Home Or Her Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Bluff Clan Book 4) (7 page)

He held her close, kissing her lips, and then pulled back from her. “We are going to end up having sex in the store if we’re not careful. You are too irresistible to me.”

She looked around the store. “That would not be appropriate. Give me ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”

“I think I can wait that long. Is there anything I can do?”

“You can sweep the floor while I put by needles and scissors away. It’s been a quiet day, but I still need to leave the store tidy.”

“OK, whatever you say.” He took the broom form her and swept the floor while she tidied up. It seemed a little surreal, helping his mate at work. This time yesterday, he was on his way over the mountain to find her, now he couldn’t bear to be away from her.

All around him, he saw the wedding dresses, dresses chosen by women for their special day. He pictured Melanie in one of these dresses, walking towards him down the aisle. He would have to get her a ring; in fact, he should have done it today. Taylor knew he would have to change his priorities now he had a mate and start thinking about the needs of two people instead of one.

“Finished?” she asked.

“Yes, just about.” He handed her the broom, and then asked her, “Melanie. I’m not sure how these things are supposed to go. But I feel as though I should get down on one knee and propose.”

She rushed to him, and stopped him. “Please don’t.”

“I thought you would want to get married. You are surrounded by these dresses all day every day. Don’t you ever think about wearing one to walk down the aisle?”

“Of course I do. It’s just happening too quickly. Can’t we just take it slow?”

He smiled. “For now.”

“Great, Because asking a woman to be your wife when you haven’t even taken her on a first date might be a bit weird.” She tried to keep her voice light, but he heard panic in her voice. Maybe she was right, he wanted her to live with him, so that they could spend all their time together, but it wouldn’t hurt to slow down a little. A couple of days would make no difference really and by then she would be used to the idea. Anyway, he had some chores to do at home before he could ask her to move in.

“You have a point,” he said, grinning at her. Offering her his arm, he led her from the store. “Let’s go and have dinner.”

“I can’t wait. I am looking forward to this more than you know.”

“Then I hope I don’t disappoint you.”

“You never could, Taylor.”

He only hoped she was right.

“I don’t know if we’re going to move it today,” Taylor said, looking at her car. The snow had melted during the day, but was now coming down heavily again.

“Then let’s leave it. The damage is already done. One more night out here isn’t going to make any difference. Perhaps tomorrow the snow will clear and your truck will get a grip on the road.”

“That’s the most sensible thing. If you’re sure?”

“Yes, let’s get back to the farmhouse.” She looked up at the sky, the snow was coming down thick and fast, she had a feeling their date was about to be scuppered too. Oh, well. They had the rest of their lives to make up for it.

As they got back into the truck, he voiced her thoughts. “I don’t think we are going to get very far. I’m afraid we might have to out our date off. I was going to take you to a fancy restaurant, but it’s a good hour’s drive, and I don’t think I would risk getting stranded in the snow.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I wouldn’t mind being stranded with you,” she said, smiling at him, when he looked at her and returned the smile, she felt her insides turn to liquid fire. It didn’t matter where they were or what they did as long as they were together. “Fancy restaurants are so over rated.”

“Now I know why you’re my mate. Do you make the best of every situation?”

“I try. If my childhood and then moving to Bear Creek taught me one thing, it’s that family and friends are what matter. All the material things in the world don’t make up for what other people can give you.”

“Very wise words.”

“Thank you.” She sat up in her seat as they approached the farmhouse. “They’re home. And we have visitors.”

Taylor parked his truck and they got out and walked into the house hand in hand. She could feel Taylor was slightly tense beside her. “Don’t worry, it’s only Vic and probably Marjorie, come to see the baby.”

“I still worry they’ll see me as an outsider.”

“Nonsense. And this is nothing compared to me meeting your family.”

“That reminds me. Tomorrow night…”

She groaned. “So soon?”

“Yes. My mom is cooking. I expect everyone to be there.”

“OK,” she said, feeling her nerves ratchet up.

“As you said, family and friends are the most important thing.” He held her hand as they entered the house, in his own way he was making sure everyone knew she was his. His woman, his mate.

