Shifter Romance Box Set Read online

  She was fuming, had never been so angry. Just when she opened herself up to the possibility that a nice guy could like her, BLAM! He proved he was just another asshole. If she hadn’t been so mad, she would have cried.

  “Wait, what? No, Bethany, there was no prank. I would never do that to you.”

  The sincerity in his voice stopped her efforts to get up, and she settled back down. She didn’t know what kind of stunt he was pulling but she decided to hear him out.

  “Explain.”

  A smile flickered on his lips at her bossiness but was whisked away when he saw the look on her face. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He sat back but kept his seat on the edge of the couch, effectively penning her in. One hand stroked her arm as he started talking. At first she found his touch distracting, but as his words sank in, everything around her disappeared.

  “I’m a member of a clan of werebears,” he was saying. “We’re sort of like werewolves but without the bad reputation because so few humans know we exist. That and we’re a dying breed. There are only a few hundred small clans left around the world. We can shift at will, and most of us do our best to fit into regular society.”

  He waited for a reaction but Bethany just lay there, motionless and expressionless.

  “Friday night I was returning from exploring the woods. You’d raved about them so I wanted to check them out, make sure they were safe for you to walk in alone. It was stupid of me to shift out in the open but I’d heard something in the woods and didn’t want to be left unprotected. Besides, as you saw, I was naked.”

  His smirk did nothing to change her face, which remained blank.

  “Say something. Please?”

  “Why are you telling me this?” She wasn’t even sure he could hear her, she’d spoken so softly. But he did.

  “I told you. Because I want you in my life, if you’ll have me. I felt an instant connection with you when we met and it’s only grown since. I could have pretended I was just a regular guy — I know plenty of bears who’ve passed their entire lives as humans — but I never want to hide anything from you.”

  “Uh huh.” Try as she might to contain them, tears started slipping down her face. She wasn’t sure if she wanted him to be telling the truth — because, how awesome was his last statement? — or lying — because, um, werebear?

  “You don’t believe me, do you? Don’t you remember seeing me shift?”

  “It was a dream.”

  “Do I need to do it again?”

  “Yes. Yes, I think you do. Prove it to me.”

  “Shit.” He grabbed two handfuls of his hair and tugged in exasperation. “Okay, but don’t be scared. I’m perfectly in my right mind in my shifted form. Okay?”

  Bethany nodded, her brows furrowing. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all. She’d expected to call his bluff but now he was stepping away from her and pushing the table off to the side. This couldn’t be for real. Could it?

  In an instant her question was answered. Max’s warm eyes were staring back at her from the face of an enormous brown bear. She tried to catch her breath to scream, but before she could, he morphed back to Max.

  “Don’t scream, it’s me, it’s Max!”

  He rushed to her side and gathered her up in his strong arms. His hands stroked her hair as she trembled in his embrace. The wild animal odor of his bear form hung heavy in the room. Slowly, her shuddering eased, and she just lay nestled in his arms.

  Thoughts tripped over each other as she tried to make sense of things. Max was a werebear. She believed that to be true because her eyes saw his transformation…twice. She’d grown to care for him beyond the initial physical attraction, that much she knew. She could only assume he was telling the truth about his feelings for her. Otherwise, why bare his soul, yuk yuk yuk.

  She was clearly losing her marbles.

  Pulling back to look into his face, a question grew in her eyes.

  “What is it? What do you need to know? Ask me anything.”

  She gnawed on her lower lip a moment, not sure how to phrase it. “Um…so, um, can werebears and humans still…you know.”

  He brushed a stray lock of hair from her eyes, tracing her eyebrow with one finger. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

  As he lowered his lips toward hers, she sucked in a sharp breath and he paused. He searched her face for her agreement to continue. A slight nod of her head and he was on her.

  His hot lips burned into hers, claiming them as his. A passion she'd never known swelled within her, turning her into a bit of an animal herself. Her hands clutched his face as she devoured him right back, trying to taste every part of his mouth at the same time. She’d wanted this from the moment she first saw him and now it was happening.

