Bear Home for Christmas

ARIANA HAWKES

Copyright © 2015 Ariana Hawkes

All rights reserved.

This is a standalone, 28,000-word HEA romance, perfect for a lunch break, bath time, or a little dose of me-time, wherever you are!

Your free book is waiting!

A 4.5-star rated, comedy romance featuring one kickass roller derby chick, two scorching-hot Alphas, and the naughty nip that changed their lives forever.

The only thing missing from Aspen Richardson’s life is a man who will love her just the way she is. In the small town she calls home, bullies from the past remain, making her wonder if it's ever going to happen. But, things are about to change in a major way, as the secret Aspen’s parents have been keeping from her comes out…

“This book definitely needs to be added to your MUST read list – you will quickly fall in love with this steamy and fast paced story.”

Get your free book now!

(If your device doesn’t support links, go to www.arianahawkes.com/freebook)

Contents

Get your free book!

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Your free book is waiting!

A bonus story by Ariana Hawkes

Connect with Ariana

Read more from Ariana

About Ariana

Chapter One

The girl stepped down from the Greyhound, shivering as an icy blast of wind lashed her in the face and forced its way beneath her winter coat. She pushed her face into her scarf and fastened her coat belt more tightly around her waist as she shuffled over to the luggage hold to retrieve her bag. The ground was frozen, and she regretted yet again that the soles of her boots were so worn. It was too late to buy any new ones – as if she had the money for them anyway. The luggage guy grunted as he lifted every piece of luggage out, including hers, although it only weighed a few pounds.

“Name?” he snapped.

“Noelle Hollis,” she said, waiting for him to make a sarcastic comment, but he just nodded and passed her the bag. She hated her name. Her parents had picked it because she was born on December 25th, and it was a constant reminder of a time of year she’d rather forget.

“Thank you, and merry Christmas,” she said, far more perkily than she felt. He glanced at her over his shoulder, silently, and his expression chilled her to the bone. It was desolate, completely blank, lacking in any human warmth or optimism. I guess there are people out there who hate Christmas even more than I do, she thought. She threw her duffel bag over her shoulder and started walking.

She hadn’t been back to Northwood in almost 12 years, but she hadn’t forgotten the way. She passed through the dark, narrow streets that surrounded the dingy bus station, and quickly entered the heart of downtown. Her spirits lifted a little at the sight of the pretty town center. It wasn’t quite as she’d pictured it, the heavy snow covering every surface, transforming it into an alien world, but she still recognized it as the place where she’d felt happiest during her difficult and angst-ridden teens. Every residential window was illuminated with festive lights and decorations – the signs of cozy, loving homes. A huge Christmas tree stood in the middle of the central square, twenty feet tall and laden with baubles and tinsel. There was a tiny ice rink on one side of it where kids, well wrapped up in colorful scarves and coats, laughed and shrieked as they zoomed around chasing each other, knocking their friends over. Their parents watched them on the sidelines, glowing with pride. On the other side of the square was a German Christmas market, with bright stalls wafting delicious smells of mulled wine and sausages into the freezing air.

Noelle didn’t slow as she passed it. Christmas was for other people, people with normal lives. Not her. She turned onto a bustling street full of shoppers rushing to buy the last few gifts before the holidays, and followed it for ten minutes until the stores thinned out and it led to a quieter, suburban neighborhood. Her pulse quickened as she turned onto a narrow street and followed the house numbers, until she reached the one she’d been looking for: Number 34. A festive wreath decorated a white door that had been added since she’d last been there. She tried to remember the old door, but it was indistinct in her memory. She vaguely recalled her hand brushing some old, splintering wood and flaked red paint, but then the impression was gone again. Maybe that had been somewhere else – one of the many other places she’d lived in her teens.

She hung back, chewing her lower lip. No-one was expecting her, and although she’d been traveling all day to get there, she was now nervous to knock. Instead, she surveyed the front of the house. The small garden was transformed by a covering of snow – the lawn, the shrubbery and the potted plants, all concealed beneath a flawless white blanket. She’d played in that garden in summer many times, but it seemed unreal, like a snatch of somebody else’s memory had been implanted into her head. The window frame was new as well. It looked like an expensive job. The net curtains were closed, but they finished an inch above the windowsill, and there was a glow of orange light showing from inside the room. She crept closer, bending until it was at her eye level, and peered through cautiously. The sight of a human figure made her jerk backwards, as guiltily as a peeping Tom. I’ve got no reason to feel like this, she reminded herself, and looked again. It wasn’t either of her old foster parents. It was an elderly man, sitting in a rocking chair. He appeared to be asleep, a newspaper open on his lap. Who is it? She searched her memory. The parent of one of them? An uncle? She couldn’t recall anyone that he could feasibly be.

Her stomach tightening, she walked up to the front door. For a moment, she was tempted to walk away, but she’d come all this way. It would be stupid to leave without trying to see them. She lifted the knocker and rapped three times. It was an empty, hollow sound, seeming to echo into the quiet house. She waited, counting the seconds. At 71, heavy footsteps sounded in the corridor and the wreath trembled as the door was snatched open. A woman in her late forties, with tightly-curled brown hair, thin, compressed lips, and deep grooves running from her nose to the sides of her mouth looked out at her. Her eyes widened slightly as she discovered that she didn’t recognize the girl on the doorstep, and she twisted her lips into a polite smile.

“Can I help you?” she said. Noelle’s heart had sunk so heavily that she struggled to reply.

“I – I was looking for Mary-Alice and Bob,” she stuttered. The woman’s expression told her everything she needed to know.

“I’m sorry. There’s no-one of that name here,” she said.

“They used to live here. At least 12 years ago, but maybe more recently.”

“Oh, we’ve only been here for the past six months, and the previous owners had a different name. It must’ve been a while back.”

“Did they leave a forwarding address or anything?”

“No. I’m afraid not. We don’t even have the details of the previous owners. They got their mail redirected, and that was it.” Noelle took a deep breath, her head swimming. That’s it then. There was nothing else she could do.

“Thanks for your help,” she murmured, already turning away.

“Are you ok, dear?” the woman said, a flash of softness breaking through her brusque manner.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.” She turned and walked quickly away from the house and the street, for the very last time.

Noelle dug her nails into the palms of her hands to distract herself from the tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. What was I thinking? she demanded of herself, angrily. Of course they’ve moved on after 12 years. It was such a dumb idea to come here. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Just like every decision I’ve ever made. And, just like most of her decisions, she hadn’t thought it through for very long before she’d bought her ticket at a Greyhound bus station and boarded a bus for a six-hour journey to visit the foster parents she hadn’t been in touch with for years. She kicked at the snow as she walked. Why do I do these things? She asked herself. But she already knew the answer: it was desperation. Pure and simple. She’d had nowhere to go for Christmas, and she couldn’t bear to spend yet another Christmas day alone in her cold, draughty house share, the empty bedrooms reminding her that all her roommates had gone home to their loving families, or were snuggled up in ski cabins with their boyfriends and girlfriends.

She’d woken up that morning, looked at the big number 23 on her bedside calendar, staring at her mockingly, and known she had to leave. She’d had many foster parents during her childhood, most for short periods, in between longer spells at children’s homes, but Mary-Alice and Bob Ricard stood out as the kindest ones. She’d only been with them for four months. They specialized in taking children who were in crisis for short periods only, and their comfortably untidy house was always full to bursting. They’d let her stay as long as they possibly could, but then a longer-term home had been found for her, with an apparently nice, sweet couple. Who’d turned out to be anything but, she thought, grinding her teeth at the recollection. After she’d left the Ricards’ place, Mary-Alice had sent her a few letters, but Noelle had been so listless and miserable living with the new foster parents that she’d lacked the energy to reply, and the contact between them had ended. She wondered where they’d gone. Maybe they’d moved on to a bigger house so they could take more kids. It was crazy to think she could’ve stayed with them for Christmas anyway – they probably had every available sleeping spot filled with children who needed their care.

By now, Noelle was back in the town square, and the happy, festive scene was like a punch in the stomach. At the side of the market, a kid was having a screaming fit, throwing himself on the ground, while his parents stared at him exasperated, weighed down with bags of shopping. It was so unfair. There were all these people, stressed about the big day, probably freaking out that their turkey wasn’t going to be big enough, maybe wishing that they didn’t have to deal with the festive season at all, and here she was, she who loved Christmas more than anybody, having no-one to celebrate it with. Every year, she felt like a stray dog, out in the cold, with its nose pressed up to a window, watching everyone celebrating inside.

Noelle wandered aimlessly, not knowing what to do. She could wait for the next bus back to the town she now called home, but the thought of returning to her cold, lonely room made her shrivel up inside. Maybe she could find a motel or something. She was too cold to think logically. Her feet were freezing, and maybe damp as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise to find that she had holes in her boots.

She was now trudging along a wide, pedestrianized street. Most of the stores had Christmas trees in the windows and colored lights were strung from one side of the street to the other, reflecting red and blue and silver on the snow. Every festive symbol was a sharp reminder of how alone she was. She passed a café with a little blackboard outside advertising pumpkin spice lattes. That actually sounded really good, she thought. And she needed to warm up for a little while so her brain would thaw and start to work again.

There was a long line inside, but she didn’t care. Time didn’t have a lot of relevance right now. As she waited, she gazed straight ahead at nothing, trying not to think, just concentrating on the burn in her fingers and toes as they came to life again. It was a cozy place, with dim lighting, and tasteful festive decorations.

“What’s your name?” the chirpy clerk demanded, sharpie poised in hand as he took her order.

“Noe – Noemie,” she said. If she told him her name and he commented on it, as he was bound to, she might just fall apart. Turn into a puddle, right here on the floor.

“No-ay-mie,” he repeated slowly, spelling it just like that on the side of the cup. She was pretty sure that wasn’t how you spelled it, but whatever. She paid and as she took a step to the side to join the coffee-delivery line, she collided with someone, stepping right on their foot.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me,” a deep, masculine voice said, just as she opened her mouth to apologize. Something about the voice made her whip around, and she found she was staring at a dark green, rough cotton shirt. She raised her head another six inches and gazed directly into the most incredible eyes she’d ever seen in her life. They were large and almost black, with startling depth to them, and they were fringed by sooty black lashes.

“God, I’m sorry, it was my fault,” she said. Her gaze shot to his feet and she sighed in relief at the sight of a pair of steel toe-capped boots. She wasn’t a small girl by any means, but she was sure she hadn’t done him a lot of damage.

“No problem,” he said in a warm tone, and flashed her a smile of well-shaped lips and lovely, even teeth. He was gorgeous, she realized distractedly. She took a step back, he squeezed past her and they went on their way.

When Noelle’s coffee was ready, she took a seat at a table that looked right into the café, away from the plastic Christmas tree in the corner and the sickeningly festive scene visible from the windows. She’d also bought a turkey and cranberry sandwich and a slice of carrot cake – the first things she’d eaten since breakfast – and she devoured them in minutes, surprised that she’d been able to go for so long without food.

She wrapped her hands around her coffee and stared down at it miserably. She didn’t want to see the other people in the café, all the cute couples, comparing the gifts they’d bought. Right now, she felt like the loneliest person in the whole world. Christmas hadn’t always been this painful, which was exactly what made it so hard to deal with nowadays. When she’d been a little kid, it had been the happiest day of the year: her birthday and Christmas day all rolled into one. Her mom and dad always made a huge effort to mark it as a double celebration, saying it was important that her birthday didn’t get swallowed up by Christmas. When she woke up, there was always a stocking packed with thoughtful little gifts at the end of the bed, and a pile of birthday presents on the floor. Then downstairs was a giant tree with another pile of presents underneath. They’d have birthday cake in the afternoon before the Christmas dinner, and a few days later they’d have another celebration day, just for her birthday.

She was a generous-spirited kid, and she saved her pocket money for weeks before Christmas, buying her parents the best things she could think of, and she made them little handicrafts as well. Christmas day was playing with her new toys, and her mom helping her to make a snowman, while her dad cooked the turkey. Then they had a big lunch with her granddad and grandma, followed by snuggling on the couch, watching movies.

Then, when Noelle was ten, her mom and dad were killed in a car crash. Her grandma had a stroke two days afterwards, and her granddad was in no state to take care of her. And so began the endless cycle of foster homes and children’s homes. For the first two years, she was a mess, angry and uncontrollable, broken with grief. Then she met the couple who’d taken her in after Mary-Alice and Bob. To say that they were disciplinarians was an understatement. Their approach to her traumatized behavior was to beat it out of her. It had a profound effect on her, and she went from willful child to a subdued teen under their care. Observing the change in her, they declared their methods a success, as did the social worker who paid her occasional visits. But in reality, she was emotionally catatonic, her sadness like a solitary confinement. She sleepwalked her way through high school and moved out as soon as she was 18, to live with the first guy who showed her any kindness.

As soon as she moved in with him, his attitude changed, his occasional compliments melting away and being replaced by insults and criticisms. She’d always been self-conscious about her weight, but he made it much worse, calling her mean, disgusting things, breaking the final threads of her fragile self-esteem. The day he hit her was the day she left him. It was Christmas eve, five years ago, she recalled bitterly, and it was due to be their first Christmas together. She knew thing weren’t right between them, but she wanted it to work so badly. She’d bought a tree and decorations, and made lots of food. In the evening, he’d announced that he was going out with the guys. She asked him to spend the evening with her instead, and he’d backhanded her across the mouth. Somehow, it had woken her up to how toxic the situation was, and she’d walked out and checked into a motel, and spent Christmas day there, alone. Probably as she was going to do this year, she reminded herself.

In the past, she’d assumed that she’d meet someone one day, and get married, and she’d finally get to have the Christmases she’d dreamed of. But it hadn’t happened. She was alone, year after year, struck dumb with her gnawing loneliness. When she thought of herself as a little kid, how full of innocent joy she’d been, it shocked her. How is this my life? she wondered, so many times.

She sipped her coffee. It was good. Too good. It tasted like Christmas magic. She pushed it away, regretting having ordered it. And then the music changed from pop to a Christmas song – a perky, joyful number. Her stomach knotted and, to her embarrassment, she burst into tears. But they weren’t just tears, they were huge, gulping sobs, wracking her body. She hadn’t cried for years, ever since she left her ex-boyfriend. But today, everything had come to a head. She clamped one hand over her mouth and put the other one in front of her face, trying desperately to shield herself from the gaze of the other customers as she fought to get her sobbing under control. She jumped as a hand touched her gently on the shoulder.

“Ma’am, are you ok?” a soft, deep voice said. Keeping her hand over her mouth, Noelle looked up. The guy she’d bumped into minutes earlier was standing in front of her, proffering a napkin. His dark eyes were full of concern. She took the napkin, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose as discreetly as she could.

“I’m sorry,” she said in a trembling voice. “It was just the Christmas music. It gets me every time.” His brow furrowed.

“May I sit down? – That is, unless you’d rather be alone? I mean, I don’t want to intrude.” She was tempted to ask him to go away, to leave her alone in her misery, but something in his expression stopped her. He looked so kind, and worried about her.

“No, please sit,” she found herself saying, snuffling a little.

He took a chair opposite her, and gazed at her directly, but not in a nosy way.

“I kind of get the feeling that this is about more than a Christmas song, if you don’t mind my saying so.” She glanced at him and glanced away again, thinking how red and puffy her eyes must be.

“It’s a long story,” she said. He smiled at her, kind of lazily, as if he didn’t have anywhere in the world to be. He really was an extraordinarily handsome man.

“I’ve got some time,” he said with a shrug.

And she told him. She told him how her parents had died, and her grandparents had been too infirm to care for her, and how the system had let her down, abandoning her to abuse at the hands of the Herzogs. And she explained why she was here – in this little town that she used to know – chasing a relationship that she’d long since abandoned, due to her inability to stay connected with people. He listened attentively, his eyes becoming huge with sympathy, or his jaw tightening with anger as she related the different parts of the story.

“You’ve endured so much in your young life,” he said when she was done. “It hurts my heart to hear these things. Your name’s Noemie, right?”

“No. It’s Noelle actually – I just couldn’t deal with someone making yet another comment about it. And, yes I was born at Christmas – on December 25th.”

“It’s a beautiful name. I’m Granger.” He held his hand out and she took it. It was large, warm and a little callused. Fleetingly, she felt like she wanted to hold onto it and never let go. She looked at him more boldly, now that her tears had stopped. He had a dark buzz-cut and stubble on his jaw that was around the same length as the hair on his head. She also realized that he was wearing a military uniform. She’d kind of been aware of it earlier, but hadn’t consciously acknowledged it.

“Are you in the army?” she blurted out.

“Special Ops,” he said with a grin. “At least, I was. As of 12 hours ago, I’m now a civilian.”

“Wow. What happened?” she asked, instantly brightening. She was always happier when the focus of the conversation wasn’t directly on her. He rubbed the back of his head.

“I’ve done my time and requested a discharge,” he said with a grin.

“You seem happy about that?”

“I am. My parents hated me being in the military. At first, I hated it too. I went in when I was twenty, when I was young and stupid. I got caught by the cops in a car with open bottles of liquor and a whole pound of cannabis. I had the option of prison, or enlisting in the army for three years. Obviously, I took the latter option. The first six months were terrible, and I was always on punishment duties, but then I found that I excelled at the physical training and got put in this special division. I loved being a part of it and I actually ended up staying for an extra two years, but I’ve missed my family too much, and it’s time to go home.”

“That’s really nice,” Noelle said with a smile. “I’m sure they’ll be excited to see you.”

“Yup. They actually don’t know that I’ve been discharged. It’s like a Christmas surprise for them.” He blushed a little, making him look even more attractive.

“Wow, they’re lucky to have a son like you.” He gave a short laugh.

“Uh, especially as their other son isn’t exactly making them proud right now!”

“Oh – why?”

“He’s kind of gone missing. Taken off with his girlfriend. My parents don’t approve of him dating her. She’s the daughter of a family that lives nearby, and our two families have been at each other’s throats for years. My parents think she’s taking advantage of him and they’ve basically forbidden him to be with her. He was really mad at them, and he’s eloped with her.”

“Do you think she’s taking advantage of him?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never met her. All of this took place while I was away. My brother can be a little idealistic sometimes, but he’s a good guy. I guess I’d be surprised if he was with someone who wasn’t genuine. I guess I’ll find out.”

“And do you think he’ll come back in time for Christmas?”

“He will if I get my hands on him and drag him back home! That’s why I’m here actually. I’ve tracked him down to this town, and I’m pretty sure he’s here now. I just need to sniff him out.”

“Oh, so you’re not local?”

“No, I live in Richmond, a four-hour drive away.” Noelle gazed at him with interest, her misery pushed aside in favor of curiosity towards this heroic, kind man. Who also happened to be very attractive. She was used to good-looking guys being jerks, making snide comments, telling her she’d be ‘ok’ if she lost a few pounds. The hot guys at high school only ever thought about themselves, their cars, and the next girl they were going to fuck. But this complete stranger had shown her kindness, when he already had plenty of issues of his own to deal with.

“How did you figure out that he was here?” she asked.

“His credit card transactions. I guessed the password on his online banking account.” He shook his head and chuckled. “He didn’t make it very hard. That’s my brother though – he’s always been the trusting type.”

“Thank goodness he is, or you would never have been able to find him.”

Granger drank the last of his coffee and sighed.

“I guess I should get back to my hunt. I just stopped by here to refuel. It’s already been a long day.”

“Of course. I’m so sorry for bothering you with my problems,” Noelle said. He leaned forward in his chair and seemed to be about to take her hand, but stopped himself at the last moment, as if he’d remembered that he didn’t know her well enough to do that.

“Hey, listen to me: you weren’t bothering me at all, and I came over to see if you were ok in the first place. So if anything, I was bothering you.” She smiled at him.

“I’m very glad you did. You made me feel a lot better, truly.”

“I’m happy to hear that. You can speak to me anytime. Let me give you my number. Whenever you want to talk, you can just call me up. I’m here to listen.” Noelle took her phone out, hardly able to believe her ears. Guys just didn’t say things like that. But then, most guys weren’t national heroes either.

“Give me your number, and I’ll drop call it,” he said, and she did. “Now I’ve got yours too,” he said, without explaining why that might be an important thing. “What are you going to do now?”

“I don’t – I’ll be alright,” she corrected herself quickly. She had no right to burden this stranger with yet more of her problems.

“You were planning to spend Christmas with your foster parents, right?” She nodded. He stayed silent, tactfully avoiding giving voice to what they both knew was the truth of the matter: that she had nowhere to go for Christmas, at all. But his huge black eyes burned into hers, full of sympathy.

“Why don’t you come with me and help me track my wayward brother down?” Noelle blinked at him. He’s just being kind, surely. “To be honest, I’d really appreciate the company. It’s been a little lonely so far,” he continued. Her head spun. She had nothing else to do right now. Whatsoever. And she discovered that she didn’t want to leave this man’s company either. Being with him felt like sitting in a patch of sunlight on an otherwise cold day. She grinned.

“If you’re sure?”

“Absolutely. I’d also value your brainpower. I’m a little drained from my last assignment, and I feel like my mind’s not working at full capacity.”

“Sure, I can maybe help with that,” she said, sounding more confident than she had during the rest of the conversation. She had a natural talent for problem-solving. She was amazing at doing crosswords and Sudoku.

“So, what’s your next step?” she asked.

“Well, I know that he stayed in a hotel here in Northwood last night. I went there and showed the front desk clerk his photo and she also confirmed it, saying that he was with a petite, blonde girl. So I now have a description of his girlfriend too. But, they checked out because the hotel was fully booked for tonight, and I don’t know where he’s planning on staying. I’ve been checking his bank account regularly, but nothing new is showing up.

“What else have you been doing to look for him?”

“Uh, walking around the town endlessly, hoping to catch sight of him, and calling up the hotels, asking to speak to him. But no luck so far, and all the ones I’ve tried are booked out tonight, making me think he must’ve left already.”

“Do you think he has an ultimate destination in mind?”

“I just don’t know. At first I imagined that they were just running, to get away from our parents, but maybe there’s something they’re aiming for. It could even be a place that the girl knows.”

“Is there anywhere special that you used to visit as a kid? Any relatives or friends he could be hoping to stay with?”

“I’ve been thinking about that. We used to go on vacation on the west coast, but, for one thing, it’s in the wrong direction, and for another – ” He indicated the window right behind her. “It’s not exactly beach weather.” Noelle turned in her seat and saw that it had begun to snow again, flakes falling softly, drifting one way and another in a very light breeze. She shuddered, not looking forward to going back out there.

“Does he have a car?”

“Nope. And there are no transport tickets showing up in his bank account either, which makes me think he’s hitching.” He shook his head, frowning. “I mean, he’s a big guy and all, and he can take care of himself, but hitching – seriously? All it takes is one psychopath with a gun.”

“I’m sure he’s ok. Most people have good intentions. Especially at this time of year,” she said, attempting to reassure him, although she didn’t believe the words as she spoke them. That hadn’t been her experience of life so far, by any means.

Granger tapped the screen of his phone. “Let me check his account again.” She watched his face, seeing it fall as there were evidently no new transactions. He shook his head.

“Nothing. He also has some cash on him. He took out $200 two days ago, so there’s even a chance that he’s paid for a hotel in cash, which could make things more difficult.”

“Shall we go walk the streets again?” she said.

“Uh –” She followed his gaze towards the window. The snow was falling much faster now, as if it meant business. “I don’t think there’s much point right now. He could be anywhere. There’s no point us getting frostbite. How about we have another coffee and I call up the hotels again, seeing if I can get ahold of him?”

“I think that’s a good idea,” she said, getting out of her seat. “What can I get you?” He was up faster.

“No, I got it. Another pumpkin spice latte?”

“Please,” she said, a little startled. She watched his retreating figure, so tall and broad beneath his uniform. How does he know that’s what I’ve been drinking? she mused. She kept her eyes on him as he walked up to the counter and ordered. He moved confidently, easily. His body must be incredibly strong and muscular. He said he was part of an elite force. They probably had insane training schedules. It was hard to imagine him being in the military though. He seemed too nice and normal. She’d always imagined those guys as ruthless machines. She saw him joke with the barista, the girl’s face lighting up as he smiled at her, and a flicker of jealousy tightened her stomach. What? Why am I feeling like this? He’s just a stranger who’s shown me some kindness... Uh, because you’re attracted to him, doofus! the no-bullshit side of her character announced. I am; it’s true, she acknowledged. But how could she not be, really? He was absolutely gorgeous. Those eyes were just ridiculous. He looked at her so directly when they spoke, his gaze never wavering, and she felt like she could just drown in them. He had a lovely, broad jaw, and very kissable lips as well. She blushed. What was she thinking? He was so far out of her league. She didn’t have the right to be thinking those thoughts about him.

He was back. He’d brought real mugs instead of takeout cups.

“I thought I’d try one as well,” he said, placing the identical coffees on the table.

“Thanks!” she said. He dipped his head and brought the cup up to his mouth, pursing his lips and blowing on it gently. A tingle shot all the way through Noelle’s body, and she couldn’t help thinking how much she’d like to feel those lips against hers. Stop! she mentally ticked herself off.

“Mmm, delicious,” he said, his voice becoming a deep rumble.

“It’s my favorite.”

“I can totally see why you love it. The guys back at the base would kill themselves laughing if they saw me drinking it, but I don’t care. I think it’s my new favorite coffee!” Her gaze flickered all over his face. His overt masculinity made his soft side all the more appealing. “Oh, wait,” he said, as his eyes met hers. “You’ve got a little –” He reached out with a finger and brushed a fleck of foam off her nose.

“Oh.” She wiped her whole hand across her nose, giggling with embarrassment. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was cute.” She froze. What did he just say? She shot him a glance to figure out if he’d blurted it out without meaning to, but he seemed unconcerned, as relaxed as he’d been before.

“Do you always have a big family Christmas?” she asked. He leaned back in his chair and stretched.

“Yup. Mom, dad, me and Adam. Usually half the clan over as well. My mom’s a good cook, so they’re always scrabbling for an invite.”

“Clan?” she echoed. His face tightened a little, as if he realized that he’d said too much.

“Oh, our big family group. It’s pretty chaotic, really,” he said, in a dismissive tone. He took another sip from his coffee and then his lips parted, as if he was working out how to express the thought that was bouncing around in his mind.

“Christmas must be a difficult time for you,” he said at last. He watched her with wide, soft eyes. She sipped from her coffee, hiding her face in the large mug for a moment while she gathered her thoughts.

“It is. It’s hard not having a family to spend it with.”

“You came here specifically to spend it with your foster family?”

“Kind of. I hadn’t really thought it through in my mind. I just woke up this morning, looked around my room, and knew I couldn’t spend Christmas day there, so I jumped on the bus and went to visit them because they’d been so kind to me in the past. I usually spend the holiday period alone.” She stared down at the table, feeling like the biggest loser on earth.

“I’m sorry. No-one – and especially not someone as amazing as you – should have to spend Christmas alone.” She stared at him, startled.

“I’m not so amazing,” she said. “Where did you get that idea from?”

“You are. You’ve been through so much, and you’ve come out of it as a strong, good-hearted person.” She allowed herself a little smile.

“But how can you know this? You only met me a couple of hours ago.”

“Because I can see your soul,” he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “And I can see that it’s pure and genuine. Most people who’d had your experiences in life would’ve ended up being misanthropes, but I can tell that you’re keen to help other people. Like you’re helping me to find my brother.” She blushed at the intensity of his words.

“I – I guess you’re right.”

“Mm, so speaking of my brother, let me just check again.” He tapped on his phone.

“Oh – wait. It looks like he just purchased a Greyhound bus ticket. For $53.40.”

“I guess that could be two tickets for $26.70 as well.”

“And you’re smart too,” he said, smirking at her with a sideways glance. Ridiculously, her heartbeat speeded up, and her chest fizzed with adrenaline. She didn’t know why he kept complimenting her, but she liked it a lot.

“We should go to the Greyhound station right now. There’s a chance they could still be boarding the bus,” she said.

“Good idea.” He leapt to his feet. Do you know how to get there?”

“Yup. I’ve just come from it.”

“Of course. Let’s go.”

Noelle put her coat back on and followed Granger to the exit. As he opened the door, a blast of snowy air hit them in the face.

“Uh oh,” he said, closing it again. To her surprise, he reached for her hood and pulled it over her head, then fastened the top button of her coat, so the collar covered her mouth and nose. “There you go,” he said. She blinked as he fastened up the collar on his own heavy, military coat. He heaved the door open again, and they headed out into the snow.

“It’s basically this way,” she yelled over the howling wind, pointing across the street diagonally. “About ten minutes’ fast walk.”

“My car’s around the corner, but it might take longer to drive,” he yelled back.

“I think so. There’s a one-way system, and I don’t even know how it works.”

“Ok, let’s walk.” He headed off at a fast march, and Noelle struggled to keep pace with him. She slipped once, twice, and he looked back at her.

“Here, take my hand,” he said, holding it out to her. Without thinking twice, she grabbed onto it and clung on, not wanting to slow him down. The wind was raw on the exposed part of her face, and she shivered beneath her coat.

