A Bear's Seduction (Forbidden Shifters Book 2)
Read A Bear's Seduction (Forbidden Shifters Book 2) Online
Authors: Vanessa Devereaux
A Bear’s Seduction
Forbidden Shifters
Vanessa Devereaux
Copyright ©
2016 Vanessa Devereaux
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced
or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including
photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publisher.
The characters and events portrayed in this book are
fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, or events, is
coincidental and not intended by the author.
This is the work of erotica and therefore intended for mature
audiences.
Published by Coldstream Publishing
After Dark Imprint
Welcome
to Bay Harbor Springs, one of the first towns in Benningan County to experiment
with the idea that their bear shifter population and non-shifter residents
should finally be allowed to date, have sex, and possibly mate.
Before
legislation passed, all shifters were known as forbidden and any shifter found
to have anything but a platonic or business relationship with their non-shifter
counterpart would be forced to wear a radio tracker, be fined, sometimes
jailed, and repeat offenders were banished from Benningan County for ten years.
The
non-shifter female residents sometimes found this rule the hardest to abide by
because everyone knows that a bear shifter is downright hunkalicious.
Many
women found themselves unable to resist these sexy werebears and many of the
bad boys paid the price by handing over huge fines for a short kiss while
others spent time behind bars for a quick rendezvous in the backseat of a
parked car.
The
Non-Shifter Alliance (all male) had decided that each month a limited number of
permits will need to be issued before any sexual activity can commence and it’s
on a purely first come first served basis.
As you
can imagine, a record number were applied for just minutes after the ban was
officially abolished and sexual encounters with the Forbidden Shifters began
soon after.
These
are the stories…
“Are you sure you can handle this one?”
I turned to look at my boss, unsure how I wanted to answer
that question. This was a huge account but the thought of spending a few days
and nights in Bear McCready’s presence made me want to run from the office and
never come back.
My apprehension didn’t have anything to do with him being a
bear shifter. I’d been around my fair share of those. My uneasiness stemmed
from his reputation, and that’s reputation with a capital R. He’d been to jail
twice for violating the no sexual contact between shifters and non-shifters ban
and had once been on the point of being banished from the county for continual
non-compliance. However, he’s filthy rich, with a capital F, and as we all
know, money talks.
I’d never met him personally, but rumor has it he has a thing
for non-shifter women. Maybe it’s the whole “you always want what you can’t
have” and hence his reason for serving time. Or maybe he’s just plain arrogant
and figured with his clout and money, he should be able to do what he damn well
pleases. I remember seeing photos of him being handcuffed and led away by
Enforcement. Once he’d even been caught right in the act and the tabloids had a
field day. Splashed across the front page was Bear with his fly wide open as
they threw him into the back of a waiting Enforcement van. Women passed it
around cubicles in their offices, debating whether or not it was really his cock
peeking out from the teeth of the zipper. I’d tried to not get caught up with
it, but it had somehow landed on my desk. If that was indeed his dick, then
whoever he’d been with must have had the time of her life. I guess I’d become a
little obsessed with him from that moment onward. I never thought I’d have the
chance to meet him in person but then…
Oh yeah, did I mention that he’s hired my boss’ company to do
all the event management for his upcoming business party?
“Allison, have you heard a single word I’ve said?” asked
Josie, who’s been my boss for the last two years.
Had she said anything else since the are you sure you can
handle it bit?
“You okay? Because you’ve been acting very strange since we
landed this account and gig,” Josie said.
“I’m fine and yes, this is going to be a piece of cake,” I
said.
Another thing I forgot to tell you is that Bear requested I
oversee the whole thing.
“I have to say I envy you.” Josie struggled to her feet and
rubbed her belly. She was due to have her first child in a few weeks’ time and
then I’d be taking over running the company during her maternity leave.
“Single, and at a time when the ban’s been finally lifted. It
would have been nice to know what having sex with a bear shifter was really
like.”
I’d already heard rumors that words could not describe the
sort of orgasms they gave you.
“And Mr. McCready is one handsome bear,” Josie said, swinging
the computer monitor around so I could see his photo.
