I took my hands and covered my heated cheeks. It didn’t seem to matter when I was dying or alive. I reveled in his touch. I liked someone holding me because I felt less alone. How could he know that?
I was living, thriving now. He didn’t have to do this; he didn’t have to hover over me now. I was out of danger. Not unless he was purposefully trying to make me reliant on him.
And that wasn’t good at all.
Bear’s kind had mates.
I needed to shut down all the feels. Shifters didn’t date casually. Not that I was looking for casualness; I wanted a love like my parents had. They were together until the day they died.
I just knew that someone as special as Bear wouldn’t end up with someone like me.
I wasn’t that lucky.
Bear talked to fill the void as he cooked. He spoke of his cabin and how he built it piece by piece. Chopped down trees, built the tables, the chairs, the bed frame. I stared at all of it with awe at how well he worked with his hands, and my mind wandered to other things he could do with those hands.
How would they feel on my bare skin?
His touch was fiery on my lower back when he guided me room to room in his home. When I sat on his lap, his thigh warmed me so much I swore I was sweating between my thighs but not because of his heat, but of my own.
His voice, his scent, his aura, his touch, my body reacted like it should have when I was a teen. Feelings from my body blossomed the more I thought about it. I wanted to see him shirtless again; I wanted to run my fingers over his chest, let my fingers explore parts of a man I’d never dared to think about.
Bear continued to talk. His baritone voice lulled me into a state of lust as he spoke of the forest he missed roaming as his bear. I would love to see his animal, see how big he truly was. Would he be that much bigger than he is now?
My heart raced as I imagined his body pressed against mine. My skin tingled with anticipation, and my breath quickened. I felt a flush of heat spread throughout my body, my cheeks turning red with desire. I couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed at how my body was reacting to his presence, but I couldn’t deny the intense attraction I felt for him.
Every time he spoke, my knees weakened, and the thought of him touching me was like an electric shock that sent shivers down my spine. I knew I shouldn’t be feeling this way, but I couldn’t help it. My body was responding to him in ways I never thought possible.
I tried to push these thoughts aside, to focus on something else, but it was impossible. He was all I could think about, and the more I thought about him, the more my body responded. The flames of desire roared inside me, making it impossible to ignore.
I knew I had to do something about these feelings, but I didn’t know where to start. All I knew was that I wanted him, and I wanted him badly. The thought of being with him was both exhilarating and terrifying. I couldn’t resist the pull he had on me.
I felt my nipples harden against the loose T-shirt I wore. It was so large it went to my knees. The shorts underneath were borrowed as well, and I still had to roll them high on my hips. Now they were damp, thinking about how good his butt looked in those damn jeans.
Bear’s back was to me as he stirred the sauce in the pot. I shifted my thighs, my nipples sliding against my shirt, and I felt my nipples tighten against the fabric.
They were… sensitive.
This was normal, totally normal.
And that was when I felt my clit pulse between my legs.
Oh god, it was happening. I was turned on.
I’ve read about it but thought the day would never come. I was getting turned on! It was at the wrong time, completely wrong, because it was actually happening while Bear was talking to me in his kitchen about the damn trees outside.
Bear stopped stirring and started sniffing the spaghetti sauce, then turned to me. His golden eyes set on me and then darkened to ebony.
I don’t know why my face flushed, but it did. I felt so guilty. Like he could see right through me. Bear couldn’t possibly know what I was thinking, could he? He was a bear. He wasn’t a mind reader or a witch. He couldn’t know that sort of thing… could he?
“Bathroom!” I squeaked and threw my hand over my mouth, pushing away from the table. The chair let out a colossal noise that echoed through the kitchen, and I raced across the carpeted cabin and pushed the door into the only bathroom.
I slammed the door shut and quickly turned the lock, relieved to be safely inside. Despite all that, my nipples were still hard, and my clit was still pulsing when my head leaned back on the door and thudded against it.
I was so turned on I could feel the dampness between my thighs.This was so embarrassing. Why was this happening now? Of all times?
Thudding footsteps came louder to the door. I stepped away, sat on the tub, and waited.
“Nadia? What’s wrong?” His deep voice went impossibly deeper. I swore I could feel the heat of his breath seeping into the woodgrains of the door and coming inside. It was like he was right there, his breath fanning my neck.
