Double Bear: BBW Paranormal Menage Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 3) Read online

  Double Bear

  (Bear Mountain, Book 3)

  Ruby Shae

  Double Bear

  (Bear Mountain, Book 3)

  Copyright 2014 by Ruby Shae

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the author.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $ 250,000.

  Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  About This Book

  Samantha Hastings co-owns the tiny movie theater in Bear Mountain with her father. She’s lived in the small town her entire life and doesn’t want to leave, but she longs for a man to call her own and accept her, curves included. When she meets Cade and Collin, and feels the same desperate longing for both men, she vows to stay away from the gorgeous twins.

  Cade and Collin Garrison sold their club in Florida and moved back to their childhood home when they found out their longtime friend would soon become a father. After years of searching for the perfect woman to share for eternity, they meet her on their second night in town. Their curvy mate is determined to keep her distance, but the identical duo has other ideas.

  Sam eventually gives in to the sexy pair and decides to enjoy two men while she can, but when her ex-boyfriend shows up, the reality of their situation comes crashing down. Can two gorgeous bear shifters really love a curvy small-town girl? Sam’s about to find out that loving two men might seem wrong, but her mates will never let her go.

  Double Bear

  (Bear Mountain, Book 3)

  By Ruby Shae

  Chapter One

  Samantha Hastings shook her head, stood and wiped her teary eyes on the sleeve of her t-shirt. She double checked the film reel and left the projection booth. The on-screen couple had declared their love and kissed passionately. What a load of crap. Life wasn’t a movie and men like the hero in the film didn’t exist. Especially for women like her. She’d never met a man who could love a woman like the men in the movies did.

  At the bottom of the stairs, her father swept the tile floor behind the concessions stand. He’d already cleaned the popcorn and soda machines. After he wiped down the counter, the job would be complete.

  “Dad, what are you doing? It was my turn to clean the popcorn machine.”

  “I told you not to show that movie. You should have picked the one with guns,” he said avoiding her question. Without even looking at her, he knew she’d been all worked up over the romantic scenes.

  “Yeah, you were right,” she sighed.

  “Not all men are like that asshole, Jack,” he said as he continued to work. “I’m not glad he broke your heart, but I’m glad he’s gone. I couldn’t stand him.”

  “He didn’t break my heart, just bruised my ego a bit. I’m glad he’s gone, too, but…,”

  “You don’t want to be alone.”

  It wasn’t a question and she hated that it were true. Even before Jack broke up with her, she’d known he wasn’t the guy for her, but she grew tired of being alone. Living in a small town, her options were limited. Her location, combined with her extra weight and curves, meant the pool of eligible men dwindled even further.

  She’d dated Jack for three months, but she’d known they wouldn’t last after the second date. Truth be told, she’d only kept him around so she’d have a date for their town’s annual Christmas Party, and she still ended up going alone.

  Her father was right, not that she needed confirmation. Jack was an asshole.

  “Don’t you ever get lonely, Dad?”

  Samuel Hastings had lived in Bear Mountain his whole life. He’d married her mom, a tourist passing through, in his early twenties, and they took over the tiny movie theater from his parents. Samantha’s mother, also a big, curvy woman, died in a car accident when Sam was only sixteen. From that moment on, it had been just the two of them.

  “I haven’t had time to be lonely. Raising you and running this theater keeps me on my toes.”

  She laughed and shook her head. She was twenty six years old, and though she still lived at home, her dad had stopped raising her a long time ago. They operated the theater together, usually working in shifts alone, and shared the income. They each worked forty hours a week, but he still found time to travel to the next town over a couple times a week to meet with his buddies.

  She’d known about his girlfriend for months, but for some reason, he’d never told her about the woman and continued to use the ruse of meeting his buddies whenever he went into town. When she realized she might be holding him back, she offered to move out, but he objected and closed the subject. He wanted her home until she found her soul mate.

  Like that would ever happen.

  “Go home, dad. The movie is almost over. I’ll finish up.”

  “You sure you’ll be okay? No more watching the film?”

  “No more, I promise. Go. I’ll be home in a little while,” she waved him off.

  “Okay, be safe. Don’t forget to lock up.”

  She rolled her eyes. She’d been closing the theater alone for over ten years, and before that, they worked together as a family. She’d never forgotten to lock up.

  “I won’t dad.”

  “Don’t think I didn’t see you roll your eyes, young lady,” he said in a mock stern voice.

  She burst out laughing at his playful attempt to scold her.

  “Bye Dad.”

  “Bye, darlin’.” He walked out into the crisp evening air and she waved to his back as he walked away.

  The memory of working together as a family reminded her of the way her father had been with her mother. He’d loved his wife like the men in the movies loved their heroines. The memories were buried deep, but she remembered. Her mother may not have been small, but she’d been loved by a man with all of his heart.

