Montana Wild Bears: Books 1-4 Bundle (BBW Paranormal Werebear Shape Shifter Romance Boxed Set) (5 page)

 

When she had diffused the situation between himself and Ryder in the forest that day, it had felt as if blinders had been taken off his eyes. Suddenly, he saw the short, curvy scientist in all her glory, along with her giggly disposition and her bright-eyed love for Montana – something that Jackson felt rather strongly about as well. He’d caught himself staring at her, trying to make sense of what drew him to her so powerfully, while ignoring the easiest and, at the same time, most complicated option.

 

What if she’s the one?
He’d wondered, the track of thought keeping him up at nights. Werebears mated for life, that’s just how it was. Sure, they could have flings or even fall in love with someone, but when the right mate came along, everything else shrunk to the background. It was an inexplicable, undeniable bond that drew a werebear and his mate together, and it was not something that could simply be shrugged off like useless baggage. A bond between a mate and a bear needed to be nurtured, protected and strengthened, but its welcome grip was evident nonetheless.

 

Jackson dropped the dishes into the sink and rinsed them off, hearing Tess get up and pour them both new drinks. She was attentive, sweet and playful around him, even when he was tongue-tied and came off more like a cold brute than anything else. But she made his blood boil with need, and his hands wanted nothing more than to snake around her and pull her into a long, tender kiss, before he swept her off her feet and took her with all the ferocity of a lifelong of need. In short, it was really hard to concentrate on conversation when all he wanted to do was rip her clothes off and bury his head into her ample bosom. Damn hard indeed.

 

His bear had taken an instant liking to the willful woman. While the man was hesitant, the bear had known right away that there was something special about the doe-eyed, deliciously curvaceous redhead. Jackson felt like he was suddenly stuck between his two halves – the rational man and the demanding, aggressive bear – both of whom wanted the same thing but couldn’t make up their minds on how to attain it. He kept reminding himself that just pouncing on her like a man who hasn’t seen a woman in years isn’t exactly the way to woo, but at the same time the option seemed so entirely enticing. His cock throbbed each time he saw her first thing in the morning, her wild hair mussed and her lush curves covered in comfortable sleeping clothes. She seemed so delicate and inviting like that – all heated emotions and soft early-morning yawns.

 

Jackson caught himself rinsing the same plate for the fifth time, lost in thought about how to approach Tess without scaring her off or coming on too strong, when Tess leaned on the counter next to him. She balanced on her elbows and Jackson inhaled sharply, an automatic reaction to the presence of her scent. His muscles tensed at the closeness, the bear wanting to grab her and kiss her with a passionate need for the touch of his mate, but he managed to subdue the urge to another teeth-gritting twinge in his cock.

 

“So, you seem to be well-domesticated, hmm? Don’t you think that plate is clean enough?” Tess asked, holding a glass of whiskey up to him. Jackson nodded, glancing at her quickly. He wasn’t sure whether she had noticed the way he kept staring after her whenever they were together, but it was getting harder and harder to maintain a façade of innocent cordiality around her.

She’s so close. God, I just want to kiss her,
Jackson thought to himself, drying his hands and accepting the tumbler of whiskey.

“Thank you.”

 

“You’re welcome,” she chirped with a grin, twirling around and heading back towards the fireplace and couches. She plopped down on one and Jackson followed, his eyes glued to that plush ass of hers. When she sat down, he hesitated for a moment before sitting down next to her. He could see the surprised arch of her eyebrows, as it wasn’t usual for him to sit on the same couch as her. Instead, he tended to land in a big recliner and commence with an evening of reading, until she would eventually distract him with conversation and draw his attention to her. Of course, every time he pretended to read, he barely got through a few pages over the course of several hours. His mind kept going to weird and wonderful places, imagining how they could live together in the cottage, how he’d have to expand it to make room for the cubs, what kind of mother she would be and so on, until his consciousness was full of nothing but Tess. And to his surprise, he loved the feeling of being so entirely smitten with someone. For a withdrawn, silent man, he found himself surprisingly giddy around her, even if he didn’t dare show it much yet.

