Lonely Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Bluff Clan Book 6) (7 page)

“No, Chloe, you aren’t. You are just like your mom.”

Chloe looked at her father, as if seeing him for the first time in years; he looked old and sad. “Dad, it’s OK.” She placed her hand on his. “It’s OK to miss her.”

He glanced over at his second wife, who was unlocking the car. “I just wish she was here with us, Chloe. I miss her so much.”

“I know, Dad. I know.”

Nate sensed the subtle shift in Olivia’s mood, but he was so preoccupied with watching Chloe disappear into the distance with her father, he didn’t react. Not until she asked him bluntly, “So are you the reason Chloe’s engagement is off? I feel such a fool I felt sorry for her, when in reality
she
was the reason it broke down.”

“No. Nothing happened between us,” Nate insisted. Olivia looked a little brighter. He had to handle this carefully, and not lead her on. “Look, she went on to the mountain after she split with her fiancé. I found her, and took her back to my cabin.”

“Where nothing happened?” Olivia pressed.

“No. She was hurt, her hands cut up.” He knew he had to tell her the truth. “That isn’t to say I didn’t
want
something to happen.”

Olivia let her breath go, a short sharp blast through her lips. “I thought so. When you looked at her. Wow, so she went from one man straight onto another. Sometimes life doesn’t seem fair.”

“I’m sorry, Olivia. You know I care for you, but not in the way you would hope.”

“A girl can always dream,” Olivia said, smiling wistfully. “So is she the reason you went up to the mountains in the first place?”

He should have known she would see the connection, and he couldn’t lie to her. “Yes. I knew from the moment I saw her at the engagement party she was the one for me. But I could never come between her and the man she loves.”

“
Loved
. Of course, it’s wide open for you now. Jerry was a jerk, but still, she seemed to love him.” Olivia gazed into the distance, unseeing.

“Listen, Olivia. I’ll find somewhere else to stay tonight.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s getting dark and anyway, I still enjoy your company. Don’t worry, I won’t jump you while you’re in bed.”

“I feel like an asshole.”

“None of us can help who we are attracted to, right?” Olivia smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes; he could see she was upset and disappointed.

“You would make someone a wonderful partner,” he said.

“But not you?”

“Not me. I don’t want to lead you on, Olivia.”

“OK,” she said resignedly. “Let’s go grab something to eat and we’ll make arrangements for tomorrow. We’ll still go out, because I am not letting you go back up to that cabin of yours unless you have made some attempt at wooing the lovely Chloe. Do you hear me?”

“Don’t worry, Olivia, I have no intention of leaving Bear Bluff until I have convinced her I am the man for her.”

“Damn it, Nate. Why couldn’t those words be for me?”

“Because we are not meant to be. But I can guarantee that when you meet the right man, what you think you feel for me will fade away until you won’t even remember why you had a crush on me.” He only hoped his words were true and that one day soon, a bear would come knocking on Olivia’s door.

“Well, if you put it like that.” She took his hand and led him to her car. There they got in and she drove them back to her apartment.

“So I guess I’ll make the sofa up for you, and then we can eat. I feel like splurging on Chinese food.”

And so they spent the evening together, talking and laughing, and Nate really did wish he could have had feelings for Olivia. But his heart belonged to Chloe, so he vowed he was going to try really hard to find a bear who would love and appreciate the special person Olivia was.

When they went to their separate beds, all he could think of was getting through the next day, because in the evening, he would see Chloe again, and he did not intend to let the day end without resolving their relationship. He only hoped her father was not about to put a stop to his daughter seeing the lonely bear from high up in the mountains.

“Nate’s not with you?” Chloe asked when she had hobbled out to Olivia’s car.

“No.” Olivia helped her in and then got into the driver’s seat, where she turned and faced Chloe. “Look, I wanted us to have a chat first.”

“Oh.” Chloe didn’t like the sound of this. If Olivia told her she had feelings for Nate, how was she supposed to react? She couldn’t just say she was pleased for Olivia; the last thing she wanted to do was be two-faced. Why did it always have to be so difficult?