  Their tongues collided, slicking over one another as they danced between their lips. Breathing became secondary as touch and heat and desire battled for dominance. Gasping for air, their lips broke apart, only to trace wet lines down burning skin.

  When Max's hand slid down to cup one of Bethany's full breasts, she moaned and thrust herself into him, needing to merge, to become one with him. His lips followed his hand, his mouth settling over the tip as it strained against the fabric of her top. Her fingers slid up his face, burying themselves in his thick brown hair, telling him to keep doing what he was doing.

  Hot breath permeated the fabric, retaining the heat, spreading it. As she pebbled against his circling tongue, fire spread through her body down to her core. She needed to quench the fire, and only Max could do it.

  Every kiss, every caress was bliss. Bethany wanted to take in every curve, every ridge, every muscle of Max's body and face, but everything he was doing to her forced her eyes closed in ecstasy. Her other breast was the focus of his attention now, and it was all she could do to not rip off all her clothes and demand he take her. As much as she wanted that, she also wanted this to last.

  His warm, rough hands skimmed across the soft skin of her belly as he eased her shirt up. Finally! Her own hands freely roamed his broad shoulders and bulging biceps, cradling his head for a moment before resuming their exploration. Even under the loose-fitting t-shirt he was wearing, there was no hiding his fit form.

  As sighs escaped Bethany's lips, chuffing grunts came from Max. The handful of TV shows she'd seen about bears often showed them making these noises for any variety of reasons. Apparently good lovin' was one of them, and the realization that he was reacting to her so strongly made her wetness flow more freely.

  He kissed his way back up to her lips before breaking away to pull her shirt over her head, leaving only a thin layer of silk between them. Thank God she'd had the forethought to put on pretty underwear!

  Bethany tried to push into him, to feel him against her, but he kept her at arm's length. His gaze roamed her half-exposed body, thrilling and embarrassing her at the same time. It took a monumental effort to not cross her arms, to hide herself. Max's tongue wetting his lips like a hungry man — or animal — looking at a juicy steak made her feel sexier than she ever had. Like she was someone to be wanted, desired.

  Reaching behind her, he snapped the clasp of her bra loose and slowly slid the straps down her shoulders, letting the cups brush her sensitive skin until cool air eased the burning. His gasp drew her gaze.

  "You're so beautiful, Bethany." His voice was hoarse, choked with emotion and lust, as he devoured her with his eyes.

  A wave of emotion swept over her, one she didn’t have the courage to identify. Tears pinpricked at the back of her eyelids so to hide them from Max, she lunged at him, wrapping her arms around his body and pulling him to her. He gave no resistance.

  Bethany kept her face buried in his neck, breathing him in, tasting his skin, basking in his heat. Her soul wanted…no, needed more of him, all of him. She whimpered in protest when he pulled away, then purred happily as he lifted her into his arms easily and carried her to the bedroom. She was barely aware of her surroundings but the plush king size bed fe
lt like heaven as he gently laid her on it.

  The bed dipped as Max kneeled at her side, his hands skimming her body and setting her on fire. She felt so comfortable with him, so uninhibited. He was practically worshipping her body so all self-consciousness fled and she enjoyed every moment.

  His fingers expertly unbuttoned her shorts and slid them down her hips. Warmth — but not embarrassment — pinked her skin at his touch, especially when his fingers slipped under the elastic of her pretty panties and eased them down her long legs. As he pulled them from her feet, his lips took their place, following the path they’d taken.

  Breath locked in Bethany’s lungs in anticipation, her fists clutching the bedspread as Max licked and nibbled and kissed his way up her legs. His hot breath sent shivers along her spine, making every hair on her neck stand on end. She couldn’t take much more. The need for him to be inside of her was overwhelming.

  Half-sitting, she tugged at his t-shirt, helping him rip it off. She was reaching for the fly of his jeans when he grabbed her wrists and held them tight, a delicious smile on his lips. “What’s your hurry?”