“I promise I won’t mix business with pleasure,” I said.
Josie rubbed her belly again, a sure sign the baby boy she
was carrying was kicking her. She shook her head.
“If he makes a move on you, you have my permission to have
sex but only on the understanding that you tell me all about it. I haven’t had
any action since my stomach grew so big that Simon can’t get anywhere near my
pussy. I guess with a new baby I’m not likely to in the foreseeable future
either. Living vicariously through you is about as close as I’m going to get to
having an orgasm anytime soon.”
Fucking a bear. Fucking Bear. I glanced at his photo again.
His deep blue eyes looked back at me almost as if they were seducing me.
“Have you got your bags packed?” Josie’s voice stirred me out
of my train of thought once again.
“No, but I’m going straight home to do just that.”
“And make sure you add an evening dress because he requested
you mingle during the party just to make sure everything’s running smoothly.”
I took a deep breath. I sensed he’d keep me busy with all the
party arrangements so I wouldn’t have time to lust and drool, and that was just
fine with me.
I glanced at my watch before I took it off and placed it on
the vanity. If she was punctual as I sensed she would be, Ms. Bixby would be
arriving shortly after I got out of the shower. I turned on the tap, stepped
inside the stall, and leaned into the stream of warm water.
In less than fifteen minutes I’d been meeting her in person.
I lifted my face up and let the water cascade down it and onto my chest. My
grandmother who’d raised me had predicted my mate would be a non-shifter.
“And how am I to meet and woo a non-shifter woman when we’re
banned from even giving them a playful look,” I’d asked my grandmother when I’d
turned fifteen.
“I feel it in my bones, and by the time you’re ready to fall
in love, I’m guessing this ridiculous ban will be history.”
I soaped my chest and let the foam run down onto my belly.
I’d loved and trusted my grandmother, but I thought she was being overly
optimistic about the ban being lifted so I’d broken the rules to try and find
my mate.
None of the women had turned out to be the one, and all I’d
gotten for my trouble was a couple of good beatings from the Enforcement
officers who wanted to prove a point. I’d also received jail time where I’d sat
and pondered whether grandmother was totally wrong with her prediction.
However, she’d never let me down so I’d given it one last shot and almost lost
it all, my home, and the business I’d taken so many years to build. However,
not all humans are bastards, and one lenient judge had decided to give me one
last chance.
My last chance to find my mate I’d called it. And then last
month when I’d been looking for an event company to manage the party, I’m
stumbled across Everett Management and the account executive’s photo that had
stirred something within me.
I hadn’t realized my hand was now on my cock until I felt a
stirring in my groin. I could see the photo in my mind’s eye. Each time I
thought about her, this woman I hadn’t even met yet, I’d grow hard and
eventually end up jerking off.
My hand slid up and down my shaft. I squeezed my eyes shut,
wondering what it would be like to fuck my intended. They said you sensed
something as soon as you set your eyes upon them and you knew the first time
your cock introduced itself to their pussy. None of the non-shifter women I’d
been with had made me feel a thing for them emotionally or sexually. Ms. Bixby
was already ahead on both accounts.
I rested my forehead on the tiles in the shower, sensing I
was close to finding release. I gripped the floor with my toes and lifted my
head and groaned when at last I came. I was almost forty years old, and I had
everything but a mate and children. Maybe, just maybe, Allison Bixby would be
the woman my grandmother had predicted I was destined to pair with.
Wow. I’m not usually a person who utters that word and for
that matter, not the type who talks out loud. However, that rolled off my
tongue as soon as I turned into the driveway of Bear McCready’s house. No, it
wasn’t a house. It was a mansion. A McMansion or in this case, a McCready. Two
black iron gates loomed in front of me with the initials BM engraved in their
centers.
A silver box similar to the one at the drive-up window at
fast food restaurants, sat close by. I pressed the switch to lower my driver’s
side window and put my finger on the call button.
“Good afternoon,” a man’s voice boomed from the speaker.
I wondered if it was Mr. McCready but then guessed that the
rich don’t oversee their own security.