Chapter Two

In less than ten minutes, they were there. They ran into the drearily lit station and over to the bus bays. There were only two buses there, closed down, with their lights turned off.

“Damnit!” Granger exclaimed.

“Let’s speak to the clerk,” Noelle yelled, running to the ticket office.

“We’re looking for two friends of ours,” she blurted out. The clerk scowled, looking at her dully, as if that was the last thing she wanted to deal with.

“There’s a young guy, who looks a lot like me, a couple of years younger, with longer hair, and he’s with a small blonde girl,” Granger said, coming up behind Noelle. “We think they just boarded a bus here.” The clerk sighed.

“I can’t give out information about other passengers. It’s against the law.” She began to turn away from them.

“Please, it’s important!” Noelle exclaimed. The woman glared at her over the top of her glasses.

“I’m sorry. I can’t help you.” Granger sighed, a sound of total despondency.

“Could you at least tell us if any buses have left recently?” Noelle urged. The woman groaned, hauled her body around on a swivel chair and squinted at a computer screen.

“Three buses have left around 20 minutes ago. The destinations were New York, Seattle, and San Antonio.” Granger and Noelle shot each other worried glances. That left a lot of potential destinations.

“If I told you how much their tickets cost, could you tell me all the places they could’ve gone?” Noelle said, in her sweetest voice.

“I haven’t got all day to deal with you folks. I’m here to sell tickets. That’s all.” Noelle threw a glance over her shoulder. Apart from the two of them, the station was deserted. It was hardly like they had an impatient line of people waiting behind them. Some people were just born mean.

Granger stepped forward. He’d opened his coat and he put his hands on his hips, allowing the military badge on his shirt to come into view.

“Ma’am, this is official United States Army business,” he said. “And we’d be very grateful if you could help us on our way.” He flashed the woman a charming smile and she immediately transformed, her dull skin pinking and her eyes blinking fast. She gave a sharp, nervous nod. “Do you remember if two people matching the description we’ve just given you bought tickets here?”

“I do, vaguely, but I didn’t get their names, I’m sorry.”

“That’s ok. Can you recall what bus they left on?”

“No. Everything’s the same here. After a while you do your job on autopilot, hardly taking notice of anything that’s going on.” Noelle began to feel a twinge of pity for the woman. Her job wasn’t any fun. There was a sad, plastic Christmas tree sitting behind her in the booth, a string of tinsel hanging off it limply.

“Do you charge a booking fee here?”

“Not at the counter.”

“So if I told you that the tickets cost either $26.70 each, or $53.40 each, can you look through your recent transactions and let us know the destinations?” The woman shook her head. “We don’t have access to that information. Once the transaction’s complete, that’s it. They like to keep it real simple for us here.”

“Can you tell me all the possible destinations with those ticket prices?”

“Let me see. It might take a while.”

“That’s ok, ma’am,” Granger said, flashing that smile again, and Noelle could swear she saw the woman’s pupils dilate. She didn’t blame her. Just being in Granger’s presence was making her a little weak at the knees.

“This is positive,” Noelle whispered to him. “It’s safe to say that your brother is definitely on a bus to somewhere right now, so it looks like he’s got a plan in mind, and he’s not aimlessly hitchhiking.”

“You’re right,” Granger said, the muscles in his face relaxing. “It is good news.”

“Ok,” the woman cut in. “So there’s no fare of exactly $53.40. There are three possible destinations with a fare of $26.70 originating from this station though. There’s Coleman, Nolan, and New York.”

“New York?” they repeated.

“How can you get all the way to New York for $26?” Granger exclaimed. The woman shrugged.

“It’s a seasonal promotion. Blame Christmas.” Granger put his hands on his head, rubbing at his buzz-cut.

“And you honestly can’t recall which of those buses they took?”

“I can’t, sir. I am sorry.” Her face had lost its bitter expression now, and Noelle knew that she was telling the truth.

“That’s ok, thanks for all your help.”

“Merry Christmas to you, sir, ma’am.” They wished her the same, and stepped away from the counter.

“Would your brother go to New York?” Noelle asked. Granger groaned.

“He might. He’s never been before, and I know he’s always had this really idealized impression of it.” He pressed his lips together. “If he’s gone there, there’s no way we’re – no way I’m – going to be able to find him. It’s been hard enough in small-town USA, never mind one of the biggest metropolises in the world.”

“How about the other destinations – how far away are they?” They pulled their phones out and looked up Coleman and Nolan.

“Three and four hours, respectively. Probably an extra hour on the bus at least,” he said.

“Is there any reason why they’d be going there?”

“None that I can think of. I’d never even heard of those places until five minutes ago.”

“So, I guess your options include picking one of the directions and following the bus.” Granger shook his head.

“And go off on a wild-goose chase in the middle of a blizzard? No, I think I’ll leave my idiot brother for a few hours, and wait to see if he checks in anywhere.”

“Makes sense.”

They stood side by side and looked out at the worsening weather. The snow was coming even faster now, in sheets of gray sleet. Noelle’s mind was racing. What now? She’d loved being in Granger’s company, despite the stressful circumstances, but now there was no reason for her to be there. She hated the thought of walking away from him. Not because she was lonely, but because she had a powerful urge to stay in his company; to keep looking at and talking to this incredible man.

Granger turned his head towards her and she felt his eyes on her face.

“Are you ok?” he said, his voice tense. “I’m sorry, I should’ve left you in the café where it’s warm, instead of dragging you out in this blizzard. I was just so stressed about my brother that I wasn’t thinking.” Noelle bit her lip, a little stung.

“Don’t be silly, I wanted to come with you and try to help you find him,” she replied. She met his eyes, and he smiled at her, his expression full of warmth.

“And you’ve helped me a lot. I wouldn’t have been able to get the answers out of that mean-spirited woman without your quick thinking!” he said. “So, from a purely selfish point of view, I’m really glad you were here.” She stared at him wordlessly. There seemed to be something more to what he was saying, but she couldn’t figure out what it was.

“I’m thinking that we should find ourselves someplace to sleep tonight,” he said with a laugh, indicating the fast-falling snow. Her heart skipped a beat. Is he saying we should stay at the same place? He began tapping an app on his phone.

“Oh. Apparently there’s nowhere to stay, in the entire town. Not even this really crummy motel that I passed earlier. Looks like we may have to battle the elements and stay a little further afield.” He returned to the app, frowning very cutely as he scrolled up and down.

“This is the one,” he said at last, and held the phone out to her triumphantly. The screen showed a photo of a wood-cabin style hotel, little orange lights glowing from the windows. He swiped on the photo, revealing a series of cute bedrooms. “It’s a 30-minute drive away.”

“It looks lovely,” she said, which was an understatement. If she was going to design her own hotel, that’s exactly how it would look. It also looked like it might be very expensive. He scrolled down the page.

“Oh. Apparently it only has one double room left. Damn. Let me call them real fast and see if that’s actually true.”

Noelle waited while he spoke on the phone.

“So, they do only have one room left, but it’s a big double, with a pullout couch.” His expression was a little anxious. “Shall we keep looking?”

“No, I’m happy to share,” she said. Although he was a virtual stranger, she found herself trusting him, as if they’d known each other for a long time.

“Are you sure? I mean, I’ve spent the last five years sharing some pretty close quarters with other guys, so it’s normal for me, but I appreciate that you may not be used to it.” He regarded her intensely, as if he was trying to read her thoughts. He’s thinking of me as one of the guys? Inexplicably, she felt a little offended. Then she mentally shook herself. This is a good thing, she reminded herself. It’s far more reassuring than if he’d made some creepy comment about him being a man and her being a vulnerable woman.

“It’s totally fine by me,” she said. “I never had my own room when I was growing up, so it’s pretty normal for me as well.”

“Great!” he said with a grin. “Apparently I snore a little, but it’s not too bad.”

“That’s ok, I’ve been known to snore on occasion myself.” she said, and, to her amazement, he looked quite impressed.

“So, I have more good news – the hotel has its own restaurant, and it’s supposed to be really good, which means that we don’t need to battle the snow twice, looking for a separate place to eat.”

“That’s awesome!”

“Isn’t it! Ok, wait right here, and I’ll be back with the car in about ten minutes,” he said.

“It’s fine, I’ll come too. I don’t want to make you drive back here –” she started to say, but Granger was already running out into the storm.

She sat down on one of the chipped metal benches lining the walls and waited.

After a few minutes, a mean little voice in her head piped up: he’s not coming back. That was his plan all along: to trick you and run away.

“No, he wouldn’t be that cruel,” she murmured to herself. Ok, it wasn’t his plan, but he changed his mind when he got in the car and realized what an effort it would be to have you around, the voice persisted.

“Nice boyfriend you’ve got,” a voice called out of the silence. She turned her head. It was the woman in the ticket booth. Noelle stood up to reply to her.

“Oh, he’s not my boyfriend,” she said. “We’re just acquaintances.”

“Not from where I’m standing,” the woman said, with a tight little laugh. “If you ask me, he’s got a real thing for you.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, moved out of the woman’s view. There was something unsettling about her; she was the sour old woman that Noelle could see herself becoming only too easily. She stamped up and down in a small circle. The hall was cold and her feet were going numb again. She sat down and looked at a big clock high on the wall, the second hand ticking around dismally. More than fifteen minutes had gone already. How long should she wait before realizing that he definitely wasn’t going to come back?

Chapter Three

Granger parked his SUV outside the bus station and dashed back into the building through the heavy snow. When he saw the petite, curvy girl bundled up in her huge winter coat on one of the bus station’s ugly chairs, his heart leapt. It had taken him a little longer to drive there than he’d expected, and he’d been worrying that she’d be gone by the time he got back. What if she’s nervous about sharing a room with you, and she’s decided to make her own arrangements? a little voice in his head said. What if a bus came and she decided to jump on it, and try to find herself a happier life someplace else? Granger wasn’t usually the kind of guy to be plagued by anxieties, but then, he’d never met a girl who’d affected him like Noelle. She was amazing – so smart, genuine and lovely to be with. And she’s your mate, his bear told him, loud and clear.

But there she was – her long chestnut hair swinging in front of her face, obscuring her wide-set, clear gray eyes. She looked so vulnerable. Every fiber in his body wanted him to sweep her up into his arms, protect her, look after her forever, and make sure that she never suffered pain or loneliness ever again.

“Sorry it took so long!” he called, running over to her and grabbing her duffel bag. “I had to drive real slow because of the poor visibility. It looks like our journey up the mountain might take a smidgen longer than half an hour!”

“That’s ok!” she said, getting to her feet and giving him the most beautiful, radiant smile he’d seen in his entire life. “I’m just glad you’re here.”

“Where else would I be?” he replied, a rush of euphoria making him a little light-headed. He’d never been so happy to be in someone’s company before. Just being in Noelle’s presence made him feel like the sun had come out and birds were singing in the trees.

“You might want to put your hood up again,” he yelled as they ran out of the door and sprinted for the car. Noelle gasped as she jumped in and closed the door.

“Oh my god. It is INSANELY cold!” she exclaimed, rubbing her hands together.

“I hope the hotel has good heating,” he said, starting up the engine and pulling out of the parking lot.

Thankfully, the snow eased off during the journey and they chatted as Granger followed the sat-nav’s directions. He asked her all about her life and her job, wanting to know everything about her.

“It’s a dead-end job, like many others I’ve had. I work as a proofreader for an online magazine.”

“That sounds interesting,” he offered.

“It’s kind of dull. But I like the way the work’s predictable. I don’t have to deal with stressful meetings. I get to work from home a lot too.” He sensed that she appreciated not having to be around people too much, that strangers presented a threat to her, and he was all the more touched that she’d trusted him enough to be in his car, and stay in the same hotel room as him. He shot quick glances at her when he thought she wasn’t looking. She did trust him. She was a tiny presence on his car seat, but he sensed that she’d unfurled; the anxiety that had shown in her eyes, in she way she’d held herself, had gone, and she seemed softer, glowing.

“What’s it like being in the army?” she asked, quickly turning the conversation back to him. He gulped. How to describe the army. There were so many things to say about it. And it was hard for civilians to appreciate it, however much he tried to explain.

“It’s kind of relentless. Like you’re never really off duty. It can be scary, and beyond exhausting. It’s often hard to see the big picture, when you’re based in one place, and you’re following or issuing orders.”

“You were so brave, choosing to fight for your country,” she said.

“I didn’t start off as a brave soldier. I was just a normal – albeit immature – guy when I signed up. But I did become one over the years. I can honestly say it’s changed me for the better. It can also be fun being in the army. The comradeship is great. But for me, nothing compares to being at home with my family.”

After twenty minutes of driving, he turned a sharp right and began to climb. The road was very icy, even for the powerful wheels of his car, and they slowed to a crawl.

“It’ll be worth it when we get here,” he said, sensing that Noelle was becoming tense again. He sniffed with his highly-sensitive bear nostrils. It was more than tension; he picked up the unmistakable scent of fear. Her parents had died in a car crash. Maybe on a mountain road. “The car’s really safe, don’t worry. And I’m a sensible driver,” he continued. She made a small sound – an acknowledgement of what he was saying, or fear, he wasn’t sure which.

At last, the cabin swung into view, and she gave a little sigh. The sharp scent evaporated, replaced by her natural sweet smell.

“Safe now,” he muttered.

“Thank you,” she said simply.

The hotel looked exactly as it did in the photos. Soft orange lights shone from the ornate, wooden-framed windows, reflecting onto the snow, and the roof and gables had a pretty white frosting. Holly and ivy decorated every window, and there was a fir tree at the side of the front door, lit up with fairy lights. It was the perfect winter log cabin.

“I’ve got to say that I’m pretty excited to have some comfort and good food,” he said. “Army rations can be a little basic.”

“Me too!” she said. “I don’t even know the last time I stayed in a hotel.”

They crunched through the snow to the entrance of the hotel, and the owner met them at the door. She had curly gray hair and twinkling blue eyes.

“Welcome!” she said. “Gosh, you poor dears must be freezing! I’ve got a little something to warm you up while we get you checked in.” She went over to a big urn and ladled out two little cups of mulled wine, and handed them one each. It smelled delicious, and it tasted even better, immediately warming him all the way down to his belly.

“Now, you folks said that you needed the pull-out couch making up?” she said, looking at them shrewdly, as if she didn’t really believe that they weren’t a couple.

“Yeah,” he replied, a little regretfully.

“That’s no problem at all. I’ll get that done for you while you’re having dinner. Apart from that, I think we’re all set. Here’s your key to room 23. Let me know if you need anything at all, and I hope you have lovely stay here!”

They thanked her and headed up a rustic flight of stairs. Granger turned the key in the door and swung it wide open.

“Welcome to our abode!” he said, his joviality attempting to hide a burst of nerves. Noelle gasped.

“This is so lovely!” she said, walking into the room and looking around. The mulled wine had brought some color to her cheeks and brightened her eyes. There was a huge four-poster bed, wooden paneling on the walls, and cozy rugs all over the floors. A realistic-looking electric fire was burning in the hearth, and there was even a mini Christmas tree in the room, twinkling with fairy lights and baubles. The bathroom was large and beautiful, and even the sofa looked very comfy – a big improvement on the motel beds he’d slept in for the past couple of days, and a huge upgrade from his army cots.

Granger dumped Noelle’s bag and his army-issue backpack on a chair.

“I’m starving!” he announced. He could smell the food cooking in the restaurant, and it was making him salivate. “Do you want to freshen up before we eat?”

“Just for two minutes,” she said, and dived into the bathroom.

“Take your time,” he called. He went to the window and looked out at the snow. When he’d woken up this morning, he’d never dreamed that his day would end with him still not having found his errant brother, but instead sharing a hotel room with a beautiful woman who, according to his bear, was the one he’d been looking for all his adult life.

Fate works in very mysterious ways, he thought. Three hours ago, he’d wanted to strangle his brother for all the stress he’d caused their parents, but now he only wanted to hug him for having brought Noelle to him. He hadn’t realized she was his mate when he first saw her in the café; she was just a pretty girl who’d trod on his toe with her tiny foot. And then when he saw that she was crying, he’d been acutely aware of her distress and just wanted to comfort her. It was only when they were chatting a few minutes later that he felt like he’d been struck by a comet.

He turned as she came out of the bathroom. She looked even prettier than before. Her sweet full lips were redder, and her eyes looked darker, kind of smoky and seductive. Her hair also looked really soft and silky. He wondered what it would feel like curling around his fingers.

“Ready,” she said with a smile.

The restaurant was small and cozy, with red corduroy banquettes, a fireplace, wood paneling, and lots more Christmas decorations. They were one of three couples, being served by the husband of the woman who’d checked them in. As he brought the menus, the snowstorm started up again, and they shuddered, happy to be warm and comfortable, feeling the heat of the open fire while the wind howled outside.

“This is so great,” Noelle said, the candlelight reflecting in her eyes, turning them into huge bright pools. She suddenly looked as happy and carefree as a child.

“And I’ve got a feeling the food’s going to be even better,” he said, scanning the menu eagerly.

“Wow, you can even have an entire Christmas dinner – turkey, stuffing, potatoes, carrots, brussels sprouts. It’s probably a bit much, though.” She laughed, guiltily, self-consciously, for a reason that he couldn’t understand. But he could tell that she really wanted to order it, despite her reluctance.

“Come on, I think we’ve earned it. It’s been a tough day for both of us,” he said. She turned her glowing eyes on him, an impish smile creeping to her lips.

“Ok,” she said. “You’re right.”

“Two Christmas dinners,” Granger said to the waiter as he arrived. “And do you like wine? Red? White?”

“Red,” she said.

As they closed their menus, it occurred to him that she probably hadn’t had too many real Christmas dinners, and it saddened him.

“I have feeling your mom makes good Christmas dinners,” she said brightly.

“Yeah, the best. She’s a great cook. I actually haven’t been home for Christmas for three years though, so it’s been a long time since I’ve had one.”

“Were you on deployments?”

“Yup. It wasn’t so bad though. The army puts on some entertainment for us, and we have turkeys shipped in. Although, the chef has to work with what he has, usually out in the desert!”

“That must be interesting!”

“Uh huh. Everything you eat in the army somehow ends up tasting the same, no matter what it is and how it’s cooked.”

“That sucks. I don’t think I could cope with that. I love food too much, as you can see from looking at me.” He frowned.

“What do you mean?” She gave him an odd smile, the look his army buddies gave him when he failed to get an in-joke from a TV show.

“I mean that I’m overweight,” she said at last, her cheeks warming. He blinked.

“What? No, you’re not. You’ve got the most perfect body ever.” Her eyes widened, and she laughed dryly.

“Come on, you know that’s not true.” He was temporarily rendered speechless. Her body was absolutely stunning – what the guys at the base would call ‘smoking’. She had lush curves – full breasts, with a deep cleavage that he’d been trying his hardest not to stare at all day, and wide, round hips. Her generous thighs and plump, round ass were encased in tight black jeans that showed them off to perfection. Every time he looked at her, he had to silence the purrs that his bear was fighting to let out. It kept urging him to seduce her, to claim her. But that wasn’t going to happen. She was obviously in a vulnerable position, and there was no way he was going to take advantage of that.

“I’m being honest, Noelle. I don’t want to sound like a perv, but purely objectively, if I had to describe my ideal body type, it would look a lot like yours.” Now her cheeks went from pink to red and even her chest flushed. She looked totally adorable, but he felt a little bad at making her self-conscious.

“Well, thanks for the compliment,” she said. Mercifully, the server brought the wine over. Granger suggested she tasted it, and she said it was good. They had huge balloon glasses that intensified its warm, spicy aroma.

“I think I’m getting a little tipsy already,” Noelle said after a couple of sips. He saw that she was relaxing a little more, that the barrier that had surrounded her before, like an electric fence, was starting to drop.

“Mmm, me too. It’s always the way when you’ve had a hard day, isn’t it?” She nodded.

“Yeah, it is, but I thought that was just me.” She gave him an intense look, as if she was bursting to ask him something.

“Do you often go rescuing damsels in distress in cafes?” she said suddenly, her lips curling with suppressed amusement.

“No, first time ever. I’m actually not great at approaching strangers. I think I just acted spontaneously. If I’d had time to think about it, I would probably have decided that it was none of my business, and just felt bad for you from a distance. My mom says I’m far too well-mannered for my own good.” She smiled.

“In that case, I’m glad you got over your manners today. Not least that you got the opportunity to try a pumpkin spice latte for the first time!”

“Yeah, that was definitely the highlight,” he said, returning her smile. She stared down at her wine glass, spun it around on the table.

“I don’t normally go crying in cafés, honestly. That was also my first time.”

“I don’t blame you for being upset back there.”

“I do. I’m a big girl now. And I’ve realized that I need to get my shit together, and not go off on random escapades. That’s going to be my new year’s resolution.”

“Sounds like a good one,” he said, impressed by the determination in her voice.

“Well, it’s long past due. And what about you – what are your resolutions?”

“Everything is new for me now,” he said with a grin. “I have to find a new career, a place to live.” A mate, he almost said, before he managed to stop himself.

“And what are you going to do for work now?”

“I haven’t decided 100%, but I think I’m going to make my dad happy and join his family business in forest conservation. I used to be part of the local volunteer fire service too, so I’ll probably put some additional hours into that. I think my leadership skills could be valuable, and it’s good to give something back to the community.”

“That sounds great,” she said, leaning closer to him. “I think you’re inspiring me to make the career change I’ve secretly craved for a long time.”

“What are you thinking about doing?” She pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling, very cutely.

“I think I’ve always wanted to help people, but I felt like I didn’t have the right. You know, because I’ve had a few issues in my life.”

“Of course that shouldn’t stop you. What happened to you was terrible, and there was nothing you could do to help it. Compare that with me – I was a stupid kid who chose to go smoking marijuana, and I still managed to grow into a responsible adult. The power to change your life lies within you.” She nodded.

“You’re right. I think deep inside, I did know that. I just needed to hear someone else vocalize it.”

“Everyone needs a little guidance sometimes.”

The food arrived, and it looked and smelled incredible. Granger had to contain his urge to devour it, much to his bear’s disgust. The past five years had been very hard for his bear. At times, he’d been for weeks without shifting, because it was just impossible in the desert, living in exposed spaces with enemy insurgents everywhere. For a bear, this was the equivalent to being bed-bound. And now it knew that he was going home, he could barely contain its instincts.

“This is amazing,” Noelle said.

“It is,” he agreed.

Some music came on – a Christmas carol.

“Silent night,” she murmured. “I don’t know many carols, but I know that one. “I used to sing it at elementary school.”

“I know it too,” he said, assessing her expression. She looked happy, a little wistful, but not pained. He decided to give voice to the idea that had been occupying him ever since they were in the bus station.

“I’d really like it if you came to spend Christmas with me and my family,” he said. She put her fork down and blinked several times, then her eyes widened.

“Won’t I be intruding on your family reunion?”

“Not at all. I guarantee that you’ll be joining several other waifs and strays. There will definitely, definitely be several people that I don’t know there.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely. I’m sure I’ll walk in and someone will ask me how I know the clan!” she laughed.

“Your family sounds like fun!”

“They are. They’re real relaxed.”

“Are you sure you want me there? You’re not just being nice?”

“Hell no. I’d love for you to be there!” he almost shouted. Her face lit up.

“In that case, I’d love to come!” He had the strongest urge to lean forward and kiss her, but he managed to hold himself in check. Instead, he lifted his glass in a toast.

“To a very merry Christmas,” he said, and they clinked glasses.

“Thank you for everything, Granger,” she said.

“It’s my pleasure, Noelle,” he replied happily.

They ate their fill, even Granger not managing to clear his plate, and then the mood altered subtly in each of them, and they leaned close, chatting constantly. Excitement fizzed through Granger’s veins. He couldn’t wait to take Noelle home and introduce her to his family. His parents had always pushed him and his brother to find a human mate rather than another shifter, and he knew they’d just love Noelle. And maybe, just maybe, amid the fun and comfort of being with his clan, he might be able to seduce her into becoming his mate.

He excused himself to got to the bathroom. When he came back, Noelle was playing with a candle, flicking at the flame.

“Like playing with fire?” he asked. She withdrew her hand, guiltily.

“Sorry, bad habit. I was one of those kids who was always playing chicken on railway lines. Now I restrict myself to avoid being burned by a candle.”

“You were a wayward kid, huh?”

“Yeah, kind of. I had plenty of bad habits.”

“Let me see that finger.” He reached out and took her hand, and as their fingers touched a jolt of electricity seemed to leap between them. Noelle stared at him, obviously as startled as he was. “You’ve singed your nail a little.”

“Uh huh. That’s the point where I usually stop.” He shook his head. “What other stuff did you get up to?” She sighed.

“Gosh. Plenty. For a long time, I was real angry at the world. I used to run around with other disaffected kids from the children’s home. For one thing, I was a Christmas saboteur. I used to steal decorations from outside people’s houses. I was always throwing hard, icy snowballs at windows and people, and I used to kick over snowmen. I really wasn’t very nice.”

“Sounds like very understandable behavior,” he said, but the color had gone from her cheeks.

“Oh my god, I’m sorry. I don’t even know why I told you that stuff. I wouldn’t do anything like that now.” He grinned.

“Of course you wouldn’t. In the same way that I wouldn’t sit in Johnno’s car, getting high with him and Andy. And when Adam and I were kids, we were horrible to his girlfriend’s clan. Our families have been sworn enemies for years, and our parents brought us up to be hostile to them. We were always doing pranks, and they’d get revenge on us, and we’d go back and do something else to them.”

“Sounds like the Capulets and the Montagues.” He laughed.

“Yeah, I’m sure my brother and his girl are a regular Romeo and Juliet. Anyway, my point was that stupid shit you do as a kid has no bearing on your life as an adult. As long as you don’t kill someone or something, I think you can always make good.” She nodded.

“Sometimes I feel like I was the person I was supposed to be when I was small, and then I became somebody else for a while. Now, I’m just trying to remember who that person was.” At her words, a wave of tenderness washed over him. More than anything, he wanted to help this fascinating woman to rediscover herself. But he wasn’t about to scare the hell out of her by telling her that. Instead, he took his phone out to distract himself from saying something stupid.

“Speaking of my dear brother – it looks like he’s arrived someplace.”

“Great! So he’s not on his way to New York!”

“Nope! Guess where he is?”

“Umm, Coleman?”

“Right! You’re a good guesser.”

“Ah – if it was Nolan, he’d still be on the bus for another hour.”

“Right. I knew that.” They met each other’s eyes and burst out laughing. “I blame the wine.”

“Uh huh.” His heart warmed with affection. He loved that she was a little snarky, not afraid to make a joke at his expense. “So, what’s the story – has he checked into a hotel?”

“Unfortunately not. He’s just spent $15.68 at a convenience store.”

“Oh.” Her face fell. “Maybe he’s still on his way to a hotel.”

“Mmm. I just hope Coleman has more beds than Northwood and he’s not hiking around in the cold, unable to find anywhere, and freezing that poor girl’s ass off.”

“I’m sure he’ll find somewhere. There must be a reason why he picked such an obscure town. And at the very worst, the Greyhound station stays open all night.”

“You’re right. And this is good news. As long as we set off good and early tomorrow morning, there’s a decent chance we’ll catch him there.”

“That sounds like a smart plan.”

Just then, the server came over with the dessert menus.

“I’m pretty stuffed, but I have a hard time saying no to a crème brûlée,” Granger said. Noelle bit her lip.

“Me too.” He gave her a sly look.

“Shall we go halves?”

“Yes, let’s!”

The waiter brought two spoons when he delivered the dessert a few minutes later. Shyly at first, they each dug in, the small spoons clinking together.

“This is amazing!” Granger proclaimed. “I’ve got a bit of a sweet tooth, and I was dreaming about this when I was lying on my army cot, listening to a sandstorm blowing outside.” She giggled.

“And now you’re eating it, sitting with a strange girl, listening to a snowstorm blowing outside.” He grinned.

“You’re not that strange.”

“Neither are you.” They held each other’s gaze for a long moment.

They finished every delicious mouthful of the dessert, Granger delighting in the evident pleasure that Noelle took from food. He looked at his watch.

“I guess we’d better turn in, to make sure we’re in Coleman in time to apprehend my brother tomorrow, wherever he might be.”

“Sure – so we should leave around 6, I guess?” He sighed.

“I guess so. I thought I’d left inhumanly early starts behind when I left the army, but it doesn’t seem like it. Still, it’s only 10pm now. Enough time for seven hours sleep.”

“Works for me!” she said brightly.

As the server came, Noelle snatched the check and insisted on paying the whole thing. Granger argued, but she was adamant, and eventually, he gave in, knowing that she needed to feel that she was contributing her share and wasn’t just getting a free ride.

They lingered at the table, Granger reluctant to end the meal. It had felt so much like a date, and he was so enchanted by this beautiful woman. He was also nervous about going back up to their room, and spending the night sleeping in close proximity to her. It was becoming harder and harder to conceal his desire for her, and he barely trusted his bear to be be alone with her. But they had to sleep.

At last, they pushed their chairs back and stood up.