Screw it. You can’t let her get away. Just open up to her.

 

“So, tell me about yourself,” Jackson said, surprising Tess once again with his newfound openness. “How did you end up in California? Family there?” he asked, throwing one arm across the backrest and angling himself towards her a bit. Her smell was clogging all of his logical thought processes and there was nothing left but to throw himself at the mercy of his instincts. Luckily, the combination of his human and bear halves had never lead him astray; but then again, he had never tried to tempt a mate before.

 

“Oh, I’m from Wyoming, actually!” Tess said, and Jackson gulped down a breath, watching the curve of her lips as she spoke. “Born and raised. I always loved the outdoors. I spent most of my youth hiking and camping with my family and it just kind of stuck. Then, when it was time to go off to college, I was sure I was going to become a lawyer. But, on the very last day of confirming my enrollments, I changed my mind. I decided to get a degree in Animal Conservation instead, and the rest, as they say, is history.” She took a sip of her wine, and the sight of the liquid disappearing behind her lips was pure agony. The image of her tongue sliding against his and their lips mashing together was so clear in his mind that his skin tingled at the thought of it.

“What changed your mind?” he asked, enjoying the slight blush that was tinting her cheeks. He could see that her breathing was getting a bit faster and shorter as they talked – perhaps the physical closeness was having the same effect on her as it had on him.

 

Tess hung her head for a moment, grinning to herself.

“Well, it’s really silly, actually. My dad took me for one last camping trip at our favorite forest. It had been a long day of hiking when we finally set up camp. Dad went off to look for some firewood and I took a walk to a nearby stream to get some fresh water. Before I could step out of the shade, I saw a big mama grizzly walk upstream with her two cubs in tow.” She looked up at him and Jackson could feel his stomach twisting into knots. His bear was already pleased with her, and every word she said just made him more elated.

 

“She was so majestic. Huge, obviously, but that wasn’t all there was to it. She kept looking around, keeping an eye out for any danger – the perfect picture of motherly love – while her cubs tumbled around and played in the shallow water. There was just something about her at that time and place that made me fall in love with the power and the restraint of bears, especially grizzlies. I wanted to know more about them, and so I changed my major. My father didn’t mind. In fact, he encouraged me to do what I loved and I couldn’t be more thankful for that.”

 

She positively beamed as she told the story, her eyes taking on a tint of softness that he could drown in. Slowly, he nodded, wanting her to keep talking. He wanted, no,
needed
to know everything about her. His bear felt that it was the only way he could protect her, while the man was just hungry to know more about the woman whose presence made him into a fumbling fool.

“Does your father still hike?” he asked. Tess shook her head and instantly Jackson knew that he had struck a painful topic. He inched forward as he saw the joy seep from her eyes and be replaced by a deep anguish that shattered his heart. Although Jackson wanted to hug her against him and shield her from whichever memory was inflicting such obvious pain, he remained in his place.

“No. He passed away a few years ago, a bit before I finished my PhD.”

 

“I’m sorry,” Jackson said, aching thoughts flooding back to him. It hadn’t been too long since he had lost his father as well. The man, the bear, had been a great source of wisdom and a grounding force in his life. Jackson had never known how much he missed the grouchy old bear before he wasn’t around anymore. “I lost my father some years ago as well. It’s a difficult step to conquer.” His voice was solemn, a certain sense of camaraderie forming between them that he hadn’t noticed before. Tess gripped his shoulder with one hand, squeezing slightly. She was compassionate even when struggling with her own loss, and a hot jolt went through his body when she touched him. All of a sudden every nerve felt alive, and when she withdrew her hand, he was struck by an incredible sense of loss. The bear in him roared with need. She was exactly who he had been looking for – there was little doubt of that.

