As his hands dropped down to cup her butt, she pressed against the hard ridge of his cock. The evidence of his arousal was better than any aphrodisiac. Inside, her bear leapt with joy and urged her to deepeneverykiss.
When he walked her back against the nearest wall, she hooked one leg around his thigh. She’d waited her whole life to find someone who could make her feel this way—wanted—and maybe evenloved.
He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against her shoulder. Every inch of his body trembled. She couldn’t bear to be apart from him for anothersecond.
She pressed her lips to his ear and whispered, “Will you come to bedwithme?”
* * *
Alow growlrose up from his chest. All thoughts of being honorable and leaving her alone vanished in a split second. His bear roared with uncontrolled lust. The beast’s presence became so powerful that he couldn’t holditback.
He jerked away from her and stuffed his hands in his pockets in an attempt to stop himself from shifting. But he hadn’t been fast enough. The pads of his fingers grew. The backs of his hands sprouted elongated fur. His hands grew to triple their normal size toformpaws.
Kate’s wide-eyed stare softened as she reached for his paw. She held her palm up and looked into his eyes. He slowly brought his paw forward until it met hers. The connection was enough to calm his bear. The shift stopped and as she pet the fur with her other hand, it receded. She was the only woman who’d ever managed to soothe his restless bear. He stared at her inwonder.
“Are you ever afraid of your bear?” sheasked.
“No.”
“Whynot?”
“It’s part of my nature to be an animal sometimes. It’s who I am. To deny it would be to deny an essential part of myself,”hesaid.
“I’m afraid ofmybear.”
“Why?”
“Because of what happened on prom night,”shesaid.
It was enough to drop a sheet of ice water over his libido.Hewas the reason she was afraid of her bear. If he hadn’t been such a jackass that night, she never would have shifted. He releasedherhand.
“I never should have teased you the way I did. You wouldn’t have shifted,”hesaid.
“I almost killed Jessica. If Isaac hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed my bestfriend.”
“But youdidn’t.”
“You weren’t there. You never saw how closeIcame.”
“I heard.” He turned away to stare intothefire.
“It wasn’t your fault.” She came up behind him and placed her palm onhisback.
“Itwas.”
“If you really believe that, then I forgive you,”shesaid.
He turned to gather her into his arms. He tucked her head under his chin and gently cradled her against hischest.
“Is that why you moved away?” heasked.
“That and because of my father. He never taught me anything about my bear. I had to figure it out through trial and error. Now I just ignore her and she leaves me alone for themostpart.”
“So you nevershift?”
“I haven’t shifted since thatnight.”
“Oh, honey. You just need someone to teach you how to control your bear.” His heart clenched. To go through life denying your animal would be a terrible way to live. He couldn’t imagine how hard it had been on her. He had to find a way to help. “I can teach you aboutyourbear.”