  She should have never settled for Jack. During their time together, all he did was use her for mediocre sex and bash her fragile self-esteem. They rarely went out, and when they did, she usually spent the evening wishing they hadn’t.

  Her father had gently voiced his opinion about the man, but she made excuses and he didn’t push the issue. The annual Christmas Party had been December twenty-fourth and he’d stood her up an hour before the event. Two weeks later, on New Year’s Eve, he’d dumped her.

  When the caller-id showed Jack’s name, she hadn’t been surprised. She hadn’t even gotten dressed yet, proving she’d known his plan even if she didn’t want to admit it. His hateful words had shocked her, but they shouldn’t have. Fat, ugly, offensive… She recalled some of the words he’d used, but she’d blocked out the rest in self-preservation. Eventually, she ended his rant by hanging up the phone.

  He’d called back twice, but she refused to answer and he’d left her alone. That night, two weeks ago, had been the last time they’d spoken.

  How could I have be
en so stupid?

  Though she knew she should let it go, his words played over and over in her mind. She knew they were false, and yet they were easy to believe. Especially with so few men beating down her door.

  Thankfully, the movie ended and the few patrons bundled up and braved the cold air to walk or take a short drive home. When the theater was empty, she locked the doors and focused on her tasks.

  She put the movie back in its case and shut down the projection booth equipment. In the seating area, she swept and mopped the floor. In the lobby, she vacuumed the carpet. When her chores were complete, she donned her coat, scarf and gloves, and stepped out into the brisk January air.

  Halfway down the block, she passed the sheriff’s office and the sheriff, Gage, his wife, Kate, and two other men walked out of the building laughing. The sudden, seemingly loud noise on the otherwise quiet street startled her, and she let out a small cry before she stopped the scream from fully escaping out of her mouth.

  “Sam, are you okay?” Gage asked, glancing up and down the street in sheriff mode.

  “Yes,” she laughed nervously. “You guys just scared me.”

  “What are you doing out here all alone?” one of the other men asked in a sharp tone.

  For the first time, she really looked at the two men. Identical twins, and yet somehow different. Her cheeks burned as they both stared down at her. Even in the dark, she couldn’t miss the color of their eyes. Deep sapphire blue.

  “Do you need a ride?” the other man asked. He smiled and a dimple appeared on his left cheek. Though he didn’t bark the words, she had a feeling he still demanded an answer.

  The men mesmerized her and for a moment she felt as if the three of them were alone on the street. Her cheeks heated and fire seemed to race down her back, straight to her core. She wanted to lean forward and lick one of their biceps. What would it be like to be stroked with their hands or kissed with their lips? At the same time.

  At over six feet, they towered over her five feet, six inch frame. They both had short, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. Broad shoulders led to defined arms, chests and abs. She doubted they had an ounce of fat anywhere on their bodies.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  She stood on the street, in the middle of the night, ogling two complete strangers like she’d never seen a hot guy before. The idea of these two perfect specimens wanting anything to do with someone like her was laughable. She acted like some sort of sex starved floozy. In front of the sheriff and his wife.

  Oh God.

  Arousal turned to embarrassment and she took a step back from the men and tried to focus on Kate. Tears pricked her eyes and she unsuccessfully tried to blink them away.

  “I—”

  “Sam, I’d like you to meet Cade and Collin Garrison,” Gage said. “They’re old friends of my family and they’re going to be staying here for a while.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. Please excuse me,” she said and then hurried away from the group. Kate called after her, but she ignored the woman and rushed home. The tears had started to fall, and she cursed when she saw the living room light still on. Hopefully her dad had fallen asleep in front of the TV again.

  She quietly opened the door and hung her coat before racing up the stairs. She forgot to skip the tenth step and her dad called out.

  “How’d it go tonight, darlin’? Everything okay?”

  “Yeah, dad, everything’s okay. Business as usual,” she yelled back.

  “Good. Sleep tight.”

  “You, too, dad. Night.”

  He returned the sentiment and she went to her room, closed the door and threw herself on the bed. Her behavior earlier didn’t make sense. She’d never had a reaction like that with a man, let alone two. She cringed when she thought about the types of women they must go out with. They were probably having a huge laugh at the desperate little fat girl.

  The only solution was to stay as far away from them as possible. Hopefully, if she didn’t see them, she couldn’t stare, or worse, and humiliate herself further. The idea of staying away seemed wrong somehow, but what else could she do?

  With a plan in mind, she drifted off into a restless sleep.

  ***

  Collin glanced at Cade and the look on his brother’s face confirmed he’d felt it too. They’d only been in Bear Mountain two days, and after years of searching, they’d found a possible mate. She’d only said a few words, but something about the woman called to him. The uncertainty of the situation made him want to track her down. He couldn’t risk losing her so soon. He took a step to follow her, but Gage, their long-time friend, stopped him.