“I’m Allison Bixby with Everett Management, and I’m here for
Mr. McCready.”
What I meant to say was I was here to see him, but I wasn’t
going to correct myself and draw more attention to my slip of the tongue
“Ms. Bixby, Mr. McCready told me to be on the lookout for
you. I’ll open the gates for you. Drive straight ahead and turn to the right
when you get to the end of the road. Park wherever you wish. By the way, I’m
Ted.”
As in teddy bear, I wanted to ask.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Oh and don’t worry about your luggage, I’ll come collect it
for you.”
The gates parted and I drove through them and up a slight
hill. The place was massive; trees, shrubs, flowers everywhere, and I wondered
how many people Mr. McCready hired to run all this for him.
I saw the house up close and knew my mouth had dropped open.
Wow, I said for the second time within the space of ten minutes. I turned into
what looked like a parking lot at my local shopping center and decided to park
beside a statue of a bear. I popped open the trunk and was about to get my
suitcase out when a man in his late fifties ran toward me.
“I told you I’d get that,” he called to me.
I guessed this was Ted. He put out his hand.
“I’m Ted Finley.”
“Nice to meet you,” I said, slipping my hand into his.
“Sorry, I’m not used to people doing stuff like this for me.”
“You’ll have to while you’re under Mr. McCready’s watchful
eye. If you’d like to follow me.”
I let Ted lead me to the house, and up what seemed like
thousands of steps and then through the double front doors that were bigger
than my townhouse. I made sure the third wow didn’t escape my mouth as I
stepped onto the marble floor of the foyer.
“Mr. McCready is just showering and said he’ll be right with
you. So if you’d like to go through to the drawing room and wait for him. In
the meantime, I’ll take your bag upstairs to your room.”
Ted left, and I walked over to the room where he’d pointed
just a few seconds ago.
Drawing room seemed such an old-fashioned word. Was it what
Ted called it or Mr. McCready, perhaps? Books lined most of the walls, a huge
drink cabinet sat on the back wall. And lots of couches and chairs that looked
like you could sink into them and snuggle up with a good book, dotted the room.
Speaking of which, I walked over to the first bookcase and checked out what
sort of titles Mr. McCready favored. I’d always believed choice of books tells
you a lot about a person.
I fingered the binding. Most of them were leather, first
editions no doubt.
The Bird and the Cat. I remember my parents reading this to
me when I was a child. I loved it. I hoped he didn’t mind me pulling it out and
looking at it. It was as I’d thought, a first edition. This one was highly
illustrated, and each creature in the story was just how I imagined they’d
look.
“Ms. Bixby,” a man’s voice said. It had been so quiet in the room
that his voice startled me. I dropped the book, watching it fall to the floor
with a bang and, shit, there was now a dent in the binding.
I dived to retrieve it, but this man beat me to it. He
smelled downright wonderful. Freshly shampooed hair, a hint of aftershave, and
something else I couldn’t detect but I knew I liked it.
Our hands overlapped as we reached for the book
simultaneously before standing. I turned to look at the man whose scent made my
heart beat faster. It was him. Bear McCready. I recognized those piercing blue
eyes from the photo.
“I’m so sorry about this book. I mean I’ll pay for it,” I
said.
“I very much doubt you could. It’s a priceless first edition,
illustrated by the author.”
Well, listen to Mr. High and Mighty. I decided to bit my
tongue and not give him a come-back line.
“I take it you’re Mr. McCready,” I said, hoping I sounded
just a tad sarcastic without appearing rude.
“I am.” He put out his hand to me. I slipped mine into his,
realizing it was huge and strong as he gripped my palm and curled his fingers
around the back of my hand.
“You have to call me Bear,” he said.
There was Ted and now Bear. I hoped my smile wasn’t that
obvious.
“You find something amusing, Ms. Bixby?” Bear asked.
Damn, I was never known for my poker face.
“No, nothing is funny. And perhaps I could try and get this
dent out of the book.”
He took a deep breath and leaned against the bookshelf. “Do
you always make it your business to go snooping in other people’s homes?”