Chapter Four

Noelle climbed the stairs ahead of Granger on shaky legs. Her heart was hammering at the thought that they were going to sleep in the same room. Her attraction for him was so strong that she felt like she’d been acting weird throughout the meal, cracking stupid jokes and barely able to meet his eyes. And he’s invited me to his family’s place for Christmas! Her heart hopped and skipped and jumped every time the thought zipped through her brain. He was the kindest, most generous guy she’d ever met in her life. And he was so charming too. As they’d been talking, he’d made her feel like she was the most interesting girl in the world. Girls must fall at his feet. But he had to be single, right? He wouldn’t take me back if he already had a girlfriend waiting to see him. Unless his girlfriend was so cool and beautiful that she never felt insecure about anything. Yeah, that’s probably what she was like. Statuesque and blonde, with a sunny, generous nature.

At the top of the stairs, she couldn’t remember which direction their room was in.

“Is it left or right here?” she said turning to Granger. As she did, she caught his gaze flicking upward. Was he just looking at my ass? No. I just imagined it, she told herself. But still, the thought that he might have been checking her out made her tingle.

“It’s left,” he called with a laugh.

“Room 23 – that’s it,” she muttered.

As they entered the room, she saw that the sofa bed had been made up. She went over and dumped her bag on it.

“No way,” he said. “You’ll be sleeping right over here.” He pointed to the bed.

“But –”

“No buts. I’m serious. You’re taking the bed and that’s it.” She looked at him, knowing that they could argue all night and the end result would be the same.

“I’m just not comfortable taking this huge bed while you sleep on a couch,” she said. “How about we share the bed. I think it’s even two singles combined.” He lifted the comforter.

“I think you might have a point,” he agreed. He was quiet for a moment, and Noelle tensed. Does he really hate the thought of sharing a bed with me that much? “Ok, I guess we can share. I’m having my own blankets though. I can tell that you’re the kind of girl who steals them,” he said. She shrugged.

“Whatever you need to feel comfortable,” she replied pertly. He pushed the comforter and blankets onto one side of the bed, then took the set from the sofa bed and dumped them on the other.

“My side,” he proclaimed.

“Well, then I get to use the bathroom first.”

“Deal.”

When Noelle came back from the bathroom, the room felt a lot colder than before.

“It’s freezing!” she exclaimed.

“I was just thinking the same thing.” Granger went over to one of the radiators and touched it. “It’s almost cold.” Noelle touched another one and another.

“Same.” Granger picked up the phone and called down to reception.

“They’re saying the boiler’s broken. Something to do with the snowstorm.”

“God! That sucks. But at least we’ve got the electric fire,” she said.

“Right. And the blankets should be pretty warm. Hey, you’re shivering. I’ll go in the bathroom now and give you a moment to get ready.”

When Granger had shut the bathroom door, Noelle stood beside the bed rummaging in her duffel bag. She wasn’t one for wearing pajamas, preferring a long t-shirt instead. And it looked like she hadn’t even remembered to bring that with her. She could stay in her jeans, but that would be weird and uncomfortable. She’d just have to sleep in her underwear and t-shirt. She pulled her jeans off quickly, laid them right beside the bed in case she needed to go to the bathroom during the night, and climbed into bed. She peeled her sweater off, which left her in her t-shirt, and then hesitated, trying to decide whether to remove her bra. Her breasts were so big. It seemed kind of indecent to let them loose when she was in bed with him. On the other hand, her bra was unbelievably uncomfortable to sleep in, and always managed to twist around and stab her in the armpits. She lifted her hand to the clasp at the back and unfastened it, feeding the straps through her arms, and lifting the whole thing off. Not knowing what to do with it now, she put it under her pillow.

Just as she was tucking the covers up to her chin, and now shivering violently, Granger came out of the bathroom.

“Wooh, it’s icy in there,” he said. “I’m surprised the water in the taps isn’t freezing!” Noelle stared at him, her mouth falling open. He was wearing a pair of plaid pajama pants. And nothing else. His body was unreal. It was a honed, sculpted mass of muscular perfection. His chest was broad, with strongly defined pecs, and he had rippling, washboard stomach muscles and ridges of muscle that disappeared diagonally into the waistband of his pants. She’d only seen a physique like that in magazines, and she’d never really believed that they existed in real life. His chest was quite hairy, with a dark line of hair wandering past his navel and turning into a sexy treasure trail; and his skin was darkly tanned. She thought about the hours of military training that must have gone into building a body like that, and she was impressed all over again. And turned on. God, she was getting aroused just looking at him. He didn’t seem to be aware of her fixated gaze though, as he flipped the covers back and climbed in. He shivered for a little while until the comforter warmed him up.

“Are you warm enough?” he asked, turning onto his side so he was facing her. She turned to face him too. It was an automatic movement, but it felt natural somehow. She picked up the scent of mint mouthwash, and her eyes were drawn like a magnet to his pale-pink, incredibly kissable lips. If they each moved a dozen inches, they’d be kissing. The thought made her breath catch in her throat. She yearned for him to take her in his arms and kiss her, to suffuse her body with his warmth.

“Yes, although I’m sure I can see my breath in the air right now,” she said.

“I’d offer to give you a bear hug to warm you up, but I guess that wouldn’t be appropriate,” he said. Appropriate. No, not at all, she thought, imagining being pressed up against the skin of his chest, smelling his smell. She gazed at him wordlessly, too full of emotion to trust herself to reply.

“Sorry, I think I’m a little tipsy,” he said, shaking his head. “There I was trying to be the perfect gentleman, and I go and make a comment like that. I’m such a doofus sometimes.” She grinned.

“No, you’re not. And I thought it was sweet,” she said, only half truthfully. The ache between her thighs was telling her that it was far more than sweet. Granger’s eyes remained on her face, moving from her eyes to her lips to her hair, as if he was caressing her with his gaze. Touch me with your hand instead, she willed him. And slowly, he lifted his hand from his comforter and stroked her cheek with a single finger, before drawing it away again. Time seemed to stand still. She held her breath, feeling her body trembling with desire.

“Granger –” she began, having no idea what she wanted to say. Hold me, kiss me, take me. Make love to me.

“We should sleep,” he whispered.

“Ok,” she said, suddenly feeling like a deflated balloon. He turned the light out. The room was very dark. Noelle pulled the covers right up to her nose and stared at the blackness. How the hell was she going to sleep now? Had Granger just acted like he wanted her? Her skin still burned from his touch. And she could smell him – a delicious, spicy, masculine scent, like wood smoke and good whisky. Her body thrummed with desire for this incredibly sexy man who was lying within touching distance, half naked. Was it an innocent gesture or a sexual one? She reimagined it over and over. It was innocent, most likely. If he’d wanted her, he wouldn’t have left it like that. She listened for signs that he was asleep. His breathing was just audible, with a curious rumbling undertone. Come to think of it, she’d heard that sound earlier, but had dismissed it as ambient noise. But there it was, regular, and oddly comforting. Her eyes began to feel heavy, and, before she knew it, she drifted off to sleep.

Noelle woke in darkness, with the feeling that she hadn’t slept long. And she was freezing. Her nose was icy cold, and even her feet underneath the covers felt numb. She turned from one side to the other, but she couldn’t get warm. She was chilled to the bone.

“What’s wrong?” came Granger’s voice in the darkness.

“I’m a little cold.”

“Me too.” He paused, and she lay still waiting for him to say something else. “We’re going to have to pile all the blankets together. Here –” He rummaged around with his sheets and dumped them on top of her, and then he lifted the edge of hers and slid underneath them. Immediately, she felt the heat of his body radiating across the bed and warming her. He was like a furnace. How could such a warm body ever feel the cold?

“That’s a little better,” he said. “I can feel you shivering though. Do you want to snuggle?” He was right. Despite the additional warmth, she was still freezing cold.

“Yes,” she whispered, and she held herself still, barely daring to breathe as she felt him move across the bed and manoeuver himself against her body. He spooned her, his chest pressing against her back, and his right arm resting across her waist. She stifled a sound. He felt incredible, his skin radiating heat. And his muscles. She sensed them, all around her, keeping her safe in a protective cocoon. She felt his breath on her hair, warm and reassuring. His left arm lay beneath her neck, and his right hand rested on the mattress in front of her. She wished he’d wrap it around her body, but he seemed determined to make his embrace as platonic as possible. His crotch stayed well away from her ass, much to her disappointment.

“How’s that?” he whispered.

“Better. You?”

“Me too. You’re like a furnace,” he said. She giggled.

“I was thinking the same thing about you.”

Antsy and taut with arousal as she was, she somehow drifted off to sleep again, and didn’t wake until the alarm on Granger’s phone was going off.

She woke up abruptly and Granger pulled away from her, but not before she felt something pressing against her ass. His cock’s hard, she realized in a daze. Because he likes me? No, men get those all the time, stupid.

“Morning,” Granger said, his voice soft and husky. She wished that they didn’t have to go anywhere. That he’d come back and snuggle her, then turn her on her back and make love to her for hours. But they had to get up. In the pitch darkness. She pulled her bra out from under the pillow and sneaked it on. Then she climbed into her jeans and went into the bathroom. She turned the shower on immediately, and by the time she got in, the room was bearably warm.

Ten minutes later, she was dressed in clean clothes and brushing out her slightly damp hair.

“Has your brother paid for anything else on his card?” she asked as she came back into the bedroom.

“Nope. And I really don’t know what I’m going to do if I can’t find him when we get to Coleman. I don’t want our mom and dad not having either of us home for Christmas. I guess I’ll give it a few hours, and if we can’t find him by 1pm, say, we’ll have to abandon this wild-goose chase and drive straight home.

“Makes sense,” she said, looking at him with concern, aware how hard it would be for him to give up like that. “How’s the forecast?”

“Right now, it’s pretty good. No more snow predicted until late tonight across the whole region, but it does mean that we can’t afford to wait around in case it comes in a little sooner than expected.”

“Right,” she agreed.

Noelle took a long look around the room as they left. She felt obscurely sad to leave it. The bed looked so inviting, with the covers still thrown back on Granger’s side, where he’d clambered out. They’d shared real intimacy there, and she wondered if it would be the last time that happened.

Downstairs, the reception was deserted. They dropped their key on the desk and left, since the owners already had Granger’s card details.

Noelle sat very still as Granger drove carefully down the mountain slope. The snow was very deep, and he moved at a crawl. She kept her eyes on the misty moon, still high in the sky, and let out a long breath as they were safely on the flat again.

Half an hour later, it began to get light, the sky turning from black to navy blue, and half an hour after that, the dawn started to break. The sky turned dark gray, then pink, and a sliver of bright yellow light began to appear at the horizon, the sun pushing and pushing at the snow-laden clouds, until the pink became orange, and then hazy blue, and all at once, the clouds disappeared, and the sky was clear blue.

“Wow,” they breathed from time to time.

“That’s one of the most spectacular sunrises I’ve ever seen,” Granger said.

“It’s one of the only sunrises I’ve ever seen,” Noelle said with a laugh. “So I’m glad it was such a good one.”

“Not a morning person?”

“Nope,” she said cheerfully.

“I’m not by choice. I’m such a sleepyhead in winter. But that was worth getting up so brutally early for.”

“It really was.” She glanced at him. He looked adorably sleepy, his eyelids a little heavy. “You know, your snoring wasn’t so bad last night.”

“No?”

“It was like a little bear growling.” He laughed loudly.

“Really? Yours was kind of cute. More like a cat I guess.” She gasped.

“I did not snore!” He didn’t say anything else, just raised a mocking eyebrow. “Seriously though, thank you for being such a gentleman and keeping me warm last night. I was sooo cold!”

“It was my pleasure,” he said. “And I wasn’t being gentlemanly – oh, there’s a diner!” he pulled off the road and into the parking lot of a rustic-looking place. “Shall we grab takeout?”

“That would be amazing,” Noelle said. Her stomach had been growling for the past half hour at least. It always surprised her that even when she got up early, her body told her it was hungry, even though it was usually still sleeping at that time.

A delicious smell wafted through the door of the diner. They sat at the counter and ordered coffees and egg and bacon muffins. The muffins were large and generously filled.

“Maybe we should eat them here,” Granger said. “Eating and driving don’t go together too well for me.”

“I hear you,” Noelle replied, happy to be sitting there for a few minutes longer. She felt like they’d stepped through a time warp into a faraway era. The waitresses were bustling around, calling to each other chirpily, and there were a few other customers, bleary-eyed, looking like they were breaking long journeys, or preparing to go to work. Some old Christmas songs were playing in the background.

“I love places like this,” she said.

“I was just thinking the same thing. And if I wasn’t here looking for my nitwit brother, we’d have never got to enjoy this moment.”

“Isn’t that a great thought?” she said, and they looked at each other, caught in mutual fascination.

“Ok, let’s go,” Granger said ten minutes later. He held his arm out for Noelle to lean on as she jumped down from the high stool, and she had the strongest urge to keep clinging to it as they walked to the exit.

Chapter Five

In another hour they began to see signs for Coleman. The sky was now a perfect, crisp winter blue, and the air seemed to be full of promise. As they entered the small town, Noelle felt a twinge of disappointment, not wanting the journey to end. Granger pulled over on the side of the road, and took his phone out.

“Still nothing!” he said. "And it’s 10.30 already.” Noelle sighed.

“What do we do now?”

“Drive around, hope to catch him on a breakfast run or something.” For the first time since they’d met, his voice carried a hint of frustration and irritation.

“Population 6,930,” Noelle read from a road sign. “Sounds like there aren’t going to be too many hotels here.”

“Let’s hope not,” he said grimly.

They stopped at the first motel they came to. Granger jumped out of the car and went in to ask for his brother.

“No luck,” he said. “Apparently there are six other lodging places here. I could probably find them on the internet, but I might as well drive around, in case we get lucky.”

After a negative result from the second one too, he checked his phone again.

“Yes! He’s here!” he exclaimed. “He just paid $79 at the Coleman Motor Inn. Where is it?” He tapped and scrolled on his phone. “On the outskirts of town, at the opposite end.” He put his phone down and began to drive fast. Noelle pressed her lips together and focused on her breathing. She hated fast driving, but she could hardly blame him in the circumstances.

As they passed the town’s central square, a young couple caught her eye. They were in front of a Christmas tree, which was half buried in snow. The guy was tall and well built, with dark tousled hair, and the girl was small, with white blond hair that reached down to her hips. The guy was kneeling down in the snow – well, on one knee at least – and he was holding both of the girl’s hands, while looking up at her. She was smiling at him, a picture of radiance.

“Cute couple,” Noelle remarked. Granger turned his head to where she was pointing.

“Adam!” he yelled and slammed his brakes on.

“That’s your brother?”

“Yes!” Granger leapt out of the car and stormed towards the couple. Noelle ran after him.

“Adam!” Granger bellowed, his voice deafening. The young man stood up, brushing snow from his knee.

“Granger!” he shouted back, with a grin. Noelle noticed distractedly that they did look remarkably alike. He ran over and grabbed his older brother in a bear hug.

“What are you doing here, man?” he exclaimed.

“I’ve been looking for you for days!”

“But – I thought you were still on deployment?”

“I’ve come back, for good. Discharged from the army. But on my way home, I heard that you’d run off with that girl, like a teenager, and mom was worried sick, so I came looking for you.”

“That’s so nice of you, bro!” Adam replied, seemingly unruffled by the news.

“Well, I didn’t want her Christmas to get ruined. Now, tell me – what the hell are you doing here?”

“We were trying to make it out east, where Sylvia thinks she has some ancestors, but we’re running out of dough. Oh – hey – I’ll introduce you.” He held out a hand to the girl, who was lingering by the Christmas tree. She skipped over, a shy smile on her face.

“This is Sylvia, the daughter of one of the Blackpeak Pack’s enforcers, my true mate, and the love of my life.”

“Hi Sylvia, good to meet you,” Granger said, offering his hand. She shook it uncertainly.

“But tell me – why did you guys think it was a good idea to run away from home, with very little money?”

“Because our parents wouldn’t let us be together,” Adam said, looking at Sylvia. Noelle could see that despite his careless manner, his feelings for the girl were genuine.

“I know that,” Granger said, with a dry laugh. “I heard plenty about it from mom.”

“But it’s too late. She’s my mate, and she’s pregnant!” Adam’s face glowed with happiness. For just a beat, Granger looked taken aback, but he recovered fast.

“Congratulations, Adam,” he said, hugging him. Then he turned to Sylvia, whose features were taut with worry. “Congratulations to you too.” He bent and kissed her on the cheek.

“Will you help us with our parents?” she asked, speaking for the first time, in a soft, silvery voice.

“Of course. I know they’re pretty traditional, but they need to get with the times. Hopefully having us all back together will help them to see that,” Granger replied. “Now, we’ve got to leave pretty much immediately, as your escapades have created such a long drive home for us. But first, I’d like to introduce you to Noelle. She’s a good friend of mine, and she helped to find you. In fact, I wouldn’t be here now without her help.” Noelle stepped forward and Adam and Sylvia shook her hand.

“Cool name,” Sylvia said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Thanks,” Noelle replied, and for the first time in many years, she felt like she didn’t hate it.

“Have you got everything?” Granger asked.

“Uh, yeah.” Adam indicated two small suitcases and a bedraggled rucksack. Granger picked them up and put them in the car.

“Ok, kids in the back,” Granger said, opening one of the rear doors of the car, and Adam and Sylvia bundled in, while Noelle climbed into the front. He set up the sat-nav. “On the plus side, we don’t have to go back through Northwood, as there’s a shorter route. Still, it’ll take us six hours and 37 minutes to get home, weather permitting, so let’s go.”

Noelle shot a glance at Granger as they began to drive. He’d been very measured so far, but she could tell from the set to his jaw that he was still wound up tight, no doubt furious at his kid brother for being so irresponsible and bringing a pregnant Sylvia out here with no plan and no money. She felt comforted by meeting Adam though. Seeing that he was very laid back made the prospect of meeting their parents a little less daunting.

Chapter Six

“So, how did you guys find us?” Adam asked. Granger glanced at him in the rear-view mirror. He was stretched expansively across the back seat, Sylvia snuggled into the crook of his arm. He smirked.

“Ah, the password for your online banking account wasn’t exactly hard to figure out, dude,” he said.

“Oh, I guess that was pretty dumb of me,” Adam said, laughing. “So you must have known where we were staying the whole time, huh?”

“Yup. Except, I was having a hard time keeping up with you since your card usually got charged when you checked out, so I was always a day behind.”

“Wow, it’s like you were some kind of detective, hunting us down. I am touched that you made the effort, bro. I really am. And we both want to thank you so much for what you’ve done.”

“That’s okay,” Granger said gruffly. “Just do me a favor and don’t ever run away like that again.”

“Sure thing. From now on, my priority is taking care of this one here.” Adam planted a smacking kiss on Sylvia’s forehead to illustrate his point.

He then fell silent for a while and the road swished by, the landscape pristine and sparkling white. Sylvia had fallen asleep on his shoulder, and Noelle seemed to be enjoying the silence, leaning her head against the cold window and gazing out at the view.

Granger’s head was spinning. The news that Sylvia was pregnant with Adam’s baby was a huge game changer. Sylvia wasn’t just from a different clan, as he’d told Noelle. She was a wolf. And the rivalry between the local bears and wolves was bitter. Consequently, a baby born of a wolf and a bear shifter was unthinkable. There had been occurrences in the past, and they had turned out okay, except that they were always unable to shift and had to live as humans for their entire lives. But his parents wanted more for their grandchildren than that, and he didn’t blame them. There were plenty of female bears out there looking for mates, and plenty of human females who would make excellent mates for a bear shifter. But then, you couldn’t choose who you fell in love with. And Sylvia seemed like a lovely girl. He was sure that she and Adam would be happy together. But that meant that even more of the responsibility now fell on his shoulders. He glanced at Noelle again, noticing the way that her hair curled on her cheeks, how huge the whites of her eyes were, and the way her beautiful lips were more red than pink. His parents were going to love her, no doubt about it. For a bear shifter, a human was the ultimate mate, more highly prized than another bear shifter. He didn’t know why that was the case; it was just what he’d always been told. And he always found himself attracted to humans rather than shifters. Curvy girls like Noelle were so much sexier than female bears. In fact, the thought of Noelle’s curves, currently only inches away from his fingertips, was driving him and his bear wild. He longed to be back in bed with her, spooning her soft body, nuzzling her hair, inhaling her incredibly sweet feminine scent. It was a good job she’d been wearing a T-shirt last night, and bad enough that she’d been in her panties. If she’d been any more naked, his bear would have been impossible to control. He barely slept all night, lying awake, terrified that it was going to burst out of him and forcibly mate her. But he hadn’t cared; he’d been content snuggling her, feeling the soft skin of her thigh beneath his hand, listening to the quiet, regular sound of her breathing.

He’d finally drifted off at maybe 4am, and when the alarm went off, he realized, to his horror, that he was hard, and he’d been rubbing his cock against the cleft of her ass in his sleep. His stomach knotted in dread, but he couldn’t tell whether she’d noticed. She wasn’t acting like she was offended, but he just wished he knew whether she was interested in him or not. Her pupils dilated when she looked at him, and there had been that moment in the hotel room when it seemed like something could’ve happened, but he still couldn’t believe that a girl as amazing as Noelle could be interested in him. Hell, she’d probably freak when she discovered that he was a bear. That. That was another thing he needed to broach, because if he waited until she met his family, she was likely to find out the truth very abruptly. He had no idea how he was going to do it, but he hoped that the next five or so hours in the car might yield some inspiration.

“Have you really left the Army, Granger?” Adam piped up from the back.

“Yeah,” Granger said, grinning at him through the rear-view mirror. “Officially discharged. I couldn’t go back now if I wanted to.”

“Awesome!” Adam exclaimed. “It’s going to be so cool having you around all the time!”

“Yeah.” Granger frowned. “Feels like I’ve missed so much in the last five years, and I’ve got a lot of catching up to do.”

“But what made you decide to leave? You seemed so happy there.”

“Ah, I decided it was time to go back and help dad out with the business, and spend time around the people I love.”

“Dad’s going to be so happy. At least one of us is the responsible son.”

“Errr, now that you’ve got a baby on the way, that’s going to be you as well, doofus!” Adam smiled lazily.

“I know, and I can hardly wait. The past few days have made me realize a lot of things. Maybe I can join the family business too?”

“I think that’s a great idea,” Granger said, only half truthfully. Time will tell, he reminded himself.

Adam stretched and yawned.

“I think I might sleep for a while now, if that’s okay with you, dude?” He said.

“Haven’t you just slept, like, all night long?”

“Uh, we could only afford a single room, and the bed was a little small. So I didn’t get my usual nine hours.” Granger shook his head in mock outrage.

“Sweet dreams, then,” he said. Adam’s eyes were already closed. Granger glanced at Noelle to see if she was still awake, and she flashed him a mischievous grin.

Then next two hours of the journey passed easily, Granger and Noelle chatting quietly from time to time. She was such easy, relaxed company. He felt like he didn’t need to put on a show to impress her; he could just be himself. And that was a great feeling.

They stopped for lunch at a roadside diner, everyone having cheeseburgers and coffee.

“It’s really Christmas Eve isn’t it?” Adam said looking around at the busy restaurant. It was filled with people traveling to see loved ones, all looking full of anticipation for the holidays.

“Yes it is!” Granger said happily. “And my first one at home for years.” He looked down and caught Noelle’s eye. She was smiling, a little too bravely. But he was sure that her anxiety would dissipate as soon as his parents welcomed her.

As they were leaving the diner, Granger caught Adam and pulled him aside.

“Can you do me a favour when we get to the house?” he asked. “I need you to go in first with Sylvia –”

“No way, dude,” Adam cut in. “I need you there so they won’t kill me.”

“Adam,” Granger snapped. “You’ve run me all over the country looking for you, and now I’ve got to spend Christmas Eve driving your ass home, instead of relaxing at home, as I’ve been looking forward to doing for the past few weeks. Mom and dad are going to be angry - yes - but they won’t kill you. And I’m sure they’ll be so relieved to see you that it will take the edge off things. This is the least you can do for me.” Adam hung his head.

“You’re right, bro,” he said at last. “I’m sorry.”

“So, I need you to tell mom and dad that I’m bringing a human with me, to make sure they won’t let anything slip.”

“Wooh, I thought you’d told her about us! That’s going to be interesting. How are you going to manage that one?”

“That’s for me to figure out,” Granger said with an indulgent smile.

It was dusk when they set off again, and darkness fell quickly in the mountainous region. The thermometer on their dashboards showed that the temperature had suddenly dropped 8°, and Granger could see that the wind was picking up. Another snowfall was likely not far off.

When they were still an hour from home, it hit. Sheets of snow fell heavily at an oblique angle, directly into the windshield. The wipers were going at full speed, but they were barely capable of clearing the windscreen and visibility was reduced to around 20 feet. Granger felt a little burst of adrenaline. He was confident of his own driving skills; he was more worried that somebody might run into them from behind. The next half hour was agonizing, and his palms sweated. But, mercifully, the road was empty. There was a car far ahead of him, but nothing behind. It seemed that everyone coming to town for the holidays was home already.

At last, they were there. Granger’s heart leapt as the signpost for his hometown came into view.

“This is it!” he said to Noelle. “Welcome to Richmond!” In another five minutes, they were at the edge of the forest where their clan and Sylvia’s pack lived.

“You live in a forest?” Noelle said.

“Yep!” Granger replied as he turned the car onto an unmade road. They passed the territory of Sylvia’s pack, and she shuffled down in her seat to make herself invisible. Tall pine trees lined each side of the road, in a way that was pretty during the day, but could seem a little sinister at night, particularly to a stranger. The whites of Noelle’s eyes flashed in the darkness, and, spontaneously, Granger reached out and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. She looked in his direction and he thought he saw her give him a quick smile. His heart bloomed with tenderness for her, and he wished he knew exactly what she was thinking.

At last he turned off the track and began to drive directly through the forest. The trees were quite dense but he knew the way like the back of his hand. As he pulled to a stop, Noelle looked confused. They’d just stopped in a thicket – which was by design. His clan guarded their privacy from the human world very carefully. Adam leapt from the car, dragging a confused Sylvia behind him.

“Time to face the music!” he yelled cheerfully and slammed the door.

“Are you okay?” Granger asked Noelle. The car was dark again, and he could barely make out her features, the blue glow from the moon glancing off the tip of her nose, her lips and her chin.

“Yeah I’m fine. A little groggy from the journey, I guess,” she said, her voice soft, like honey to his ears. He could smell her freshly shampooed hair and her warm skin. She felt so adorably vulnerable. And now she was here, at his home. Her eyes glittered in the darkness. The urge to kiss her was overwhelming. She wants you, his bear told him. She wants to be your mate. He leaned an inch closer. If he was wrong about this, he was about to cause chaos – an embarrassing painful situation that would be hard to recover from. His heart pounded, and his hands, usually the steadiest at handling deadly weapons, trembled. She leaned an inch towards him. Their mouths were now a mere six inches apart, her lips slightly parted.

“Can I kiss you?” he whispered. She was definitely smiling now, her teeth gleaming like a string of pearls.

“I’ve been hoping you’d do that for the last 24 hours,” she breathed. He angled his head, bridging the tiny gap between them, and their lips met.

Wow. Her lips were incredible. Beyond incredible. They pillowed against his, impossibly full and soft. She drew back infinitesimally, eyes watching him like big, dark pools, and then they came together again, her jaw tilting to bring their mouths closer. Her lips parted under his, and a flame of desire raced through his body. He moved his lips back and forth, every tiny movement creating blissful sensations. He lifted his hand up and caressed her face gently, suddenly aware how rough his fingertips were. She made a little sound – a moan, or a sigh, and began to kiss him more deeply, her tongue darting out and flickering between his lips. Tangling his hands in her hair, he pulled her closer, feeling that it wasn’t just their lips that were mingling; it was their souls. Her hand was on his thigh, resting softly, hesitantly, and he yearned for her to touch him all over.

At last, they broke apart, Granger having no idea how long they’d been kissing – it could’ve been minutes, or hours.

“Wow,” she said softly. “That was nice.”

“It was?” he said.

“It was a lot more than nice, actually. It was pretty amazing.” He took her head in both hands, and kissed her on the lips again, and then on each cheek.

“You’re an incredible woman, Noelle,” he whispered. “Absolutely gorgeous. I’ve wanted to be with you ever since we first spoke.” She gave a little laugh.

“What, when I was a tearful, miserable mess?” He laughed too.

“Well, when I first met you, although I couldn’t help noticing how beautiful you were, I was mainly just very concerned about you. But after that, as we began to get to know each other, I discovered right away how amazing you were.”

“Really?” she said, as if she couldn’t quite believe it.

“Of course, Noelle. Any man would be lucky to have you.” He stroked her hair; it was even softer than he’d imagined. “Uh, I guess we’d better go now and rescue Adam. But let’s continue this conversation very soon.” He opened the car door and the light came on. Noelle had never looked more beautiful, her eyes bright and her cheeks glowing, the harsh light not diminishing her attractiveness one bit. Granger ran around to her side of the car and helped her out. He took her hand in his; it was impossibly small and soft, and the physical contact sent waves of euphoria leaping through his body.

