Heat: A Werebear + BBW Paranormal Romance (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters Book 1) Read online

  "Lucky for you," she whispered, standing on tiptoes to lick his ear, "I've always performed well under pressure."

  Letting her fingers skim lightly over his nipples, which hardened instantly, she slowly walked around him, still touching him. She explored his shoulders, his tautly muscled back, and his long, straight spine. She let her hands learn the shape of him and the texture of his skin.

  "You're making a good start," he said, his breath coming faster.

  Annabeth completed her circuit and stood before him once more. Her hands dropped to his waist. She touched his belt buckle. "May I?"

  "I'm yours," he said simply, and she saw his pulse beating wildly in the hollow at the base of his throat. "Do whatever you want with me, Annabeth."

  "Is this the part where I pull out my whips and chains?" she joked as she fumbled with his belt, then unbuttoned and unzipped his pants.

  "Whatever the lady wants, I'm game," Dane said instantly. The bulge in his briefs supported his claim.

  "Well, what I want right now is to see you naked," Annabeth said, hooking her thumbs under the waistband of his briefs.

  She pushed them down, letting them fall to his ankles.

  "Your wish is my command." Dane sounded a little breathless as he toed off his shoes and socks and stepped out of the crumpled heap of his jeans and underwear.

  Then he stood completely still, letting her admire his long, muscled legs and beautiful firm ass.

  His cock was completely erect, rising rigidly from the dark hair at his groin. It pressed against his belly, thick and flushed.

  "Damn," Annabeth breathed in admiration. "You are one fine specimen of manhood."

  He chuckled, and the movement of his diaphragm did nice things to his abs. "I'll try not to let it go to my head."

  Annabeth stepped close and pressed herself against Dane, devouring his mouth. His canine teeth felt oddly sharp as she caressed them with her tongue.

  He groaned, and his arms closed around her with painful strength as he returned the kiss, his tongue thrusting into her mouth as he pushed his hips against her.

  She felt his erection hard against her belly, pressing through her clothes, and she wanted to wrap her legs around his waist and take him inside her now. Her pussy felt swollen and ached with the slow throb of arousal.

  She shifted her mouth down to Dane's throat, kissing and biting at the rough, warm skin, feeling the faint prickle of incipient stubble against her lips.

  He tasted delicious, and he seemed to enjoy it when she was a little rough with him, if his soft moans were any indication.

  "Don't stop now," Dane panted when she finally drew back.

  Then she saw the marks she had left on him, dark red and round against the side of his neck. Oh God, she'd actually given him a set of hickeys! What was she, in high school?

  "I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me," she babbled, touching the marks as if she could smooth them away.

  "No apologies needed," Dane said, pulling her back into his embrace. "I liked that. Do it some more."

  "But—" Annabeth began to protest.

  She wanted to mark him, to make sure everyone who saw him knew he belonged to her, but the primal urge frightened her.

  "Please," said Dane, his tone less a plea than an order. He tilted his head back, exposing his throat in invitation.

  "Oh God," Annabeth groaned.

  But she couldn't resist the invitation, though she made sure to keep her urges more in check as she nibbled her way down his throat to his collarbones, feeling the strong beat of his pulse against her lips.

  Dane's breath hitched and his pulse pounded furiously as Annabeth worked her way down his chest. His gasp was extremely gratifying when she took one of his nipples into her mouth and worked it mercilessly with her lips and tongue, just as he had done to her last night.

  Then she bit him with carefully calculated pressure, and he moaned, sending a jolt of pure pleasure to her groin.

  "I want you," she said hoarsely. "Now, Dane. Please."

  "Oh gods, yes," replied Dane. He knelt and rummaged in the pile of his crumpled clothing, coming up with a condom packet between his fingers.

  She quickly pulled her chef's coat over her head and felt his fingers at her waist, unfastening her pants.

  A few moments later, she was standing before him in her everyday plain cotton underwear. Nothing sexy, but at least it was clean.