  “I need you, Max,” she said, panting. “Now.”

  He leaned forward and planted a smoldering kiss on her mouth, giving her tongue a little swipe before pulling away. “And you’ll have me, but there’s no need to rush. We’ve got all night…and I intend to put it to good use.”

  Bethany fell back into the pillows, wanting him to fill her but intrigued by his tantalizing invitation. Her eyes followed his every movement as he languidly stood to remove his jeans. He was straining the fly so much it looked uncomfortable. The moment the first button released, the rest popped free on their own, exposing his engorged sex.

  He wasn’t wearing shorts. Unbelievably, Bethany’s desire ramped up another notch and she moaned in response.

  Stepping out of his jeans, Max kneeled at the foot of the bed, wrapping one arm around each of her legs as he eased himself between them. The callouses on his hands tickled her smooth skin, yet soothed her at the same time, calming her. He was right — there was no rush. Stretching her arms above her head, she relaxed, sighting deeply and spreading her legs as he kissed and caressed his way to her apex.

  At the first touch of his lips, her core tightened, pulsed. It had been so long since anyone had taken care of her needs like this, she’d forgotten how good it felt. While she still had her senses, she cast a dazed glance down at the top of his head. He caught the look and held it for a long moment before smiling and dipping his head again.

  Tickles turned into ripples, ripples to currents, currents to waves. As Max’s tongue and lips teased her sensitive nub and delicate folds, Bethany arched into him, fisting the bedspread and groaning in delight. Heat spread through her abdomen and then through her entire body as she crested each wave. Every muscle inside her grew more tense and when Max focused his efforts, her body was ready to explode.

  Crying out his name, Bethany was pulled under and toppled through the surf of her climax, writhing under his mouth and hands. Colors flashed before her closed eyes as her body convulsed and spasmed, seemingly forever. Only when her body started to relax did Max ease his onslaught.

  He kissed his way along her belly, his hands leading the way to her sensitive breasts. He paused briefly to take each tip in his mouth, rolling it around with his tongue, before releasing them and nuzzling her neck. Still incapacitated from the mind-expanding orgasm, Bethany could do little more than try to catch her breath.

  But when she felt him pressing at her entrance, a new wave of energy flowed through her. She would finally have him inside her! Wrapping her limbs around him tightly, she guided him into her. He moved slowly, savoring the sensation, a low growl coming from deep within.

  It was a long moment before he was fulling consumed by her warmth, neither daring to move for fear of breaking the spell they were under. But Bethany’s whimper apparently sent Max over the edge and he began moving slowly inside her, filling her to a point beyond imagine.

  “Oh, Max,” she whispered in his ear.

  A quick turn of the head and his lips silenced her. Their tongues were intertwined and frantic, their bodies moving in unison, their hearts beating with the same rhythm.

  Max broke their kiss and Bethany opened her eyes to see him staring at her as he thrust into her, claiming her. She’d never had a man look at her like that — with such hunger, such raw emotion — and her heart expanded in her chest, even as her inner walls tightened around him.

  When he buried his head in her neck again, Bethany knew he was close. She was surprised to find that she was, too. She’d never been multiorgasmic before but Max clearly brought it out in her. As the speed of his thrusting increased, the closer she came to the edge of reason. With a loud groan, he fell over the precipice, taking Bethany with him, holding her tight and rocking her till their sweat-slickened bodies stilled.

  * * * *

  They lay snuggled in bed, dipping spoons into first the pint of ice cream and then the berry crisp. Max tried to feed her a spoonful but it ended up hitting her nose. As their laughter subsided, she said, “Do you remember when we first met?”

  “Every detail.”

  “Please tell me you didn’t notice the ice cream smeared all over my face.” She blushed at the memory.

  “Sorry, Charlie. I did indeed notice and it was all I could do to restrain myself from licking it off.”

  She giggled at the suggestion.