“It’s just this way, through the trees,” he said as they crunched through deep snow. As they left the thicket, a large wooden cabin came into view and his heart leapt again. This was home. The place where he’d been born, and lived for the first 20 years of his life. All the scents of home wafted to his nostrils, filling him with nostalgia. He couldn’t wait to share all of this with Noelle.

As they reached the front door, she gripped his hand more tightly and they glanced at each other, both hearing the yelling coming from inside. Granger rapped loudly with the knocker and the voices fell silent. A moment later, the door was snatched open, and his mom stood there, beaming.

“Granger!” she yelled, throwing her arms around him. “You’re back! You’re really back!” He hugged her tight, so happy to see her. She drew back. “And who’s this?” she asked, turning to Noelle with a big smile.

“This is Noelle. Noelle meet my mom, Diana.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Noelle said, holding her hand out, but Diana enveloped her in a hug instead.

“It’s so lovely to meet you, dear,” she said, looking at her with fascination. “You’re very welcome here. Please make yourself completely at home.”

“It’s lovely to meet you too. And thank you so much for having me over for Christmas,” Noelle said, with an adorable hint of shyness.

“Of course, dear,” Diana said in a tone of surprise. “Of course. You belong here.” Just then a very tall man appeared behind Diana.

“Noelle, this is my dad Albert. Albert, Noelle,” Granger said. To his relief, his dad just shook hands with her. He was a little more reserved than his mom, but he had the same light in his eyes. They both believed that Noelle was his mate, he could tell. And he could also tell that they very much liked the look of her. He stepped towards his dad and they hugged each other, with plenty of manly slaps on the back.

“Come inside. Let’s get you kids warm,” his mom said, closing their lovely, rustic front door and shutting out the winter.

Chapter Seven

Noelle stepped into the Sullivan’s house in a daze. Granger has just kissed her. His beautiful sexy, incredibly soft lips had just touched hers. His tongue had just danced into her mouth, igniting a wildfire of passion inside her. He liked her. He wasn’t just being nice and generous. He really liked her! And she liked him too, so much. It had been a lot for her brain to process as she’d stumbled through the snow, scarcely able to believe that he was holding her hand in his huge, strong one, and then she’d been introduced to the warmth of his parents, who were treating her like their long-lost daughter. It was all confusing, but in a very nice way.

“Would you like something to drink – mulled wine? Hot chocolate?” Diana called as they went through to the kitchen.

“How about both? It’s been a long journey. But I’ll help you fix it,” Granger said. Adam and Sylvia were in there, seated at the family’s huge kitchen table, wearing identically sheepish expressions on their faces.

Granger made up some cups of hot chocolate and carried them over to the table. His parents sat on one side, Adam and Sylvia on the other, and Noelle sat close to him, a little set back, not wanting to intrude on the family discussion.

“It’s so good to see you, Granger,” Diana said, gazing at her son with tears in her eyes. “How long are you staying this time?”

“I’ll tell you all about that in a second, but first, let’s clear the air a little, so we can all start to enjoy Christmas,” he replied with a laugh.

“Adam’s told us all about Sylvia being his mate - I mean, his partner,” Diana said with a frown. Granger nodded. “But how did you find him?”

“Oh, it took me a little while, but with Noelle’s help, I managed to track him down in Coleman.”

“Coleman? Where is that?”

“It’s a little town, around six hours away, so I guess it could’ve been worse. Anyway, I’m just very glad that I found him.”

“Oh, Adam, what made you run away like that? You should’ve stayed and spoken to us,” Diana exclaimed.

“Mom, you were freaking out. The two of you were being real aggressive and wouldn’t listen to me when I tried to explain how I felt about Sylvia. We were falling in love, and I didn’t want to remember this time as being full of anger and hostility, so I suggested to her that we went away someplace, so we could be happy.” Diana’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“I’m sorry I made you feel like that,” she said.

“Are you two absolutely certain about being together?” Albert said, in his deep, bass voice.

“Mom, dad, of course we are! She’s having my baby too.” Noelle watched as the parents’ faces paled.

“How long have you been pregnant, dear?” Diana asked Sylvia.

“About six weeks,” she replied in a tremulous voice.

“And you know what this means?”

“We do,” Adam said, taking Sylvia’s hand and holding it tight. “But she’s my mate. I’ve known it ever since we were kids, and so has she. We didn’t have any choice in the matter.”

“Sylvia, is this true?” Diana asked.

“Yes,” she said. Diana let out a long, slow breath.

“I’ll admit that we’ve had our suspicions for a while. And we’re not exactly overjoyed at this news. It’s got nothing to do with you, dear, you know that,” she said, directing her comment to Sylvia. Sylvia nodded anxiously. “It’s that neither of the clans have seen this as an ideal match. And we all wanted our grandchildren to be shifters.” Shifters? Noelle frowned. “But what’s done is done, and if this has been ordained by fate, then there’s nothing that anyone could have done about it anyway. I’m sorry for the shouting before, but we bears are a passionate bunch, and sometimes we need to get our feelings out. I want you to know that you’re welcome here, and in the family, Sylvia. You’re a lovely young woman, and I can see that Adam is smitten with you. And I very much look forward to the birth of our first grandchild.” A silence followed. Adam blinked several times.

“Is that it? No more screaming and shouting?” he said.

“Don’t push your luck, young man,” his father said. He turned to Sylvia. “Sylvia, I can echo what Diana has just said. Welcome to the family.”

“Thank you,” Sylvia muttered, sounding like she was about to cry. Noelle really felt for her, but she also felt like she was missing something major in the conversation, like there was a secret they all shared, but weren’t discussing in front of her. Why had the match between Adam and Sylvia caused so much angst when they seemed delighted to have her around? It made no sense.

“Now, Granger, you were about to tell us how long your vacation’s going to be?” Diana said. Granger grinned.

“It’s forever!” he said. “I’ve officially left the army!” Diana and Albert gasped.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously!” They leapt to their feet and wrapped their arms around him, Diana peppering his head with kisses.

“God, I can’t wait to see this lovely head covered with hair again, instead of that awful buzz-cut you’ve been sporting for the last five years!” Diana exclaimed.

“Thanks, mom,” Granger said, laughing and trying to fend her off. “Good to see my haircut is your biggest concern!”

“Aw, don’t be silly. You know how happy I am to have my favorite eldest son back full-time!”

“Thanks, mom. And, dad, before you ask, I am planning on joining you in the business.”

“You are?” Albert said, and he looked so happy and proud that Noelle got a lump in her throat. It was an adorable family scene. And she was fascinated with the way that they were so rough and tumble with each other. She wasn’t used to that at all.

“What made you decide to leave, Granger?” Albert asked. “You didn’t get into trouble, did you?” Granger laughed, not at all offended.

“No, of course not. My hell-raising days are far behind me. It was just time. I woke up one day and realized that I missed my family like crazy, and I wanted to settle down back here.”

“That’s great, son,” Albert said, looking delighted. “Now, Noelle, since we’ve just made you witness our family dramas, I’m sure you’d appreciate that mulled wine you’ve been promised?”

“Yes, please,” she said. He wasn’t wrong; she could really do with something to calm her nerves right now.

“And Sylvia, I assume you’d like something non-alcoholic in your condition?”

“Actually, I need to take Sylvia home so we can go face the music at her place too,” Adam cut in. He helped Sylvia to her feet.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr and Mrs Sullivan,” Sylvia said on her way out, and Adam turned and raised an eyebrow at his brother. Noelle didn’t envy them having to go round two with Sylvia’s family.

Diana brought over four large glasses of mulled wine.

“Merry Christmas, Granger and Noelle,” she said. “I’m so happy to have you both here!”

They clinked glasses and sipped. It was even more delicious than the wine they’d had at the hotel, full of orange, cinnamon and nutmeg.

“I’ve got to get back to cooking, but why don’t you two relax for a little while? You must be exhausted after running around after those two scamps!”

“Thanks mom. I think I might go show Noelle the annex actually,” Granger said.

“That’s a good idea. See you soon!”

Granger picked up their glasses and showed Noelle out through a set of French windows at the back of the house, and suddenly, they were in a beautiful expanse of untouched snow. There was probably a lawn underneath it, she thought, and it was surrounded by holly bushes and tall elms. A little fountain stood in the center of it, the spray of water turned to icicles.

“This is beautiful!” Noelle exclaimed.

“I thought you might appreciate a breather, after all the family dramatics you’ve just had to deal with,” he said.

“It was fine,” she said with a smile. “Your parents are lovely, and obviously trying hard to overcome what sounds like a big disappointment for them.”

“Yeah. To be honest though, I think it did take Adam eloping with Sylvia to get them to that point.” He sighed and ran his hands through his short hair. “There’s a couple of things that I really need to tell you,” he said. A shiver of anxiety ran like ice in her veins. ‘Things’ like that tended not to be good.

“What things?” She said. Granger’s face lit with a gorgeous smile, and he put his arms around her waist.

“Well, the first thing is that I really like you,” he said.

“You do?” she breathed.

“Of course. I thought you’d picked that up already!” Her lips curled in a mischievous expression.

“I think I just wanted to hear you confirm it again,” she said. Grinning even more broadly, he bent his head and pressed his lips against hers. She tasted the mulled wine in his mouth and shivered as his breath mingled with her own, suffusing her body with warmth. She kissed him back, parting her lips, welcoming his velvety tongue into her mouth. He made a little sound – almost a rumble – of desire for her. It was delicious standing outside in the snow, kissing this gorgeous man, who was radiating heat from his huge muscular body. Even if she was naked right now, she was sure his heat would be enough for the two of them. Naked. At the thought of being naked with him, a little spot between her thighs began to tingle, quickly developing into a deep ache.

At last, he drew back from their kiss.

“You’re so beautiful, Noelle. I could kiss you all night,” he whispered, his breath warm in her ear. He took her glass and put both glasses down on the edge of the fountain, then he took her hands in his and held them out to the sides. “But first, there’s one more really important thing that I have to tell you.” She saw a flicker of tension in his face, his lower lip tremulous. She frowned.

“What is it?” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly in a white cloud.

“My family – and Sylvia’s family – are very old, and have some traditions, or quirks, I guess you could call them, that go back for generations and generations.” He paused, as if unable to continue. Noelle stroked his forearm.

“It’s okay. I can tell that you’re worried about sharing this with me, but I promise that I won’t freak out.”

“It’s a big secret, Noelle. Hardly anyone from outside of the families knows about it. Only a very select few.”

“Would it help if I promise not to tell another living soul about it?” She said. He smiled at her, a little sadly, she thought.

“Yes, it will help. But, to be honest, your reaction to what I’m about to tell you is my biggest concern right now.”

“Granger, just tell me. You’re making me so worried,” she said. He cleared his throat.

“Okay, here goes: we are all shapeshifters. This means that we have the ability to change into animals at will. Essentially, we are half human and half animal.” Noelle stared at him. She didn’t need to say ‘what?’ or ‘seriously?’ it was very obvious that he was deadly serious. “We come from a long line of shapeshifters stretching back to the beginning of humanity. Obviously this is a secret that is very closely guarded from the human world.” Noelle nodded numbly.

“When you say animal, do you mean different animals, or just one?” she managed to say.

“Just one.”

“Bear,” she said. He drew in a sharp breath.

“Yes! You’re right. But how did you guess?” She ran her eyes over his body.

“Just going by your build, I guess. But maybe your personality too. Because you’re strong and protective and independent. I mean, I don’t know any bears personally, but I have the impression that that’s what they’re like.” Her heart was beating fast. She didn’t know why but this all made sense somehow. She gazed at him, imagining him as a bear. “So, you said you could change between your human and animal sides at will?” He nodded. “How do you decide when you want to be a human and when you want to be a bear?” He gave a little smile.

“My animal side is for hunting for food, running in the woods and wrestling with my clan. It’s really fun being in my bear form, and my bear is always bursting to get out of me, but it’s not always practical, so I spend about 75% of my time in my human form.”

“So your bear is like a separate entity when you’re in your human form?” Granger laughed.

“Kind of. It scrabbles away at my insides, trying to get me to do things that I know are not always in my best interests.”

“Such as?” He gave her an intense look.

“Well, for example, it’s been trying to get me to be with you ever since I first laid eyes on you.”

“Be with me?” He released another long white cloud into the air, and she saw his chest going up and down with his breathing.

“It keeps telling me that you’re my mate. Shapeshifters have mates. Often ones that fate has ordained from birth. Every shapeshifter hopes to meet their fated mate. And you’re mine.” Noelle’s eyes got very big, and she became aware that her mouth was hanging open.

“But I’m a human?” she said. He smiled.

“It doesn’t matter. In fact, many shifters believe that a shifter-human combination is the most perfect match imaginable.” She blinked several times.

“I love this idea; it sounds so beautiful. But we just met by chance. How could that be fate?” he looked up at the night sky, and she followed his gaze, to the stars of faraway galaxies.

“Think of all the ways we could have missed each other. You could have chosen to sit in another café; so could I. You could’ve missed the bus; I could have caught sight of my brother before he left the town. You could have decided not to make that spontaneous journey in the first place; I could have decided to leave my brother to his own devices. But instead, out of the infinite possibilities that exist in the universe, we were in the same café at the same time.” His eyes ran all over her face, lingering on her eyes and lips. “I know this is a lot to take in, and you probably need some time to process it. But I hope you’re not repulsed at the thought that I’m a bear?” Noelle paused, organizing her thoughts. In the midst of all the confusion that was currently tumbling through her brain, a shaft of tenderness pierced through, and she knew, without any doubt, that it made no difference to her feelings that Granger was half bear.

“Granger, I’ve only known you for a couple of days, but something deep inside tells me that I want to be with you. I’ve never felt that way about anyone before. And it’s not just that you’re very kind to me, or that you’re the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. It’s something deeper than that. It feels like instinct.” Granger laid his hands on her shoulders, his eyes brightening with emotion.

“Noelle, that’s how I feel about you too. Every time I look at you, I feel overwhelmed. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and so much more. Every time you’re not in my presence, I feel like you’ve been torn away from me.”

“Oh, Granger. What an amazing thing to say,” she said, and tilted her chin towards him. He took the cue, dipping his head and drawing her into a long, tender kiss. Waves of euphoria ran all the way through her body as he wrapped his arms around her, surrounding her with his warmth.

“But – what about your parents?” she said, suddenly. He grinned at her.

“They think that you’re a perfect match for me, and they’re ecstatic that you’re a human,” he said.

“Really?”

“Yup. They sensed that you’re my fated mate. I could see it on their faces as they met us at the door.” Noelle grinned.

“That’s amazing. It means so much that they’re welcoming me into your family. But why aren’t they happy that Adam is with Sylvia?”

“Because she’s a wolf shifter.” Noelle gasped.

“What, that little girl is, like, a werewolf?”

“Uh huh. She’s the daughter of one of the pack’s enforcers – that means the level of hierarchy below the alpha wolf and his family.”

“Wow. So a bear and a wolf isn’t a good combination?”

“It means that their offspring will be unable to shift. It’s impossible for a bear and a wolf to combine, so they’ll essentially have fully human genes. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. It’s just that my parents dreamed of having shifter grandkids.”

Shifter babies. What a thought. If Granger and I got married and had kids, our offspring would be half bear? She badly wanted to ask him if that was true, but it was way too early to be asking questions like that.

“What are you thinking?” he said.

“I don’t know. Everything’s happened so fast. I feel a little dizzy.” His forehead wrinkled in concern.

“Let’s get you out of the cold,” he said. They picked up their glasses and he led her across the garden to another wood cabin. “This is my place.” He opened the door and showed her in.

“You have your own cabin?” she said, impressed.

“Yeah, our parents built us one each in our teens, to get us out of their hair!” he said with a laugh.

It was a cozy, one-room place, with rustic furniture and a big, comfortable-looking bed, with furs thrown on top of it.

“This is lovely,” she said. He shrugged.

“It’ll do for now, until I get my own place.” Holding her hand, he led her to the bed and sat down, sweeping her onto his lap. His arms went around her waist and she laid her head against his chest, listening to his slow, steady heartbeat. He stroked her hair gently.

“I’m sorry, it was too much, wasn’t it?” he said. “I didn’t mean to give you a shock. It’s just that when we were having the family drama back then, I could tell that you’d picked up on something and I didn’t want to keep you in the dark. I also thought that it wasn’t fair to kiss you and touch you without you knowing my true nature. She lifted her head and ran her hands along his arms, feeling at his bulging biceps and strong forearms.

“Well, now I know your true nature, and I think I’m getting to like it,” she said, biting her lower lip.

“Really?”

“Yeah.” She placed her hand on his chest. “Now I know there’s a bear in there, I think I can feel it, you know?” He made a sound, a little like a rumble.

“And the more you acknowledge my bear, the more you’ll feel it,” he said. He drew her closer, so their bodies were pressed against one another. She heard, or rather felt, a relentless rumble, a little like a purr.

“My bear purrs when it’s happy,” he said.

“I make it happy?”

“Very.”

She put her hand on the back of his neck and pulled him down to her mouth again. He was such a good kisser. She loved the way that he sucked ever-so-gently on her lips, drawing her deeper and deeper into him.

At first their kisses were soft, exploratory. But as they continued, they became more and more passionate. She ached for him, but his hands stayed on her waist, not pawing her like guys usually did. She was beginning to think he didn’t desire her body that much until she wriggled on his lap and brushed against something hard and eager. He gave a little groan, and kissed her harder, bitingly, before stopping himself.

“If you keep doing that, I won’t be able to keep my bear under control,” he said, his voice thick with hunger. She met his gaze, the fire in his eyes reflecting her own need. She could tell that she was already wet, ready for the hard cock that was pressing so tauntingly against her thigh.

“What if I don’t want you to control yourself?” she said. He stroked her face.

“Noelle, I want to take my time with you. Our first mating is very important. I want it to be as beautiful and perfect as you are.” She sighed. That was the most incredible thing he’d said so far. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him tenderly.  He hugged her tight, somehow making her feel delicate and petite, not the sack of potatoes she usually imagined herself as.

Suddenly a big clang sounded from outside. Noelle started.

“What the hell’s that?” she exclaimed.

“It’s the dinner bell,” he said with a laugh.

“There’s no missing it, is there?”

“Nope. My mom got impatient having to call us in for dinner when we were running around in the woods as kids, so she got it installed. Let’s go.”

Chapter Eight

“I’ve told her the good news,” Granger said as they sat down at the dinner table. Diana had cooked an amazing spread of roast meat and potatoes.

“Good,” Albert said. “Now I won’t have to restrain myself from cracking out the bear jokes!”

“I don’t think she’s ready for those yet, dad,” Granger said, rolling his eyes.

“Welcome to the very small number of humans that are initiated into the shifter secret,” Diana said, with a smile. “I don’t think you’ll regret finding out about us.”

“Neither do I,” Noelle said, shooting Granger a glance, and seeing that he was looking at her with tenderness and affection.

The parents chatted away while they ate, eager to find out about Granger’s latest deployment, and exactly why he’d left the army for good. They asked Noelle all about herself, backing off tactfully when she explained that she’d lost her parents.

“I’m so sorry for what you’ve been through, dear,” Diana said. “But you need never feel like you don’t have a family again.”

“Thank you,” she replied a little shyly, but in reality, she was overwhelmed by the butterflies in her stomach. Everyone was welcoming her into the family, seeming to assume that she and Granger were going to be together, and she liked that idea a lot. It still seemed too incredible to believe though – that she, a dumpy kid that no-one wanted, could be the mate of the most handsome, smart, charming and kind guy she’d ever met. She thought that if she squeezed her eyes shut and opened them again it’d all be gone, and she’d still be trudging through the snow in Northwood. She tried it when no-one was looking. Nope, she was still right there, at the family table, Granger’s foot gently rubbing against her own. He caught her eye and they shared a secret smile. They were going to have sex soon, she knew it, and that certainty made her feel light-headed and tingly all over. She loved the idea that he wanted to take it slow with her. It was a deeply arousing thought that such a big man wanted to be gentle and care for her needs.

As Albert was taking the dessert out of the oven, the front door banged open, and Adam hurtled into the room, bringing the cold with him.

“I’m still in one piece!” he announced.

“Congratulations,” Albert said drily.

“You’re just in time for dessert. Come and tell us how they took it,” Diana said.

Adam threw himself down in an unoccupied chair and gave a dramatic sigh.

“There was a lot of yelling and tears. God, those wolves are hierarchical. The alpha wolf came in to see what all the commotion was about, and insisted that we tell him all about our relationship, and our feelings for each other. And then he decreed that it was okay for us to be together.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “I dread to think what would have happened if he’d said it wasn’t okay. I think Sylvia would’ve been snatched away from me and I’d never have seen her again. The baby would be brought up in a wolf’s lair.”

“That sounds like good news overall,” Diana said brightly. “And where’s Sylvia?”

“Her family insisted she spend Christmas Eve with them. We’ll hopefully get to meet up tomorrow though.”

“Fair enough. Actually, I have a surprise for you kids!”

“What?” Granger said.

“The tree is still waiting to be decorated!”

“I hadn’t even noticed in all the commotion. But why have you left it so late this year?”

“I just couldn’t do it without you kids being home. I’ve been waiting and hoping to see you both home for Christmas, and have us all decorating the tree like a family.”

“Aw, mom, you’re the best,” Granger said, laying his hand over Diana’s. “Decorating the tree is a real family tradition,” he told Noelle. “We’ve been doing it every year since I can remember.”

“That’s really neat,” she said with a smile.

“Shall we get started?” Albert said, heaving himself up from his chair.

“Yeah!” the boys said, suddenly sounding like little kids. Noelle looked at Granger with affection, imagining what he must’ve been like as a kid. She bet he was very cute and cheeky.

“Come on,” Granger said, grabbing her hand. He opened a couple of doors, looking for the tree. Locating it, he and Adam carried it out to the hallway at the foot of the stairs. It was a huge blue fir, at least eight feet tall, sitting in a giant pot. Albert brought over a cardboard box stuffed with Christmas decorations, and all the family dived in, pulling things out. Granger handed her some tinsel.

“Put it anywhere you like,” he said. “There’s no particular plan.” As she began adding it to the tree, Albert wound some fairy lights around the trunk, from top to bottom, while the rest of them pulled out baubles and other smaller decorations and put them on the ends of the branches.

“They’re great decorations,” she said.

“I made that one when I was eight,” Granger said proudly pointing to a little snowman made out of cotton wool. It was adorable. There was a little red scarf around its neck, its orange nose was askew, and one of his eyes was missing. “We used to have competitions at school for who could make the best one. It was serious business!”

“Yeah – I think we should do the same thing,” Noelle said, a distant memory coming back to her.

Soon, decorating became a tangle of arms as everyone hunted for a free branch. By the time they’d finished, the big tree was heavily laden, and it looked great. It was a happy, chaotic history of Christmases in the Sullivan family.

“Done!” Albert said with satisfaction. He flicked the main light off and switched the fairy lights on. Everyone oohed and ahhed as the tree was prettily illuminated.

“Now it’s really Christmas!” Diana said, clapping her hands together. “And I’ve got my two boys back.” She stretched up to put an arm around their necks and kiss each of them on the cheek. “And I’ve got a lovely daughter –” she broke off. “Oops. Sorry, I think the mulled wine made me a little tipsy. We’ve got the lovely Noelle here for Christmas too!” She kissed Noelle on both cheeks. “Ok, I think I’d better be getting off to bed, before I totally embarrass myself! I’ll see you all in the morning!” Granger gave her a hug and wished her goodnight, then he, Albert and Adam slapped each other on the backs.

“Shall we go to my cabin?” he asked Noelle as soon as they were alone together. He sounded a little uncertain, as if he didn’t want to be presumptuous about her sleeping in his bed. But they both knew what was going to happen.

“Yes, let’s!” she said, taking his hand.

*

They crunched through the snow, making yet more footprints across the pure white blanket. It had an unearthly, pale blue glow under the brightness of the moon.

“When’s the last time you made snow angels?” he asked. She laughed.

“No time that I can remember!” He put his arms around her waist.

“Ok, right here, right now!” he yelled, and at the same time, he pulled her down onto the snow. She gasped, waiting for the shock of the cold, but it didn’t come. Instead, she was lying on an impossibly soft surface. Granger started waving his arms up and down, and she copied him, both of them laughing uncontrollably, until the snow was deeply indented on both sides. They stopped and lay still.

“The moon is so beautiful,” Noelle breathed, staring up at it. “You can really see that it’s spherical, with all its shadows and indentations, and not just a flat disc in the sky.”

“Isn’t it? I think you can only really appreciate it in this position.” Just then a howl broke through the air, long and mournful.

“Werewolves,” Granger said. Noelle turned her head to him.

“Really?”

“Yup. They go crazy on the full moon. They’ll be out all night, running around, having a mating frenzy.” Noelle shivered, thinking that she was looking forward to being in a warm bed. Granger’s bed. “Shall we go?” He held his hand out to her and helped her up, then they surveyed their work.

“Beautiful,” he proclaimed and snapped photos of the angels, and of her. He showed her the results, and she cringed, hating having her photo taken. But when she saw them, she was shocked to see that she actually looked nice: bright and alive, as if she was glowing with happiness.

They ran the rest of the way to the cabin, and were soon inside, their skin tingling at the contrast from the cold. It was lovely and cozy indoors.

“All the heaters are working,” Granger said, testing them with his hand. “We won’t be shivering under our blankets tonight!”

“That’s very good to hear,” Noelle said, taking her coat off. She felt shy now that they were alone together again. Sex hung in the air between them, as if there was a charge between their two bodies, the atmosphere crackling with energy.

She gazed around the room warily.

“What’s wrong?” he said.

“Do you have a bathroom here?” He laughed.

“Of course. It’s that door right there.”

“Do you mind if I have a shower?”

“No, of course not. But hold on a second.” He stuck his head through the bathroom door and came back again. “Looks like mom put some towels out for you.”

“Thanks. I won’t be long.”

“Take your time. We’ve got all the time in the world,” he said with a grin, sitting on the bed. Noelle grinned back at him, her heart leaping at his words.

The bathroom was immaculate. In contrast to the rustic cabin, it was modern and beautifully appointed. As well as the towels, Granger’s mom had put out a fluffy peach bathrobe for her. She took her clothes off and stepped into the wet room, sighing as the rain-forest shower beat down on her body.

When she was done, she wrapped the bathrobe around her body, luxuriating in its softness, and looked at her clothes. It seemed weird to get dressed again after the shower. She shrugged. Maybe she’d just stay in the robe.

As she opened the bathroom door, Granger pulled himself up from his lounging position on the bed, and gazed at her, his pupils dilating with desire. He came over to her, took her in his arms, and kissed her on the lips.

“You look so pretty and soft, all damp from the shower,” he murmured. “Let me just get in the shower too, and I’ll be right with you.”

While he was in the bathroom, she sat on the bed, drying herself carefully. He’d dimmed the lights and the room was bathed in a soft, golden glow. Being naked under the robe made her feel very vulnerable, yet aroused. She imagined him taking it off. Would he rip it off in one go in the heat of passion, or would he slide it off, slowly, sensually? She found she liked both of those ideas equally. She felt an ache between her thighs, vague at first, and quickly becoming a deep throb. She hadn’t known it was possible to want someone the way she wanted Granger. Her desire was all-consuming, as if every nerve of her body was calling out to him.

She was thinking about him so intensely that when he finally emerged from the bathroom, she was startled. And even more so when she saw that he was wearing only a towel. Her lips parted, she watched him walk over to her, a sexy smile illuminating his handsome features. He sat next to her on the bed, wrapped his arms around her waist, and kissed her on the mouth, lightly at first, then more searchingly. She laid a tremulous hand on his shoulder, and as her fingers made contact with his damp, velvety skin, something inside her snapped, and she forgot her reticence. She began to run her hands all over his torso, savoring the firmness of his pecs and abs, the huge muscles of his shoulders, and the powerful muscles of his back. His body was unbelievable; just incredible. She filled her nostrils with the scent of his skin, enhanced by its dampness. He moved off her mouth and began to kiss her neck, tracing a line of soft feathery kisses all the way to her collarbones. He opened the neck of the robe a little wider to allow him better access to her shoulders, and he kissed them too. Slowly, slowly he began to slide the robe off her shoulders. Taking a deep breath, she unfastened the belt, allowing the robe to open as he wanted it to. He planted kisses all over her décolletage, and then the valley between her breasts, tugging at the robe until her breasts were revealed. She felt a flicker of dread, self-conscious about their size. With a sigh of pleasure, he dipped his head to her right nipple, licking it softly, before taking it into his mouth. She moaned. God, her nipples were sensitive! His right hand cupped her other breast, grazing the nipple with his callused thumb. As she watched his dark head, bending to her body, making her feel incredible, she felt like the top of her head was lifting off. He moved from one breast to the other, taking his sweet time, as if he couldn’t get his fill of her. She was dimly aware that she was clutching his back, kneading at his muscles, when he lifted his head and whispered, “let’s lie down.” He pulled back the covers and she climbed into the bed, clutching the robe at her waist. Granger lay beside her.

