Scrooge's Bear (Erotic Shifter Fairy Tales)

Scrooge’s
Bear

Erotic
Shifter Fairy Tales

Yvette
Hines

This is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or
are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to
actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

All rights reserved. The
unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print
without written permission by the author.

Scrooge’s
Bear

Copyright
© 2013, Yvette Hines

Cover
Artist: Kellie (Covers by K Designs
http://coversbykdesigns.blogspot.com/
 )

Editor:
Bernadette Schane

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Dedication

To my author
friends and friends that have stood beside me through this year of trails. To
my readers who are always patience, long-suffering who are there to encourage
with the right reviews as the right time.

Table of Contents

1. Chapter One

2. Chapter Two

3. Chapter Three

4. Chapter Four

5. Chapter Five

Cloves and apricots.
The scent drew him from the lobby
of the elite hotel into the bar. He’d just completed a dinner meeting with a
new fertilizer supplier and was on his way toward the front door when the
delicate sweet and warm woodsy blend tickled his nose and tightened his core.

Where is it coming
from?
His bear
nudged him on. It was late and he really needed to begin the three-hour drive
back to Den County. However, he moved one step after another in the direction
his animal nature guided him. Crossing the threshold of the bar he was
bombarded by the multiple colognes and perfumes of the many women and men
milling around. It was a Tuesday night, he doubted it normally was so packed
with people, however, it was Christmas Eve. He assumed most were in town
visiting family or on their own getaway, possibly part of an office holiday
party. He supposed for  most Sacramento was a great place to be for Christmas,
but not for a Were-bear like him. He and his kind enjoyed quiet time
hibernating in their cabins with their family.

Even with all the other scents
swirling through the air, the clove and apricot overpowered them all. Glancing
around the room, he searched for the source disregarding one woman after
another as they huddled around in groups at tables or on the dance floor
swinging their hips before men to upbeat holiday tunes. Then his gaze glided
over a woman sitting alone in a corner booth, far away from the source of music
and revelry. A chestnut-brown-skinned Black woman, dressed in a dark
emerald-green pantsuit, as she were attempting to pay homage to the holiday,
but not. Her hair was long. He didn’t know how long since she had it pulled
back in a bun. A classic, elegant and professional look. She was on her cell
phone, but he could tell she was searching for someone by the shifting of her
gaze as she inspected and rejected one man after another.

Was she meeting someone, or just
hoping to catch someone?

The growl that rumbled low in his
chest shocked him. It wasn’t like him to be territorial over a female. He
didn’t lack for female companionship. Since he traveled in and out of the
county conducting various business ventures, he met more than his share, and
enjoyed them.

She shifted slightly in
her seat and turned her head toward the door and met his gaze. And he was
practically rocked back on his heels by the impact of the contact. What seized
his breath in his chest was the vibrant gold tinge on the peripheral of his
vision.
Shit
.

Damn
. Heat bloomed in his core and began
to spread out through his body.

Fuck
. The hair on the nape of his neck
began to rise.

The last thing he needed was to go
feral in a group of non-shifters and wind up on the eleven o’clock news as a
special report. That would bring unwanted attention to his community. They
lived under the radar and liked it that way. It was probably best for him to
execute an about-face and hightail it back up to Den.

However, he’d never been one to do
exactly what was expected of him. A wild card among his friends and family, he
danced to his own beat too often. And if this business trip opened the door for
him to get a little hot sheet action, he was all for it.

Knowing he took a risk, he moved
forward—in part because he wanted to, but more importantly, because he had to.

Holding her gaze he moved toward
her. His vision became more of a tunnel and his hearing distinguished between
the music and other people and zeroed in on all things of the woman before
him—her slight elevated breathing and heart beat.

It wasn’t beating in full excitement
or arousal mode but it was definitely headed there. 

As he drew closer, he noticed other
things like the wide strip of gray hair that blended into the dark locks being
held back. Also the tension at the corners of her mouth, making her appear to
be a woman who didn’t smile often.

Arriving at the table beside her, he
held his hand out. “Hello, I’m Dainton.”