“Hi everyone,” Melanie said as they entered the warm sitting room. Alli sat next to the fire, Kian was next to her and Marjorie was holding the baby.

“Hi Melanie.” Marjorie looked up, her eyes going instantly to Taylor.

“This is Taylor.” Melanie introduced everyone, and they all spoke politely, but curiosity laced the air. However, Melanie didn’t want to stay and answer questions, not tonight, and so she said, “If you’ll excuse us, I need to change.”

“How was the store?” Alli called.

“Quiet. But it’s still standing,” Melanie joked as she took Taylor by the hand and led him upstairs.

“I feel awkward coming up here, when your brother is down stairs,” Taylor said.

“Why? It’s not as if you don’t have every right to be here with me.” She looked at his face, reading his concern. “You are my mate.”

“But it’s Kian’s house.”

“Don’t worry about Kian,” she said, growing concerned at the hostility she sensed from Taylor. It wasn’t as if they were two men fighting over their mate. She belonged to Taylor, but she was also Kian’s sister. Neither of which would ever change.

“I don’t think we’ll make that restaurant. Do you want to go to the bar in Bear Creek?”

“Nope,” she said, pulling out a warm sweater and another pair of socks. “I have my own idea for a perfect date.”

“So do I.” As she stood, he pulled her into his arms. “I can’t help looking at your bed and remembering last night.”

She leaned into him, their lips meeting. As their kiss deepened, he let his hands roam her body. How she wished it were just the two of them in the house, and that they could make love all night, and then sleep in each other’s arms. Instead, she understood the awkwardness of the situation. And it made her sad, she knew she would have to move in with Taylor soon to satisfy their craving for each other.

“Shall we go?” She pulled back from him and took his hand, a wonderful warmth spreading through her at the touch and the closeness of him. “We’ll just have to say goodbye to everyone.”

“Sure. You know, we could always drive over to Bear Bluff. You could stay the night. ”

Melanie felt that familiar pang of loss. That’s where her life would be soon, she would have to travel to come and see her brother and the new baby. It would also make it harder to keep Alli up to speed with Bear Brides. She knew she should tell him, voice her concerns, but despite everything, they were still strangers. Mated strangers, held together by the force of fate, but strangers all the same. Melanie felt the familiar shyness creeping up on her, a feeling she hadn’t experienced for some time. Not since the people of Bear Creek had accepted her and Kian as part of their community.

“Are you OK?” he asked, sensing her unease.

“Yes. It’s just… Nothing. Let’s go.” She opened her bedroom door and went back down the stairs to say goodbye. Marjorie had handed baby Callum back to Alli, and they were all relaxed, drinking coffee and talking about the next project Kian and Vic, his business partner, were working on. Again, that pang of loss hit her, she loved these evenings, when they would sit and ponder the future. Now her future was in someone else’s hands, not just her own.

“You off out?” Alli asked. “The snow is coming down hard.”

“I know. But we wanted to get some fresh air,” Melanie said, trying to be tactful.

“Fresh! It’s freezing out there,” Marjorie said.

“They both have bear blood, Marjorie,” Vic said. “They won’t feel the cold. Especially when they have each other.”

“I always forget I’m not the same as you,” Marjorie said.

“Don’t feel bad, that makes two of us,” said Alli. “That’s why this little one will need his Aunty Melanie to show him all her bear tricks.”

Melanie couldn’t answer, but her eyes met Alli’s, and the look they exchanged told her Alli wasn’t looking forward to the changes in their lives either. A look that didn’t go unnoticed by the other people in the room either. But Melanie was so caught up in her worries, mixed up with the pull to be alone with Taylor, she missed it.

“We will keep warm, don’t worry Marjorie. I won’t be too late.” Melanie looked round at the happy faces in front of her, and smiled. “Come on, Taylor.”

“Bye,” he said, trying to make an effort. She knew he must feel like an outsider here. In the same way she would feel like an outsider when she moved to Bea bluff.

With the people in the sitting room chorusing goodbye, they headed out into the snow. Marjorie was right; it was freezing, the snow coming down hard now, big soft flakes settling on the ground. They trudged through it to the barn, she opened the door and they went inside.

