards us carries to me. They’ll shift back to human form and be dressed soon—just in time for the first batch of my cookies to come out of the oven.

I glance over at our kitchen table. Sven, the latest De Rozier to arrive, replaced the top for us, and it appears as if nothing happened. But when I look closely, I see nicks on the table legs that will always remind me of the deep-seated anger in my mate.

When Tristan walks in from the mudroom, I hold a cookie out to him. “Careful, it’s still hot.”

“Annie, love, you make it nice to come home.”

Helga enters and claps her hands like a child. “Cookies!” She grabs one, and I roll my eyes at Tristan.

I call out. “Girls, come have a treat.”

Everyone gathers around the table, and I watch Zoe interact as if she’s part of the family. As she listens intently to a Helga story, Tristan catches my eyes and communicates telepathically with me.
“She’ll do.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Once snack time is over, Tristan takes the girls outside to run around while I go over the job specifics with Zoe. Starting tomorrow, she’ll work every day, and we’ll move her in once a room is ready for her. Thankfully Sven is here now, and it shouldn’t be more than a day or two for it to get done.

After Zoe leaves and Helga retires upstairs for quiet time, Tristan comes inside to talk to me. “That swing set you ordered is polar bear sized. The girls might never outgrow it. Wherever did you find it?”

“Really, Tristan. Don’t you think a family with a lumber company might know these things?”

He steps close and embraces me. “You are a treasure, my love. You can take care of children, an unsocialized polar bear, and an ornery husband. Is there anyone you can’t fix?”

“Well, Isabelle is next on my list. She’s going to be a challenge.”

“Yes, I suppose she will be.” He leans down and kisses me. I drink in my mate, and when things heat up, he pulls away. Tristan’s wink tells me what we’ll be doing later tonight.

I ask, “Did you hear Sven already found his true mate?”

“Really? Who?” Tristan twists a strand of my hair around his finger as he remains close enough for me to touch.

“Lucy Robichaux. She’s the daughter of the Robichaux alpha.” I smooth out a wrinkle in his shirt, and his heart pounds under my hand. “He’s a bit of a rough one, though. What’s his story?”

“Not all the bear in my clan were educated in human schools or had the opportunity to assimilate into societies of people. Sven has probably spent more time as a bear than as a human for the last few years.”

“Well then, Lucy’s a fantastic match. She’ll get him up to speed in no time. The Robichaux are quite wealthy.”

Tristan says, “Yes. That will be an interesting match.”

I step away as I get excited about how our clans are intertwining. “Just think. Carly is the next alpha of the Robichaux and the prima of the Le Roux, while I’m the sister of the Le Roux alpha and about to become the prima of the De Roziers, and Lucy is a Robichaux alpha’s daughter with a De Rozier. And we also have Sierra, who’s the mother of the next Veilleux alpha even though she’s a Le Roux.”

“It’s getting confusing, love.”

“And that’s the point. In two generations, we’ll no longer have clear-cut lines between the four clans. We’ll just be the Northeast Kingdom.” I take a deep breath and blow it out before I smile. “There will be peace between our clans. Isn’t that what we should all want?”

Tristan captures my hands and holds them tight. His eyes don’t quite focus on me, as if his demons won’t let go. “You make me believe it’s possible, love.”

I step up on my toes to kiss him. “Because it is, Tristan. Just you wait and see.”