“Don’t worry. Nate is all yours. I can’t lie and say I’m not disappointed, but I’m also not the kind of woman who would run after a man who is so obviously in love with someone else. I have my pride, you know.” Olivia turned and smiled wistfully at Chloe. “I hope it works out for you, I really do.”

“Thanks, Olivia, that means so much. I mean, I never went looking for him. It’s just when I caught Jerry in bed with another woman…”

“What! That’s what happened? Oh, Chloe, why didn’t you come find me?” Olivia leaned over and hugged Chloe.

“I felt too ashamed. As if I wasn’t good enough, you know. And my dad was livid. You know how I always said he wanted Jerry as a son-in-law. Well. To find out that Jerry had been stringing us all along just for the job promotion hit my dad hard.”

“Hit your dad hard? Sometimes I don’t think your dad ever thinks of anyone else’s feelings but his own.” She looked guiltily at the big house behind them, as if she thought he might be able to hear her. “Sorry, Chloe, but you know he didn’t exactly win father of the year when your mom died, did he?”

“No, we talked about it some last night. I get the feeling he tried to replace my mom with Charity.”

“You mean he went for the exact opposite?”

“Yeah, he wanted to fill the void.”

“It still doesn’t excuse the way he behaved towards you.” Olivia rubbed Chloe’s back in comfort. “Listen, you know, Chloe, you deserve that big hunk of man meat who is in love with you. I want you to give him a chance; he will be the best thing to ever happen to you.”

“You don’t think I’m on the rebound?” Chloe wiped tears from her eyes. She was so lucky to have Olivia as a friend.

“No. Well. He’s been in love with you since your engagement party. Went up to his cabin to stop himself coming and claiming you all caveman style, from what I gather.” Olivia started the engine and drove back along the long tree-lined drive away from the Turnstall residence.

“You’re joking?”

“No. Not at all, but you might want to keep that to yourself, I have no idea what it is with him, but he fell for you hook, line, and sinker. It all fits together now, how he used to come down every once in a while and ask how your wedding plans were going. I thought it was because I was your bridesmaid, but now I see that it was because he was secretly hoping something would go wrong.”

“He kept that all to himself?”

“Oh, yeah, he just wanted you to be happy. How romantic is that?”

“Very,” Chloe murmured.

“So, we thought we would forgo the double date.” Olivia drew up outside her apartment, but didn’t stop the engine.

“Oh, so just the three of us,” Chloe sat and looked up at the building, waiting for Nate to come down and join them.

“No, silly. I am not going to sit and watch you two make gooey eyes at each other.” She undid Chloe’s seatbelt. “I am going to go to watch a movie, then get something to eat, while you two have a nice cosy dinner together.”

“You mean in your apartment?”

“Yes. I changed the sheets.” Olivia said, laughing as Chloe blushed. “Come on, you are in no fit state to walk anywhere. I want you to be happy. Now go.”

Chloe opened her door and got out, resting her weight on one foot for a moment before. “I’m not sure about this?”

“I am, Chloe. Go for it. Follow your heart, instead of following what you
think
is expected of you. Jerry was your dad’s dream husband, not yours.”

“Thank you, Olivia.”

“What are friends for? Now go on. He’s waiting and he’s cooked for you. Nothing to do with me, so enjoy.”

Chloe slammed the car door shut, and Olivia sat and watched until she was safely inside, before driving off. As the sound of the car disappeared into the distance, Chloe made her way to the elevator, and found her hand trembling as she reached up to press the button to take her to Olivia’s floor. She could do this. It was the right thing for her; she knew it.

Still, it took all of her courage to leave the elevator and walk along to Olivia’s door. There she hesitated before knocking, but just as if he sensed she was there, the door opened and Nate stood looking at her, his face filled with hope, happiness, and desire.

“I wondered if you had second thoughts,” he said, his eyes locked on hers.

She couldn’t speak, only shook her head. He stood back, and she placed her hand on the door, leaning on it as she hobbled forward. But it wasn’t because of her ankle; her knees threatened to go weak, too. A wonderful heat was spreading through her body and she wanted him to hold her, to kiss her, and then to take her to bed. Instead, she took a deep breath and inhaled the scent of his cooking, deciding that was the best thing for her to concentrate on.

