Bear Seeking Bride: Thorn (Bear Canyon Brides Book 6) (BBW Paranormal Bear-Shifter Menage Romance) (4 page)

“Hi,” she said, shyly. “Thank you both for agreeing to meet with me.”

He could tell she was nervous, but he admired her bravery in reaching out to them, and her ability to apologize.

“It’s our pleasure,” Gavin said, and motioned for her to enter the booth.

She followed his suggestion and scooted to the center of the seat. They both sat down, sandwiching her between them. He briefly thought of all the ways she could be sandwiched between them in the bedroom, and his dick hardened, making the front of his jeans uncomfortably tight.

He shifted slightly, thankful they were sitting down, and downed the rest of his ice water. A glance at his brother proved the man wasn’t fairing any better than he was, but Ava didn’t seem to notice.

A waitress approached the table with a glass of water for Ava and three dessert menus. When she left, Ava took a deep breath and cleared her throat.

“Before we order, I want to apologize again for the way I acted this afternoon. I’m ashamed of the way I judged you, and of the things I said. The only excuse I have for my behavior is weak and…pathetic. Do you think we can start over?”

“We can definitely start over,” Gavin said, smiling big.

“Absolutely,” Hawk agreed. “We know a threesome isn’t for everyone, but we didn’t list it in the ad because we’d get too many thrill seekers. Some women want two men for one night, but not for the rest of their lives. We’re looking for something more. Do you want to tell us what happened?”

“Not really,” she laughed uneasily, “but I’ll give you the short version.”

She reached for her water and he noticed her hand shaking. He knew she’d never get the glass across the table without emptying half of its contents. He glanced at Gavin and his brother nodded once, confirming he’d noticed it, too.

Hawk gently covered her shaking hand with his own and pressed it flat against the table. With his other hand, he moved the water and set it down in front of her.

“Relax,” he said, softly. “We’re happy you’re here, and you don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“Thank you,” she whispered, and then sucked down half the glass through her straw. “That’s incredibly kind, but I think you guys deserve an explanation, even if it’s not a very good one.”

Her palm looked tiny under his large hand, and her skin felt ice cold. When she moved her glass away but kept her hand under his, his bear growled in triumph.

Mine!

The waitress started to approach again, and Gavin shooed her away. Ava took a deep breath and started talking.

“About six months ago, my boyfriend of three years dumped me for my estranged sister. In an effort to rid myself of the both of them, I sold him my half of our bookstore for a lot less money than it was worth. My sister and I are not twins, in fact we look completely unrelated, and before he left, my ex said some things…,” she took another drink of water.

“I won’t repeat his words, but he said some unpleasant things about my appearance and damaged my confidence a little bit. More than I realized, actually. I not only lost the bookstore, my dream, but I also lost the few friends I still had because all the couples we knew stayed with him. It’s been a lonely six months,” she shrugged.

Gavin handed her a napkin, and she slid her hand out from under his and dabbed her eyes. As she continued to speak, she pulled and twisted the white paper over and over until the thing fell apart in her hands.

“When the two of you walked in…I felt something. I wanted the writer of the ad to be one of you, but when you introduced yourselves as a pair, I remembered all the things my ex said and I thought you were playing some kind of prank on me. When I left here, I ran into the beauty salon and the woman working there listened and trimmed my hair while I talked. She said she met her husband through a similar ad, and so did one of her best friends. She also told me a little bit about twin shifters, and how it’s common for twins to share a mate.”

“Is that what changed your mind?” Gavin asked.

“Not completely, but it was nice to have someone to talk to. I hope its okay, but she figured out who you guys are pretty quickly. She says one of you is her doctor, but she doesn’t know which one.”

She laughed a deep, beautiful laugh, and then she wrapped her arms around her stomach and dissolved into a fit of giggles. Her smile lit up her face and her eyes sparkled with happy tears. The joyous sound wrapped around him, and soon Gavin caught the bug as well.

Hawk smiled as Ava and his brother’s laughter filled the air. He saw the restaurant owner nodding from behind the counter and it was nice to have the old bear’s opinion.

There was no doubt in his mind that Ava was their mate.

“Oh my god,” she said as her giggles dissolved. “I haven’t laughed like that in a long time. That felt amazing.”

“See,” Gavin said, “spending time with us is a good thing.”

“It is,” she said, all humor gone from her voice.

She looked back and forth between them and then studied the dessert menu.

“Do you guys know what you’re getting?” she asked.