  Dane didn't seem to mind. He was looking at her like a starving man. "I've been tasting you on my lips all day, Annabeth, and I want more."

  "So do I," she managed, her mouth dry.

  He smoothed his big hands over her breasts before tracing her bra straps around to the clasp in back and deftly unfastening it.

  "The teddy bear undies are a nice touch," he murmured.

  "Hey, I don't wear my lacy underwear all the time," she protested, sure he was being sarcastic. "But if you don't like them, feel free to take them off me."

  She grinned herself as he did just that, with gratifying speed.

  "I'm pretty fond of teddy bears," he assured her as he drew her down to the couch. "I just like you better without them."

  Annabeth eagerly straddled his legs and took his cock in her hand. It was large and very hard, and she couldn't wait to feel him inside her.

  She unrolled the condom quickly over his length and guided him between her legs.

  The broad tip of his cock pushed into her, and she gasped. He was big. And it felt glorious as he stretched her wet, deliciously swollen entrance in a welcome invasion that she'd been fantasizing about since he first kissed her.

  Dane's hands tightened on her hips when he was just barely inside her, and he stopped moving.

  "Okay?" he asked softly.

  She smiled down at him.

  "Better than okay. You feel so—" Annabeth gave a happy sigh and wriggled a little, trying to encourage him to slide in all the way. "Great."

  His hands slid up from her hips to her breasts as she rocked gently on him, each movement taking more of him inside her. His thumbs circled her nipples, teasing them with bright sparks of sensation as he thrust firmly upwards into her.

  When he was all the way inside her, she arched her back, enjoying the feeling of being impaled on his hard length.

  Dane kissed her breasts.

  "Turnaround is fair play," he said, just before he drew her nipple into his mouth, sucking hard until she moaned from the pleasure, then biting down.

  Her knees tightened around his hips as she writhed against him, panting.

  "I'm going to fuck you now," he murmured, moving to her other breast and dropping light kisses on it as her nipple tightened with anticipation.

  "Oh yes, please…"

  And then he did, his hands moving back to her hips as he lifted her, letting his cock slide partway out of her, then surged up powerfully to fill her again.

  She cried out with pleasure, her fingers digging into the thick muscle of his shoulders as she responded to his movements, riding him.

  She caressed every part of him she could reach, running her fingers through his soft hair, tracing the curve of his ears, stroking the nape of his neck as she knelt astride his lap. Her thigh muscles flexed as she rose and fell on his cock, meeting each of his thrusts with her own.

  His tongue and teeth continued to work her breasts until both of her nipples were stiff and swollen with his attentions. Dane moved powerfully against her, each wet stroke of his cock sliding against her clit, winding her up to climax.

  He seemed to know exactly what she needed, because his movements suddenly became shorter and faster, and the coil of pleasure rapidly tightened in Annabeth's belly.

  She clutched at him as she fell over the edge, convulsing with a surge of pleasure that made her inner muscles squeeze him in a rippling hold. Annabeth had never felt anything like this before, an orgasm that went on and on and seemed to come from her core in powerful waves.

  When it finally died away, it left her satisf
ied but hungry for more.

  She sat on his lap, shaking a little with the intensity of what she had just experienced. And realized that Dane was still hard and still inside her.

  "Ready for more?" he asked hoarsely.

  Annabeth nodded.

  "Let's change position."

  He lifted her with that amazing strength of his. Moments later, Annabeth found herself on her back on the couch, her legs draped over Dane's forearms as he knelt between her legs and spread her wide.

  He dipped his head to her breasts, and just the lightest flick of his tongue against her sensitized nipples made her whimper and arch her back before he entered her again with one powerful thrust.

  In contrast to their slow and gentle start, Dane took her hard and fast this time. She loved every second as he held her wide open and his hips moved in a merciless rhythm between her spread legs, driving her to another climax as he pounded into her.

  This time, he came too, and she held him as he shuddered and gasped against her.

  But he wasn't done yet.

  After a session of making out that served to renew his erection while he stoked the fire in her belly, he put on a fresh condom and bent her over the padded arm of her couch, her legs spread apart and her forearms braced against the seat cushions.

