Lone Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 1) Read online

  Her tears tore him up inside and reinforced his need for revenge. He wanted answers, but he knew he’d have to be patient and explain her lack of clothing first. With one of his t-shirts in hand, he gently knocked on the bathroom door.

  “Katie, can I come in?”

  “How come I’m naked? Where are my clothes?” she asked between sobs.

  “Your clothes are ruined. You can wear one of my t-shirts for now. Come on out, honey.”

  “It won’t fit me,” she sobbed and he heard her blow her nose.

  “Katie, I’m not only taller than you, but I’m much wider. Trust me. My shirt will fit you.”

  Other than her sobs, he was met with silence from the other side of the door. Eons seemed to pass, but eventually her cries turned to sniffles. He waited outside the door the whole time, shirt in hand, hoping for her trust.

  Finally, he heard the lock click and she cracked the door enough for her hand to slip out. She waved it around in a circle.

  “Fine,” she sighed. “Give me the shirt.”

  He placed it in her hand and turned to create some distance between them. He knew her naked hand led to her naked, voluptuous, warm body and lust rode him hard. The desire to kick in the door and take her against the counter warmed his blood. He felt like he’d combust into flames any minute.

  “I’ll wait for you on the couch.”

  “Thank you, Gage,” she whispered and then the door closed softly and he heard the lock click back into place.

  A few minutes later she emerged with her hands at her sides as if to keep the shirt from riding up. She didn’t need to worry; the loose fabric fell to her mid-thigh and covered as much as a short nightgown would. One hand fisted around a crumpled tissue and she watched him warily as she sat on the opposite end of the couch.

  “Here. Cover up with this to keep warm,” he said, and pushed a throw toward her.

  “I’m burning up. Do you mind turning down the heat?”

  “Not at all, I’ve been sweating since I brought you in.”

  “Why did you make it so warm? It feels like an oven in here.”

  “You were ice cold. I had to make sure you were warm enough,” he noticed the warmth on her cheeks as she patted her forehead with the tissue and realized she probably felt a little uncomfortable. “I may have over-reacted a bit.”

  They both laughed and he got up to turn the heater down to a normal level.

  “I know it might be hard,” he said, sitting back down, “but I need you to tell me what happened. Who were you running from?”

  She launched into the story and told him everything from her visit to the mall, and what happened on the way back. Her trust surprised him, but he didn’t let on. He needed her to believe in him.

  “You don’t have to worry about him anymore, Katie. I’ll keep you safe,” he said as he stood.

  “Where are you going?” she asked.

  “To kill that son-of-a-bitch,” he growled.

  “Gage, no!” she jumped up off the couch and followed him into the bedroom. He’d already stripped off his shorts and had pulled on a pair of jeans when she burst in. A t-shirt followed and they stood there staring at each other as the seconds ticked by.

  Her chest heaved from exertion and he saw her nipples harden beneath his shirt. She looked good in his clothes, but he wanted to rip the material off her and worship her naked body. His hormones combined with his need for revenge were making him insane.

  “You would spare him? You don’t want me to kill him? He should live after he dared touch you?” he bellowed. He punctuated each question with a step toward her, and to his relief she didn’t run.

  “No,” she took a step toward him, “but how can you take care of me if you’re in jail for murder?”

  It was more than a question and he took it as an agreement to be his.

  He closed the distance between them and kissed her possessively. When he realized what he’d done, after the ordeal she’d just been through, he tried to pull back but she wouldn’t let him go.

  “Don’t stop. I want this,” she breathed. “I’ve wanted you for so long.”

  He slid his tongue inside her mouth and she willingly opened for him. She met him stroke for stroke and everything around them seemed to fade away except their kiss. Her hands tentatively slid around his waist and he grabbed her biceps and squeezed, pulling her closer. She whimpered, but it wasn’t a sound of pleasure.

  He pulled back and studied her.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “It’s nothing,” she said and leaned in to kiss him again.

