Bare Instincts: A BBW Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (5 page)

She headed into the kitchen to find something to clean up the stain with. As soon as she retrieved a dishtowel and wet it, Burke was beside her. He placed the broken cup on the counter and held out his hands. “I’ll do that since I made the mess.”

He probably had no idea how to clean up a coffee stain, but it would be fun to watch him try. “Here you go.”

“Thanks.” Burke got on his hands and knees and began to rub, looking mighty fine with his ass wiggling and his biceps bulging with each swipe. What she wouldn’t give for a camera. Too bad her phone was in the bedroom. He sat back on his heels and stared at the stain that had spread. “I’m making it worse.”

Feeling sorry for him, she filled a small bowl with water, vinegar, and a drop of soap. “Let me see what I can do.”

His shoulders slumped. “Can’t do anything right where you’re concerned, can I?”

She wouldn’t say that, but she wasn’t ready to speak her piece. Tasha dropped to her knees next to him, dabbed the unused end in her magic potion and rubbed. In seconds, the stain disappeared.

“Wow.”

Only then did she realize she was in her tank top and panties. Oh, crap. No wonder he was looking like he’d won a prize. She cleared her throat. “For wine, use club soda. Works every time.”

“You are amazing.”

He slipped the cloth and bowl from her hand, and set them on the coffee table next to him. The whole time, his gaze never left her face. She wanted to ask him what he was doing, but no words would form. The intensity of the attraction was too strong, as if he’d put a spell on her. The good girl in her screamed for her to get off her knees and rush back to her bedroom, but the bear part of her told her to stay right where she was.

“I need to taste you, Tasha.” His lips parted.

Oh, dear Lord. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Her first instinct was to say he really didn’t mean it, but for once in her life, she kept quiet. He cupped the back of her head and her heart pounded. Eyes blazing almost black, Burke leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers—softly, almost tentatively. The kiss was pleading, and when he let up on the pressure, she yearned for more.

Burke scooted closer, and when he pressed a palm to her back, sparks of electricity burst all along her spine. She’d never felt anything like that before. It was a combination of lust, passion, desire, and pure need.

This moment with Burke would be fleeting and most likely never happen again.
Enjoy him
. As if someone from behind lifted her arms, she wrapped them around his neck and pressed her chest against his. He moaned then teased her lips open.

When their tongues touched, her body ignited. She’d been dreaming of this moment from the first time she saw him so many years ago. To her, he was her Prince Charming. Tasha decided it was time to take what he was willing to give. Burke was a player, but that was okay. She’d have him once and then let him go.

Burke planted his hands on her cheeks and took possession of her mouth. Hard, this time, passionate and with meaning. His tongue probed, swiveled, and then tangled with hers. He tasted of coffee blended with a hint of whiskey. There was no doubt that Burke Devereaux was all man.

As if driven to experience him more fully, she lowered her hand and pressed her palm against his hard cock. It was a bold move, but her inner bear made her do it.

He broke the kiss, his eyes full of lust. “You sure you want that, good girl?”

“I might. Then again, I might not. You’re the party boy. Perhaps you should try to convince me.”

He dropped his head back and laughed. “I’ve never met anyone like you.”

She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but she didn’t want to sound too much like a dork. “I am unique.”

“That you are.”

He leaned back, tore off his white T-shirt, and tossed it behind him. Holy mother of God. While she’d seen a lot of bare-chested bear shifters, none looked as amazing as Burke Devereaux. “You do a lot of construction work, I see.”

He flexed his pecs one at a time and she punched him. “Don’t. That’s gross.”

His eyes widened. “Gross? I thought women liked men who worked out.”

“Yes, but we don’t like show-offs.”

“Hmm. Who knew? More rules I have to remember.”

Now he was just teasing her. “I like men to be themselves.”

“Fair enough. Speaking of fair, it’s your turn.”

It took a second for her to understand. She should have given more thought to what would happen after they kissed. Now she’d actually have to take off her clothes. “Can we turn off the lights?”

“Oh, sweetheart. You don’t need to be shy around me. Trust me; I’ll like what you have to show me.”

She wasn’t so sure, but she had agreed to this. Tasha lifted the edges of her top, ready to stop if he winced. To her delight, the higher the hem rose, the wider his eyes became. When he licked his lips, she removed her tank top but immediately crossed her arms over her naked, pendulous breasts.

Now Tasha wasn’t sure she could go through with this.

Chapter Five

W
ithout a word,
Burke stood, walked over the wall, and placed his finger on the light switch. “You have any candles?”

“Yes.” Tasha started to get up.

“Stay there. Tell me where they are.”

Only then did she realize what he was doing—trying to make her more comfortable. Tasha hadn’t expected that from someone like Burke. “In the kitchen drawer next to the sink. It’s kind of messy.”

“Not to worry.”

Utensils jangled, and another drawer opened then closed. Holding his hand in front of the flame, Burke walked in then elbowed off the light switch. Kneeling in front of her, he set the light on the far end of the coffee table.

“Now where were we?” he asked. His voice sounded like sunshine on whiskey.

You were about to take me to heaven and back.
“I think we were about to get rid of our clothes.”

He chewed the inside of his cheek. “Next time, we’ll have to play strip poker. It might go faster.”

He was a jerk—but a loveable one. “Sounds great.” She had no problem saying that because there wouldn’t be a next time. Burke would grow tired of this sexy challenge and find another woman to impress.

