Bear To The Bone (Bear Claw Security 1) (10 page)

She nodded. He’d told her so before.

“But I’m glad for who I am. Because it led to this moment. And I’m sorry you hate what I’m doing this much. But you know me, right? I’m Cage, the kid you’ve known since you were thirteen. You knew we were going to be together, right?”

She flushed and didn’t say anything. She’d felt like that sometimes. But he’d never said that’s how it would be. And when they were writing, she didn’t know if she was just that friend he remembered from a small town and nothing more. She thought for sure Cage would meet other, prettier, flashier girls and forget she was back in Winter Falls.

And she wouldn’t have even resented him for it, because all she’d wanted was the best for him.

But maybe he was right. Maybe she was wrong to stop hoping, because it had been clear there was something special between them.

“Why did you stop writing?” she asked.

“You stopped, too,” he said.

“After you didn’t respond to a couple letters, I didn’t see the point in sending more,” she said.

“I meant to,” he said. “I guess I got too caught up in work. Somehow, in my head it was okay I wasn’t communicating, because what I was doing was all for us, making sure I could come back for you.”

“And what were you doing?” she asked.

He blinked and looked down at her. “I can’t tell you yet.”

She frowned, disappointment washing through her.

“I told you before, Carrie. Think of me as an Ace. I wish I could tell you I was something else, but I can’t.”

She frowned. “I’m trying to deal with it. If you can be patient with me.” She looked at her jacket. “I’ll try not to be so stubborn about things, because I don’t want you to get hurt or have to hurt people. But I also don’t know how far I can push myself before I break.”

“I won’t let you break,” he said. “I’ll keep you together.” He pulled her against his chest and shielded her from everything. It felt so right, embracing here in Willow’s field where they’d first met.

“Cage, sometimes I feel like you’re hiding so much from me. Sometimes I feel like I don’t know how I’ll cope when I find it all out.” Her voice was a tiny squeak as she spoke, her deepest fears bubbling to the surface despite all her best wishes.

His hold tightened around her. “I know. I know I have secrets. But I’ll tell you someday.”

She clasped her hands together around him and listened to his heartbeat in his chest. She loved him. So much it was painful. So much she didn’t know how it was possible it could be more. Cage of so many ages flashed through her mind, yet this one was the best of all.

So even if she didn’t know what he was hiding, she had to trust him. As long as she could.

“Cage?” she asked, looking up at him.

“Yeah?”

“Let’s go home.”

He grinned and lifted her onto his bike.

W
hen they pulled
up in front of Carrie’s apartment, Cage could feel his heart hammering in his chest.

The ride had warmed his blood, the memory of the fight was still fresh in the back of his mind, and the need to possess his mate was at an all-time high.

As he helped her off the motorcycle and she looked at him expectantly, he knew she wanted him to come inside.

He wanted it, too. But he was also nervous about his ability to keep control. The bear in him wanted to claim her. Wanted to tell her who he was. She’d said he was keeping secrets, and that was probably the biggest.

When he’d been in the army, he’d been put in a unit where he was surrounded by other bear shifters. Finally, it had felt like people like him were normal. And he guessed he’d been content to stay in that security as long as possible, since growing up, there’d been no one like him.

How did he explain something like that to Carrie? They already came from different worlds, with him being part of an MC and her never wanting to touch that world.

But to explain he was some kind of creature and expect her to mate forever with him? The thought was chilling.

She couldn’t accept he was a part of the Aces. How could she accept he was half animal and all the things that came with it?

Suddenly, as he watched her walk to the front door, he realized with perfect clarity why he’d stayed away for so long.

It was just so damn complicated.

Maybe she’s right,
a despondent part of him said. Maybe it was just too difficult for two people like them to be together. Maybe he’d mistaken it for fate because it had seemed too perfectly timed or because she’d saved him and his bear had bonded with her.

Maybe they were meant to take care of each other growing up, and maybe they were meant to save each other one last time as adults.

He didn’t know for sure.

She deserved a normal man, someone to stay here and raise a family with after he left the Aces.

He knew he should just tell her everything when this was over and let her make a decision, but he wasn’t sure he was a big enough man to do it.

It would almost be easier to walk away when it was over than to see her reject him completely, when she’d been the only person whose opinion ever meant anything.