 

“I’m sorry for your loss as well, Jackson. But thank you. That’s when I decided to move to California, though. I got a nice offer, even if it had nothing to do with grizzlies. Still, I couldn’t get away from them. I kept doing my research from my free time and publishing papers, which is why they eventually invited me up here. It’s interesting to be in the great outdoors again. It’s so familiar, so much like home. It’s as if I had never left the forests to begin with.” Jackson was glad to see a smile forming at the corners of her lips again. She seemed to hesitate for a second, and Jackson took the moment to take a swig of his drink, welcoming the burning sensation as the liquid went down his throat. It cleared his head a little from the love struck haze he found himself in. Her next words sent him tumbling back into it, though.

“I was afraid to go somewhere with so much wilderness. I thought it would remind me too much of my father.”

“So what made it easier on you?” he asked, putting his half empty glass on the small end table.

 

“The company. I don’t think I could’ve lasted more than a day or two alone, Jackson.” Her eyes sparkled with mischief, and Jackson felt his heart swelling. Her scent assaulted his senses again, but instead of fighting it, he fell into it headfirst. She was so much his opposite – her liveliness and openness made it seem as if she had been created to smooth out his edges. He smiled, genuine happiness lighting up his features.

“I’m glad to be of service, Tess. And I’ve enjoyed having you here, despite signs to the contrary. I apologize. I’m a difficult man to get to know.”

“So tell me something about yourself? Make it easier on me!” Tess said, leaning forward with interest. She was so close that he could just dip forward and she’d be in his arms right away. The mere thought of it set him ablaze.

 

“Well,” he stammered, trying to think of something to tell her that wouldn’t seem entirely odd. A werebear that lived deep in the midst of a forest and was the Alpha of a major northwestern clan really didn’t have that much going on that wasn’t tied to werebear business. And that, he was afraid, would be something that she wouldn’t be able to handle just yet; no matter how much she loved bears. No, he’d have to take it slow. Give her a chance to like him before she had to like his bear as well. “I was born near here and have lived here all my life. My brothers left a few years ago, but I stayed. It’s just always felt right. I love the lands and the people here, even if there aren’t that many of them. I don’t think I could handle California.”

“Why not?”

“Too hot. Not enough bears.” They both grinned. “I like staying near my roots. This land has given me so much and I want to give back.”

“Are you sharing it with anyone?” Tess asked, her voice wavering just a little. Jackson frowned, but his expression cleared quickly and he grinned, shaking his head.

 

“No, it’s just me. The right woman just hasn’t come along yet. Or, well, maybe she has,” he said, keeping his dark eyes on her. Tess’s blush got deeper and she raised her glass to her lips. She had already drunk all of her wine and now lowered the glass awkwardly. Suddenly, she looked like a deer caught in the headlights, confused and stricken. Tess smiled slightly and then stood up, rushing past him to go fill her glass again. Jackson fell back on the couch, grabbing another glance at her shapely body as she pressed past him. He smirked to himself, having caught the twinge of lust that had passed through her eyes. He hoped she wanted him as badly as he wanted her, because he wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off of her for too much longer. The bear knew that they had found their mate. Jackson couldn’t wait to make her his, body and mind.

 

CHAPTER FIVE

 

For the next few days, Tess was given the opportunity to fall more and more in love with the Montana countryside. The majestic snowcapped peaks, the rolling valleys and thick forests enveloped her with a sense of peace and belonging. She had never been quite at home as she was at Jackson’s side in the wilderness or in his little cottage, cooking dinner and chatting by the light of the fire. The reserved man was beginning to open up to her, and she had even caught a few bears on video thanks to her hidden camera. As quickly as her work was leaping forward, her relationship with the secretive ranger seemed to be growing as well.

 

It made her positively beam with self-satisfaction. For several reasons that she was finding difficult to explain to herself, his acceptance and friendship mattered a lot to her. His presence made her glow, and the invisible force field he had about him had slowly opened to her, letting the feisty redhead in and closing again tightly behind her. He was the kind of man that did not make connections easily, but she thought that even he couldn’t deny that they had good chemistry that was only getting better. The way he had looked at her when he spoke about finding the right woman still made her stomach twist with butterflies and her knees tremble under her.

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