He clasped her wrists and lowered her arms. “Beautiful.”

Don’t say a word
. The air, while warm, pebbled her nipples, or else it was her embarrassment that caused them to tighten into tiny buds.

Because Burke looked as if he was waiting for her to make the next move, she wouldn’t squander her chance to taste him again. Tasha leaned forward, and when she kissed him, he growled. She swore bones cracked, although she wasn’t sure if they were hers or Burke’s.

He dropped onto his back and dragged her on top of him. She thought she might weigh too much for him, but she felt rather small in his arms.

Planting her hands on the carpet on either side of his head, she took what she wanted—him. If she was going to enjoy this one night, she didn’t want to be tentative. Shedding her librarian image was hard for her, but she was determined to take advantage of what he had to offer.

The long, slow kiss had her swooning in its intensity. She might have continued to kiss him forever had his waistband not dug into her hips, or maybe it was his hard cock pressing into her.

“I need to take off your pants.” That sounded like an excuse to get him naked, but something was uncomfortable.

“That so?” The dim light reflected the sparkle in his eyes.

“Uh-huh.” She rolled off him. “How about taking off your shoes first?”

Burke toed them off then rose. “You want to give it a go?”

Give it a go?
“Meaning?”

He laughed. “I thought you wanted to get me naked.”

Duh.
“I do.”

Tasha jumped to her feet and turned her back to the light, not wanting to illuminate her breasts or other bulges. So far, Burke hadn’t seemed to notice her less than perfect body, or else he was being kind.

With trembling fingers, she undid every button on his fly. Given how his cock was pressing hard against the material, she had to work to get it open. “There.”

“You still have a long way to go, you know.”

Tasha inhaled. She’d never taken off a man’s pants before. That was always his job, but there had to be a first time for everything. She hooked her thumbs in his waistband and tugged on his jeans. While the pants made it past his briefs, she met with resistance from all his bulging thigh muscles. “Can you lie down? It’ll be easier for me to take these off.”

“Anything you want.” He did as she asked.

Understanding what she planned to do, he lifted his legs, and she grabbed hold of the hem. With two tugs, his pants flew off. Tasha stood over him, admiring his amazing body.

“Staring like that, you’ll give a guy a complex.”

“Why is that? I’ve never seen anyone quite like you.”

“I can say the same, but when I stare or compliment you, you get mad.”

It wasn’t the same thing. He was perfect, and she was not. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

She couldn’t decide if was she enamored with him because of his looks, or if she really liked him. She wanted him to see her for who she was—and not some woman with big tits and a bigger ass. Perhaps she needed to treat him with the same respect. After all, he wasn’t some underwear model to be ogled.

“Your turn,” Burke nodded at her panties then rolled onto his side and lifted up on his elbow.

“You don’t want to take them off?” She’d never been this brave, but Burke empowered her.

“Get on the floor and I’ll show you how fast I can get you naked.”

Burke kept providing her with a ton of future memories, as she’d never rolled around on the carpet with a man before. With her gaze on his magnificent body, Tasha dropped to her knees.

“Lie back,” he said. Instead of dragging the material down her thighs, he slipped off his own briefs and tossed them aside.

Her mouth opened. “Holy shit, that’s one big cock.”

He grinned. “I wanted to distract you.”

“You succeeded.”

He stretched out on his stomach, and when he widened her thighs and edged between them, her body went wild—heart pounding, stomach tightening, mouth turning dry. Every physical reaction possible occurred. She’d never experienced anything like this before with another man.

He’s my mate
. She chuckled.
Stop dreaming
.

“Something funny?” he asked.

Crap. Had she made noise? “No. I’m waiting for you, that’s all.” She closed her eyes, not wanting him to spot the lie. Thank goodness, the dim light prevented him from detecting the heat racing up her face.

He lowered her panties, and she almost screamed in heightened anticipation.

“Wait no longer.” Burke tossed off her bottoms and moaned. “What you do to me.”

She hadn’t done anything. Burke rubbed his hands over her thighs as if he was trying to get her used to his touch.

“Oh, shit.” Burke sat up. “You see? You distracted me.”

“You’re stopping?”

“Sweetheart, you have no fear of that. I’m getting a condom.”

Oh, shit was right. She was on the pill to help regulate her flow, and not because she was having nightly sex. Still, one could never be too careful. He reached for his jeans, took out his wallet, and nabbed the protection.

“Can I put it on?” her inner bear asked.

“In a moment. We’re far from that stage. I want to take my time and enjoy you.”

I’ll be damned.
Somehow, she pictured Burke as the get-in-quick-and-leave-even-quicker type. He edged his mouth closer to her pussy. Instead of licking her, he reached up and lifted one breast in his palm. When he rubbed her nipple with his thumb, sparks flew, the tip hardened, and her inner walls tightened. Oh my.

With his gaze on her face, he crawled higher and took a nipple into his mouth. Never had her tits been this sensitive. She grabbed his shoulders and arched her back, loving the way he was twirling his tongue around the tip. When he sucked on it hard, a strange gurgling sound escaped from her mouth, but he didn’t seem to notice.

He kneaded the other breast, and she slid her hands under his arms to touch his back. The double sensation of his rippling muscles combined with what he was doing to her tits had her in a heated frenzy. Her inner animal had been unleashed, and she prayed she wouldn’t make a fool of herself.