“Noelle, I can’t believe you’re here, in my bed,” he whispered. “I feel like I’ll wake up tomorrow and discover that it was all a Christmas fantasy.” She laughed.

“No, I’m right here – ” she broke off as he stripped off his towel, becoming fully naked. His cock was big and hard, and at the sight of it, the ache between her thighs became a burn. She felt silly still wearing the dressing gown now. Pulling herself up, she started to remove it, and Granger helped her, opening it all the way up, gazing at her belly and thighs, and her dark triangle of hair with hunger in his eyes.

“You’re so incredibly beautiful,” he murmured. “Even more than I imagined.”

“You’ve been imagining me naked, huh?” she said with a sly smile.

“Constantly,” he admitted bashfully. A shudder ran through her body. She never thought of herself as the kind of girl who got desired and objectified.

“You only want me for my body?” He shook his head.

“Nope. I want every single bit of you, Noelle; your body, your mind, your heart.” He stroked her arms, her belly, her thighs, his big rough hands so thrilling on her skin. He took his time, exploring every part of her body – except the part that most hungered for his touch. He was driving her crazy. Every time his hands brushed her inner thighs, her body jolted, willing him to touch her there – on that sensitive place. She wanted to feel his fingers inside her, ached to be filled up by him.

“Touch me,” she said, as his fingertips danced right at the top of her slightly-spread thighs.

“Where?” he said, his eyes bright with mischief, wanting to hear her say the words.

“Inside. I need your fingers inside me, right now.” He laid his hand flat on her pussy and her whole body jolted. He pressed a little harder and she squirmed with pleasure.

“Or just keep your hand right there,” she panted. His fingertips lightly touched her entrance, dipping into her wetness, then he caressed her labia, teasingly softly, moving back and forth with deft strokes, spreading her, encouraging her to open to him. When a finger finally touched her clit, she cried out, a wild, uncontrolled sound. His eyes blazed and she thought she saw a hint of his animal. At once, he pushed two fingers inside her, and she gasped. It almost hurt. Her muscles rippled in pleasure as he slid in and out, his thumb circling her clit. All the time he watched her, watched his hand pleasuring her as she lay back on his soft pillows. She saw the tip of his tongue dart out of his mouth and lick his lips.

“I want to taste you,” he growled, his voice sounding far rougher than before. And before she could say anything, he dove down the bed, and his long, pointed tongue was gliding over her clit.

“Oh my God!” she cried out. It felt even better than his finger, lighter and more sensitive as it flicked back and forth. And then he began to suck, drawing her tiny bud into his mouth, and she saw stars beneath her eyelids. Her fingertips rubbed at the back of his head. It was a good job he didn’t have much hair, she thought, or she’d be tugging on it hard right now.

Of their own accord, her hips began to buck, inciting him to go faster. All of a sudden, he slid his fingers out of her, and entered her with his tongue instead, sighing in pleasure as he tasted her. She moaned and sighed as her pussy spasmed.

He took hold of her thighs, clasping them in a firm grip, and began to lick her clit again, his tempo increasing until it matched the jolting of her hips.

“Oh God, I’m going to come!” she whispered. He responded by sucking harder on her clit, until all she was aware of was his deft tongue, right at the very core of her body, whipping her into a frenzy. Her eyes fluttered shut as an explosion began to build inside her, growing and growing, until it detonated with powerful waves, all over her body. The stars fizzed and burned beneath her eyelids.

“Granger,” she muttered, minutes later. “That was unbelievable.” He lifted his head, an eyebrow raised questioningly, the edge of his lips curved in a half smile. Then, with a sound a lot like a growl, he climbed up her body, powerful and agile, until he crouched over her, his shoulder muscles bunched.

She ran her hands all over him, recovering from her orgasm, but still needing more. As her frustration grew, she pulled him close, until he lay right on top of her, his cock a hard rod against her thigh. Then something in his face changed as he gazed down at her; and his features took on a rougher, fiercer expression.

“Noelle,” he muttered, his jaw tight. “I can’t control my bear like this.”

“What does it want?” she whispered.

“It wants me to mate you. To take you roughly, in every position, and claim you for my own.” A shiver of delight ran through her at his words. She loved his soft, romantic touches, his incredible tongue, but in her deepest, darkest fantasies, she wanted to be taken hard. She reached down and encircled his cock with her hand. It felt so swollen and ready for her. He groaned at her touch.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he hissed from between clenched teeth. She moved her hand up and down, along his shaft.

“I want it like this,” she whispered. “I want all you have to give.” She hooked her ankles either side of his hips and pulled him towards her. A sharp burst of pain made her gasp as his cock pierced her, immediately filling her pussy. She held on though, her muscles gripping him tight, and the pain was replaced by a wave of pleasure that radiated all over her body. She felt herself yielding to him, abandoning herself to this big, powerful animal-man. His eyes were intense as they held her gaze, and she sensed that he was using every ounce of his willpower to control himself.

“You feel so good inside me,” she said, and instantly, it was as if a spring uncoiled inside him. His hips began to move, thrusting his big cock in and out of her, every movement setting her on fire. He moved faster and harder, alternately kissing her and burying his face in her neck. His breathing was harsh, somewhere between a growl and a purr. She was as limp as a ragdoll, overwhelmed with euphoria as he ploughed in and out of her. In and out, in and out, in a blissful rhythm. He sat back on his haunches and lifted her legs, one at a time, placing them over his shoulders. She gasped at the deeper penetration, at the different angle his cock made inside her. As he leaned towards her again, she was almost bent double. He fucked her in quick, sharp thrusts, and then he leaned back, holding her legs up in the air as he watched his cock entering her and filling her up. She squirmed and bit her lip. It was hot and a little dirty, and she loved it.

Suddenly, he pulled out of her.

“Turn over,” he growled. “I want to take you from behind.” She flipped over eagerly. She’d always liked this position the best, liked the way it was rough and primal. He didn’t penetrate her immediately, but stroked her thighs and the globes of her ass, murmuring his appreciation. He placed a hand on the small of her back, encouraging her to arch her back more, and then she felt something soft and wet running the length of her labia. Oh my god, he’s licking me again! Her cheeks warmed, and she tried to get away from his tongue, but he held her still, spreading her with his fingers and licking her eagerly, all the way from her clit to her entrance and back again. When she realized that he wasn’t going to stop, she allowed herself to relax and enjoy it. It did feel pretty amazing like this, kind of liberating.

Just as she was turning into a quivering mess yet again, he took his tongue away and, instead, she felt the tip of his cock probing her entrance. She cried out as he entered her like this, feeling her muscles yielding to his wide girth. Her nerve endings were so sensitive that she felt every bit of his cock as he slid inside her, all the way to the hilt. She arched her back further, dropping her head into her arms and he gave a purr of appreciation. At the first thrust, she cried out again, and again. He fucked her slowly, smoothly, and she began to make all kinds of sounds – yelps and moans and cries – barely aware that they were coming from her mouth. His cock was setting her insides on fire, but she needed more and more, and she pushed back on his cock, like a woman possessed, demanding all he had to give her.

He arched right over her, his hands coming down on each side of hers, and his chest pressing into her back.

“You’re mine, Noelle,” he said in a harsh, growly voice. “All mine. I’m going to fill your womb with my seed and claim you as my own. Is that what you want?”

“Yes,” she managed to say in between pants.

“Then tell me,” he ordered her. The Granger fucking her sounded so different from the sweet guy she knew that it made her hairs stand on end. It was wild and delicious.

“I’m yours, Granger,” she said. “Yours and only yours. I want you to come inside me and make me your own.”

Her words had the desired effect. His hands bit into her hips, his nails suddenly very sharp, and he began to fuck her hard, his pelvis pounding against her ass.

“Mine,” he muttered, in between thrusts. “All mine.” His words bounced around in her brain, making her delirious with arousal and pleasure. This big, sexy creature was claiming her by fucking her. He was making her his. Now she understood what it was to mate. She jumped as his hand slid along her belly and touched her clit. It was the final spark she needed. He fucked her with abandon, her fingers twisting into the sheets to stop herself from falling down flat, and at last his rhythm matched hers perfectly and she began to shudder, her pussy clenching his cock in quick little spasms. At the same time, he gave a wild roar, and came with a last, rough thrust, shooting his hot seed deep inside her.

She collapsed, lying flat on the bed, and he laid himself gently on top of her, his breath warm on the nape of her neck. They were silent for a while, Noelle too overwhelmed by the experience to be capable of putting any words together. Eventually, he turned onto his side, bringing her with him, and curled his body around her tenderly.

“Are you okay, baby?” he whispered. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

“You didn’t, Granger, and I’m better than okay,” she said, unable to stop herself from grinning. “But, I had no idea that sex could be so good!” He chuckled and stroked her face.

“That’s because it was more than sex: it was mating. You’re mine now. All mine. Forever and ever.”

“Really?” she whispered. He looked confused.

“Of course. Hey, hold on a minute.” He got out of bed and rummaged around in his discarded clothes, pulling out his phone. “Guess what time it is?” he yelled, jumping back into bed. She gasped.

“Is it Christmas day?”

“It is. It’s 12:32am!” He held her head in his hands and kissed her. “Happy birthday, Noelle! And a very merry Christmas too!”

“Merry Christmas, Granger!” she replied, her heart flooding with joy.

Moments later, she was asleep, her head resting on his chest and his strong arms wrapped around her.

Chapter Nine

Noelle woke up the next morning to the sound of clinking and rustling. As she stirred and started to open her eyes, Granger’s voice called from somewhere, “keep your eyes closed. Stay under the blankets!”

“Uh, ok,” she mumbled, hiding her face in the comforter and inhaling the sweet, musky scent of their lovemaking from the night before. “What are you doing?”

“You’ll find out in a minute!” The clinking and rustling continued.

“Ok, you can look now,” he shouted at last. She dived out of the covers, pushing her hair back from her face. There was a little portable table next to the bed, filled with all kinds of delicacies, and at the foot of the bed was a Christmas stocking.

“Breakfast, and a few little gifts,” he announced. “Although I’m afraid that the gifts aren’t very exciting, since I didn’t know that you were coming until two days ago.” Noelle giggled in delight.

“That’s ok,” she said. “Considering I wasn’t expecting anything at all, this is pretty amazing!”

“And before we get started, we have to have a toast.” He climbed back into bed, reached down on the floor and produced a bottle of Champagne and two glasses.

“Wow, first thing in the morning?” she exclaimed.

“Nothing better on Christmas day!” He popped the cork expertly and filled their glasses.

“Merry Christmas and happy birthday to my beautiful, incredible, smart, sexy, lovely mate!” he said.

“Merry Christmas to my gorgeous, smart, brave, generous, amazing mate,” she replied. And they drank, the golden fizz instantly making her woozy.

“Now, presents!” he announced and handed her the stocking.

She didn’t know how he’d managed to pull everything together at such short notice, but there were two novels, a beautiful box of chocolates, some perfume, some cashmere socks, a scarf, two DVDs and a leather-bound notebook.

“This is just for now, but I’ll take you shopping tomorrow to get exactly what you want for Christmas – and for your birthday!” he said. Noelle’s eyes filled with tears.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed. She wiped her eyes on the comforter.

“Nothing; it’s just – just – I’m not used to getting stuff for Christmas, and you’ve got me all this, and we’ve only just met. You’ve made me so happy, Granger. I don’t know how to thank you enough.”

“Oh, baby,” he said, drawing her into his arms. “From now on, you’re going to have more presents than you can handle!” Her head was spinning, overwhelmed by the gifts and his words.

“But how did you get all these things for me?” was all she could say.

“Uh, I might have messaged my mom yesterday and asked her to help me out,” he said bashfully.

“No way?” she said, eye glistening.

“Yes way! Now, let’s have some food.”

The food was delicious, and it went perfectly with the champagne. When they’d finished eating, they lay in each other’s arms, kissing and touching. Noelle had never felt so happy in her life, but there was still a tiny part of her that couldn’t quite believe it was all real.

“Granger – you really mean all this, right?” she said in a small voice. “You’re not going to get bored of me and leave me one day?” He laughed.

“Are you kidding? I’m totally crazy about you. You’re my mate. And that means forever. No exceptions. Shifters aren’t fickle like humans can be. And we’ll have our mating ceremony soon, as the shifter laws dictate.” He gazed up at the ceiling, thinking. “Maybe on New Year’s Day? Would you like that?” She gasped.

“I’d love that! But, wait – what is this ceremony, exactly? Is it like a wedding?”

“Pretty much, except you wear simpler stuff and it’s held deep in the woods. Only shifters are allowed to be present, so it would be you, me and our clan attending.”

“That sounds amazing!” she said with a grin.

“Ok, it’s a date!” he said. He sipped his champagne and sighed. “I guess we should get up and go see the others. But, on the other hand – ” he lifted the covers and gazed at her naked body. “Maybe we should have a Christmas morning mating session instead.” She climbed on top of him and planted a kiss between his pecs, then one on his abs, then one just above his navel, then another on the diagonal grove at the top of his thigh.

“I think that’s a great idea,” she said.

Much later, they lay back on the pillows. Noelle’s body was tingling with the after-effects of the many orgasms Granger had just given her. He laid one of his huge hands on her belly.

“I wonder if we’ll have a cub or two running around next Christmas,” he said. She broke into a smile.

“Running around may be a little premature, but I’d be very happy to have one growing inside me at the very least.” Granger planted a kiss on top of her head.

“Merry Christmas, baby,” he said. “May our Christmas wishes come true!”

THE END

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Hi, thank you so much for reading Granger and Noelle’s story! I really hope you enjoyed it and if so please consider leaving a review; even if it’s only a line or two, it’ll make all the difference, and it will be greatly appreciated.

I’ve got another Christmas story for you this year, which will be out shortly! Sign up to my mailing list to make sure you don’t miss it or any other future releases, promotions and giveaways.

If you haven’t read the first book in my Shift Dating App series, I’ve included a free copy of it, so make sure to check it out!

Thanks again for reading – and for all your support!

Yours,

Ariana Hawkes

www.arianahawkes.com

www.facebook.com/arianahawkes

www.twitter.com/arianahawkes

~ * ~ * ~ * ~

Your free book is waiting!

A 4.5-star rated, comedy romance featuring one kickass roller derby chick, two scorching-hot Alphas, and the naughty nip that changed their lives forever.

The only thing missing from Aspen Richardson’s life is a man who will love her just the way she is. In the small town she calls home, bullies from the past remain, making her wonder if it's ever going to happen. But, things are about to change in a major way, as the secret Aspen’s parents have been keeping from her comes out…

“This book definitely needs to be added to your MUST read list – you will quickly fall in love with this steamy and fast paced story.”

Get your free book now!

(If your device doesn’t support links, go to www.arianahawkes.com/freebook)

A bonus story:

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love

Dina

The first standalone book in the Hope Valley BBW Dating App Romances

Chapter One

“Lauren, I barely even know how to use email,” Dina said. “I don’t think this ‘app’ dating, or whatever you call it, is going to work for me.” She flung her phone down on the sofa, and gazed around her cozy, tastefully-decorated apartment. She’d long ago resigned herself to being single, and she’d worked hard at making her surroundings as comfortable as possible. She wasn’t even sure that she wanted to disturb the calm that she’d created for herself.

“Dina, when’s the last time you had a date?” Lauren asked. Her voice was calm, but her eyes were sparkling with amusement.

“Um, there was that time when I went out for dinner with the guy who works at the DHL office,” Dina said.

“And how long ago was that?” Dina counted on her fingers.

“Maybe a year ago?”

“Exactly!” Lauren said, in a tone of satisfaction. “Dina, you can’t sit here alone, night after night, wasting your life, when there are so many great guys out there you could be having fun with.”

“I don’t know. I just feel so inexperienced at the dating game. I thought things were going to be forever between Trey and me. And we met at high school, so we didn’t ever had to deal with any of that artificial, awkward dating stuff.”

“And how many guys did you date before the DHL guy?” Dina joined her thumb and index finger together into an O shape. Lauren stared at her, her huge brown eyes open wide.

“You’re saying you’ve never been on any other dates?” Dina shook her head sheepishly.

“Girl, we have to fix that right now! And you can stop looking like I’m trying to force you to go to the dentist, or something. Dating guys is so much fun,” Lauren said. Dina took a gulp from her glass of white wine.

“I’m too old for this. Internet dating is something kids do. You know, people who actually look good in photos.” Lauren’s eyebrows shot up, halfway to her hairline.

“You have some crazy-ass ideas about things! You’re a stunning, curvy woman. Look at you! And you’re 36; you’re in the prime of life.”

“Yeah, that’s why Trey left me for somebody almost two decades younger than me,” Dina said, her voice sharp with bitterness.

“He left you for an intern in his office, right?” Dina nodded. “Trey left you because he’s a weak man, and he couldn’t handle a strong sexy woman like you. That’s why he was chasing after teenagers. Now, let’s forget about this asshole. He is over with. Will you at least try online dating? I promise you that there are lots of guys out there who will be so excited to meet you!” Dina glanced down at her phone.

“I don’t know. I –” Lauren took Dina’s hand, her eyes soft with compassion.

“Dina, I’m your best friend, and I love you. I wouldn’t be suggesting this if I didn’t think it was a good idea.”

“I know,” Dina said, and let out a long breath. Her hand crept over to her phone and she picked it up again. “Ok, I’ll try it, but just for you. Tell me what I need to do?”

“Great!” Lauren came to life. She was at her best when she was helping people out. She took the phone from Dina and began installing several different apps. When she was done, she showed Dina her handiwork.

“Ok, an app on a phone is just like a button that helps you access a website real fast. So, I’ve installed Matchmakr for you,” she said, pointing with an immaculately-manicured fingernail to a pink icon with a heart on it. “It’s a good app, and lots of people like it. And there’s definitely a lot of guys on there. And this one – ” She pointed at a blue icon with a white wedding cake on it. “It’s called Find the One. It’s a great one for people who know they’re ready to settle down, and are not just casual dating. I haven’t used it myself, but it does have a good reputation. We can look at both of these, but there’s one I just wanted to show you first.” She pointed at an orange icon featuring what looked like an animal paw print, but the pad of the paw was in the shape of a heart. It was called Shiftr. She glanced sideways at Dina, and Dina noticed that her friend seemed unusually tense. Lauren placed her hand on her chest. “Dina, I know in my heart that this is the perfect app for you. But I need to ask you one thing: please be open-minded about what I’m going to show you. Can you promise me that?” Dina stared at her in confusion.

“Sure?” she said, shrugging her shoulders. Lauren pressed a purple-tipped finger on the little icon and the app opened. Dina shuffled closer, her curiosity piqued.

“In a moment, it’s going to ask you to sign up, but first it’ll let you take a sneak peek at a few of the guys.” Lauren selected a couple of options, and suddenly the screen of Dina’s phone was filled with the naked upper body of one of the best looking men she had ever seen.

“Wow!” Dina breathed. The guy’s torso looked like it had been sculpted from marble, every muscle honed to perfection. He had shaggy brown hair, a strong jawline, and sexy eyes in an unusual amber shade. Lauren broke into a grin.

“See what I mean already, huh?” Dina nodded, too stunned to speak. Lauren flicked her thumb upwards, and a second guy filled the screen. He was also bare-chested, and his torso was the equal of the first one. He had dark brown hair, and mischievous-looking pale green eyes. Lauren flicked her thumb up again, and a guy with short black hair appeared. He had a lovely, handsome face, with delicious, chocolate-brown eyes, short black hair and a hint of a goatee. He had a sturdier body than their previous two, and his muscles looked powerful and meaty, like he did heavy, manual work for a living. “Girl, you’re practically salivating,” Lauren said, with a wicked cackle.

“It’s just that I’ve never seen guys this hot in real life before,” Dina said weakly. “But why are you showing them to me? They’re way out of my league.” Lauren shook her head.

“You are so deluded. Ok, I’m going to show you something else now,” she said, and swiped her thumb left on the phone’s screen.

“What?” Dina said, frowning in confusion at the large black bear now filling the screen. Ignoring her, Lauren swiped back up to the brown-haired guy. She flicked her thumb to the left and there was now a big cat in his place. It was black, and green-eyed, and it looked coolly at the camera from its position up high in a tree. Was it a jaguar? Dina wondered dazedly, before Lauren swiped up to the first guy. Again, her thumb moved left, and the shaggy-haired guy was replaced by a large gray wolf, with amber eyes.

“What, so all these guys are nature lovers, or something?” Dina said. Lauren pressed her lips together.

“In a manner of speaking,” she replied. “Did you notice that all of the guys look a little like the corresponding animals on their profiles?”

“Yeah! I guess they do, actually. So the photos are included in their profile to demonstrate their wild side?” Dina said.

“Pretty much. But it’s more than that.” Lauren swallowed. “Dina, what I’m about to tell you is going to sound real crazy, but please bear with me, and don’t freak out.”

“Ok?”

“These guys are all shape shifters. This means that they are half human and half animal, and they can shift between their human and animal sides at will.” Dina’s mouth fell open.

“This is a joke, right?” she said. Lauren shook her head.

“No, it’s for real. It’s a real site, and these guys are genuine shape shifters.” Dina struggled for words.

“This is total nonsense!” she managed at last. “Lauren, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met. How can you take this crap seriously?”

“I know this site is genuine, because it’s how I met Connor,” Lauren said. “Ok, look.” She rummaged in her purse and pulled out her own phone. Dina watched as she tapped an identical paw print icon on the screen and the app opened. The first thing they saw was a photo of Lauren’s handsome boyfriend. He was posed in a forest, leaning on a tree trunk, and he was also bare chested. Lauren swiped her thumb to the left, and in his place was a dark brown bear. Dina gaped.

“You’re telling me that Connor is half man, half bear?”

“Yep!” Lauren said, her voice full of pride.

“I’m sorry, Lauren, but this is obviously a made-up story. You don’t think he might be a bit of a fantasist?”

“I know it’s true, because I’ve seen him in his bear form,” Lauren said calmly.

“But, what? How?” Dina stammered.

“I knew he was a bear shifter, of course, since we met through the site. And, after a couple of dates, I was dying to see the other side to him. I realized that if I only ever saw him as a man, I was only getting half of him. One day, we went on a picnic in the forest, and he shifted for me. He stripped off his clothes, and one minute there was this hot naked man standing in front of me, and the next minute, there was a huge bear in his place. It was really cool.”

Dina took Lauren’s phone from her and swiped back to Connor, and then to the bear again, and back to Connor. As with the other guys she’d seen, the bear really did look quite a lot like Connor.

“This is the craziest thing ever,” she said. “But why haven’t I already heard that there are all these guys everywhere that are half animal?”

“Because there really aren’t that many, and it’s a closely guarded secret,” Lauren said. “When you sign up to the site, you have to sign a declaration that you won’t tell anyone about shape shifters until you’ve found your match. And then, you’re allowed to tell one person only, once they’ve been pre-approved by the site owners.”

“You had me pre-approved?”

“Yes!” Lauren replied, the edges of her lips curving with mischief. “You’re my best friend, and I knew this would be perfect for you, so you were my first choice.”

“But, how did you get me approved?”

“I vouched for your character, of course, saying what a sassy, cool, warm-hearted woman you are. And I sent them a photo.” Dina’s heart jumped into her throat. She had a deep aversion to having her photo taken, to the point that she’d never even look at photos of herself.

“Which photo?” she asked, her voice taut.

“This one!” Lauren located it on her phone, and Dina forced herself to look. From the long red dress she was wearing, she deduced that it was from the last Hope Valley winter ball. But she had no recollection that the picture had been taken. As usual, she zeroed in on the things she hated about her appearance, like the fact that she was six inches taller than most of the other women there, and her huge boobs and wide hips. But, she had to admit, her hair looked pretty good; her black curls were tumbling around her shoulders, and she was smiling. Her smile was the thing she liked best about her looks.

“This photo got me approved to the site?” she asked incredulously.

“Yes! You look stunning,” Lauren said loudly. “Don’t even think about criticizing your appearance!” Lauren pressed another button on her phone. “Look!” she thrust an email message in front of Dina’s face. It said:

Hi honeybun!

Thank you so much for sending this beautiful girl to us! She’s so gorgeous and curvy. We’d absolutely love to have her on the site. I can tell the shifters will all be fighting for her the second she sets her profile up, so warn her to be well prepared!

How are things going with Connor? I just knew he’d be the perfect match for you!

Excited to hear from you!

Love and licks,

Tamika xoxox

“Wow!” Dina said, short of anything else to say.

“Shifters love curvy women like us,” Lauren said. “Connor says it’s the most perfect match imaginable – a rough, rugged shifter, and a strong, voluptuous woman. Kind of makes sense doesn’t it?” she bumped shoulders with Dina. “And I can tell you, hun, my curves have never been worshipped like this before, in all my life!”

Dina’s head was swimming with all the things she’d just heard. Sense told her the whole thing was crazy. But Lauren was not the kind of person who’d make things up. Was it possible that maybe, just maybe, there were guys out there who would appreciate her body? Who would not see her as second best? A tiny bubble of excitement bounced around inside her at the thought. She picked her phone up and looked at the first guy again. His sexy brown eyes seemed to be imploring her to get in contact with him. She swiped left to see his animal form again, and a message popped up on the screen: Please register to continue locating your perfect match!

“You’ve got to sign up now to be able to access the profiles,” Lauren said, looking over her shoulder. “Let me help you.” She took the phone out of Dina’s hand. “I want to make sure you describe yourself at your best. Let me see – ” She began typing. “Female. Height – 5’10?” Dina nodded. “Hair – black. Eyes – hazel.” Lauren peered into Dina’s eyes. “Or green, depending on the light. Hobbies?” She looked at Dina expectantly.

“Tutoring vulnerable kids,” Dina said. “Interior design, dancing, hiking.”

“Good,” Lauren muttered as she typed. “And eating out.”

“No, don’t put that,” Dina said.

“Dina, you love eating out. Your passion for food is a really good quality; don’t be embarrassed about it. These guys aren’t looking for some yoga freak, who exists on a diet of lettuce. They’re looking for real women, with real curves, and real appetites, like us. Connor says my appetite is one of the sexiest things about me!”

“Ok, I’ll take your word for it,” Dina said, with a sigh.

“Now, tell me what you’re looking for in a guy.” Dina leaned back on the sofa and stared up at the ceiling.

“I don’t know. Someone kind, caring, smart, who appreciates an independent woman. Someone who’s passionate about what they do, no matter what it is. It’d be quite cool to be with a guy who works with his hands, but it’d be ok if he worked in an office, I guess.” Lauren chuckled.

“Shifters aren’t known for spending their lives cooped up in offices. There might be a couple of species that are ok with it, I guess, but most of them have physical jobs, like being craftsmen, lumberjacks, engineers, firefighters etc.” Dina’s eyes went dreamy.

“I’ve always fantasized about being with a guy who’s a firefighter,” she said. “They’re so brave.”

“Well, if you like, once we’re done with your profile, we can search by firefighters,” Lauren said, with a laugh. “What else?”

“A guy who wants a family, eventually,” Dina said.

“Oh, that’s a given. These shifters are all looking for their lifelong mate.”

“Mate? What?” Dina yelped. Lauren fixed her deep brown eyes on Dina.

“If you get together with a shifter, you’re not just boyfriend and girlfriend, or husband and wife, you’re mates, and that’s something really special. It’s a very strong, unbreakable bond, which will unite the two of you on a deeper level than is possible between two mere humans. It guarantees you everlasting love and protection,” she said. Dina shivered.

“It sounds like the daydreams I used to have when I was a little girl,” she said.

“Exactly! Who didn’t have those daydreams?” Lauren replied. “It was just a bit of a let-down when we all grew up and discovered that guys were more into lying around watching the game and drinking beer than getting the most out of a relationship. But Connor’s not like that. He’s so caring and attentive, and loves doing things in a couple. Family means everything to him.”

Lauren had finished typing her latest entry. “Ok. Is there anything else you want to add about what you’re looking for in a guy?”

“I don’t think so,” Dina said.

“Is there any species you’re not willing to consider?”

“Umm, I don’t know?” Lauren laughed.

“Of course you don’t. This is all new to you. It’s ok, we can add this bit later if you like. Now, you’re supposed to describe yourself in five words, but I’m going to do this bit for you.” Dina tried to grab her phone, but Lauren held it well away from her.

“Smart, funny, caring, sassy and warm-hearted. Right, that’ll do.” She stood up. “I’m going to use the photo of you in the red dress, but I’m going to take a couple of face shots too. Look at me.” Before Dina could think twice, she was gazing up at her friend, and Lauren snapped several shots. “Perfect!” she said triumphantly. She sat down again, and Dina watched as she hit ‘upload’ and ‘create profile’. An egg timer showed on the screen for a few seconds, and then, bam! There it was – Dina’s complete, brand new profile. The full body shot was the main photo, and all her details were underneath.

“Where are the other photos?” she asked. Lauren swiped left, and a close-up of Dina’s face appeared. Dina peered at it anxiously. The light from the window was shining right in her eyes, so they looked really green, you could see the scattering of freckles across her nose, and her lips looked nice and full. The way she was looking right up at the camera made her seem a little mysterious, as if she had a secret she was bursting to tell. She actually looked pretty cute, she admitted to herself.