  “Oh, you think I’m kidding?” He tickled her a little, making her squirm, then dribbled a half-loaded spoon of purpley goo over her breasts, making her squeal.

  Setting the pan and tub of ice cream on the night table, he moved over her, straddling her body and holding her arms above her head. His tongue slicked across his lips. “Now look what you made me do. Guess I’d better clean up my mess.”

  Chapter Seven

  The next several weeks passed in a blur, the delicious haze of new love coloring Bethany’s every waking moment. Not that they’d confessed their undying love for each other or anything, but she was consumed by her feelings for Max.

  He was the strangest man she’d ever dated, probably ever met — aside from the werebear thing. Usually, lovemaking took top priority in a new relationship, but Max seemed to want to spend more time getting to know her. And the more he got to know her, the more he seemed to like her.

  The feeling was very mutual.

  The guys she’d dated always tried to bend her to their way of thinking. If they liked or hated a movie they’d gone to see, she was an idiot for disagreeing. If she didn’t have the same taste in food as them, they’d tell her she didn’t know what she was talking about. If they leaned one way politically, they told her she was stupid if she leaned the other way.

  Not Max. He accepted her for who she was. He hadn’t even teased her when he discovered her secret love of Barry Manilow. Instead, he pressed play on her MP3 player and danced with her in the living room.

  Of course that’s not to say the lovemaking wasn’t incredible. No one had ever payed so much attention to her needs before. Max seemed to know instinctively which parts of her body to touch to send her spiraling into ecstasy.

  Bethany had never been happier.

  There was just one major bump in their road to love. Chet. They’d been able to keep their relationship under wraps for about a week before Chet caught her leaving Max’s place early one morning. It didn’t take a mathematician to figure out the score.

  Chet had simply sat in his truck, staring at her progress across the front porch to her door. Her body was aflame with embarrassment, though she didn’t have any reason to be ashamed. But she and Max didn’t want to rile Chet any more than necessary, so they’d tried to keep it quiet.

  It was anything but quiet the moment her door snapped shut. Chet was pounding on Max’s door, and then the yelling began. Every word reverberated through the thin walls of the duplex. Every horrible word.

  “What the hell do you thi
nk you’re playing at, kid?! This isn’t a game!”

  Max was too quiet to hear clearly, obviously trying to calm his irate uncle. But Chet turned it up a notch to compensate.

  “Then you should know what happens when one of us mates with one of…them! Disaster! Heartbreak! Death!”

  More quiet talk from Max.

  “No! It’s exactly the same! Get it through your thick bear skull, kid, this needs to end! NOW!”

  The last word was a deafening roar that shook the building. A door slammed, a car engine revved, and the fight was over. A moment later, Max was at her door.

  He pulled her into a tight embrace — what they’d jokingly been calling a bear hug — and whispered into her ear. “I’m so sorry. Ignore him. He doesn’t understand.”

  After that, Chet was colder than ever toward her, but he never confronted either of them again about their relationship. Bethany had tried to put his words out of her mind, but they pinged around in there, showing up unexpectedly, like in her dreams.

  Packs of bears chasing her riddled her sleep state. Sometimes they’d catch her and she’d wake with a start; sometimes she would run into Max’s arms for protection, only to look up and see a bear’s gaping maw lunging at her. The dreams didn’t come every night, but often enough to take a toll on her health.

  Dark circles appeared under her eyes and she began losing weight. I guess there’s an upside to insomnia, she thought, trying not to worry during daylight hours. Her brain made up for lost time at night, and she wanted to enjoy every moment she could with Max.

  The dreams were puzzling, though, since Max had eased her concerns over his being a werebear. He explained that the mythology surrounding lycanthropes — werebears, werewolves and so on — was pretty off the mark, and that humans had little to fear from them.

  “We aren’t cursed or mutated or anything like that; we just are what we are,” he told her one night after a particularly energetic lovemaking session during which he’d roared like an angry bear. Naturally, this had frightened — and thrilled — Bethany, and they’d spent the rest of the night in a Q & A session.