Wild Bear Read online

  So he’d left before she could get much of a look at him. He stormed up the steps to his cabin, yanked open the door, and stomped inside, not paying much attention to closing and locking the door behind him.

  He went straight to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, which was really overdue for a cleaning.

  The face staring back at him was a stranger. Except for the eyes. And the mouth. Maverick was used to those parts of himself. But the rest…

  He let out a deep sigh, touching the sharp planes of his freshly shaved face. His facial hair grew quick. He should have at least a good shadow of stubble in a day or two, but would that be enough? His hair was done like one of those city boys, all tousled and short.

  It wouldn’t shade his neck at all. He swore and thumped a hand on the sink, wondering what to do now. How did he explain to Harmony he’d only been trying to be sexy for her?

  He’d gone to Ruby and asked her to make him sexy to human females. He blinked at the mirror. Was this really what they liked? More likely, she’d taken the chance to play a trick on him to pay him back for all the trouble he caused them.

  Well, the joke was on them, because when Harmony rejected him and no one could save the ranch, they would be the ones out on their asses.

  It was all their fault. Maverick had plans. Everything had been going fine.

  He was still pouting and stomping when he heard someone twisting the handle of his door. It opened with a creak just as he ran into the living room to see who had entered.

  When he saw Harmony standing there, looking too beautiful in a curve-hugging tee shirt and tight jeans that sculpted her shape and sweet little boots he wanted to pull off so he could lick her toes, he stopped.

  She was beautiful. So sweet and so feminine and so perfect for a bear like him. And now he was utterly inappropriate. He needed to be manly for a woman like her. What would he do?

  But to his shock, there was lust shining in her eyes as she stepped forward tentatively.

  Now that he wasn’t focused on rage, there was a palpable hunger in the air, a tension as tight as the grass blades he used to string between two thumbs to make whistles out of.

  “I… I like your hair,” she said, taking another step forward.

  He put a hand up to his hair self-consciously, wondering if she was messing with him. “It’s not manly.”

  “Oh, on the contrary,” she said. “It’s very manly.”

  He stayed mostly frozen in place as she approached, unable to do anything but stumble slightly against a chair that was inconveniently behind him as she stalked forward like a lion about to pounce on prey.

  Her hand reached up to caress his cheek and his expression screwed up in confusion. What was she doing? He made another attempt to back up, but couldn’t, so he just looked down at her, bewildered.

  She just let out a husky laugh, her curls trembling as her finger moved over his lips, his chin, tracing each curve and angle as if she were learning by feel.

  Maverick had never been more confused in his life, but he kind of liked it.

  “Your face is manly,” she said. “You don’t need all that hair covering it to prove it.” Her finger kept moving. “This strong jaw, these lips. It’s all incredibly… manly.”

  He frowned. “Sure.” He folded his arms and raised up slightly so she’d stop touching his face. It was getting weird.

  Her eyes were glowing up at him, the color of melted chocolate stirred with gold. She pressed her body against his, so small and feminine and rounded compared to him, and the animal inside him that had been hiding, wounded from the haircut, came roaring to life as his hands wound around her waist, sinking his fingers into her soft flesh.

  She felt amazing.

  Who cared how he looked as long as she liked it?

  He dipped his head for a kiss, nipping her bottom lip and sucking it softly through his teeth as she let out a gasp and pushed back. His hand found the back of her head and forced her lips forward, taking her mouth with a ferocious need he’d felt since he first met her.

  She put up a token struggle, but Maverick knew what she wanted. Her scent filled the air and her nails dug into his back. She wanted him to take control. He swiped his tongue deep, plundering until she sighed against him, opening her lips wider.

  When he pulled back, she was breathing hard and he was supporting most of her weight.

  “You want me to take you,” he said, tilting his head to study her. He found the whole thing hot as hell, but he had to make sure.

  She nodded, not meeting his eyes.

  “Careful,” he said, nipping her lips again before taking her mouth in a harsh, powerful kiss that left her gasping and nearly limp in his arms.

  He held her up easily. He was strong.

  “Why careful?” she asked, blinking up at him, eyes glazed with arousal, full lips swollen with his kiss.

  He grinned, tilting up her chin as he looked over her face. “Because even though I look like this, I’m still a wild animal.” His hands dug into her sides, squeezing her love handles possessively. Damn, he loved every curvy bit of her. He couldn’t wait until he had her naked and panting on his bed.

  He grabbed her under the thighs and lifted her easily up around his waist, and then he pressed her up against the nearest wall, loving the feel of her heat against his stomach. He looked down between them and looked up with a smirk. “Things could get a little crazy.”

  She growled and leaned back, dragging her nails over his chest and biting her lip before tilting her head back to meet his eyes from under her long, curved lashes. “I’m counting on it.”

  She ground her hips against him, and Maverick didn’t need any more information than that.

  He spun around with her and dropped her on the couch and then climbed on top of her, caging her on all sides.

  Then he licked his way from the tip of one finger up her arm to her neck. When he reached her ear, he bit the lobe, sucking it as he did, and when he let her go, the lust in her eyes burned like embers.