“I’m getting the carrot cake, and Hawk is getting the red velvet,” Gavin said.

“Mmm…those both sound fantastic. I think I’ll get the carrot cake, too.”

They placed their order, but Hawk noticed she still had her hands wrapped around her waist.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she said, taking another drink of water. “My stomach just hurts a bit. It’s probably from laughing so hard.”

Her stomach took that moment to growl loud and long in protest. Ava’s cheeks turned bright red and her eyes widened when the growl seemed like it would never end.

“Oh my god,” she whispered, staring at the tablecloth. “I’m so sorry.”

“Ava,” he said, and waited for her eyes to meet his. “When was the last time you ate?”

“Um, a few hours ago. After I got back from the hair salon.”

“You haven’t eaten dinner?” he asked.

“No, I fell asleep and didn’t wake up until I got your text.”

“Why didn’t you tell us?” he demanded.

Gavin shot him a warning look, but he didn’t back down.

To his surprise, neither did she.

“Because I forgot,” she said. “Your text woke me up. I was so excited to see the two of you again, I got ready to go without thinking. It’s not something I normally do, or something I did on purpose. Fortunately, we happen to be in a restaurant and I’m sure I can buy myself some dinner.”

He waved to the owner in the middle of her sentence and the man brought her a menu.

“If you think we’re letting you pay for your own dinner, you’re crazy.”

“Look, I came to Bear Canyon looking for a husband,” she laughed. “The crazy train left a long time ago.”

Gavin burst out laughing, and he and Ava joined in. She was sassy, smart, and independent, but he knew from earlier she also had a soft, vulnerable side. She’d handled his lecture with ease, and laughed with Gavin effortlessly.

When their dessert came, he and Gavin watched as she savored every bite of the carrot cake, and he desperately wanted to slide his tongue inside her mouth and taste her. For her dinner, she’d ordered chicken tortellini with Alfredo sauce, and as Gavin had predicted, they stayed in the eatery an hour past closing.

At the end of the night, they followed her car back to the hotel, and returned home alone.

As much as they each wanted to spend the night loving her sexy body, she still needed time to get to know them, and they needed time to prove they were worth knowing.

After tonight’s dinner, they were off to an exciting start.

Chapter Four

Ava looked around the tiny, plain white office and thought about the last four days as she waited for Gavin and Hawk to finish their work day. Hawk was in the office next door returning phone calls and clearing out his email box, and Gavin was still with a patient.

She smiled when she looked at the pictures on Gavin’s wall. Most of them were photos of both men during all the major milestones in their adult lives, but she noticed a couple random photos of their parents, and a few candid shots of each man separately thrown in.

She briefly wondered if she would ever earn a spot on the wall, but she pushed the feeling away. The wall was obviously for family, and although the past few days had been fun, she wasn’t sure they still considered her a candidate for a bride, especially after their rocky beginning. The thought of going back home at the end of the week made her heart ache, but she planned to return to visit Bree and the other women. Maybe she could see the guys, too.

Of course, once they found a mate, her relationship with them would be over.

Bree, Dawn and Caroline had filled her in on the dominating, protective instincts of a mated bear, and she knew from their lack of action, neither man felt anything more than friendship for her. When they’d suggested she meet them for coffee after her apology text, she’d been certain they would give her another chance. Four days later, she realized they were just humoring her until she left town, or they found someone better.

When they’d left the Italian restaurant after their first official date, neither one of them laid a hand on her, and the rest of the week had followed in the same fashion. The only touch she’d received from either man had been Hawk’s palm steadying her nerves during her apology. After that first night, they’d both kept a careful physical distance even though she’d seen them at least once every day.

Monday she’d met the guys for lunch and they’d taken her to a fun burger place called
Bazooka Burger
. The sheriff and the owner of a popular sandwich shop had been at the next table, and after introductions were made, she’d agreed to try the sandwich shop the following day. Later that afternoon, coffee with Bree and her friends had turned into dinner, so she’d met the guys later that night at the popular coffee chain located next to her hotel.

Tuesday she’d visited
Well’s Sandwich Shop
and picked up their sandwich orders before she met the men at their office again. The owner, Luke, hadn’t been lying about his sandwiches, and she’d enjoyed the oversized hoagie. In the evening, the three of them had gone to see a popular superhero movie. She sat between Gavin and Hawk, and even though their thighs touched the whole time, neither one of them made a move beyond touching her hand by accident when reaching for the popcorn at the same time.