  “Let her go. It’s nearly one in the morning. You can start wooing her tomorrow.”

  “Will she make it home safe?” he asked.

  “Why was she out here all alone in the middle of the night?” Cade added.

  “She’s already home. She lives two blocks that way, at the end of the street,” Gage pointed in the direction she’d run, and they both looked as if they expected to see her racing down the sidewalk. “She co-owns the movie theater with her father,” he pointed to the building across the street, “and they take turns with the closing shift.”

  “And she walks home alone every time it’s her turn?” Cade asked.

  “I believe so,” Gage said, “but, you know our crime rate is next to nothing. Aside from the occasional theft from tourists, our residents know they’re safe in the community.”

  Collin nodded. He did know that, but he still didn’t like the idea of his mate walking home alone so late at night. Next to him, Cade stewed. His brother shifted his weight between both feet and seemed ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. Though they couldn’t read each other’s minds, all it took was a look and they would know the other’s feelings.

  Cade was the more aggressive brother. He acted first and made inquiries later. He wanted to chase after Sam and claim her; no questions asked. Collin knew that approach would get them jail time, but not much more. She was different than their other conquests. She needed time to get to know them, first as men, then as brothers, and ultimately as mates.

  He had a feeling they had a long road ahead of them.

  The past few months had been hectic. When they first felt the energies from Kate’s pregnancy, they were operating a dance club in Florida. The location of the club provided ample opportunities to meet willing women for him and Cade to share. Many women let down their inhibitions while on vacation, and the twins’ attractive looks made the hunt effortless. Ninety percent of the time, the women came to them.

  The location of the club also had a downside. Grizzly bears aren’t native to Florida, and there weren’t many safe places to shift. They often spent the week camping in the north, and then returned home for the weekend club scene. The constant back and forth, combined with the meaningless sex and pressures of running the club had started to wear on them both.

  They were two hundred and fifty years old and they both longed for something, someone, permanent. The women at the club were usually high maintenance, snobby, club-whores who wanted a fling to pad their egos or make someone jealous. He and his brother didn’t want to spend their lives with the type of women they met at the club, they wanted someone real.

  When they felt the energies, and ran into Seth on one of their camping trips, they decided returning to Bear Mountain was the life change they needed.

  They sold the club, most of their belongings, and their condo, and relocated to Montana. At their age, they didn’t need the money, but they wanted to cut all ties to their old lives.

  It had been a couple of centuries since they’d seen the town, but they’d grown up here. Their parents, along with Seth and Gage’s, had lived in Bear Mountain almost from its creation. Gage still owned his family’s land, accessed by a private road on the west side of town, and Seth had just purchased the lot on the other side of the private road. Their property lines were wide and bordered the National Park. The set-up allowed for mile
s of relatively safe running in their shifted forms.

  The feeling of peace they both felt when they entered the tiny town would be one Collin would remember for many years to come. They hadn’t known they’d been lost until they arrived in Bear Mountain and realized they’d found home again. The clan hierarchy had already been established, but if they wanted to stay, the building of their home would start once Seth’s was finished. Though all bears were alphas, Cade and Collin knew they could follow Gage and his rules for the clan.

  Until the homes were complete, they needed a place to stay. They’d rented a cottage at the unique bed and breakfast on the opposite end of town. The side Sam lived on. The woman who owned the business, Sara Henley, had utilized the land bordering the National Park to build cottages for her guests instead of renting out rooms in the main house. She offered a continental breakfast every morning in the large kitchen of her home, but the doors closed at ten in the morning and all other meals were the guest’s responsibility. The comfortable setting offered the illusion of a private home, with the convenience of a hotel.

  Their second morning in town had been spent exploring and getting supplies for their room. When the tiny fridge had been stocked, and their toothpaste and shampoo replaced, they’d been treated to dinner by Gage and Kate. The evening continued with a trip to the sheriff’s office. They saw where Gage worked, and met the deputy, Dave. Besides the shifters and their mates, Dave was the only other person in town who knew about the bears. Gage considered Dave one of his closest friends, and Collin liked that the man was on their side. Dave might seem quiet and reserved, but Collin had a feeling that when he needed to express himself, he would do so in the most spectacular way imaginable.

  Though they could walk, they followed Gage and Kate back to their car and accepted a ride back to the bed and breakfast. After they both promised not to stalk her, Gage drove by Sam’s house before he dropped them off. The brick home had a huge porch. It looked like the perfect place for two bears and their mate to spend the afternoon lounging in the sun and drinking iced tea in the summertime, or snuggling under a down comforter in the winter.