  With a satisfied grin, he stood, closed and locked the door, and came back to his mate.

  4

  Harmony had never felt like this before. Just utterly overcome with lust, like it was a cloud surrounding her and all she could breathe, feel, or touch was Maverick.

  Her body had been waiting for this since the first time she’d met him, and every kiss since then had only added to it.

  And then she’d seen his face without the fuzz, and it wasn’t even just that it was handsome. There was this inexplicable, soul-deep recognition of that face, and a deep voice in her said, Mine.

  And now she was going to get what she wanted.

  Even it was just some hot fling, she’d been waiting long enough for this and it was time to have it.

  And who cared what anyone else said about it? He was hot as hell, dominant as fuck, and right now, being held down and taken was just what she wanted.

  Maverick growled in approval as he came over her again after shutting the door. His hands on her were possessive as he traced her curves before putting a hand on the collar of her shirt.

  She was reaching for the hem to pull it over her head when he tore it straight down the center with a loud ripping sound.

  Her eyes went wide, but his went straight to her bra as he ran his tongue over his lips lustfully. She eyed her poor T-shirt as he chucked it to the floor. Oh well, she could buy another one.

  Then the bra was yanked from her, popping open at the clasp as he jerked it away from her skin and shoved his lips over her breast as if he were starving for the taste of it.

  He suckled hard, making her arch and gasp. But he was straddling her, his weight making it impossible to escape from the pleasure he was giving, so she stayed there, arching and gasping as his tongue roughly gave her breast everything it’d been looking for.

  When she was breathless and close to going, he moved to the other breast and did the same, swirling his tongue roughly, sucking just as hard as she liked i
t. Just on the verge of pain, but not painful. Her body was coming alive beneath him, and she could hardly wait to have him inside her.

  He growled as his hand fumbled with the front of her jeans. She bit her lip. These were her favorite.

  “Wait, Mav,” she said, hoping to maybe avert the upcoming carnage, but before she could do anything about it, he’d ripped those open as well, tearing them down the sides and taking her panties with them.

  What the hell? Did he have claws? She’d never see anyone rip a pair of jeans with their bare hands.

  But he’d done it without hurting or bothering her at all. And now it was totally unfair because she was completely naked, trying to cover herself with her hands, and he was still fully clothed. And gorgeous and buff and looking like a super model.

  It took a lot to make her feel self-conscious, but being naked this quick with such a hot man could certainly do it.

  But he shook his head, lowering his eyebrows, and pinned her hands over her head so he could take a good, long look at her. Keeping her hands up, he lowered his head between her thighs and licked her intimately. She actually felt him smile against her pussy.

  “You’re already wet,” he said. “I can take you.”

  She gave him an odd look but nodded.

  “Not yet,” he said, moving both her hands to one of his so his other hand could trail over her wet, aching breasts, down over her soft stomach where he played for a moment in her belly button, and then over the curve of her hip. Then he cupped her ass and came around to the inside of her thighs, teasing before bringing a rough fingertip over her clit and grazing lightly.

  “Oh,” she gasped, arching helplessly against his hand.

  “I could have my other hand free, if you promise not to move,” he said, his dark eyes smoldering as he stared down at her.

  She shook her head. The sensations he gave were too intense. She’d definitely squirm, and she liked the feel of him pinning her, his ultimate strength keeping her still as he gave her all she could take of him.

  So he did, letting her writhe against his hand and cry out as he got more and more feral, his touch possessive and hard as he stroked her toward release.

  “That’s it, mate,” he said.

  She didn’t know what he meant by mate, but she’d long given up on expecting him to be normal. She didn’t care what he was, as long as he was inside her soon.

  She’d never known she could be this wanton, thrusting against his hand to wring every bit of pleasure out of her sex. His mouth was on her breasts, nipping and sucking one and then the other as the wire of tension inside her drew tighter and tighter. It was a delicious tight rope act, and she knew she’d fall any moment. And she looked forward to it.

  But then he released her hands and put both palms on her thighs. Before she could sit up or protest, he shoved her legs wide and put his head between them.

  “I want you to come in my mouth,” he commanded, licking against her.

  So she did, everything inside her letting go at once with an explosive pleasure that shot through her like water released from a dam.

  “Maverick!” she screamed as he licked her hard with each convulsion of her orgasm.

  She’d never been made love to like this. Probably never would again. He was rough, wild, growling with satisfaction as her thighs clenched around his head in the throes of her orgasm, and he was perfect.

  Delicious.

  Her head was thrown back, her back arched as hard as she could, as she rode out what seemed like endless pleasure. With him sucking and stroking, it was hard to know where one orgasm ended and another began. All she knew was it felt like it went on and on.

  Even if it could have been only seconds.

  Finally, it started to abate, and he lifted his head, his eyes bright with animal heat and his lips curved in satisfaction as she fell back against the couch, gasping and limp.

  The next thing she knew, he’d picked her up in his arms and wrapped her thighs around his waist.