The barn was old, traditionally built with big oak beams. She loved it in here, it reminded her of how old the house was, and how many changes it must have seen. Something’s do remain the same, she thought, looking up at the roof above her head.

“I think we have a choice,” Melanie said. “We can either go up the mountain in the snow, or we can stay in here.”

“That depends on what you are suggesting we do if we stay in here,” Taylor said, coming towards her.

“Well,” she said, placing her hands in his shoulders. “There is all that hay to be moved. And I guess we could knock all the cobwebs down from the roof beams.” She looked up, feigning interest in the roof, when all she wanted was for him to take her in his arms and make love to her.

“Not exactly what I had planned for our perfect first date.” He kissed her neck, pulling her into his arms, his hands stroking her back, going lower to cup her bottom and draw her to him. “But I think this will be perfect all the same.”

“I don’t care what we do as long as we’re together,” she said, her lips parting, inviting him in.

“My thoughts exactly,” he kissed her, his lips firm against hers. She opened her mouth, allowing him to push his tongue between her teeth to entwine with hers. They stood in the barn; the snow coming down outside, but the cold didn’t penetrate them. Their bear blood and their intense need for each other keeping them warm.

As their kiss deepened, she sighed against him, and he held her tighter, wanting their bodies to become one, for them to be always this close. If not bodily, then with their souls, which were tethered together for eternity. His lips moved against her, his tongue pushing in and out of her mouth, stroking the roof of her mouth, sending shivers through her body.

Pulling away, he asked, “So where is this hay you told me about?”

She took his hand and led him to a corner of the barn, the hay made a natural mattress, where he was quite determined to lay her down and make love to her. He kissed the back of her hand, and then eased her down, the hay soft and sweet as he joined her.

“Are you sure? We could go back to my place.”

“No. I don’t want to wait, I love it in here. Make love to me, Taylor. Right here, right now.”

“I don’t need to be asked twice,” he said, sweeping her long hair back from her face and pulling her sweater down off her shoulder to kiss her bare skin. “How many layers of clothes did you put on?”

“Why don’t you take them off? We can count if you want.”

He chuckled. “I just want to get you naked as quickly as possible. My bear just wants to tear every shred of clothing from you, but I’ll try to keep him restrained.”

She slipped her hand down to stroke his cock. He jumped at her unexpected touch. “How much would it take for you to lose control Taylor?”

Not much if you keep that up,” he said.

She unzipped his jeans, and pushed them off his thighs. Then she scooted down, her lips kissing the tip of his cock. “How about now?”

“Ohh, ohh. My … control had already … gone.”

She closed her mouth around him, sucking his cock until he thought he would explode. She lifted her head, and licked him form root to tip. He fisted her hair, holding her head in place while he lifted his hips of the hay to opus into her mouth. She was incredible, licking and sucking him into submission.

Just before he came in her mouth, he stopped her. “I want to be inside you, Melanie. Deep inside you when I come.”

She pulled back, sitting up and lifting her arms for him to remove her sweater, then a shirt, followed by a thermal vest. Only then did he reveal her wonderful full breasts, swelling over the top of her bra. He sighed. “Damn, I feel so spoiled to have you as my woman, Melanie. I want to make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“Show me,” she said.

And he had every intention of doing just that.

She wasn’t sure where she had found the confidence to take him in her mouth. But she’d had this incredible urge to taste him, to know what his essence felt like on her tongue. And she was so happy he enjoyed what she did. Her confidence grew; she was a woman now, not a girl. Alli was right, she could do what she needed to do, no matter what she was faced with. Not that being faced with Taylor’s cock was bad, in fact as he guided himself into her sex, she knew it was good. Real good.

Taylor moved between her thighs, thrusting forward into her. Her lips parted, his cock sliding into her, causing a wonderful friction against her sensitive skin. As he pressed forward, filling her, her sex yielded to him, her slick heat coating his skin so he slid in easily. Incredibly slowly, he filled her, stopping often to allow himself to regain control. She knew if she touched him, or aroused him anymore, this would be what was called quickie. He was so close to coming, after she had used her mouth on him. So she allowed him to take control.