She was just too beautiful, with that soft, rounded face, those gentle hands. Those gorgeous eyes that glowed when he kissed her.

It was
almost
easier to walk away. Except that he couldn’t, without leaving every part of him that mattered here with her.

She looked at him from the doorstep, her head tilted quietly. “Are you going to come in?” She folded her arms. “I think I need you tonight.”

Need
. Yes, that was the right word. He needed her. And he had to turn off his brain to all the other realities and just let what he and Carrie had be what it had always been. Something amazing and complicated and real and right.

He took a deep breath and steadied himself. Fighting for her had shaken him, but seeing her coming to his aid had made his bear growl in approval.

That same bear growled at him now,
Don’t let her get away
, and,
Claim her
.

But that was impossible. To do that, he’d have to tell her everything.

To do that, he’d have to say he was the cub in the forest, the one she had rescued. And he’d have to answer all her questions, but not be able to tell her about his role with the Aces or his new company.

Don’t worry about that now
, a voice inside him said.
Just go be with your mate.

He loved how patient she was for him, but he found that he wasn’t patient at all. He wanted to take his woman, and she wanted to take him.

The night would be theirs, regardless of what the future held.

C
arrie wondered
what was going on in Cage’s mind as he stared intently up at her, trying to decide whether to come in.

Sometimes she’d give anything for the ability to read his mind, see his feelings. Sometimes he could be so open and vulnerable, so easy to talk to.

Other times, it almost looked like he was listening to something in his head, something at odds with himself.

She thought about what he could be keeping secret once again.

She was relieved when he finally let out a loud sigh and strode toward her, his long legs eating up her front walk in only a couple strides. When he got to her, she barely had time to put the key in the lock before he swept her up easily into his arms and unlocked the door himself while carrying her.

When she was with him like this, supported, nothing else mattered. Her brain turned off and her heart and her body were in full agreement.

This man was
hers.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, placing kisses over her neck and shoulders as he carried her with her legs around his waist.

“You are, too,” she said. “Those eyes, that hair.”

He chuckled. “I don’t think men want to be called beautiful.”

“But you know you are,” she said. “Gorgeous.”

“Call me whatever you want, sweetheart,” he said. “As long as you call me yours.”

“You’re impossible,” she said.

“I’m about to be,” he retorted as he took the stairs two at a time with his long, strong legs.

He was so male, so essentially strong and immovable, that she couldn’t help feeling as long as he was controlling things, she would be okay. At least here in the bedroom.

He set her on the bed, and she flushed as she thought about what they did just that morning. Was it really less than a day later and she was getting to touch him again? Her cheeks burned as she remembered his promise, and she looked up at him hesitantly as he pulled off his jacket, eyes on her the entire time.

“Remembering what I said?” he asked. “You aren’t getting off with just one this time.”

“Interesting choice of words,” she said. “But it really isn’t up to you.” She shrugged. “I don’t know if it’s possible.”

He unbuttoned his outer shirt and shrugged out of it, leaving him in only a tee shirt that outlined every one of his delicious muscles. “Oh, it’s possible. And it definitely is up to me. That’s what I meant when I said I was going to be impossible.” He got onto the bed with her, crawling toward her like a predator she definitely didn’t want to escape.

He was the hottest man she’d ever seen.

“How so?” she stammered, feeling her body heat all over as he got close.

She was on her back, propped on her elbows, and he had a hand on either side of her head, a knee on either side of her hips.

“Because I’m going to make it impossible to go just once,” he said, leaning forward to lick her earlobe.

She pressed her legs together as his hand came up to cup her breast. Everything was moving faster this time, but that was fine with her.

She was ready for him.

She sat up to shed her jacket, and he helped. The he pulled her sweater over her head, bearing her in her bra. He reached behind her and struggled for a moment with the clasp, his fingers trembling.

“Damn,” he said. “I’m too excited.” But a second later, it was free.

She was kind of glad he wasn’t a player who could get it off every time.

It just affirmed what he’d said about her always being the one for him. That he’d only fantasized with her, never been with another woman. That was important to her somehow, though she’d tried to tell herself it would be okay either way.

It wasn’t.

She wanted every delicious inch of him to herself.

“Cage,” she said as he pushed her bra aside and shoved his mouth over her nipple, sucking it against his tongue roughly in a way that shot sparks straight down to her legs. “What are we doing?”