  She was boneless, completely overcome and unable to do anything to help, but it was fine because he was in total control. He pressed her back up against the wall and bit and sucked the nape of her neck as he reached down to undo the button of his jeans. Apparently, he only needed one huge arm to keep her up. For once in her life, she felt like the petite woman, even though she was anything but.

  Her pussy was tingling, aching for him. She’d been satisfied in one way, but in another, she was only getting started. When he jerked open his fly and his member sprang free, her eyes widened in shock.

  Holy shit, he was—

  But all thought was cut off as he held her thighs and shoved inside her, filling her completely, making her feel as if she were exploding with pleasure.

  She gasped, unable to catch her breath, as he started to move. His eyes were intense, his mouth firm, as he supported them both and moved against her. Was there no end to his strength?

  She leaned into the cool wall behind her as he pulled back and then drove again. His muscular abdomen felt amazing against her legs, which wrapped together at the ankles.

  She’d never thought being taken up against a wall could feel luxurious, but it did, because she didn’t have to do anything.

  He was doing it all, nipping her shoulders and neck, holding her weight with his hands, dipping to kiss her breasts, and all the time, driving into her again with the tightest, juiciest dick she’d ever felt in her entire life.

  She bit her lip and arched against the pressure that was rising again. He was everything she’d imagined and more. She’d thought of him some nights, imagining him taking her in this feral way while she’d touched herself until she was soaking wet.

  Now that he was here, doing it, it wasn’t disappointing in the least.

  It was even better than she could have ever imagined, and she just wanted to lock her legs around him so he could never get out.

  She squirmed against him, moaning as he seemed to go deeper and tighter with every stroke. She was so full with him inside her, and it felt like she would never be empty again. He was here, all around her, his hands supporting her, his mouth pleasing her, his eyes on her.

  All for her.

  From the moment he’d met her, she’d only had eyes for her. It was flattering in a way she’d never had before. Perhaps that’s what this was.

  But given the building feelings inside her, the warmth and pressure that grew even as the tension did, she didn’t think so. There was more to this. Something cosmic, something meant to be. And she wasn’t going to do anything to stop it.

  His face was sheened with sweat, their bodies slapping together, and his breaths were coming faster. She didn’t know how much more her body could take.

  His hand dipped between them, feeling for her clit, which he rubbed as he did several harder, stronger strokes.

  Everything she’d been holding back with her clenched muscles came roaring out, and she threw back her head and screamed in the most powerful orgasm of her life. It felt like she was orgasming all the way to her fingertips.

  Then Maverick buried his head against her neck and jerked taut against her. After a slight pause, she felt his seed shooting out and saw him actually throw back his head in an animalistic roar that shook her to the core.

  Sweaty, shaking with arousal, completely overwhelmed, she thought she was actually seeing the true Maverick for the first time.

  And something about it made her throw her arms around him and want to hang on.

  So she did, grunting against him as they rode out their orgasms together. Just as before, the pleasure seemed to go on and on, rippling inside her along with his convulsions, sending pleasurable shocks of sensation to all parts of her body.

  When they finally came down from the high, Maverick was still leaned against the wall, and she was leaned back as well, breathing heavily. Panting.

  He looked down at her, trying to catch his breath, a satisfied expression on his face. He let out a long sigh. “Good,” he s
aid. “It’s done.”

  She blinked, wriggling a bit to change their position, which sent another bone-melting wave of sensation through her, stilling her. She exhaled and looked up at him. “What do you mean? What’s done?”

  He looked between them, where they were joined, unprotected. He grinned. “You’re mine.”

  5

  Maverick didn’t know what happened.

  One moment Harmony was scratching his back in pleasure, and now she was growling, pushing at him, and yelling at him to get off.

  But wanting to be careful (she was his mate after all), he simply carried her into the bedroom and tossed her on the bed so she could have her tantrum in a safe position.

  She sat up, furiously angry, her dark curls falling out from behind her hair band, her naked body still glowing from pleasure and amazing sex, and pinned him with a death glare as her bosom heaved.

  He folded his arms and stared down at her cockily. He’d done it, claimed his mate. The ranch was safe. She was his. Everyone had doubted his plan, but they’d been wrong.

  “What on earth do you mean I’m yours?” she spat, pulling up his covers around her.

  He liked the look of her on his bed. He looked down her body to where they’d been joined together. Yep. She was filled with his seed. It was done.

  She followed his gaze and then growled in annoyance, pointing to herself. “This means nothing. Why the hell do you keep looking at it? And what the hell were you doing not using a condom?”

  He tilted his head. “Why would I do that? You asked me to take you.”

  She blinked, looking guilty but like she didn’t want to face it. “Fine. It’s my fault too. But it’s a mistake. That’s all it is.”

  He took a step forward, a bad, nervous feeling waving through him for the first time since he’d laid hands on her. “It’s not a mistake. It’s forever.”

  Her eyes went even wider, her mouth gaping in anger, and then she was standing, dragging the sheet with her as she went into the living room. She knelt over her clothes and then let out a shriek of anger as she found them in scraps.