On her third full day in town, the girls had introduced her to another one of their friends, and lunch had turned into an impromptu pool party. The new friend, Olive, had serious cooking skills, and owned her own café in the center of town. Her snacks and appetizers were to die for, and Ava hadn’t been sure she’d be able to eat dinner with the guys until they took her to their favorite pizza parlor.

She, Gavin and Hawk ended the night by walking down the main strip, and then they’d piled into Gavin’s truck for a grand tour of the city.

She’d been seated between both men in the cab of the truck, but like the previous nights, they’d ended the evening by dropping her off at her car, following her back to the hotel, and presumably going home alone.

Four nights without a single touch didn’t need to be explained.

This morning, in an effort to brush off the subtle rejections, she’d decided to take advantage of some of the spa treatments the hotel offered. She’d treated herself to a massage, a manicure and a pedicure. Later, she’d filled the huge bathtub with bubbles and soaked until the water turned tepid, and then she’d shaved, trimmed and removed all the unwanted or excess hair on her body. Spending an entire day on grooming wasn’t something she normally did, but the pampering had made her feel fantastic.

Gavin and Hawk had invited her to their home for dinner, and although she knew nothing would happen, she wanted to look her best.

She wore an Emerald green top to match the guys' eyes and a pair of dark blue denim capris. Her toes had been done to match her shirt, and a pair of black sandals completed the ensemble. Underneath her clothes she wore a black lacy bra and panty set that she’d thrown in her suitcase at the last minute. Even if no one else would see it, the feel of the lace against her skin made her feel sexy, beautiful and confident. She made a mental note to buy more sexy underwear and wear them more often.

Spending time with the guys, and with her new friends, made her realize she had other dreams besides the bookstore, and she’d been thinking about her new idea all day. Instead of a bookstore, she planned on opening a beverage bar with an honor library.

She’d seen an ideal building while walking the main strip with the guys, but she couldn’t own a business in Bear Canyon without being a resident, so she’d have to find another location. She still didn’t want to be anywhere near the old bookstore, but she also didn’t want to move too far away from her new friends.

Maybe she needed to forget about the prime spot in the city and focus on one of the less popular streets. She could also look near art galleries, or consider something near a rest-stop for wary travelers. The ideas were endless.

“Hey,” Gavin said, entering the room. “Sorry to keep you waiting. That appointment took longer than I thought it would.”

He sat down at his desk, and keyed in the password for his laptop.

“I have to type in a few notes and order a prescription, and then I’m ready,” he said, opening a file. “Hawk’s not done yet?”

“I don’t think so,” she said, “he hasn’t opened his door. Do you want me to wait in the breakroom?”

The first time she’d visited their office, they’d given her a tour and introduced her to their small staff. The additional employees were all women, and they included one receptionist and two nurses. A pang of jealousy had started to sprout when they’d told her about the two female nurses, but that was before she’d met the women.

All three ladies were loving matriarchs and mated to older bears in the community. They’d welcomed her with open arms, and she’d soaked up their doting attention. While no one could ever replace her mother, it was nice to be surrounded by loving, generous women again.

She frowned when she thought about losing some of their attention to the guy’s eventual mate, but she forced herself to smile. She’d enjoy her new friendships for as long as she could.

“Nah, I don’t want to leave you alone again,” he said. “This won’t take long.”

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, standing. “I can handle myself alone for a few minutes. I know you guys are busy.”

“I want you to stay with me.”

She sat back down and waited. The simple words warmed her heart, but she reminded herself not to get her hopes up. He’d only meant to keep her near so she wouldn’t be alone anymore, not so she wouldn’t be alone for the rest of her life.

She smiled and pressed her thighs together in an effort to tap down her lust. Not giving the words more weight than he’d intended was a challenge, but she’d managed it.

Barely.

Hawk stepped out of his office and flipped off the light.

“Sorry to keep you waiting,” he said, leaning against the door-jam. “I had more call backs than I realized.”

“It’s not a problem. I was just telling Gavin that I know you guys are busy and I’m perfectly capable of entertaining myself.”

“We never doubted it,” Hawk said, “but it’s still rude.”

“Okay,” Gavin said, “I’m done.”

“Great,” Hawk said, changing the subject. “Everybody hungry?”

“I’m starving,” Ava replied.

“Me too,” Gavin chimed in.

“Good. Let’s go home and get the grill going.”