“Sexy chica!” Lauren said.

“Not too bad,” Dina said, blushing. Just then, a fluorescent pink heart popped onto the screen. Lauren gave a little scream.

“Oh my god, you’ve got an alert already! That has to be a record, girl!”

“What do I do?” Dina said, adrenaline fizzing in her stomach.

“Tap it, of course!” Dina tapped the heart with her finger, and the graphic burst like a balloon, leaving a message in its place: Want to find out if we’re a match? it said, and it was followed by a happy face and a sad face icon.

“Ooh, he looks interesting,” Lauren said, frowning at the thumbnail of the guy who’d sent it. “Click on his photo.” Dina tapped again, and a photo of a stocky, muscular guy filled the screen. He had messy, dark brown hair, with the slightest hint of red, and a wide, angular face.

“He’s really hot, but there’s something a little arrogant about his smile,” Dina said.

“I agree,” Lauren replied. “It says he plays ice hockey, but when he’s not doing that, he loves lounging around, watching movies. Mmm, I don’t think that’s the kind of guy I’d get on with. Let’s see what kind of shifter he is.” Dina flicked her thumb and a lion appeared, sauntering along a forest trail. “I knew it!” Lauren said. “I’ve heard on the grapevine that lion-shifters don’t have an easy time finding human mates because of their very ‘particular’ personalities.”

“Yeah,” Dina said, biting her lip. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, because he’s insanely attractive, but I don’t feel like he’s the one for me. But how should I tell him?”

“Just tap the sad face icon, and he’ll understand.”

“That seems a little harsh.”

“No,” Lauren said firmly. “Shifters are very straightforward. One thing they don’t do is play games. They understand that finding someone you’re perfectly suited to is super important.”

“Ok,” Dina said slowly, and tapped the icon. Immediately, the lion’s profile disappeared.

“You won’t see him again now,” Lauren said. “That’s what’s so great about this site. You don’t have to scroll past the same old faces again and again. If you say no thanks to someone, they disappear, and if you see a profile you don’t like when you’re searching, you just swipe right, and they also disappear.”

“That’s so neat!” Dina said.

“Ok, this is the fun part. Tap ‘search’ and you’ll start to see the profiles. You can order them by certain criteria, or you can just go random.”

“I’ll do that,” Dina said, tapping ‘random search’. A photo of a lean, black-haired guy filled the screen. He had powerful shoulders, and a muscular torso with narrow hips, forming a classic triangle shape. His worn blue jeans sat low on his hips, revealing those diagonal grooves of muscle that drove Dina crazy with lust.

“Wooh, he’s hot!” Dina said. He had a nice face, with a strong jaw and firm lips, but there was something reticent in his eyes.

“What kind of shifter do you think he is?” Lauren said.

“Mmm, something canine, definitely. A coyote? Or a wolf?”

“My guess is wolf,” Lauren said. Dina swiped left, and a wolf appeared, pale gray in color, with blue-green eyes. “Wolves are an interesting one. Because they live in packs, they have this really strict hierarchy. My guess, from the look of him, is that he’s an omega, so will be of low status in his pack.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No, not at all. It might mean that he’s a very soft and devoted mate. It just depends on what you’re into. Do you feel a connection when you look at him?” Dina shook her head.

“No. It’s weird, but it’s like I’ve got a voice in my head saying no.”

“That was my experience when I was on the app too. With shifters, it seems that you just know whether they’re suited to you.”

“So, I’m going to swipe right, so I don’t see his profile again?” Dina said. Lauren nodded, Dina’s thumb flicked right, and he was gone.

The next guy had a shock of light blond hair that flowed down to his pecs, an unusual, angular face, and a sensitive, slightly wild look in his eyes. His muscles were long and lean, and his olive skin glistened, as if he’d just gotten home from a run.

“Is he a horse?” Dina murmured.

“Let’s find out!” He was indeed a horse – a large, pale golden animal, with a broad white stripe running down the center of his face. His mane was exactly the same color as his hair. “He looks interesting,” Lauren said.

“He looks like he’d be a lot of work to tame,” Dina said with a giggle. “Maybe I’ll leave him for later.” She swiped down to the next guy.

Every few seconds, a message alert popped up.

“Wow! All these guys want to speak to me?” Dina exclaimed.

“Of course they do!” Lauren said. “But how about we have a little fun seeing what’s out there first, before we find out who’s fighting for your attention?” She temporarily disabled the alerts and refilled their wine glasses, and they hunched over Dina’s phone, going from one guy to the next, to the next. The guys all had amazing bodies, with great muscle tone, and striking good looks, but beyond that, they couldn’t have been more different.

It quickly turned into a game of ‘guess the animal’. Most of the guys turned out to be wolf, bear, big cat, or stallion shifters, but there were also beavers, foxes, deer, and even seals and dolphins.

“This is so much fun,” Dina said. “I feel like a kid in a candy store!” Lauren looked at her friend with affection, thrilled that she was enjoying herself so much. She’d known she wouldn’t regret making Dina the one she shared the shifter secret with.

“What’s the deal with shifters that live in the water?” Dina said, shuddering as she flipped between a photo of a surfer with long, tangled blond hair, and a shark. “How does that work?” Lauren laughed.

“I guess you’ll have to move to whichever beach town they live in, so they always have easy access to water!” she said. Dina kept staring at the shark photo. “I just can’t see myself with a shark-guy,” she said.

“Don’t worry about it!” Lauren replied. “There are plenty of other options out there. What kind of shifters are you drawn to?” Dina flicked through a few more profiles while she was thinking.

“Well, the big cats are hot, but I get the feeling that they’re too independent. I’ve always been more of a dog person,” she broke off with a giggle. “Sorry, that was a terrible thing to say. The wolves are sexy, and I like the whole idea of being protected, but that hierarchy thing is probably a bit too much for me. But the bears – there’s something lovable about them.” She scrolled up to the last bear shifter she’d been. “They all seem to have these big, sturdy bodies, with meat on their bones. That’s what I really love in a man, to be honest.”

“Me too!” Lauren said. “When I first saw Connor, it was a no-brainer. I visualized those strong arms wrapping around me, pulling me against his hairy chest, and I just melted! Bear shifters are known for being reliable, protective and warm-hearted. They love the outdoors, and going hiking on weekends.”

“That sounds so perfect for me,” Dina said with a grin.

“Ok, if you like, we can change the options, so you only see bears?” Lauren offered.

“Yes, let’s!” Lauren took the phone, unticked several boxes and handed it back to Dina.

“You know, I think I really liked the very first bear-guy we saw, you know, the one with black hair and brown eyes. I felt an instant connection when I looked at his photo. How can we find him again?”

“Umm, we’ll have to search for him,” Lauren said regretfully. “The first three profiles the app showed you were just a teaser to get you interested, so his profile could be anywhere on the site.”

“Damnit! It’s going to be such a hard job scrolling though all these sexy bear shifters to look for him,” Dina said, with a glint in her eye. Lauren picked up the bottle of wine.

“Well it looks like we’re all out of wine, so how about I leave you to your search, while I go down to the store and get us another bottle?”

“Sounds like a great plan!” Dina said. “Let’s order pizza too!”

“Definitely, girl! You know what I like,” Lauren said, picking up her purse and skipping out of the apartment.

Dina ordered a meat feast supreme with extra jalapeños, and a quattro formaggio, and returned to scrolling. She was almost going cross-eyed from the parade of insanely hot guys being presented to her, one after another, and she was worried that she’d miss the one she was looking for, lost among so many other sexy man-bears. But, suddenly – there he was!

“My goodness!” she exclaimed. Her soft pink lips curled into a smile as she stared at his photo. There was no way she could’ve missed him. He had those deep brown eyes, like dark pools you could get lost in, and his goatee was so sexy. She had a real weakness for light beards; there was something so rugged and masculine about them. His body was something else. His chest was broad and deep, with well-developed pecs, and his arms were strong and meaty. He had nice abs, but he looked like a guy who really enjoyed his food, rather than a scrawny gym bunny. His skin was deeply tanned, and he had a sexy scattering of hair, beginning on his chest, and running all the way down to the top button of his faded blue jeans. His hip bones were just visible, and he had a red lumberjack shirt tied around his waist. Dina read his profile, her excitement growing by the second. It said he worked as a wood carver and volunteer firefighter; he lived out by the national park; he loved eating out, cooking at home, hiking, and playing with his two nephews. He’d love to meet a tall, voluptuous woman, with an adventurous spirit and a love of life. She could hardly restrain herself from getting up and bouncing around the room. He was just too perfect! At the bottom of his profile was a pink heart. What does this mean? She muttered, tapping it at the same time. As before, the graphic popped to reveal the message: Want to find out if we’re a match? Without hesitating for even a second, she tapped the happy face icon.

At that moment, Lauren hurtled back into the apartment with the wine.

“You’re not going to believe what’s happened!” Dina exclaimed. Lauren opened the wine in the kitchen and brought it through to the living room.

“What?” she said.

“The bear guy’s contacted me already!”

“Let me see!” Lauren snatched the phone out of her hand. “Oh my god, he messaged you within ten minutes of us completing your profile. Let’s see what he said:

Hi, there. This is the first time I’ve messaged anyone on the app, but when I saw you, I knew I couldn’t let you pass by. You’re so beautiful, and you seem so genuine and good-hearted. But it wasn’t just that: I felt such a strong connection when I looked at your profile, that I’m desperate to find out if we’re fated to be together.

Hoping to hear from you,

Logan.

“Wow!” Dina breathed.

“He felt the same connection with you! This is awesome,” Lauren said. “Shifters have destined mates, like, the one they’re supposed to meet, and they devote their lives to finding them. It sounds like you might be his!” Dina’s tummy tingled with excitement.

“But how is that possible?”

“No-one knows how. It’s just the way it happens,” Lauren said, but the end of her sentence was drowned out by the doorbell ringing. “I’ll get it,” she said, and headed downstairs again to pick up the pizza.

Dina stared at the guy’s photo, thinking of what she was going to say to him. This was all so crazy. He wasn’t playing it cool, like she expected guys to, and she felt like she owed him the same directness. While she was deliberating, she decided to see what he looked like as a bear again. She placed her thumb over his photo and swiped to the right.

“Huh?” she muttered. Instead of a photo of a bear, she was looking at the main list of profiles again. What have I done? I must have slipped off his profile somehow. She scrolled up and down, searching for it.

“These pizzas smell A-mazing!” Lauren yelled, coming through the door. She deposited them on the coffee table, opened both boxes, grabbed a piece, and immediately began eating. After a couple of seconds, she glanced at Dina.

“What’s the matter, honey? Why aren’t you eating?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I lost the bear-guy’s profile somehow.”

“What? What did you do?” Lauren shuffled closer, still chewing.

“I just wanted to see him as a bear again, so I swiped his photo, and he disappeared.”

“You swiped that way?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s right, honey. That’s what you do when you don’t want to see someone’s profile again.” Dina’s mouth fell open.

“I did swipe right! My gosh! I’m such an idiot! What do I do to get him back? Tell me quick!”

“Oh, god!” Lauren said. She ate the final bite of the first slice of pizza and wiped her hands on a napkin.

“Go ahead and eat. I’ll try to figure it out,” she said, snatching the phone from Dina’s fingers.

“I can’t find him,” she said, ten minutes later. “That’s how this app works. Swipe right and they’re gone for good.”

“No! Me and my clumsy fingers! Dina said with a groan.”  How could I have been so dumb?”

“Hey, stop,” Lauren said. “It’s an easy mistake to make, especially for someone who’s not used to using apps. I shouldn’t have let you loose on it without supervision.”

“I have to find him, Lauren! There has to be a way! I’m serious. This guy is so hot, and he’s interested in me, and we might even be destined to be together. Not that I’m sure that I believe in this whole destiny concept. And now he’s going to think that I don’t even like him!” Dina’s voice was becoming tight and panicky.

“Calm down, honey,” Lauren said, squeezing her shoulder. “There’ll be a way to find him. I’ll send Tamika a message, describing him, and hopefully she’ll know who he is, and then she’ll be able to put you in touch with him.”

“Really?” Dina said, eyes shining with hope. “Do you think that’ll work?”

“With a bit of luck,” Lauren said, licking her fingers. By now, they’d demolished both pizzas. She quickly typed out a message to Tamika on her phone, then flung herself back on the sofa with her glass of wine. “Now let’s chill, and check out some more of these sexy shifters.”

“I think I’ve made my choice already,” Dina said.

“But you don’t know for sure that you’re going to be compatible. And it would be a shame to limit yourself in the meantime,” Lauren said.

They looked through another 20 or 30 bear-shifter profiles. They were all gorgeous, but, for Dina, none of them matched up to the first guy. Then they went through her alerts. There were 15 different shifters wanting to find out if they could be a match for her.

“I don’t know about some of these guys,” Dina said. “But I have to admit, it’s doing plenty for my self-confidence!”

“That’s my girl,” Lauren said. Dina went through and said no thanks to the non-bear shifters. She had set her heart on a big, furry guy, and that was all she wanted right now. Two alerts remained– one from a blond guy who was a polar-bear shifter, and one from a grizzly-bear shifter.

“Click on the alerts and look at the messages they’ve sent you!” Lauren said excitedly. Dina’s finger hovered over them.

“I feel like I really want to wait and see if Tamika can find the first guy for me. I just have to know first,” she said. “Can I wait to reply to the alerts?”

“Of course,” Lauren said. If they think you might be their fated mate, they’ll wait for as long as it takes.”

Lauren was starting to yawn.

“Home-time for me,” she said. “I’ve got a sleepy bear waiting for me in bed. I’ll let you know what Tamika says as soon as I hear from her.”

“Thank you so much for tonight,” Dina said. “Goodnight, hun.” They hugged each other, and Dina waved Lauren goodbye at the door. She stood on the doorstep, watching Lauren’s retreating figure until she was out of sight. She was envious that her friend was going home to a big sexy man who’d take care of her. Normally her envy would have been a sharp, bitter pain deep in her stomach, a gnawing fear that she’d never find the right guy for herself. But tonight she had a sliver of hope that there could be someone out there for her. She brushed her teeth and climbed in between clean sheets, and fell asleep dreaming of a black-haired, muscular man with the most delicious deep brown eyes.

Chapter Two

Dina was on her way to work next morning when Lauren called.

“Good morning!” she trilled. Dina flinched at the volume of her voice.

“Good morning yourself,” she mumbled, barely awake yet. Morning was definitely not her favorite time of day.

“Hun, I have the best news for you! You’re going to be so excited!” Dina became marginally more awake.

“What is it?” she asked.

“So, I heard back from Tamika already. Unfortunately, she doesn’t know who the guy is. She says he sounds like half the bear shifters on the app. I told her he was way hotter and cooler, but it didn’t help. BUT! – this is the exciting part – it turns out she’s been thinking about organizing a summer garden party to celebrate the two-year anniversary of the app, and my message was the motivation she needed to go ahead with it. She’s going to invite everybody who has a profile on the app. So, with a little luck, your man will be there, and you can meet each other in the flesh!”

“That will be amazing!” Dina said. “So when’s the party?”

“Next Saturday night.”

“Wow, that’s not a lot of time to find a new dress. But I guess I can go shopping this weekend. You’ll come to the party too, right?”

“Of course, hun. You know I’m always there for you. I’ll help you sniff him out. And you know I love a good party!” Lauren said. Dina broke into a grin.

“Thanks, Lauren. I’d be so nervous going by myself!” she said.

On Saturday, Dina and Lauren went shopping with their two other best friends, Melissa and Kristin. Luckily, the Hope Valley annual summer ball was being held the week after the Shiftr ball, so they all needed to get dresses anyway. Dina was bursting to tell Melissa and Kristin about the dating app and the guy she’d found, but she understood that she was sworn to secrecy. They were both single girls, and she thought they’d be perfect for the site too. She hoped that she’d find herself a shifter, not only for her own happiness, but so she could let one of them into the secret as well.

“I can’t tell you how hard it was keeping my secret from you all that time,” Lauren told Dina, when they were walking a distance behind the other two. “Every time you told me that you were lonely, or that you thought you’d never find a man, I was bursting to show you the app. So when I got together with Connor, it was like a double celebration!” Dina grinned at her friend’s soft heart.

“I don’t want to jinx it by saying anything,” she whispered. “But I’m really hoping the same for Melissa and Kristin.”

The girls enjoyed a long day of shopping together, breaking often for coffee, then lunch, then more coffee, then happy-hour drinks. None of them enjoyed shopping for clothes, hating the discomfort of fitting rooms, and the way that dresses hardly ever fit them perfectly. But they managed to find a compromise by layering the shopping with lots of fun activities in between.

They’d collectively banned each other from wearing black, since it was a summer party, and had all picked out beautiful, flattering floral designs. Dina chose a chiffon dress in the palest mint green, with huge, cobalt-blue flowers on it. It had a tight waist, which showed off her hour-glass curves, a flowing ankle-length skirt, and a low, v-neckline that made the most of her bust. Lauren picked out a fuchsia-pink dress in raw silk, embossed with a lighter pink orchid design, cap sleeves and a raised, belted waist. Melissa chose a sleeveless, cotton knee-length-dress, which was white all over, except for a deep pink and yellow floral and butterfly pattern around the hem, while Kristin bought a sky-blue silk dress, cut high on the thigh to show off her height and great legs. Dina had watched the girls trying on one dress after another, all day long, and she thought they all looked amazing. At 5’1, Melissa was the shortest of the four of them, and the cut of the dress made the most of her curves, without swamping her. She had dark blonde hair, and cornflower blue eyes, and a slightly vacant expression that belied her fierce intelligence. Kristin was only an inch shorter than Dina, and she carried herself proudly. She used to play basketball at college, and she had an athlete’s elegance, but she struggled with her weight due to PCOS. Out of the four of them, she probably had the hardest time accepting her curves, but only her closest friends knew it. To everyone else, she looked like a fearless, sexy woman.

When they were done with shopping for the day, they went to Valentina’s, their favorite cocktail bar, for early evening drinks. The other three seemed happy with their purchases. Dina was a little nervous about her dress. She often picked bold colors, hence the red number that featured on her Shiftr profile, but tended to stick with classic, understated styles, so this was something new for her. When she’d seen the dress in the store, she’d had a fantasy of herself as a fairy princess, floating around the garden party, looking mysterious and ethereal. But now she wondered if it would just look stupid.

“Not at all,” the girls chorused when she voiced her doubts.

“You look so elegant, and delicate,” Melissa said. Dina snorted. She could count on the fingers of one hand the number of times someone had called her delicate, and that was all before she’d turned 12.

“That dress is attention-grabbing, in all the right ways,” Kristin assured her.

One cocktail turned into two, and then three, as the girls chatted excitedly about the upcoming party. Dina was joining in too, but her thoughts were all about next weekend’s Shiftr party. Lauren flashed her conspiratorial glances when the others weren’t looking, knowing exactly what was on her mind.

“Let’s hope there’ll be some hot guys there!” Lauren said. “They won’t know what’s hit them when you ladies walk in!”

“Honey, there are no hot guys in Hope Valley. I think we’ve established that,” Kristin said drily.

“Hey, things change. People move to other towns.”

“Uh huh. And in Hope Valley, everyone knows there’s someone new in town before they’ve even had time to empty out their U-Haul. Trust me, no eligible bachelors have arrived in town in the past several months!” Kristin continued.

“Well, people also come to the summer party from towns all over the county,” Lauren said. “It’s become quite a big deal in recent years.”

“Lauren, you’re a sweetheart, and I know you’re trying hard for us because you’re all loved up with Connor, but I’m not expecting to meet anyone there,” Melissa said, patting Lauren’s hand. “I feel like my marriage was my one shot at lasting happiness. It didn’t work out, after our stillbirth broke us up. I think I’m destined to be alone now, and I’m ok with that.” Dina glanced at Lauren, who shot her a look of exasperation. Dina grinned, painfully aware that she’d be saying the same type of thing if she didn’t have the Shiftr party to be excited about.

“I just want someone decent, you know,” Kristin said, breaking through a pause in the conversation. “I’m about ready to settle now.”

“No!” Lauren almost shouted. “You deserve someone as amazing as you are!”

“Babe, the chances of me being able to have kids is very small. If I can find a guy who doesn’t mind being childless, and is not a total slob, and treats me decently, well, maybe that’s all I’ve got a right to expect.”

“Ladies! Where did this lack-of-self-esteem avalanche come from?” Lauren said, looking appalled. “I thought me finding Connor would give you all hope that there are great guys out there. Now, no-one is going to settle or be an eternal spinster. We’re going to go to the ball, all looking amazing, and we’re going to have fun, and chat to lots of men. And I’m certain that, within six months, you’re all going to be with someone incredible. And I don’t want to hear any more negativity from any of you!”  With that, she stalked over to the bar to get another drink.

The following week passed in a blur for Dina. She snuck onto the app a couple of times, checking her alerts. Each day, there were at least three more guys wanting to know if she could be their perfect match, but she was determined to hold off on replying before she’d been to the garden party. The sexy bear shifter was on her mind more often than not. The thought of his hot, naked torso turned her mind to mush. While she was teaching her elementary school classes, her mind was far away, concocting all kinds of fantasies about the things they could get up to together. Her ex-boyfriend hadn’t been very adventurous in bed, which had been a constant frustration to her. She was a red-blooded woman, with strong appetites and urges, and the sex drought she’d suffered since Trey dumped her had driven her half-crazy. She loved the thought of being dominated in bed; of being overpowered by a really big, strong guy, who was capable of pinning both her wrists in one hand, while he pleasured every part of her body. When she lay in bed alone, she imagined the bear-guy doing exactly this to her – holding her down and taking her roughly, while he gazed at her with those dark, fathomless pools of eyes.

Although she’d only seen his photo for a moment, his image was burned into her brain. It was weird – she usually had to meet someone a few times before she could recall every feature of their face. But she remembered him as if she knew him intimately. And she had the strangest sense that those brown eyes were calling to her, across space and time. She pictured them as tender and insistent, telling her that she was the one. But as she tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the thought gnawed at her that he would have thought she’d rejected him, and already gone onto someone else.

“Relax, Little Miss Stresshead!” Lauren said, answering Dina’s early morning call after one of those anxiety-ridden nights. “Even if he has started dating someone else, if you’re the one, it won’t matter. You’ll be his destined mate.”

Saturday came, and Lauren came over to Dina’s place to get ready for the garden party. They ate a bowl of pasta each.

“I know what you’re like – drinking too fast when you’re nervous – so we’ve got to line our stomachs first!” Lauren said. “Otherwise, Connor will be putting you over his shoulder and carrying you home before the party’s even started!”

“You’re right,” Dina said with a giggle, recalling all the times she’d got way, way too drunk at parties in an attempt to hide her nerves, and then ruined any chance of meeting a guy there. “But I think I’ve learned to pace myself now I’m in my thirties!” Lauren cocked an eyebrow.

“Let’s hope so, girl,” she said.

After they’d finished eating, they began to get ready. They put on some music to get them in a party mood, alternating between Lauren’s R’n’B favorites, and Dina’s taste in light rock. Dina rubbed camellia moisturizer all over her body, making her skin impossibly soft and smooth, and then she put on a matching lacy lingerie set, in the same mint-green shade as her dress. It was beautiful and expensive, and she’d bought it during the week to give her an extra confidence boost. She slipped her dress on over the top. She still wasn’t sure about the long, floaty skirt, but she did love the way it flared over her hips, and the nipped in waist. Her bra gave her boobs a nice lift, and the low v-neckline of the dress made her cleavage look amazing. She draped her favorite wrap over her shoulders. It had belonged to her grandmother, and was made of cream filigree lace.

She joined Lauren in the bathroom to do her make-up.

“You look stunning!” Lauren said, looking at Dina’s reflection in the mirror as she applied her eyeliner.

“You’re looking pretty hot yourself,” Dina said, eyeing her friend’s voluptuous figure in her tight pink dress. Lauren loved her curvy body and it showed; she always looked sensational.

Dina applied black liner and smoky gray eye shadow to her eyelids, to emphasize the greenness of her eyes. She added mascara, then picked up her favourite lipcolor and hesitated.

“Lipstick or not?” she asked.

“Not!” Lauren said. “You’ll scare any guys off who might be thinking about kissing you.” Dina giggled.

“Fair point, I guess.”

“How about this one?” Lauren said, picking up a pot of rose-pink gloss. “It’s so pretty.”

“Ok.” Dina slicked it on. It made her lips look extra full, and she completed the effect with a rose cream blush.

“Perfect!” Lauren said, in admiration. “Your eyes look kind of wicked, but your cheeks and lips have this fresh, kind of innocent look. It’s the ideal virgin/harlot combination!”

“Hey!” Dina exclaimed, and slapped her friend’s ass playfully.

They both stepped into killer heels – Dina in nude patent courts, and Lauren in black patent sandals – and walked into the bedroom to see themselves in the full-length mirror.

“Wooh! We’re two hot ladies,” Lauren exclaimed. Dina looked at her reflection more shyly. She looked pretty ok, she allowed herself to think. Before she could object, Lauren snapped a selfie of them together. “The before shot,” she said with a cackle. “Ok, let’s have one drink before we go, so we don’t go in cold.” She pulled a small bottle of tequila out of her purse. “Do you have soda, and lime?”

“Yes!” Dina said, striding over to the kitchen. She mixed up two drinks with ice. “I actually feel quite classy right now,” she commented, as they drank them sitting on high stools by the island in the kitchen.

“Well we princesses better call ourselves a carriage, if we don’t want to be late,” Lauren said, reaching for her phone, and tapping on a taxi app.

Chapter Three

The venue for the garden party was out in the hills, a 30-minute drive from downtown Hope Valley. As the taxi passed between two high, wrought iron gates and drove onto a private tree-lined avenue, Dina’s mouth fell open.

“What is this place?” she said.

“I don’t know,” Lauren replied. “But the person who owns it sure seems to have a lot of money!” The avenue continued for maybe a quarter of a mile, before it swung to the left and a huge, elegant house came into view. The house was white, with three stories, and big marble columns on either side of the front door. It gleamed like a Grecian temple under the flawless blue sky. To the right of the house was a painted wooden sign, saying ‘Secret garden party this way’.

The girls stepped out of the taxi carefully, Dina catching up her loose skirt so it didn’t get tangled in the door, and they walked towards the sign. They were now close enough to see that there was a pathway running alongside the house. Lauren looked at Dina, her eyes full of excitement.

“Are you ready?” she asked. Dina let out a long breath.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said. They picked their way along the path, and when they reached the end, they stopped and stared at the amazing sight that greeted them.

There was a huge garden, full of palms and magnolia trees, with tables and chairs dotted here and there. A jazz band was playing in one corner, and in the other was a vast buffet table, groaning with food. Off to one side was a cocktail bar that looked like it had been lifted out of the 1920s, and in the final corner was a mini circus show, with acrobats and jugglers and fire-eaters. All the women were in pretty dresses, while the men were in tuxedos. Every guy that Dina glanced at was ridiculously, stunningly, good looking.

“Oh. My. God!” Dina breathed. “Is this place real?”

“Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming,” Lauren said at the same time.

As they stepped onto the immaculately-clipped lawn, a man walked over with a tray of champagne glasses.

“Drink, ladies?” he asked. He had a narrow, handsome face, with something sly in his expression that made Dina think of a fox. Lauren snatched two glasses immediately.

“Thank you,” she said.

“Are these men all shifters?” Dina whispered when the guy had walked away.

“Yup,” Lauren replied, looking around. “And what fine specimens they are. Not that I’m looking, of course; Connor’s all the man I’ll ever need.” As they walked into the center of the garden, they could hear the jazz band playing, and they were bathed in the sunlight of a beautiful summer’s day. Dina tried not to stare too obviously at the men all around them, but she couldn’t get her head around the fact that they were all half animal. And not only that, but they were insanely hot. She was practically salivating. Seeing such sexy men on the app had almost been too much for her; seeing them in the flesh was on a whole other level.

Just then, a woman in a shimmering golden dress ran over to them, tottering on incredibly high heels.

“Lauren, darling!” she exclaimed, taking Lauren by the shoulders and kissing her on both cheeks. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t there to greet you at the entrance. I just got caught up with so many people!” She turned to Dina. “And you must be Dina.” She also kissed Dina, while Dina stood there, too stunned to move. “I’m Tamika, and I’m so glad you’ve made it here tonight! Lauren told me all about that delicious man you found on Shiftr, and I can tell you that I’m pretty sure he’s here tonight. All but two of the local shifters responded to my invite, saying they were coming.”

“That’s great,” Dina said, a little shyly. Tamika’s effervescent personality had knocked her off balance a little. She was a beautiful woman in her mid-forties, with long, caramel-colored hair, carefully arranged into waves, and long, muscular, tanned legs. Her dress was a simple shift style, but it looked stunning on her generous curves, and she wore bold, statement jewellery, set with jade stones. She spoke in a booming voice with a foreign accent. “Where are you from?” Dina blurted out.

“I’m from England, darling,” Tamika said with a smile. “I grew up in London, but an American werewolf caught my heart ten years ago, and brought me over here. I’ve lived in the US ever since. Just recently, I started thinking about all the lonely shifters out there who are desperate to meet curvy girls like us, and the idea for the app just popped into my head!”