“Shh,” he said, lifting his head for a moment and giving her a look at his handsome features, dark with passion, blue eyes burning like low flames. Then he went back to loving her breast as one hand next to her head braced his weight and his other reached between her legs.

She was still clothed there, but she could feel every touch, every tiny movement as he pressed and circled against her. She writhed, desperate to be out of her jeans and closer to him. She needed more of him.

With a deep blush, she knew just what she wanted. But she would wait and see what happened first.

He read her mind and, with a knowing grin, flicked open the button of her jeans and slid the zipper down. Then his hands were inside, moving against her silky panties and stroking gently up and down as his mouth moved to her other breast.

The nipple he’d been kissing was peaked and sensitive in the cold, and she gasped when his mouth started working the other one, sucking in her nipple, licking around it in a circle, pressing it to his teeth as he sucked, all while his hand built a steady, rhythmic tension inside her, growing hotter by the minute as she clamped her legs helplessly together against the growing pleasure of the moment.

He pressed the wet silk of her panties against her, causing the ache inside to rise to a fever pitch, until she could nearly hear her own impending scream in her head. Her whole body tightened as his finger slowly circled her clit, and she arched back as an amazing, intense sensation swept through her, almost too strong to be pleasurable but just on the edge of what she could bear. She forced her eyes open and stared at Cage staring down at her with hot expectation.

She gasped and arched back again as his finger moved with the waves of her orgasm. She gripped her sheets as it seemed to go on and on.

When she finally came down, gasping, panting, he was slowly removing her panties, leaving her bared to him. She wanted to grab something, wanted to cover herself, but she could tell by the look in his eyes that he found her beautiful just how she was and there was no need to hide.

He spread her legs wide and dipped a finger inside her, then slid it over and around her tender, sensitive flesh. She opened more, the muscles in her thighs tightening in anticipation. She’d always known things would be electric with Cage. Just sitting beside him, talking to him, had been stimulating. But she’d always known that sharp mind and those quick fingers would be something to behold in bed.

Ever since she’d been old enough to start fantasizing, he’d been the star of the show.

Still, she’d never imagined it like this, totally bared to him, his muscular body exposed to his hips, his rippling abs and shoulders tensing as he lowered his head to lick her center.

His hands were warm on her knees, keeping her spread as he began to kiss her deeply, passionately, like he would have on her mouth but much dirtier. His tongue dipped inside her, causing an odd, aching sensation that made her writhe and press up against him, desperate for more. But then his lips closed over her clit, his tongue working it in a hot, rough way her own fingers could never approximate.

“Oh, Cage,” she said, arching helplessly, burying her hands in his hair. “That feels… that feels…”

She couldn’t finish because he lightly grazed her with his lower teeth, just the gentlest pressure, and she went over the edge. She didn’t know if he was just damn good at this or damn good at listening to her, knowing what she wanted, when she wanted it, and how hard she wanted it.

She lifted up, pulling his head up to kiss him as her orgasm ripped through her, her body convulsing as his lips met hers, still wet with her sweetness. His tongue dipped inside to entwine with hers, and nothing had ever felt more hot or erotic. She was bared to him, wet and hot, and could feel him between her thighs, hard and huge behind his jeans.

Damn, she wanted to feel that inside her. Wanted to stretch around it and know he was only with her, just for that moment.

He ground lightly against her as they continued their wet, hot kiss. Then he pulled back and started his way down her neck, kissing and sucking voraciously as she moaned, over and over.

“You want that?” he asked, moving against her again. The friction was electric, and she nodded, speechless, as his lips found her breasts again.

“Yes, yes,” she finally said.

He reached two fingers inside her, stroking upward in a motion that caused just a tiny bit of tight pain and then, as he slowly came out and went in again, stretching and testing her, a frisson of pleasure. One that seemed to go from the top of her head to her toes. She tightened her hands in his hair.

Oh, that’s good.

He continued to move and she moved with him, thrusting up against him. But two fingers weren’t enough; she wanted all of him. She felt nearly high in the pleasure of the moment, like it was hard to breathe, hard to think, but she couldn’t stop if she wanted to. The scent in the air was wholly them, a blend of his spicy pine and her floral, musky heat.

Everything felt right here.

She could feel how slick she was getting as he continued to stroke inside with his fingers while his thumb pressed over her nub.