  “It’s not nothing. Did I hurt you?”

  “No, Gage, you’re perfect. It’s…”

  Comprehension dawned and he lifted the sleeves on her shirt. When she saw the bruises on her left bicep, his rage returned.

  “Stay here. I’ll be back.”

  He stepped around her and made a beeline for the door.

  “Gage!”

  “What?” he asked, exasperated. His bear needed revenge and if she kept tempting him, he’d never get it.

  “I’m afraid. He has my purse, my house keys, my license…everything,” she said in a small voice.

  Pain laced her words and he forced himself to take a deep breath. He walked back to her and hugged her tight, as if trying to push all of his strength into her. She held onto him as if he were a lifeline, her only escape from drowning in a choppy sea.

  He pulled back and removed her hands from his waist.

  “Listen to me. I’m going into town to get your things back and report the incident. Then I’m going to the hardware store and get new locks for your door. Do you want me to pick up anything while I’m there?”

  “Could you bring me a change of clothes and a sweater? Everything is in my dresser.”

  “Okay. While I’m gone, you stay here. I’m setting the alarm, so you’ll be safe inside. Don’t open any doors or windows for any reason, do you understand? Otherwise, make yourself at home. When I get back, we need to talk.”

  She nodded in agreement and he pressed a kiss to her lips.

  “Good. I’ll be back soon.”

  He opened the door, secured the alarm and stepped out into the brisk evening. The temperature had dropped rapidly, but he didn’t feel it. All of his senses rested on one thing.

  He would avenge his mate.

  Chapter Three

  Gage maneuvered his truck down the snowy hill with the precision gained from driving in snow for nearly three centuries. He raced across town on the darkened, lonely street, fueled by rage. Even without the poor weather, the late hour meant most of the town had turned in for the night, but he had a feeling the sheriff would be in his office.

  He noticed the deputy’s squad car parked in front of the café and realized Randy would be wondering about Kate, too. She’d never returned his car. He made a note to talk to the man after he confronted her attacker.

  He hastily made his way inside the sheriff’s office and found the man at his desk. The contents of Kate’s purse lay spread out over the surface and a handled paper bag, labeled with one of the mall store’s names, sat in a chair next to the desk.

  “What the hell are you doing?” Gage roared when he saw her things spread out.

  The sheriff had a cast around his left hand and Gage couldn’t help the predatory smile that crossed his lips. His mate had broken the man’s hand when she slammed the truck door and made her escape. It had to be the reason he hadn’t followed her up the mountain. Her survival instincts rivaled any bear’s.

  The deputy and Randy came running inside the office and Dave approached him carefully.

  “Kate’s gone missing, Gage. Tom found her things on the side of the road, along with Randy’s car,” the deputy explained.

  Gage glanced at the deputy, and then at Randy and realized the elderly man believed this story and thought Katie had disappeared. He’d always treated her like a father and his pain at the horrifying news was evident.

  “Are
you kidding me?” Gage roared at the sheriff. “What were you going to say when Kate showed up and told the truth? That she’s lying? No one in this town would ever believe you, you sick bastard.”

  “What do you mean, Gage?” Randy asked.

  “Katherine won’t remember clearly what happened to her,” the sheriff said as if Randy hadn’t spoken. “She’s been through an emotional evening and though her attacker looked a lot like me, he wasn’t me.” The man relayed the words calmly, with no hint of remorse or deception. He believed his lies, which meant he was far more dangerous than Gage had originally thought.

  “Randy, Katie is safe. She’s at my house right now.”

  “Oh, thank goodness,” the grabbed his chest. “Thank you for taking care of her.” The man’s approval meant more than he could let on.

  He turned his attention to the deputy. “Are you in on this, too?”

  “In on what? I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Dave answered. “Wait, how did Kate end up with you?”

  “She ran up the mountain to get away from him,” Gage seethed, and pointed at the sheriff. “How did he tell you he hurt his hand?”