“It’s amazing what you’re doing,” Dina said, gazing around the garden.

“Thank you, darling. I very much hope you find the bear you’re looking for. Please come and find me if he hasn’t emerged from the shadows by the end of the night!” Tamika said. And, with that, she was off, greeting the next group of people.

“She’s quite something!” Dina whispered to Lauren.

“She is,” Lauren replied with a grin. “I’ve heard that she belongs to the English aristocracy or something, and she’s a millionaire, so she produces the app for free, just to bring curvy girls and shifters together.”

“That’s so sweet,” Dina replied. “Oh, hey, isn’t that Connor?” By the time she’d finished her sentence, the tall, stocky figure of Connor was right in front of them.

“Hey, baby!” Lauren yelled, throwing her arms around him. He kissed her on the lips, tenderly stroking the bare flesh of her upper arms. Dina was entranced. She loved the way Connor treated Lauren, like she was the only girl in the world. Eventually, they pulled away from each other, and Connor turned towards Dina with a big grin.

“Sorry, Dina, I forgot my manners! It’s great to see you!” he said, and pulled her into a hug that almost knocked the breath out of her. Fleetingly, she wondered if that was how it would feel to be held by the bear-guy.

When he released her, she registered how handsome he looked in his crisp white shirt and bow tie. She was used to seeing him in a t-shirt and ripped jeans.

“How are you?” he asked her, a warm smile lighting his eyes.

“A little nervous,” she admitted.

“Don’t be. You’re not going to have a hard time finding your mate, trust me,” he said, squeezing her hand. “Now, would you ladies like to come over and meet my clan?” He nodded to an area of the garden where a group of well-built, dark-haired guys were gathered.

“Your clan?” Dina asked. Connor laughed.

“Sorry, I forget people aren’t used to shifter language. It means something like my extended family.” They walked over to the group together. On the way over, a waiter appeared at their elbow with a tray of delicious-looking canapés, and Dina and Lauren grabbed one each.

As they arrived, all eight men turned around to greet them, and Dina was shocked to see approval and desire in the eyes that lingered over her body.

“This is Ryzard, Olsen, Bruno, Dalton, Frankie, Leigh, Niall, and Timo,” Connor said. “Guys, this is Dina.” They sweetly shook hands with her, one at a time, and she felt herself blushing as she met their intense gazes. Connor frowned. “Someone’s missing though. Where’s Logie?”

“He’s on a mission,” Bruno said with a laugh. One edge of Connor’s lips curled up.

“What kind of a mission?”

“He said he found this amazing woman on Shiftr,” Frankie cut in. “She seemed to like him too, but then she disappeared, and he couldn’t find her on the site anymore.”

“He’s been really cut up about it all week, because he’s sure they were perfect for each other. So he’s desperately hoping she’ll be at the party today,” Ryzard explained.

“He says he’d never forgive himself if she was here and he didn’t manage to find her,” Dalton added. Dina was totally charmed by the way they spoke, each picking up where the other one left off. But there was another, far more dramatic thought racing through her mind. She shot a glance at Lauren and saw that she was thinking the same thing.

“What does this Logan look like?” Lauren asked. The bears looked at each other and rubbed the backs of their heads.

“Pretty much like us?” Niall mumbled, confused.

“I mean, does he have black hair, or brown? Is he tall or average? What color are his eyes?” Lauren said. They looked relieved.

“Black hair!” Timo said triumphantly. “And he’s real tall, maybe the tallest out of all of us.”

“And his eyes?” The bears shuffled around.

“We don’t know,” Connor said with a laugh. “It’s a guy thing. I can tell you they’re not blue, but apart from that, I wouldn’t have a clue.” He shrugged helplessly. “Why are you asking, anyway?”

“Oh, no reason,” Lauren said. “Dina and I just need to use the little girls’ room. Could you point us in the right direction, Connor?”

Lauren dragged Dina off to a quiet spot under a tree, far from the others.

“Did you hear that?” she hissed. “He’s here! He’s looking for you! How amazing is that?” Dina looked excited and terrified all at the same time.

“What if he doesn’t like me when he sees me?”

“Please! Girl, you’ve never looked prettier, and you look better in the flesh than in your photos anyway.” Lauren put a finger on her lip. “Now, what should we do – should we wait for him to find you, or should we be a little more pro-active?”

They began to wander around the garden together, focusing their attention on any guy walking around by himself. Every guy they saw was either too blond, too short, or not stocky enough. Then, right on the opposite side of the garden from where Connor and his friends were gathered, there was a man with his back to them. He was about 40 feet away, and Dina could see that he was taller than most of the men there.

“Turn around,” she muttered under her breath. Incredibly, as she spoke, he did turn his head, as if looking for something. Dina clutched Lauren’s arm as he turned to face them.

“Oh my god, it’s him!” she hissed. There he was. Black hair, a hint of a beard, and six foot five inches of dense muscle, packed into a sexy tux.

“Are you sure?” Lauren said. “I can’t even make out his features from this far away.

“Yes. I’m sure,” she said. The man’s gaze focused in on her, and a dazzling smile broke across his rugged features. He strode across the grass, and in an instant, he was standing in front of them. His deep brown eyes locked with Dina’s, and she restrained a gasp. He was absolutely gorgeous, but it was more than that: she had the weirdest sense that they were being magnetically drawn together. He took a step closer, and held out his hand. Dazed, she stretched out her hand too, and he engulfed it in his. His whole hand was rough and callused, and she found herself wondering how it would feel running all over her body.

“I’m Logan,” he said, in a deep, rumbling voice that made her quiver from head to toe.

“Dina,” she replied, her voice an octave higher than usual.

“We met briefly online,” he said.

“I know,” she replied, with a giggle. Idiot. She’d planned to come across as mysterious and sexy, but she was so stunned by his good looks that she was acting like a teenager. He frowned, as if uncertain how he should phrase his next sentence.

“You’re even more beautiful than your photos. I appreciate that you think I’m not your type, which is why I couldn’t find you on the app after you received my message. But when we first made contact, I felt so strongly that we were a match. When I saw your photo, it was like a bolt of electricity was connecting your phone with mine.” He laughed, embarrassed. Then he paused, frowning adorably, before he began to speak again. “So I wanted to ask if you’d be willing to give it another chance. Maybe we could hang out today, and get to know each other a little?”

“It was a mistake – “ Dina started to say, but she was cut off by Lauren giving a little scream.

“Oh my god, I’m such a klutz!” Lauren exclaimed. Dina’s head snapped to the side, and she saw that her friend had spilled her drink down the front of her dress. “Goodness. I’d better go to the restroom and fix this,” she said, grabbing Dina by the hand and beginning to run. “I’m sorry, Logan, it was nice to meet you. We’ll catch you later!” she called over her shoulder.

“Oh no, you’ve ruined your dress,” Dina said, as they reached the restroom.

“It’ll be fine with a little water,” Lauren said. She took a paper towel from the dispenser, moistened it under the faucet, and began dabbing at the stain with a napkin. “Honey, you’ve got to make Logan work a little for you. You can’t let it come too easy. Let him woo you and seduce you. Guys need to feel like they’ve won you over somehow, and it’s important for you to feel like they’ve made an effort.” Dina gaped.

“You’ve spoiled your dress to tell me this?” Lauren looked a little embarrassed.

“Well, I could see you were steaming in there like a bull at a gate, and I had to hold you back somehow!” Dina laughed.

“But are you sure about this?”

“Trust me. Connor and I courted for a long time on the app before we ever met up, and then he took me out for some really romantic dates. The chase is half the fun of dating.”

“Ok. I’ll do what you say. You’ve never been wrong before. You’re the best, Lauren,” Dina said, and hugged her best friend tight.

Dina looked at her reflection in the mirror and applied more lip gloss and Lauren helped her primp her hair a little.

“Now go, and be romanced,” Lauren said, eyes sparkling.

Logan hadn’t moved from the spot where they’d left him, but he was holding two fresh cocktail glasses. The sight of him, waiting for her, made Dina catch her breath. This time Lauren introduced herself to him properly, shaking his hand.

“I need to go catch up with my man now, so I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” she said, and floated off. The front of her dress was still wet, but she managed to carry it off with total elegance.

Logan turned to Dina, and she suddenly felt weak and quivery at being alone with him. He had such a strong, powerful presence, and he towered over her, which was a delicious sensation. At her height, there weren’t too many men who were capable of doing that.

“You look breathtaking,” he said. “And your dress suites you so well. You remind me of a fairy, or a woodland pixie.” Dina blushed, and bit her lip, forcing back the self-deprecating comment that was threatening to spill from her mouth.

“Thank you,” she said instead. He held out both cocktail glasses.

“I took a chance on the drinks,” he said. “This one’s a Lavender Martini, and this is a Summer Negroni. Take your pick.” Dina took the Martini from him.

“I love Martinis,” she said, smiling up at him. Her eyes lingered on his full lips and his sexy, perfectly-trimmed goatee.

“I’ve heard there’s another garden just behind this one. Would you like to go investigate it with me?” he asked.

“Sure, that sounds like fun!” They began to walk towards the rear of the garden, and Dina did feel a little like a fairy, floating along in her gauzy dress, tiny in comparison to this huge man.

At the edge of the garden, they passed through an archway, made of climbing roses entwined with vines, and they entered a second, completely different garden. A tall, manicured hedge stood directly in front of them, stretching all the way to the left and the right.

“Is this a maze?” Logan said, excitedly.

“I think it might be!” Dina said. “I used to love playing in mazes when I was a kid.”

“Which way?”

“Let’s try left,” she said, and began walking. The path was narrow, just wide enough for them to walk side by side. At the end, it twisted around to the right, and then forked. They picked the right fork.

“Is your family from Hope Valley?” Logan asked her.

“Yes. For several generations. And I’ve never wanted to live anywhere else. I just love the feeling of community, the way that everyone knows everyone. I guess I’m a typical small-town girl,” she finished, with a shrug. “How about you? I don’t think you live downtown, or we would’ve met long ago.” He laughed.

“No, I live out by the national park. There’s a few of us there.”

“The guys Connor introduced me to?”

“Yes! All the clan are together. I’ve lived near the park all my life, and my parents live on the opposite side of it now. It’s nice to have a little distance from them, but I could never be too far away.”

“Must be great to be out in nature all the time?” she said.

“It’s a necessity for me. If I lived in the city, I think I’d wither away. I need to wake up and hear bird song, and smell the forest.”

Dina glanced at him when he wasn’t looking. She loved the way that he was so connected to the earth. It was fresh, and genuine.

“Have you been on Shiftr for long?” he asked hesitantly.

“Nope, I’m a newbie,” she said. “Lauren talked me into joining after she met Connor through there.”

“That’s great,” he said. “Connor and I joined at the same time, after Tamika hunted us down and told us how great it was. He found his match pretty quickly, but I’m still looking for mine. I mean, I was, until – ” He broke off, and glanced at her. She looked up and met his gaze. The sun was shining full into his eyes, making his irises appear lighter than before, and she could make out the quick dilation of his pupil. “I know my profile isn’t very good,” he said. “It’s so hard to write about yourself. I guess I felt kind of embarrassed, and it came out really lame.”

“Oh, mine was terrible!” Dina said. “I had to have Lauren help me out with it.”

“Well, the end result was worth it,” he said. “I only got to see it for a minute, but I remember your photos, and how beautiful you looked in that red dress. And your eyes were so green and sparkly, just like they are now.” At that moment, Dina stumbled in her heels on a large stone. Logan’s hand shot out to steady her, curving around her waist.

“Are you ok?” he asked, eyes full of concern.

“I am now,” she replied, with a smile.

Afterwards, he didn’t remove his hand immediately, but let it linger on her hip. She could feel the heat from his fingers coming through the flimsy fabric of her dress, scorching her skin beneath. She also became aware of his scent – rich, spicy and outdoorsy. She didn’t think it was cologne, but his own natural smell. She inhaled deeply, letting it fill her nostrils, and it hit her like a drug, making her feel hungry and full of desire for him. She was also weirdly conscious of the sound of his breathing. It was a very subtle undertone – a low rumbling sound, kind of like a cat’s purr.

“I loved that you were into dancing and hiking,” he continued. “Two things that I really enjoy in life.”

“Yeah, I love to hike,” Dina said. “I’ve always dreamed of doing one of those famous trails, like the Appalachian.”

“Me too!” he said. “If you ever need a partner – ” he trailed off, realizing what he was saying. Dina smiled to herself. There was something delightfully awkward about him, as if he wasn’t used to dating.

“And you tutor kids too?” he said.

“Yes. I’m an elementary school teacher, and I also volunteer a couple of times a week at a local project to give vulnerable kids a little extra support. I’ve been doing it for a few years and I can see it makes a difference to these kids’ lives.”

“That’s great,” he said, eyes shining. “I really believe in supporting the younger generations too. I take on a couple of apprentices at my wood-carving business every year. They’re shifters though, of course. It would be too difficult to hide our true nature from humans, day-in day-out.”

“I’m surprised it’s been kept a secret for so long,” Dina said.

“Oh, it’s been closely guarded for generations. There are some who are nervous that the app will ruin everything. But the truth is that there are a lot of lonely shifters out there, who don’t have the skills to meet the right woman, and their species is dying out as a consequence.” He stopped walking and looked at her very seriously.

“Dina, how do you feel about me being a bear?” he asked her. At his words, a bolt of heat hit her clit, and ran deep inside her. The truth was, she was beginning to find it very sexy.

“It was something new to me, of course,” she stuttered. “But I actually really like it. I think it’s nice.” She looked up at him, into those smoldering chocolate eyes, and she couldn’t hold back. “I think it’s really hot,” she said, at last. Logan’s breathing became louder, a definite rumble, and he leaned towards her, his lips inches from hers. He’s going to kiss me! she thought, at the same moment that he straightened up, and began walking again.

“Sorry,” he mumbled.

“No, don’t be – ” she said awkwardly. Falling a step behind him, she shook her head. Damnit. He still thinks I don’t like him. She gazed at his muscular back, his black jacket straining over his powerful shoulders. But nothing could be further from the truth.

As they’d been walking, the turns in the line of hedge had become more frequent, and they’d picked the directions subconsciously, lost in their conversation. They were now deep in the maze, and the tall, dark green hedges seemed to be crowding in on them. Dina might have felt uneasy if she’d been alone, but Logan made her feel safe, somehow, even though he was still a stranger to her. Another turn brought them to a small open area. There was a bench, with a canopy of vines arching above it, and in front was a tiny rose garden, and an ornate fountain, tinkling softly. They peered into the water. It was full of orange and white koi carp.

“I think we’ve found the center!” Logan said. It was a lovely spot. The red, pink and white roses were beautiful, and, as they walked closer, Dina could see that the vines were passionflowers – her favorites.

“This was so worth the walk,” she said.

“Shall we take a rest here? It’s nice to be in the shade for a while,” he said.

“Sure.” She sat down on the bench and took a sip from her drink. She’d been so caught up in Logan’s presence that she’d forgotten to drink it. It had lost its chill by now, but the alcohol made her pleasantly lightheaded. Logan sat down too, leaving a small space between them. The scent of the passionflowers was intoxicating, but the smell of him was much stronger. It was a masculine, deeply exciting scent, and she longed to be close to him, smelling his neck, wrapped in his strong arms.

“I’m not surprised you rejected my profile, Dina. It was pretty poor. But I’m so, so glad that you’ve given me another chance to get to know you today,” he said. Dina looked into his eyes, feeling giddy, almost hypnotized by the intensity of his gaze, and the nearness of his firm, full lips. She couldn’t conceal the truth from him any longer.

“It was an accident,” she said. “My clumsy thumb swiped in the wrong direction. I was trying to look at your bear photo again, but instead I deleted you from my list altogether.” He broke into a grin, his straight, white teeth dazzling.

“Really?”

“Yes. Unfortunately I am that much of a doofus,” she said, her cheeks warming.

“So the message I sent you didn’t put you off? I was so happy when you said you wanted to find out if we were a match. Then, when you deleted me right after you saw my message, I was worried I’d come on too strong.”

“Not at all,” she said. “I thought it was beautiful. And I came here today because I was hoping I’d find you here.”

He gave a deep rumble. Dina jumped.

“What was that?” she exclaimed.

“It was my bear,” he said. “It’s a sound of happiness.”

“It does that every time you’re happy?”

“Yes.” he shrugged. “It’s an instinctive reaction. Actually, I want to show you my bear now.”

“You mean you’re going to shift into a bear right here?” Dina said, caught between horror and fascination. Logan laughed and pulled his phone from his breast pocket.

“No, I was just planning on showing you the photo that you were looking for. If you still want to see it?”

“Of course!” Dina said. She watched as he opened the app, and located his profile. The screen filled with the photo of him that had initially drawn her to him so strongly. He swiped left, and a large bear filled the screen instead. She took the phone from him and looked closely at the photo. The bear was huge, with glossy black fur, dangerous-looking black claws, a long, blunt muzzle, and deep brown eyes. It was standing on its rear legs, its front legs up against a fir tree.

“He’s beautiful,” she said, knowing instinctively that Logan would appreciate a compliment on his bear side.

“One day you’ll see me as a bear, if you’d like?” he said.

“I really would,” she said, her voice a shade above a whisper. Unconsciously, they’d moved closer together to look at the photo, and his knee was now brushing against her thigh. He leaned towards her, hesitantly. She met his eyes, seeing that his pupils were dilated, and reached out and touched his chin. He edged still closer, and, as his face went out of focus, she closed her eyes and their lips met. His lips were impossibly soft, gliding on hers. She felt the warmth of his breath, and the softness of the stubble on his chin. He drew back, as if assessing her reaction, before planting another kiss on her lips, and then another. They were sweet, soft kisses that made her impatient for more. She made a small sound, and her lips parted under his. He began to kiss her more confidently, his lips caressing hers, sensitively, exquisitely. A spark of desire was ignited deep inside her, and when she felt the flickering touch of his tongue, the spark grew into an intense warmth, suffusing her body. She hadn’t been kissed for so long that she’d almost forgotten what it felt like. In fact, she’d never had a kiss like this before. His lips were so soft and tender, making her dizzy with pleasure, and the touch of his tongue was velvety and exciting, as it danced into her mouth and seeking out hers. Logan’s arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him, and she responded by clasping hers around his neck. From time to time, his stubble brushed her cheek, and she found herself wondering how it would feel brushing her tender inner thighs. His hand moved into her hair, his fingers getting caught up in the strands, measuring its weight.

“God, Dina, you feel so incredible,” he muttered, drawing away from her for a second. She rested her hands on his shoulders.

“No, you do, Logan,” she replied, and she pulled him into another deep kiss. She’d had no idea that kissing could be so arousing. She was aware of her nipples, hard and aching beneath her lacy bra, and the growing ache between her thighs. She sensed that a part of her, which had been sleeping for too long, was finally waking up. She longed for him to touch her all over, wanted to feel those big rough hands caressing every part of her body. He was being the perfect gentleman though. While his kisses were becoming more and more intense, his tongue probing her mouth more and more urgently, his hands stayed on her waist, or her jaw, or her shoulders. When, at last, his hand moved down and touched her thigh, her flesh was so sensitized and eager for his touch that she jumped at the contact.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I think I was getting a little carried away.” He looked around guiltily, as if worried that they were being watched. But they were still alone. “I feel like we’ve been kissing for hours. I’ve been so lost in you.” She felt around in her purse and pulled her phone out.

“Well, it’s almost six already, so that’s definitely a possibility,” she said with a grin. He cupped her face in his hands.

“I don’t ever want to stop kissing you,” he said, and fell on her lips again. She sensed the passion and hunger coiled tightly inside him, and was amazed that he managed to hold it in.

Suddenly, Dina’s tummy rumbled, and they both laughed.

“God, I’m such a stupid bear. I’ve been keeping you out here all day without anything to eat or drink. Let’s go and get some food,” he said, getting to his feet and holding out his hand to her. Dina stood up, her hand naturally sliding into his. She was pretty hungry, now she came to think of it.

“Which way is it?” she said, aware that she had no idea of the turnings they’d taken to arrive in their secret spot.

“It’s this way,” Logan said, and walked confidently to the left. They passed through the maze quickly, never taking a wrong turning.

“But – how can you know this?” she said.

“I just followed our scent from earlier.”

“That’s amazing,” she said. He shrugged.

“Just one of the advantages of being half-bear,” he said. They held hands the whole way, and Dina tingled with happiness. She loved feeling so small and protected by him.

They returned to the main garden just as the sun was setting. The sky was brilliant shades of yellow, salmon pink and orange. Little white lanterns at the edge of the lawn were flickering into life, and the scent of night flowers filtered into the air. As they strode across the lawn to the buffet table, many eyes turned in their direction. Dina felt self-conscious, but in a nice way, as if everyone was looking to see who was walking with this big, sexy man.

The buffet was the most delicious-looking that she’d ever seen. There was seafood – lobster, oysters, shrimp and mussels, sliders with all kinds of fillings, huge trays of roast meats, chicken wings, cold cuts, cheese, and trays of fries and onion rings. At the side was a chef cooking steaks fresh on a barbecue, and you could choose any cut you wanted. While Logan lined up to have a steak cooked, Dina picked up a couple of sliders and a handful of fries. She was salivating at all the food, but she didn’t want to seem unladylike by loading her plate up.

Logan came back with a giant t-bone steak, so big that it was overhanging the edges of the plate. He frowned at her plate in confusion.

“What’s wrong? You were really hungry,” he said. Dina stammered something vague.

“Ah, I get it, it’s difficult to manage while you’re holding your purse. Here.” He passed his plate to Dina to hold. “You want some roast beef? Chicken wings?” As she nodded at this and that, he filled her plate up until it was as overloaded as his own. “That’s better,” he said in satisfaction. They looked around at the tables. “Do you want to go find Lauren?” Dina squinted. She could just make out her friend’s pink dress in the distance.

“No, I think she’s good hanging out with Connor,” she said.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he said, looking at her with intensity. “I wanted to spend some more time with you alone.”

They located a table for two, in a secluded spot at the edge of the garden. Now that it was almost dark, the sky deep navy, with a crescent moon showing, other lanterns came to life, and their little table was lit in a soft orange glow. There were tea lights on the table, and as soon as they sat down, a waiter appeared with a tray of champagne glasses. They took one each. When the waiter had walked away, Logan raised his glass.

“Here’s to us meeting today, despite the obstacles that fell in our way,” he said. Dina grinned and they clinked glasses. As she sipped the delicious cold champagne, she felt like she was in a dream. Things like this didn’t happen to a girl like her.

Seeing how enthusiastically Logan dove into his food, Dina didn’t hold back. It was so liberating being able to enjoy her food like this with a man. Her ex-boyfriend had always been picking at her, telling her what she should eat, making little digs about her weight. She’d come to terms with being a big girl. She knew she’d always be curvy, and she kept herself fit and healthy by hiking. But there was always that little voice niggling away, saying men wouldn’t like her unless she starved herself.

Logan cut a hunk of his steak off and deposited it on her plate.

“You’ve gotta try this,” he said. “It’s almost as good as the meat the guys and I cook when we have our barbecues at home.”

“Oh, I love barbecues,” she said.

“It’s a real bear thing. There’s nothing our clan like to do more than hang out at one of our cabins with a fire going, plenty of beer, and barbecued meat – most of which we’ve caught ourselves.” Dina glanced at him sideways. She was still getting used to the idea that he would do things like hunt his own food.

“That sounds really cool,” she said.

“It is. And you’re top of the invite list for our next one,” he said with a grin.

They finished eating, and she delicately dabbed her lips with a napkin. Logan looked at her, the flame from the tea lights reflecting in his eyes, making his features seem softer than before.

“I hope this isn’t an intrusive question,” he said. “But I’ve been wondering all night how someone as lovely and beautiful as yourself could be single.”

“Oh.” She looked down, and fiddled with the stem of her champagne glass.

“I’ve overstepped the mark, haven’t I? I’m such a clumsy bear sometimes.” He laid his hand on hers, his eyes full of concern.

“No, it’s not that. It’s a really sweet compliment. The truth is, I’ve been single for a while. I had a long-term boyfriend, but he didn’t treat me so well. And when he left me, it knocked my confidence a lot, so I haven’t been ready for dating.” Dina didn’t know why she was telling him this, but something about him convinced her that he wouldn’t judge her negatively. Logan’s expression clouded over.

“I’d like to meet this guy who thought it was ok to mistreat you,” he said, clenching his fist. “He’d be very sorry by the time I was done with him, I can tell you that.”

“Hey, it’s ok. It’s far in the past,” she said, anxious to pacify him. He caught sight of her expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “We bears come on a little strong sometimes. “It’s our protective nature.”

“It’s ok, I like it,” she said, entwining her fingers with his.

“I feel like I always want to be there to protect you, Dina,” he said. “I can see that you’re a strong, independent woman, but I’d love to be able to take care of you too.” Dina gazed at him wordlessly. They’d only met today, but he seemed to be talking about forever. With an average guy, that would be a sign to run away very quickly, but Lauren had said that shifters mate for life. And she felt the same. As little as she knew him, this rough-tender man already seemed to be part of her destiny.

“How do you feel about having children?” he asked her, breaking into her thoughts. “I mean, one day, far into the future.”

“Well, I love kids. They’re definitely part of my plan,” she said.

“Me too. I can’t wait to have cubs.”

“Cubs?”

“That’s what we call the children of bear shifters.”

“Cubs,” she repeated, trying out the word. “I like it. So, if a human and a bear shifter were to have children, they’d still be cubs? They’d be capable of shifting as well?”

“Cubs, yes, of course,” he said with a grin. “As to whether they become shifters – yes they should be. As long as the human and the shifter are a perfect match.” They stared at each other for a long moment, and then he leaned towards her and their lips met, in a gentle, slow kiss. It was as if the world was falling away from her, and time seemed to be poised, waiting for them. All she was aware of was the feeling of his lips on hers, his soft stubble brushing her chin.

After a long time, they pulled away, and gazed at each other in wonder, glowing with a sense that something had passed between them. Strains from the jazz band reached Dina’s ears, and she turned her head to look at it. The musicians were gearing up, getting to their feet to play their instruments, and people were beginning to dance on the small platform in front of it.

“Shall we dance?” Logan asked her.

“Yes!” she said, a smile blooming on her lips. He took her hand again as they stood up from the table, and escorted her to the dance floor, like a gentleman from another age. The garden looked beautiful and magical, with strings of lights suspended from the trees. It was all impossibly romantic, and Dina shivered in delight.

The band was playing a song from long ago, a quick, lively number. Logan pulled her into his arms as they stepped onto the platform, and began to move. He was a great dancer, she realized immediately, amazingly light on his feet for such a big man. He was doing a specific step. Dina didn’t know it, but with her experience and instinct for dance, she kept up with him, and they were soon spinning effortlessly around the space. Logan switched to another step as the music changed, and the musicians’ eyes twinkled as they watched them dancing.

“Do you know the tango?” he asked her. She nodded. It was her favorite step. As the piece came to an end, he went over and spoke to one of the band, and the music changed completely, to a sensual Latin rhythm. They came together, and began to dance energetically. Dina knew the moves inside out, having practiced constantly during her teens, and she fell into the rhythm, Logan twirling her expertly, as if they’d danced together all their lives. It was easy to get lost in the passion of the dance, even with a partner you weren’t attracted to, but with Logan, it was on a whole other level. It felt like a prelude to making love, their bodies so close, his thigh sliding between hers, his arms holding her up as if she was as light as a feather.

At the end of the piece, they stopped, breathless, and there was a small round of applause. Dina looked around in shock; she’d had no idea people had been watching them.

“Bravo!” the saxophone player called to them. Then he spoke to the band, and they began to play a much slower piece. Logan pulled Dina gently against his body. He held her right hand in his left, and his other arm looped around her waist. They were so close that she could feel the slow, steady beat of his heart. In her heels, she was tall enough to peep over his shoulder, but in bare feet, she would’ve been able to lay her head against his chest. She very much liked the thought of doing that. They swayed gently together, not moving much, just enjoying the closeness of each other’s bodies.

“Dina, I love dancing with you,” Logan murmured in her ear. “It feels so sensual.”

“I love it too,” she replied, lifting her chin to look into his eyes. He brought his mouth down to hers and kissed her again. Little by little, they edged over to the side of the platform, until they were back on the grass, out of the glare of the lights that were suspended over the dance floor. They began to kiss more passionately now, exploring each other’s mouths as they had in the secret garden. Dina’s arousal, which had temporarily yielded to softer, more romantic feelings, rose up again fiercely, and a sweet ache began to blossom between her thighs once more.  Their bodies entwined as they kissed, craving ever-closer contact. As one of Logan’s muscular thighs slid between hers and pressed up against her clit, the heat inside her became almost unbearable. She imagined him touching her there, doing more than touching her. If he didn’t stop soon, she wasn’t going to be able to control herself. She could feel that her nipples were erect, pushing at her bra and her flimsy dress, demanding attention, needing to be taken into his mouth. He wrapped his arms more and more tightly around her, nibbling at her neck, burying his face in her hair, and she could tell that he was growing hard, that his desire for her was as strong as hers for him. This knowledge drove up her arousal by several notches, and she felt her panties becoming damp. She yearned for him to take them off, along with her bra and her dress, and make love to her for hours.