~YH~

Ebony stared down at the hand
offered to her—a strong, large, wide hand. The question of whether or not she
should take it never crossed her mind. It wasn’t that she was some germaphobe.
But, taking heed of her reaction to him since she’d spotted him at the door,
she wasn’t taking any chance.

She’d never been one of those women
who believed the hype of Hollywood movies where the girl got a million
butterflies in her stomach at the sight of a handsome man and dreamed of
romance. She categorized them with the fools that had faith in Santa Claus.
Even with the experiences of her past haunting her, she still found herself
unable to slow down the quick pace of her heart, which had increased with every
step he had taken toward her.

Tonight must be the night of firsts,
since she’d never utilized the service of an escort, but here she sat with one
towering over her in what must be six-five plus of “oh my god” maleness. Where
did people find men so striking and imposing? The man could have had a career
in the NFL. Or been some corporate tycoon. She’d been around more than her
share in the business field and none of them wore a suit like this man. At his
astounding height and girth, he had to have them tailor made. With what she was
paying the service for his company, they could afford it easily.

Still aware that he waited for her
to accept his proffered hand, she spoke into the phone. “Nikki, I’ll call you
tomorrow.”

“You better,” her best friend began.
“I want every detail.”

“You know that is not my style.”

“Hey, with my husband in Afghanistan
working for the last seven months and having to live vicariously through your
hot, high-dollar adventure, you’re going to tell me about it with every T and I
that was performed dotted and crossed. You got that, Ebony Scrooge?”

Ebony felt the corners of her mouth
twitch a little. She only had one friend in the world, and that was Nikki. Over
the years, it had been hard for her to connect with people and believe that
they would stick around for her. However, Nikki Tiglen had borrowed a pen from
her during freshmen orientation at the state college and been in her life since
then. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do.”

Laughing, Nikki said, “You better.
Take care of yourself. You need this.”

With her escort standing so close,
Ebony wasn’t in a position to question or comment to her best friend. It had
been Nikki’s idea to contact the service as a sort of liberation and
celebration of starting a new life for Ebony. She had allowed Nikki to convince
her that restarting her life by revitalizing her nonexistent sex life was the
key. Ebony wasn’t sure if she was convinced.

The man drew his hand away and
slipped both of them into the pockets of his slacks, disturbing the lay of his
coat.

“I guess. Talk to you later.”

“Nightie Night.” Nikki’s sing-song
words came through the line moments before the call was ended.

While she took a moment to drop her
cell phone into her purse, Ebony gathered her thoughts and tried to use the
seconds to take a deep breath. Big mistake.   

The man had the most alluring
cologne she’d ever smelled—a robust woodsy scent with a hint of cinnamon. Just
the small whiff made her toes curl in her shoes and created a strong desire to
lean in and bury her face in the curve of his neck.

Clearing her throat she looked up at
him. “Please sit. I don’t relish having a crick in my neck when I wake up in
the morning.”

As he lowered himself to
the booth seat across from her, she noted the frown on his face at her tone.
She purposely maintained a crisp and direct speech, the same she’d used for
years at the investment firm. A job she held no more. However, she wanted this
giant of a man to know
she’d
hired him and to her it was
business—sex—but business.

He maneuvered his bulk
into the booth, settling across from her. Once he was situated, squeezed into
what appeared to be a tight space for him, she felt the heat of his knees on
the outside of hers. Maybe because she was a tall woman, and he was a
huge
man, their legs met in the center below the table. It felt intimate with her
knees pressed together between his. She crossed her ankles and pulled her feet
back, trying to give herself a little space, even if it didn’t change much.

Staring across the table, she was
seized by the intensity of his gaze on her. She swallowed a few times, finding
it difficult to have those unique eyes on her. His eyes were so dark they were
black, which was impossible since no one technically had black eyes. However,
the other fascinating part was that it appeared that his irises were tinged at
the edges as if traced by a gold thread.

“My name is Ebony. There’s no need
for last names since we will not be acquainted for very long.” Licking her lips
she swallowed again. She needed to take control of this evening. She was the
one paying for him to be here. “I’m glad to see that the service believes in
punctuality. I hope they’ve also trained you all to follow instructions of the
client. To the letter.”