  He kissed his way down the length of her spine, then knelt behind her, licking and teasing every inch of her pussy with his tongue until she was writhing with need.

  "Oh, God, Dane, please," Annabeth whimpered, teetering on the brink of another orgasm. "Please fuck me again."

  "Your wish is my command." She couldn't see his face as he stopped his delicious torture and rose to his feet.

  Then she felt him slide his thumbs into her entrance and open her wide for his cock.

  He felt bigger from this angle, as he pushed into her and began to fuck her with long, slow, powerful strokes.

  Her orgasm built gradually this time and broke over her like a long wave. She shook and sobbed with the pleasure of it, feeling her inner muscles ripple and squeeze him.

  Then Dane scooped her up in his arms and carried her effortlessly over to her bed. His skin felt burning hot now as he cradled her against his chest.

  He kissed her, slowly and lovingly, and she found he wasn't done yet, as she felt his still-hard cock pressing eagerly against her.

  "One more time?" he asked softly as he put her down on her bed.

  "Please," she said.

  He made slow love to her with his hands and mouth, exploring her with tender kisses and touches, finding all of the secret places that made her shiver with pleasure—a spot on her neck, just behind her ear; the tender skin on the inside of her elbow, the dimples at the base of her spine.

  After Dane's earlier treatment, Annabeth's breasts were still exquisitely sensitive. He teased them with the tip of his tongue and the pads of his fingers until she was panting and ready to come just from his caresses.

  "I love how you respond to me," he said, kissing the soft curve of her stomach. "I've dreamed about doing this with you, Annabeth, but the real thing is so much better." His tongue dipped into her belly button, and she giggled.

  He was dreaming about me? It seemed too good to be true…but then, she could hardly believe he was here with her, in her bed, doing sweetly dirty things to her while she begged for more.

  "I'm glad I wasn't the only one having those kind of dreams," she said.

  "This is a thousand times better than any dream." He moved lower and blew a teasing puff of air against her pussy. She opened her legs eagerly to him. "You taste so sweet, and I love to hear you enjoying yourself."

  "Mmm, yes, you're really good at this," Annabeth said. Desire made it difficult to think, as she tried to come up with something that wouldn't sound completely lame.

  He looked up and gave her a sweet smile that made her heart feel like it was melting.

  Then Dane lowered his head between her legs and began to do things to her with his hot, wet mouth that left her unable to say anything coherent for a long time.

  When she was teetering on the brink of coming again, she grabbed his head and pulled him up. "I want you inside me," she gasped.

  He obeyed, covering her with his hard, heavy body as she wrapped her legs around his hips and clung to him.

  With powerful strokes, he drove her to another orgasm before he came with a loud growl, his face buried in her cloud of hair, his breath hot against her cheek.

  Afterwards, she felt completely satisfied but sore. Dane drew her quilt up over both of them. He spooned her, curling his hot body around her limp, exhausted form.

  "May I stay the night?" he asked, cupping her breast as if he couldn't get enough of touching her.

  "I'd really like that," she said. "If you don't mind my alarm going off at oh-dark-thirty. I'll make you coffee before I head downstairs to work."

  "Sounds great," he said, his breath tickling her ear.

  Feeling happier and more relaxed than she had in years, Annabeth fell asleep with Dane's arms around her and his broad chest against her back.

    

  Dane was nearly asleep, basking in the afterglow of good sex and relishing the feeling of Annabeth cuddled against him, when the phone rang.

  Annabeth started awake and flung out her arm, fumbling for the cordless phone on her nightstand.

  "Hello?" she mumbled.

  "Annabeth, why won't you talk to me?" demanded a voice that Dane's keen hearing instantly identified as her ex-boyfriend.

  Dane felt her tense. Without a word, she disconnected and slammed the phone back onto its cradle.

  "Sorry," she mumbled, curling back against Dane's side. "I don't know how he got this number. It's unlisted."