Gavin led them out of the office, and she followed, walking side-by-side with Hawk. The man insisted on driving her car while she rode with his brother, and the gesture warmed her inside and out. 

Together, the two men really were one perfect mate.

***

Gavin drove home by rote, and his anticipation built. He and Hawk were anxious to show Ava their home and move their relationship to the next level. Keeping his hands to himself over last four nights had been pure torture, and he felt like a walking time bomb. Many times he’d just wanted to hold her hand, caress her thigh, or rub her silky red strands through his fingers, but he’d held back in an effort to give her time to get to know them. To trust them.

He knew Hawk wasn’t fairing any better. The man had touched her skin for a few minutes at the table and his brother’s bear wanted more. They’d shifted and ran every evening after dropping her back at the hotel, but his animal still fought to claim its mate.

Since Ava had come into their lives, he’d gone to bed exhausted every night, only to lay awake hot, hard and achy until he rubbed his cock and imagined her stroking him until he came. Four days might seem like an incredibly short courtship, but to a shifter it felt like a lifetime.

They were tired of waiting.

Hawk had planned a wonderful meal, and they were going to show her the house and talk. Hopefully, talking would lead to sex and she’d stay the night and never leave. They wouldn’t mark her their first time, but they had a ring and they wanted her to wear it.

A formal ceremony allowing her to marry both men was legal in Bear Canyon, and he couldn’t wait to officially complete the triad.

“This is it,” Gavin said as he pulled into the driveway.

She looked out the window and surveyed the huge home.

“Wow. It’s beautiful.”

“I’m glad you like it,” he said, opening his door. “Let’s go inside.”

She followed his lead and they trailed Hawk into the living space. His brother led her around the spacious downstairs, and she seemed to love the place as much as they did. When they took the stairs to the second floor, he could barely breathe as Hawk showed her their temporary bedrooms and finished the tour by revealing the master suite.

“This place is gorgeous,” she said, smoothing her hand over the bathroom counter. “You guys thought of everything, and it’s truly special.”

“The only thing missing is a few feminine touches,” he said, proudly.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “Please excuse me.”

She pushed through them, ran down the stairs and locked herself in the bathroom.

He looked at Hawk and the man shrugged.

He’d had visions of what would happen when they showed Ava the bedroom, but they all had ended with the three of them naked between the one and only sheet set they owned for the oversized mattress.

They slowly walked down the stairs and he banged on the door.

“Ava, is everything okay?”

“Yes,” she said, “I’ll be out in a minute.”

“I’m going to start making dinner now. Is that okay?” Hawk asked through the door.

“That will be fine. Thank you.”

Even though Hawk was usually the stubborn one, the man shooed him into the kitchen and forced him to sit at the island. A white card with gold trim and black lettering lay in front of him and he remembered the benefit they’d planned on inviting her to.

“Something’s not right,” Hawk whispered.

“No shit. You don’t need a doctorate to figure that out, asshole,” Gavin snapped. “She’s dumping us.”

“Shhh… Keep your voice down,” Hawk growled. “I don’t think that’s it.”

The bathroom door opened, and his brother shushed him again.

A few seconds later, Ava walked into the kitchen and approached them with caution. He didn’t look back to see Hawk’s face, but he knew his own features were hard and angry.

She took the stool next to him and eyed him warily.

“We’ve been invited to a Literacy Gala in the city,” Hawk said, sliding the invitation in front of her. “It’s a week from Saturday. Will you be our date?”

She looked away from him slowly and picked up the embossed card.

“This is a wonderful cause,” she said, fingering the raised letters. “I’ve supported them with a donation for the past two years, but I’ve never been able to afford a dinner service. I’d love to go, but—”

“But it’s just too weird, right?” he yelled, standing.
God damnit!
He’d known she would dump them the minute she had the chance. The stool he’d been sitting on fell backward and he stomped toward the sliding glass door that they used to escape into the canyon. “We’re great for a good time in Bear Canyon, but fucking two men is wrong and you can’t see yourself living in sin for the rest of your life—”

“No, that’s not what I—”

“Gavin, shut the fuck up,” Hawk growled.

“Fuck you, brother,” he yelled.

“Gavin, I—”

“Trust me, we get it,” he said, cutting her off again.

He slid open the glass door and ran out into the Canyon, shifting mid-stride. The magic allowed them to shift with their clothes on, but the entire process took thirty seconds. Anyone watching would see his hands turn into claws, his nose turn into a muzzle and fur sprout all over as his body bent to allow him to run on all fours.