“Smells good,” she said, taking his hand when he offered it to her, and then losing all track of time and space. He robbed her of her senses, stripping her awareness away until he was the only thing in the room, the only thing in her life that mattered.

“Chloe … I ...” His fingers stroked her cheek, and she turned her head to kiss them. Nate licked his lips, moistening them, and this time he didn’t ask; he didn’t have to. His lips met hers and she placed her hands on his chest for support while she kissed him, letting him know how much she wanted him in this moment.

He took her breath away, his tongue slipping between her parted lips, and entwined with hers. The heat in her body became an inferno of need. Her clit throbbed, begging to feel some relief from the pent-up frustration her body was experiencing. A deep ache in her sex told her she would never be satisfied until he made love to her. Yet she still felt awkward here in Olivia’s apartment.

“Damn, I need you,” he ground out as his lips left hers.

“Yes, please,” she said simply.

He took her by the hand and led her to the sofa. There he had spread out a blanket and cushions on the floor. But first, he undressed her, slowly, deliberately, his mouth worshipping every inch of her skin as it was revealed. Light butterfly kisses along the swell of her breasts as her dress slipped to the floor. His hands sliding down over her stomach to find the moist heat between her thighs. He stroked her though the fabric of her panties. Chloe parting her thighs to allow him better access.

She groaned, his fingers pressing against the wet opening of her sex, before slipping back to her clit. Then he moved, both his hands unclasping her bra, and then his fingers returned to explore her heated need, while his warm mouth claimed her breasts as their own.

“God, you taste divine,” he said, his mouth sucking one taut nipple into his mouth. He rolled his tongue over it, his teeth grazing the tender skin until it was sore. The torture was exquisite, and she wanted more. She wanted all of him.

Feeling the hard press of his cock against her thigh, she reached down between their bodies and stroked him. He jerked in response, his teeth harsh against her skin. She heard the sharp intake of breath as it hissed though his lips, and the sound spurred her on. She wanted him to reach the same heights as she was experiencing. For them to rise together, to come together.

Nate moved quickly. He lifted her up, effortlessly carrying her and placing her down on the blanket. Then he knelt before her and stripped off his shirt. She licked her lips, wanting to explore his amazing body with her mouth, to taste his skin on her own lips. But when he undid his belt and dropped his pants, all thoughts left her head. He truly was magnificent, and big. Oh so big.

Leaning forward, his fingers hooked around the elastic of her panties. And she obediently lifted her bottom off the floor, so that he could remove them, although her mouth went dry with nerves. This was the first time a man would see her naked. Would she disappoint a man like Nate?

But the look in his eyes told her that was not even remotely possible. When he lifted her feet, one by one, easing her panties off, and then pressing her knees down to the floor so that he could gaze on her sex, she felt those tendrils of desire once more flare inside her, chasing all doubt away.

He moved closer, his breath hot on her thighs, and she lifted her head up off the blanket, watching as his lips kissed her inner thighs so softly and then worked their way closer to her core. When his mouth covered her clit, she thought she would pass out, the intense sensations flooding her body overloading her brain.

Yet this was nothing to the jolt of electricity that passed through her when he flicked his tongue out over the sensitive bud. She tried to draw her knees up, but he pressed his body further forward to nestle between them and it was impossible to stop him. His intentions were clear, he wanted to make her come, to scream his name, and when he pressed his finger inside her sex, she knew that was a very real possibility, in fact it was a foregone conclusion. The only question was, how long could she hold on?

In and out, his first finger joined by another, pushing deep inside her, stretching her tight inner walls. Her arousal grew, a tension in her body growing more intense when he slipped his tongue along the length of her sex, before returning to stimulate her clit. She lifted her hips off the blanket, offering herself to him, whimpering as he brought her to the brink of her orgasm and then let her fly.

The room, Olivia’s sitting room, one she knew so well, spun around her. She sobbed, her hands going to fist his hair as she humped herself on his face, urging him to suck her harder, finger her deeper. Damn, her world was coming apart at the seams, and it was the most incredible experience she had ever endured.