“Cage,” she said, digging in her fingers. “Get to it.”

He grinned against her neck. She felt his teeth bared as he did, and then he kissed her, lightly biting the skin there, making it extra sensitive. Then he kissed it again, swirling his tongue over where he bit as he pressed his thumb down once more.

She came. Hard. Screaming his name and putting her hands in her own hair to pull against the sensation that was almost too hard to bear.

“Hold me,” he said, and she did, throwing herself against him, breathing hard and mumbling his name as the waves kept going.

“I don’t know what you’re doing to me,” she said, her chest heaving.

“Loving you,” he said, kissing her gently on the forehead. “I’m loving you, Carrie. I’m going to be loving you forever.”

She wanted to believe that. She couldn’t imagine ever wanting anyone but him.

“I want you inside me,” she said. “Please.”

He put his forehead to hers, and she was surprised to find he was just as sweaty and out of breath as she was. Just as overwhelmed by the experience, even though she’d been the one getting all the pleasure. “I don’t want to hurt you,” he said.

“You won’t,” she said, wrapping her arms around him even tighter. She brought one hand up to run it through his hair, which was lightly damp from sweat. It was hot that he was sweaty and nearly naked, here with her. This beautiful man should never be hers, but he was here, and she was counting her blessings that he seemed intent on pleasing only her.

But it wasn’t enough. She wanted him inside her. Wanted to see shock in his face at how wonderful it was. Wanted to see how she could make him feel. Wanted to see those confident blue eyes roll back, those full lips bit as he threw back his head. The rhythm of his orgasm as he came inside her.

“Now,” she said, staring into his eyes.

He bit his lower lip, and she nearly groaned. He was so gorgeous like this he could be on a billboard. But she’d never let anyone else see him.

He stood and undid the button of his jeans as he reached on the ground to rummage in his jacket or shirt for something. When he came up, he was holding a foil packet. A condom.

Disappointment shot through her. She didn’t know why. She’d kind of looked forward to nothing between them, just the feel of his velvet skin. At least she assumed that was what it would feel like.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he teased with a reluctant grin. “We gotta be careful.”

“What?” she teased. “Because we don’t want a mini Cage?” She giggled. “I wouldn’t mind one.”

He bit his lip at that, looking slightly nervous, like there was something he couldn’t tell her.

“It’s okay,” she said. “It’s fine.”

He relaxed and gave her another grin. “I’ll still make it feel good.”

“Of course,” she said. It wasn’t that she wanted to get pregnant right away. It was just that she had been so caught up in the moment that she hadn’t even thought about it, unlike him. He’d been able to take the right prep.

It rankled slightly, but it rankled more not to have his thick length inside her, filling her, as his handsome face looked down on her and her alone.

“Come here, Cage. Come inside me,” she said, looking up at him from under her lashes, feeling seductive and pleasured and ready to be one with him.

He unzipped his jeans and let them drop, and as he stepped out of them, she clapped a hand over her mouth as she looked down at his member between his legs. Long, huge, thick. Beautiful. She wanted to run her finger over the ridge of it. Wanted to take it in her mouth. Wanted to get to know it before it went in the condom.

When he got on the bed, she let out a little growl and pushed him down behind her. He went easily, seemingly amused by what she was doing, a condom still in his hand.

She reached for it and put it on the bedside table, and he looked alarmed.

“Wait,” he said as she straddled him, both of them naked.

And then her hand found him. His eyes widened, the blue looking like a crystal-clear lake with deep water. His skin felt even better than she’d thought he would. Cage’s dick. Her hand was on
Cage’s dick
.

He stared at her with a frozen expression that made her laugh, a muscle ticking in his straight, masculine jaw.

She gently moved up and down, and he twitched, his lashes lowering before his glare met hers. She loved this. She had the power now. She’d have a little fun before they came fully together.

Looking at the ridge just below the head of his penis, so beautiful, like a statue, she wanted to feel it, wanted to do to him what he’d done to her.

She gave him a devilish look and lowered her head slowly, meaningfully.

“Carrie, wait,” he said, looking alarmed.

Then she took his head into her mouth, loving the feel of it, the slight saltiness of his tip.

He let out a stream of curses and grabbed the headboard behind him, holding on to it as she continued to explore. She ran her tongue over and along the rim of him.

“Hey, stop it,” he choked out. “I’m saving that…”