  “He said he got drunk last night and hit a tree messing around with one of his friends in the next town over.”

  “He’s lying. He tried to rape Kate and she slammed the truck door on his hand.”

  “What?” Dave asked at the same time Randy expressed his concern.

  “Is she okay, Gage?”

  “She’s shaken up, but she’s okay. Our girl is strong,” he reassured Randy.

  “Did you try to hurt that girl, Tom?” Dave asked the sheriff, but the man didn’t respond.

  The whole time they spoke, he didn’t move or intervene on his behalf. He just kept touching every one of Kate’s things rhythmically, as if to mark them as his own. The behavior nearly sent Gage across the table, but he knew he had to follow the proper procedure.

  “We’re filing a complaint against him, Dave. You need to arrest him.”

  “Gage, I can’t arrest him until she files a report. As much as I want to throw him in that cell, the law works to protect the both the victim and the accused.”

  “We will be back tomorrow and you will need to follow through. Will you be able to handle it, Dave, or do I need to call the marshal?”

  “We’ll have to call him anyway, but I can handle it until then,” he stepped up to the cluttered desk. “Tom, some serious allegations have been presented against you. You need to go on home, now, and stay there. Do you understand?”

  “I am the sheriff, Dave, of course I understand,” he finally spoke as he rose from behind his desk. “You are all a bunch of idiots. This is just a game to her. The truth will come out, and you’ll all see what a stupid little liar she is.”

  Gage suppressed a growl as the three men watched the sheriff walk out. When they heard his truck start, the other two relaxed a fraction, but Gage still wanted blood.

  “Do you think he’ll stick around?” Gage asked. He wanted to screw procedure and hunt the man down. The knowledge that Kate waited for him kept him in place.

  “I’m not sure. He seems off, almost unbalanced,” Dave said.

  “I agree. I’m taking her things and I’m changing the locks on her door. Tomorrow we’ll be back to file the report.”

  Dave nodded and Randy looked bewildered. He kept glancing back to the door as if expecting Tom to barge back in.

  “Do you want a ride home, Randy?” Gage offered.

  “No thanks, son. I need to go back and close down the restaurant.”

  “I’ll take you back and make sure you get home okay,” Dave said.

  The three men left the building together and Gage went to the hardware store. The owner lived above the building and owed him a favor, so he knocked on the door and got the new locks for Kate’s place.

  Thirty minutes later, he’d changed the locks, grabbed her clothes and drove up the mountain toward his future. He’d told her they needed to talk, but his bear wanted to claim her first and chat later. The war between man and bear raged on as he sped across town, and deep down he knew the bear would win.

  Talking would have to wait, but he hoped she wouldn’t turn away from him after he told her the truth about his bear.

  ***

  Kate let the warm water from the shower flow down her neck and back as she thought about the way Gage stormed out to defend her. He’d said he’d take care of her and keep her safe. Did he mean it? She hoped so, but his final words had her worried.

  We need to talk.

  Those four little words rarely led to anything good, but she couldn’t deny their connection. She trusted him implicitly and though she didn’t want to recount the incidents of the day, she knew Gage wouldn’t condemn her. His desire to defend her honor increased her pulse and sent an electric shock straight to her core. Their first kiss was explosive, and she wanted more. She wanted to feel his body gliding over hers, preferably naked. She wanted everything.

  If they had to talk, she hoped it would be after he kissed her again.

  She’d been in the shower nearly thirty minutes. She didn’t want to wash off any part of Gage, but she’d needed rinse off the sweat and rid her skin of any trace of the horrible afternoon. Her pruned fingered proved she’d succeeded.

  She dried off and wrapped her hair in a towel, then slipped Gage’s t-shirt back on. A quick look at her clothes proved Gage had been telling the truth about them being ruined, and she threw the scraps away. She gathered her bra and panties, but though the sheriff hadn’t touched them, she didn’t want to put them back on until they’d been cleaned. She’d have to go without until she could get home to change or run the washing machine.