I bit my lip this time because I knew some cutting remark was
going to fall out of my mouth. This was going to be a fun couple of days with
Mr. Grouchy Bear.
“I don’t, but I was drawn to that one because it’s a favorite
of mine.”
He took it from my hand and ran his fingers over the dent and
then placed it back on the shelf. “I’m being rude. How about a drink and we can
go over the plans for the party and make sure we’re on the same page?”
“Sounds good to me.”
“I was about to have a white wine. You want to join me?” he
asked.
White wine was always my drink of choice.
“I’d love one,” I said.
“Take a seat and I’ll bring it over to you.”
I chose the couch near a glass coffee table and decided from
now on I was going to keep my hands off any of his stuff. I watched him slyly
watching me as he uncorked the bottle and then poured two glasses of wine. I
remembered Ted saying Bear had been in the shower when I’d arrived. He looked
like he hadn’t bothered to dry his hair. It was thick, dark and wavy, and had
the telltale still damp look to it. The white shirt he was wearing looked like
it was brand new. Its collar stiff around his neck, its top two buttons opened
to reveal a slightly tanned chest. The navy blue pants obviously had just been
pressed, and they pulled across his groin that I couldn’t take my eyes off of
as he walked toward me.
“Ms. Bixby or can I call you Allison?”
“What, oh, I, yes, that’s fine. I mean Allison is fine.”
I took the glass from him and quickly put it down on the
table, hoping my now shaking hands wouldn’t cause me to spill anything on what
looked like an expensive rug that no doubt I couldn’t afford either.
“In fact, you look more like an Ali. Is it okay if I call you
that?”
“I’ve a few friends who call me that so, no, I don’t have a
problem with it.”
He sat opposite me and crossed his legs. “Where shall we
start?” he asked.
I took a sip of wine before answering but suddenly didn’t
feel like talking business or work. I wanted to put my feet under my body,
enjoy the wine, and read The Bird and the Cat all over again.
“The guest list,” I said, making myself pull out of the
sudden lazy mood I was in. Maybe being in this house was making me feel like
the princess in the castle. “You said you might add a few more to it.”
“That’s right. I went through my list of business contacts
and decided I should add these four people to the list so as not to offend
them.” He pulled out a sheet of paper from his pants pocket and handed it to
me.
“I’ll make sure the electronic invites get sent out today.”
“I’ve had Ted place a desk and chair in your room if you want
to do some work there, or you’re welcome to use my office.”
“I have my laptop with me so just about anywhere’s fine. The
marquees should be arriving tomorrow and also the company will drop off the
tables and chairs and I’ll be overseeing that everything is placed how you want
it.”
“Oh, and I know this might be a little inappropriate, but I
pulled some strings and managed to get my hands on a bunch of these.”
He pulled open a drawer on the table and placed what I knew
were permits for shifter and non-shifters to have sex. They’d been in every
paper showing you how they needed to be filled out correctly. They were in
short supply, fights were breaking out when people lined up to get them and
here was Bear with what looked like he’d hoarded at least a dozen of them.
“Not that I’m promoting partygoers going up to one of my
rooms for a good fuck but it might just make people remember my party, and
that’s how you get business.”
I looked at the permits and bit my lip.
“You’re free to use one if you want. Well, that is if you
don’t already have someone in your life.”
I looked across the table at Bear. Was he prying into my
private life or just making conversation?
“No, no one special,” I said, suddenly feeling sad about my
single status.
“Then if you see a shifter you like while you’re here, feel
free to use one of these.”
I coughed at the thought of having sex while I was on the
job. “Now about the food…”
Ted knocked on the door. “Sorry to interrupt sir, but the
package you’ve been waiting for has just arrived via courier.”
“Ali, I have to go and see to this, so how about Ted showing
you to your room and then if we could dine together about seven p.m. and we’ll
continue with our conversation then. Oh and I’d prefer if you kept these
permits under your safe keeping.” He nodded and left me alone with Ted. I
scooped up the permits and stood.
“This way, Ms. Bixby,” said Ted. “I think you’ll going to
love the room and the view.”