  The phone began to ring again. Annabeth made an unhappy sound, and Dane clenched his jaw, trying to suppress an irritated growl.

  The ringing stopped as voicemail picked up. Five seconds later, the phone began to ring again. The call went to voicemail. A short pause, then the ringing started.

  Annabeth grew tenser and tenser with every repetition of the cycle.

  "Why won't he just leave me alone?" she whispered.

  "Because he's an asshole," Dane said bluntly.

  His fingertips itched with the need to shapeshift into a grizzly's long, curving claws.

  Dane the bear wanted to rip Roger's face off with one powerful swipe of his paw. And so did Dane the man, actually.

  That desire grew as the phone continued to ring, and ring, and ring, and Annabeth grew stiffer and tenser in Dane's arms, unhappiness radiating from her.

  Dane didn't like that. She'd been smiling and limp with his very thorough pleasuring when she dozed off. He had found deep satisfaction that he'd been able to do that for her.

  And now…this asshole was making his mate unhappy. Dane couldn't just lie here and let it happen.

  The next time the phone rang, Dane snatched the receiver over Annabeth's hissed protest and hit the Talk button.

  "Is this Roger?" he demanded, hearing a growl shredding the edges of his words.

  A shocked inhalation on the other end of the line, followed by a few moments of silence.

  "Who is this?" demanded a voice that Dane recognized as Roger. "What are you doing at Annabeth's place?"

  "I want you to stop calling this number. You're harassing my girlfriend, and I won't stand for it," growled Dane. "I know where you live, asshole. Don't make me cross state lines to come get you."

  Another silence, broken only by the faint sound of the other man's breathing. Then the line disconnected abruptly.

  Dane gave a small, satisfied grin as he replaced the phone on its charger.

  He was willing to bet that Roger would chicken out on calling Annabeth's apartment again. Guys like that usually backed down at the first sign of real trouble. They were only willing to bully the people they thought wouldn't—or couldn't—fight back.

  "And once again, my knight in shining armor rides to the rescue," Annabeth mumbl
ed.

  Dane couldn't tell whether she was joking or serious—she seemed so grateful for the smallest, most insignificant things, and it pissed him off to think how she'd been treated up until now.

  "I think rescue is in my job description," he said wryly. "At least you don't need the Jaws of Life or a Medevac helicopter."

  She rolled over to face him, an oddly intense look on her face.

  "What is it?" he asked.

  "Um, when you called me your girlfriend just now," she said shyly. "That was just to get Roger to stop calling me, right?"

  Dane blinked at her. What? Of course she was his—

  Oh, wait, we haven't talked about this part yet, have we?

  But after what they had just shared, his bear wasn't going to stand for any other man staking a claim on her.

  He only hoped he could get her to agree to be exclusive.

  "Nope." Trying to appear confident and casual, Dane settled down in the bed, and gathered her soft, sweet-smelling body back into his arms. "I mean, I was hoping that…"

  No, damn it, this is coming out all wrong!

  He took a deep breath. "Annabeth, will you be mine? Beat off your horde of suitors and date only me?"

  She stiffened against him, and for a panicked instant, he thought he'd said something wrong.

  "Are—are you sure? Me as your girlfriend?" Why in hell did she sound so disbelieving? That asshole Roger must have really done a number on her!

  "Yeah, you," he drawled. "The prettiest woman in Bearpaw Ridge…and the best baker, that's for damned sure."

  "But—" she began to protest.

  "Hey, why did you think all those guys are really lining up every morning?" Dane kissed her, enjoying the feeling of her bare skin and luscious breasts pressing against him. Desire stirred, and he didn't think he could ever get enough of her. "I mean, your cinnamon rolls are wonderful, but then there's you, with your sweet smile and those killer curves. So yeah, I'll consider myself the luckiest man in Lemhi County if you say you'll be mine."

  "I—I don't know what to say," Annabeth sounded dazed, and not just from his kiss, as pleasant as that had been.

  "How about yes?" suggested Dane hopefully.

  Annabeth giggled. "Yes. Of course! But only if you're sure…"