  Would Gage want to keep her around after they talked, or would he send her away? She stood in the living room and contemplated whether or not to run the washing machine when he returned.

  His eyes immediately landed on the material in her hands and it only took him two seconds to comprehend her nakedness underneath his shirt.

  “I need you. Now. Can we talk later?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Good.”

  He dropped her things on the floor and stalked toward her like the predator that he was. Before she could figure out his purpose, he bent and lifted her over his shoulder in a fireman’s hold. She yelped, dropped her lingerie and tried to catch her towel, but it was gone, too.

  “Gage! Put me down, I’m too heavy!”

  His t-shirt crept up her thighs and threatened to expose her large ass. She wiggled and tried to pull it back down, but the ending result left her completely uncovered.

  “Quit squirming,” he said and smacked her ass hard. His hand easily covered both globes.

  Her pussy tingled, betraying her, as mortification set in. Any minute he would glance at her bare bottom and change his mind.

  She stilled and waited for him to set her down. Her insecurities surfaced and she kept her gaze on the floor, refusing to look at him.

  “Hey,” he lifted her chin with his finger. “What happened? Did I scare you?”

  “No,” she shook her head, looking past his shoulder at the wall behind him.

  He cupped her chin and turned her head toward him, forcing her to look him in the eye.

  “Was it my hand on your ass?”

  “No, I…,” she glanced away again, though he held her chin in place.

  “You liked it.” It wasn’t a question.

  He dropped his hand and studied her. She gripped the shirt in both hands, pulling it tight over her thighs as the tension between them grew. She felt as if he could see straight through to her soul and seconds later he proved her right.

  His large hands grabbed the shirt by the neck and ripped it straight down the middle, exposing her naked body. He peeled it off her shoulders and let it fall down her back to the floor. She had no choice but to let go.

  “You don’t have to hide from me, Katie. You’re perfect.”

 
She searched his face, looking for any trace of a lie, but she believed him.

  When he leaned down to kiss her, she didn’t stop him.

  Like before, he seemed to claim her with his mouth. The kiss was raw and possessive, almost primal, and she loved it. She welcomed his tongue and explored his chest with her hands. She wanted to see all of him, touch him everywhere, and she tugged on his shirt to relay her message. He pulled back enough to rip the shirt over his head before he resumed his delicious assault.

  His large hands roamed her back, then slid up her waist to cup her breasts. He brushed her nipples with the pads of his thumbs and she moaned and squeezed her thighs together. She could feel the liquid pooling around her entrance, threatening to escape down her thighs. She’d never been soaking wet from a kiss, but Gage touched her like no man ever had.

  She unbuttoned his pants and he pulled back to remove them.

  “Get on the bed,” he ordered, pushing the fabric down his huge, tree trunk thighs.

  She didn’t hesitate.

  She centered herself on the bed, careful to keep her legs closed. He wouldn’t let her get away with it. He joined her on the bed and pushed her knees open. She was fully exposed to him, but suddenly she didn’t care.

  Gage was naked before her and she looked her fill. He was a sculpted masterpiece. His lightly tanned skin made him look like a God and there wasn’t an ounce of fat on his body. Muscles she didn’t even know existed roped his large frame, and he moved with a fluidity not expected from someone his size.

  “I can see how wet you are, Katie. I have to taste you.”

  “Gage—”

  Before she could stop him, he licked her pussy and then sucked her clit in his mouth. His tongue licked her hot button with precision, and she opened her legs wider. His mouth felt like heaven. She couldn’t stop the wetness from spilling out of her pussy, and he eagerly licked up her juices, and then attacked her clit again. She gently tugged on his hair, urging him to stop, but he kept on, relentlessly licking and sucking.

  “Gage, I’m going to—”

  She gave in and held his head in place as she shoved her pussy in his face. He responded by jabbing his tongue inside her cunt. She screamed his name as her orgasm raced through her body and curled her toes.