At last, he drew back from their kiss, and gazed down at her, his eyes very dark and fierce.

“God, Dina, you’re driving me crazy,” he said, his voice rough with desire. “If we don’t stop right now, I’m going to have to carry you off to my cabin, and I won’t be responsible for my actions.” She looked up at him, her eyes bright.

“Maybe I don’t want you to stop,” she said, softly, yet firmly. That had to be the understatement of the year. Every part of her being was begging for him to take her, to fill her, to make her lose herself. He looked at her very seriously.

“Dina, baby, I’ve never desired anyone the way I want you right now. But maybe we should take our time. I want to get to know you, to learn everything about you, to understand your thoughts and feelings and dreams and ambitions. To know what makes you happy and sad. I don’t want you to think that I just want you for one thing.” Dina bit her lip, her heart fluttering with happiness at his words.

“I want that too – ” she said, but the end of her sentence was drowned out by a loud Ooooh! and lots of shrieks of excitement. They looked back at the party that they’d forgotten existed. The circus act had gathered in the center of the garden, and they were setting up Chinese lanterns. One lantern had been released already, and it was floating into the night sky. Logan and Dina watched as it climbed higher and higher, until it became invisible. The couple who’d let it go looked blissfully happy, grinning and kissing each other.

“I hope they made a wish,” Logan said.

“I think they did,” Dina replied, with a smile.

“Let’s release one ourselves,” Logan exclaimed. This was all the encouragement Dina needed, and she skipped over to the circus entertainers, pulling Logan along with her.

“What color?” a man in tiger face paint asked.

“Red,” they said at the same time. The man selected a lantern, lit the flame and handed it to them. They stood facing each other, holding onto two sides each.

“To you, me, and our future,” Logan whispered to Dina. She repeated his words and, together, they released the lantern.

Logan stood behind her, his arms around her waist, and they watched their lantern blowing into the velvety night, glowing red and leaving a fiery train in its wake. They kept their gaze on it, until it was a golden dot, no bigger than one of the stars. Dina let her weight fall against him, enjoying the sensation of being supported, and he nuzzled her hair.

“Part of me could stay like this forever,” he murmured. She didn’t need to ask what the other part of him wanted to do, as she could feel his hardness pressing against the cleft of her ass, driving her crazy.

Lauren and Connor joined the line of people waiting for a lantern, and Dina and Logan watched as they took their turn, full of happiness and excitement. When their lantern had become invisible too, Dina called to them, and they ran over.

“Hey! I haven’t seen you guys all day,” Lauren said. “Been having fun?”

“We certainly have,” Logan replied. Dina flashed Lauren a secret smile, indicating how much she liked Logan.

“Connor and I are just going to set off a lantern, and then I think we’re done for the day. So I’ll say goodnight to you guys.” Lauren stretched up to hug Logan, and squeezed her arms around Dina.

“Go get him, girl,” she whispered. “Connor’s been telling me all day how awesome he is, and I can tell you’ll be so well suited!” Connor hugged Dina, and Logan and Connor exchanged some kind of complicated handshake, and a rough, back-slapping hug, and Lauren and Connor walked off together.

“How are you getting home?” Logan asked Dina.

“Oh, by taxi,” she said.

“We could share, if you don’t mind a slight detour by the national park?” Logan suggested.

“That would be great,” Dina said, excited at the prospect of another half hour in his company.

As they walked out of the garden, Dina was a little regretful at leaving such a perfect, magical evening behind. There was a line of cars waiting in the driveway.

“Complimentary service, courtesy of Shiftr,” the guy organizing the cars said as they walked up. “The driver will take you anywhere you want to go, just tell him your destination.” They climbed into the luxurious sedan, and it pulled away from the house, tires crunching on the gravel.

Chapter Four

Dina and Logan sat close together on the car’s soft leather seats. Logan clasped her hand, letting the back of his hand rest on her thigh. The contact with his body was almost unbearable. She longed to unfasten her seatbelt and jump on top of him. Instead they sat calmly, chatting about their lives. He seemed to want to know the smallest details about her, asking her all about her family and her friends, her job, and where she lived. She answered all of his questions, but her mind was wandering, thinking about how hot his body had looked in his Shiftr photo, how much she wanted to see it in the flesh. Her mind constructed mini fantasies: him on top of her, thrusting inside her, his strong hands spreading her thighs.

She was so engrossed by him that she hadn’t noticed that the road had become a lot darker, the streetlights further apart. She’d been to the national park plenty of times before, but she didn’t recognize this road. Logan leaned forward to direct the driver, and the car took a sharp turn, and the road became a rough track.

“Funny, I don’t know this part,” she said.

“There’s a reason for that,” Logan said, his white teeth flashing in the dark. “We were-bears need our privacy from the human world, if we’re going to keep our existence a secret.” He spoke to the driver again, and the car made another turn, then came to a stop at the side of the road, beside a gap in a line of trees.

“Where’s your place?” she said, confused.

“Through the trees, a hundred yards back,” he said. “Some of the other guys and I have cabins back there.”

“That sounds really nice,” she said.

“It’s the best,” he said with a grin. He unfastened his seatbelt and turned to her. “It’s so hard for me to leave you here, so I’m going to kiss you goodnight quickly and go, before I lose all self-control.” His lips brushed hers, and he opened the car door. “Good night, beautiful,” he whispered. He climbed out of the car and closed the door. The driver began to pull away, and Dina watched as Logan strode into the dark woods. His kiss was still burning on her lips, and there was an unbearable ache between her thighs. But even more than that, she felt a hole, a vast emptiness in her heart, at being separated from him.

“Stop!” she yelled. The driver jumped and stepped hard on the brake.

“Sorry, ma’am?” he said.

“Hold on, I’ve made a mistake!” she said. She unfastened the seatbelt, and scrambled out of the car. She ran back to the clearing and stared into the woods, but she could no longer see anything.

“Logan!” she yelled.

“Dina?” came a voice from far away. A second later, she saw a flash of his white shirt and he came crashing back.

“What is it?” he said, panicked.

“Logan, take me home with you,” she said simply.

“Dina, if you come in here now, you’re not going to leave for several days. I hope you realize that,” he said.

“It’s a good thing there’s vacation from school next week,” she said, coquettishly. His face broke into the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen. He bounded over to the taxi and told the driver that she didn’t need a ride anymore, then he took her hand.

“Wait,” she said, as she began to stumble into the undergrowth in her heels. Logan paused and looked down at her feet.

“Oh, sorry,” he said with a laugh. With no hesitation, he bent down, swept her up, and strode off with her into the woods. Dina lolled in his arms in a daze; she hadn’t been carried since she was a small child, and she hadn’t thought it was possible to feel so small and vulnerable again. He looked at her tenderly as he walked.

“It’s just a little bit further,” he said, his breath a soft rumble. The woods looked entirely black to Dina. The meager light cast by the crescent moon left the night very dark, and she couldn’t see the trees at all, but Logan navigated the track with ease.

At last she could make out a row of cabins. Each had a small light above the door.

“This is mine,” Logan said stopping at the third one along. Three steps led up to a small veranda and a covered porch with an arched roof. Still managing to hold her up somehow, he rooted in his pocket for his keys and unlocked the door. Dina made to climb down, but Logan held onto her.

“No, I’m carrying you over this threshold, baby,” he said. Ensuring that she didn’t bump her head on anything, he brought her into the cabin, and gently laid her on the sofa. Then he flicked a light on. Dina looked around. It was way bigger than she’d imagined from the outside. The living room was spacious yet cozy, with rustic wooden furniture, a huge, antique-looking leather sofa, and homely rugs and animal skins spread across the floor. There was a big open fireplace, loaded up with logs for a colder evening. Lamps in the corners cast the room in a subtle orange glow. Logan sat down next to her, and she immediately fastened her lips onto his, kissing him more passionately than before. Her hands ran all over his broad shoulders, his huge biceps, and felt for his pecs beneath his shirt. He drew back, looking at her with wonder.

“Dina, we don’t have to do anything tonight. You can have my bed and I’ll sleep on the sofa,” he said.

“Logan, maybe it isn’t obvious, but I want you. I want you real bad,” she said, looking back at him with smoldering eyes. He hesitated for half a second, before throwing himself on her. He pushed her back against the sofa, and kissed her hard, his stubble chafing her skin, and his fingers tangling in her hair. He scooped her up and pulled her onto his lap, and as soon as her thigh made contact with his crotch, she felt his hardness, his need for her. His hands ran over her upper arms, into the v of her cleavage. Dizzy, drunk with desire, she swept her skirt up above her knees, turned to face him and straddled him. Now the bulge of his cock pressed right on that hot, aching place between her thighs, and a small sound escaped her lips. Logan’s hands hovered around her ass, as if uncertain whether he could touch her there, but as she pressed herself closer to him, his fingers sank into her flesh, pulling her close, inciting her to grind against him. His tongue snaked into her mouth, seeking out hers, circling it, with an insistent, hungry motion. She matched his urgency, sucking on his lips, lashing his tongue with her own. Dina had never felt so hungry, so unashamedly wanton before. He kissed and bit her neck, from one side to the other. They pulled at each other’s clothes, eager for skin-on-skin contact. She fumbled at his bow tie, eventually getting it unclipped, and threw it aside. Then, she opened the first four buttons on his shirt, wanting to get at his muscular chest. His skin felt unexpectedly soft beneath her fingers, as did his sprinkling of chest hair, and his muscles rippled. She needed more. Sitting back to give herself enough space, she opened his shirt all the way down. He pulled off his jacket, then his shirt, and she finally saw him, just the way he’d been in the photo. She ran her hands all over his upper body. She’d never touched big muscles before, and the feeling of the bulges and undulations was amazing.

“Your turn,” he growled, his voice harsh with desire. His hand went to the zipper at the back of her dress, and he pulled it all the way down, in a single motion. Gently, he eased the broad straps from her shoulders, and the entire front of the dress fell down, revealing her mint-green lace bra.

“Beautiful,” he murmured, bending his head to the sensitive skin of her décolletage. He made a trail of kisses along her collarbones, and down, into the valley of her cleavage. Hesitantly at first, and then more hungrily, he cupped her breasts in his hands. As soon as his thumbs grazed her nipples, they became twice as erect, begging to be taken into his mouth. His fingers hooked into the top of the lace cup, and he dragged it down, freeing her nipple. Dina watched as he brought his mouth to it, flicking his tongue over the tip, before fastening his lips around it. He sucked gently, and the sensation shot a burning path down to her clit. Hardly aware of what she was doing, she rubbed herself back and forth against his bulging, rock-hard crotch, every movement drawing waves of tingling heat. He pulled down the other cup of her bra and gave her other nipple the same treatment. With one breast in his mouth, and the other cupped in his strong hand, she was ready to combust with need. She could tell she was drenched, and she was probably leaving a wet mark on his pants, but she didn’t care. She needed him inside her so badly.

He went to unfasten her bra, but then he paused and looked up at her.

“Let’s do this properly,” he said. “I want to take you to bed, and treat you like the goddess you are.”

“Ok,” she said, looking at him in delight. He rearranged her bra straps, and she climbed off his lap and got to her feet awkwardly. Her dress slid to the floor and she stepped out of it. She was still wearing her heels. She shrugged to herself. They’d come off at some point. His gaze swept over her body, his eyes full of fire. He led her to the back of the living room and through a doorway. There was a short passageway, with two doors leading off it. He opened the right hand door, and took her into his bedroom. It was just as cozy as the living room, with bare wooden walls and a huge bed. The head and foot boards were made of intricately carved dark brown wood.

That was all Dina had time to observe before Logan took hold of her again. His hands moved frantically all over her waist, back and breasts, while he alternately nibbled at her neck and gave her hard, biting kisses on the lips, which left them tingling. He backed her onto the bed, until she was sitting down. Standing before her, he unfastened his pants and tugged them off. He was wearing snug, black undershorts, the kind she liked best, and the bulge of his erection was huge. His thighs were bulky and muscular, and covered with dark hair. He knelt down between her legs, holding each calf tenderly in his hand as he slipped her shoes off. She loved the way he was forcing himself to be gentle with her, although he was obviously half-crazed with desire.

He lifted her up, laid her down, so she was lying fully flat on the bed, and then he arched over her, his eyes darker than ever. His brow suddenly furrowed.

“What is it?” she asked in alarm.

“It’s my bear,” he said. “It’s driving me on to mate with you, and claim you as my own.”

“It is?” she said, intrigued.

“It’s so hard to hold it back,” he said in a frustrated tone.

“But you don’t have to hold it back.”

“I do, Dina,” he said. “I want to take my time with you. Get to know every inch of your body.” She wriggled happily. No-one had said that to her before.

He let his weight come down on top of her, and she gasped at the sensation of full body contact. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her deeply again. She curled her legs around his, drawing him closer to her, and their bodies seemed to meld into one, sliding together as if they were made for each other. Underneath her back, he reached for the clasp on her bra, and she arched to allow him to get at it. Slowly, reverently, he slid the straps off her shoulders, and lifted the bra off completely, exposing her large breasts, and swollen, aching nipples to his gaze. With a soft growl, he fell on them again, sucking harder than before, taking more of her breast into his mouth. She moaned, and lifted her thighs, wrapping her legs around his waist. He gave a deeper growl and his pelvis gave little jerks.

She groaned in frustration. She loved what he was doing to her nipples, but it was still a big tease. More than anything, she wanted their underwear to be cast aside, and him to be inside her. Suddenly, she raked his back with her nails. He stopped kissing her and sat up, a sexy smirk playing on his lips.

“I think you’re taking on some of the energy of my bear,” he said.

“Maybe I am,” she said, a wicked grin lighting her face.

“But there’s no rush is there?”

“No rush,” she muttered, gazing at his torso. She did enjoy lying back on the pillow and drinking in the sight of this gorgeous man who seemed to be crazy about her.

“Good,” he said, in a growly voice, and cupped her breasts in his hands as he leaned forward and planted a kiss between them. He began to knead at them, rolling her nipples between finger and thumb, as he licked a slow trail down her body, all the way to her belly button. His tongue circled it and flicked inside, and she sighed. She hadn’t realized it was such a sensitive spot, but it seemed to have a direct connection with her clit, and she felt her little bud jolting as if sparks were flying off it. He continued on his way, licking and kissing her soft belly. She fought back a flicker of self-consciousness, then abandoned herself to the sensation. When he reached her panties, he tugged at them with his teeth. She was so enflamed with need, that even that small movement made her hips jerk. He kept pulling, until her neatly-trimmed, black triangle of hair was revealed. His nostrils flared, inhaling the scent of her, and he made a low rumbling purr. He hooked his fingers into the sides of her panties, and eased them over her hips. She raised her ass, and he slipped them all the way down, past her knees and ankles, leaving her completely bare.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said, returning his lips to the place he’d left off, and planted kisses all over her pubic hair.

“Such sexy fur,” he muttered. She waited, dying for him to flick his tongue over her clit, but he took his time, moving over to the side, to the place where her belly met her upper thigh. He made a trail of kisses across the front of her leg, to her tender inner thighs, each kiss inflaming her like a line of fire ants. She jumped as he nibbled at the tender flesh there, moving higher, but maddeningly slowly. She closed her eyes, willing herself to stay calm. When his tongue finally made contact with her clit, she jumped as if she’d had an electric shock. To her relief, Logan gave up on teasing her, and latched on it, drawing it gently into his mouth. She moaned. As his lips sucked on it, his tongue made tiny back-and-forth motions across the tip. Before long, her breath began to come in pants, and her hands wandered down and tangled into his hair, keeping his head exactly where it was. He had an amazing technique, his rhythm never faltering, building and building on her arousal. He kept his hands on her thighs, her legs pinned to the bed, and she adored the situation of being held there and eaten out by the bear.

Her hips started to make little bucking motions – signs that an orgasm was near – and her grip on his hair became more aggressive. Little cries and moans escaped her lips, and he responded by sucking harder on her swollen little bud. At the edge of her vision, she could just make out that his ass was moving, as he rubbed himself on the bed, and the knowledge that licking her pussy was turning him on flipped her right over the edge.

“Oh my god, I’m coming!” she cried, as her clit spasmed under his tongue, and she exploded into a sharp, shuddering orgasm.

Dina couldn’t move for a long time afterwards. She let go of Logan’s hair, realizing, to her embarrassment, that she’d been tugging on it the whole time. He lifted himself up, the muscles in his shoulders flexing, and climbed up her body, until he was face to face with her again.

“You taste like the sweetest honey,” he whispered, caressing her cheek, and kissing her on the mouth. “You’re so sexy, Dina. I could lick you all day.” She tasted her own tangy sweetness on his lips, and she had an overwhelming urge to taste him too. She pulled at the waistband of his shorts, uselessly, since it was trapped between their bodies. He laughed.

“Ok, they’re coming off,” he said. “But I might not be capable of being gentle any longer.”

“Good,” she said, looking him right in the eye. “I don’t want you to be.” He gave a growl, reminding her of the animal inside him, and she shivered. She sat up and helped him to pull his underwear off, gasping when his cock was finally revealed. It was even bigger than she’d expected from the bulge in his underwear. It was bigger than the large vibrator she kept in her nightstand, and she’d always been a bit of a size queen when it came to her toys. She really enjoyed the feeling of being filled, but she wasn’t sure if she could handle Logan’s cock. He spread her thighs again and knelt between them, his thigh muscles bulging, and his cock looking like a dangerous tool.

“The moment I saw you on the app, I knew I wanted to mate with you,” he said. “But I can hardly believe it’s about to happen now.”

“Me neither,” she said. Every part of her being was tingling with anticipation, and it was all she could do to stop herself from jumping into his lap and impaling herself on his length.

He arched over her again, supporting his weight on one arm, while he kissed her and slid his free hand up her inner thigh. She gave a little moan as he stroked her soft, damp hair, and ran his thumb between her sensitive labia. He circled her clit briefly, before slipping all the way down to her entrance. At the slightest touch, her pussy spasmed. This was exquisite torture. Slowly, achingly slowly, he slid his index finger inside her. Her nerve endings were so sensitized that it almost hurt. He moved in and out, and she squirmed. She needed more goddamnit! She glanced at his cock; it was just within reach. Her hand snaked out and she took hold of it with a firm grasp. Logan gasped, and his finger shot all the way in, his knuckles bumping at her entrance. A moment later, both his hands were on her thighs, spreading them further, and the tip of his cock was probing at her entrance. She took a deep breath as he eased himself inside her, her muscles resisting, then yielding to his girth. He kept his eyes on hers, and the look in them was wild and animal. It was a little scary for her, but deeply exciting as well. His length kept coming and coming, until with a growl, he went all the way in, his pelvis butting deliciously against her clit.

“Don’t worry, I can take it,” she whispered, sensing that he was restraining himself with a massive effort.

Something in him uncoiled, and he began to fuck her hard, vigorously. Back and forth, in and out he moved, in long, relentless strokes. Each thrust set her nerve endings on fire, and she yelped and moaned like a wild animal. Her pussy turned to molten heat, throbbing out of control. He lifted one leg over his shoulder and went even deeper, making her gasp, before she learned to accommodate him. He began to pound her like a jackhammer, and she loved it, crying out and digging her nails into his back. She wasn’t a girl who liked to go slow. Fast, hard pumping was what drove her crazy. Before long, a second orgasm hit her, and her pussy spasmed hard around his cock.

“That feels so goddamn amazing,” he said. “I love the way your pussy feels. So hot and tight.” His dirty talk knocked her into a third orgasm, and a fourth, and she lay helpless, as wave after wave of pleasure hit her.

Suddenly, he sat up on his haunches, pulling her with him, and she balanced her weight on her knees and wrapped her arms around him as she rode his cock up and down. He gripped her ass with his hands, making her move to his rhythm. But she wanted it faster. Catching him off guard, she tipped him backwards, making him lie on his back, and without him slipping out of her, she switched to cowgirl style, riding him hard while she gazed down at his gorgeous body. He reached out and circled her clit with his thumb, and she came again and again. He let her take her pleasure until she was exhausted, and then he flipped her onto her back once more. They were so energetic together, she almost felt like they were wrestling.

Now her head dropped over the side of the bed, and she was helpless as he fucked her harder than ever before, holding her thighs flat and wide apart. She liked the feeling of being helpless, and the angle of his cock, rubbing against the front wall of her pussy.

Logan’s breathing was rough, and all kinds of snarls and growls escaped him as he pounded her harder and faster. He paused to move her further down the bed, laying her head on a pillow, and then he held her close, gazing into her eyes.

“Dina, you’re so beautiful, so incredible,” he whispered over and over again. His movements became very quick and jerky, and, at last, he came, with a roar, his seed shooting deep inside her, suffusing her with heat.

They lay quietly for a long time, damp with perspiration, the smell of sex heavy in the air. Logan’s face was nuzzled in Dina’s neck, and the feeling of this big, sexy man lying between her legs was blissful.

“That was incredible, Dina,” he said. “You’re such a sexy woman. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you had a tiger inside you.”

“Was I too much?” she asked, instantly anxious that she’d scare him away. She felt like something long repressed had just been unleashed inside her.

“Not at all,” he said. “You’re the sex-mate of my dreams. We bears are very physical, and I’ve always hoped that my destined mate would be my match in terms of appetite and energy.” Dina laughed.

“I think I’ve always had a huge appetite, but this is the first time I’ve met someone I’ve been able to indulge it with,” she said. A look of delight came into his eyes.

“This is only the beginning,” he whispered, running a fingertip over her face, exploring her cheekbones, her nose, her lips. “There’s a lot more mating to come, trust me. Bears need to mate often, to maintain a deep connection with our mate. I need you to know that you’re fully mine, and that I’m yours, your one and only, who will stay close to you and protect you to the ends of the earth.”

“Logan, I would really like that,” she replied. He held her and kissed her for a long time.

After a while, he got up and pulled the covers out from underneath them, then tenderly covered her body. She turned onto her side, and he snuggled against her, so that her face nestled into his chest. The last thing she remembered was him murmuring sweet compliments to her.

Chapter Five

The next morning, Dina awoke to the sight of Logan walking around the bedroom, butt-naked. He seemed to be looking for something, and she watched him drowsily, eyes half-open, so he didn’t notice she was awake. He had such a hot, masculine body. There was nothing self-conscious or preening about him; he had real, human flesh on his muscles, and there were little scars on his body here and there. She cast appreciative eyes over his shoulders, his biceps, his pecs, his ass. She felt like she wanted to lick every inch of this sexy man. His cock was semi-hard, and the sight of it made her pussy muscles twitch. She thought about all the things he’d said to her last night, both about how much sex they were going to have in the future, and about how he wanted to be her permanent, life-long mate, and her belly warmed with happiness and desire all rolled into one. She gave a contented sigh, and Logan turned to look at her.

“Good morning, beautiful,” he said, and walked over, climbed onto the bed next to her and enveloped her in a hug.

“Morning yourself,” she said.

“How did you sleep?”

“Very well, I think. I didn’t stir once.”

“That’s probably because it’s so peaceful here.” She listened, and all she could hear was the sound of birds.

“Maybe,” she said, knowing it had more to do with the fact that Logan had been there. She didn’t sleep well by herself, and last night, she’d fallen asleep feeling safe and protected, which was not a familiar feeling for her.

Logan pulled the covers back and climbed under them.

“Mmm, you smell so sweet,” he said, nuzzling her. “Like acacia blossoms.” His skin glided against hers as he held her against him. The touch of his body was instantly arousing, and Dina’s mind started going wild with all of the things she wanted to do. She dipped her head and kissed him on the lips, reaching for his cock at the same time. He let out a groan, becoming hard in a second. She moved her hand up and down his shaft, with light, teasing strokes, and his hips gave little jerks. He tried to push her onto her back, but she put a hand on his chest and persuaded him to lay on his back instead.

“You know what I was thinking of doing just now, as I was watching you walking around?” she said.

“What?”

“Taking you in my mouth,” she whispered. He made a sharp intake of breath, and, at the same moment, she ducked down and did just that. She licked all over the tip of his cock, teasing him, making light circles, moving up and down the shaft, until he was crazy with need.

“Dina, please,” he whispered at last, and, finally, she positioned her lips over the tip and took his length into her mouth. He growled and snarled as she moved up and down, sucking him deeper and deeper into her mouth, and, at the edges of her vision, she could make out his hand clutching at the bedsheets.

“Stop!” he said after a moment. “I can’t keep my bear under control.” He eased her off him, and, in a deft movement, he got to his knees, and turned her around. Unexpectedly, she was now on her hands and knees. She’d always hated doing it doggy-style, embarrassed by the size of her behind, but Logan stroked the globes of her ass, whispering words of appreciation.

“You look so sexy like this, Dina,” he murmured. “You have such a lovely round ass. I love your curves so much.” The touch of his hands was soothing, and then gently arousing. She found herself arching her back, to encourage him to caress her more firmly. His fingers moved in circles, edging closer and closer to her sensitive labia. He was close, yet tantalizingly just out of reach. She gave a sigh of frustration, realizing at the same moment that he was deliberately teasing her.

“Be patient,” he whispered, with a chuckle. She didn’t feel patient. Her clit was already throbbing, and that telltale ache had begun deep inside her – a sign that she would soon be wet and ready for him. When both of his thumbs ran the length of her labia, her body jolted. He caressed her outer labia for several, maddening minutes, making her wetter and more hungry for him, before he moistened a finger in her juices, reached around in front of her thigh and touched her clit. She jumped again, harder than before. Her clit was like a live wired. At the same time, she felt his cock lightly pushing at her entrance. She groaned and arched her back further, and, in one movement, he was in. She gasped at being so suddenly filled by him. It was almost more than she could cope with.

Keeping his finger on her clit, softly circling, he began to move in and out of her. As he made slow, measured thrusts, Dina lowered her head onto her hands, and pressed her hand over her mouth. What Logan was doing to her felt so intense that she had to restrain herself from screaming. Her pussy walls were on fire, his cock turning them to liquid heat. Her muscles gripped his cock, each thrust sending them into tiny spasms. His thrusts quickened, and became harder, each one filling her to the hilt, his pelvis butting deliciously against her ass. Before long, the spasms turned into a violent tremor, and she held her breath, feeling like she was falling through space. One hard thrust knocked her over the edge, and she exploded in an intense, powerful orgasm, beginning at her clit, and detonating in waves deep inside her.

Logan took her orgasm as a sign to fuck her even harder, and she collapsed on her front, helpless, as he pumped in and out of her unrelentingly. As with the previous night, she came again and again, and, as she hit one, extra strong climax, Logan came too, rasping and growling in her ear.

Afterwards, he stayed on top of her, kissing her back and the nape of her neck.

“That was even hotter than last night, Dina, which I didn’t think was possible,” he murmured. “I didn’t know mating could be so intense. You’re mine, all mine. I can’t wait for the day that I fill you with my seed, and you bear our first cubs. I can’t wait to make love to you while you’re pregnant, your belly gently swelling with our babies.” Dina wriggled with delight. She couldn’t wait either. She was so ready to have Logan as her lifelong mate, and bear his cubs.

*

Logan was as good as his word. Dina didn’t leave his place all of the following week. They stayed holed up in his cozy cabin, having rough, tender, energetic sex. He attended to her every need, cooking her amazing meals from his overstocked fridge, all of which had a strong meat focus. She ate deer, wild boar, moose and rabbit, all cooked to perfection.

On the following Saturday, Dina woke up to the sound of a beeper going.

“What’s that?” she said drowsily, rubbing her eyes. When she opened them fully, she saw that Logan was already out of bed, pulling his clothes on.

“It’s an alert. It means that there’s a fire emergency somewhere in the forest, and my boys and I have to go deal with it.”

“Is it bad?” she said, pulling herself into a sitting position.

“No. We just have to watch out for forest fires. It probably means that someone lit a campfire somewhere they shouldn’t have.” He walked over and kissed her on her forehead. “It’s still early. Go back to sleep, sweetheart, and I’ll wake you in a couple of hours with breakfast.”

“Ok,” she said uncertainly. As he crashed out of the cabin, she lay back down, not thinking she’d fall back to sleep at all. But, within minutes, she was sound asleep again.

When Dina next awoke, it was to the sound of animal growls and snorts. She sat up quickly. What is that? She drew the curtain aside, but couldn’t see anything unusual, so she pulled on the shirt Logan had been wearing the night before and rushed into the living room to look out of the window. What she saw made her jaw drop.

There were maybe eight huge bears fighting each other right in front of the window. Her heart began to beat fast, and she stifled a small scream. They were wrestling each other, tumbling around in the dirt, and their mouths were open, revealing sharp, white teeth. What the hell was she supposed to do? She wished Logan was here to help her. Hold on, they’re not actually fighting that aggressively. As she forced herself to calm down, she saw that they were actually tumbling around like puppies. They’re playing! I didn’t know adult bears did that. But then, what do I know about bears? She pulled the curtain a little wider, and one of the bears paused mid-wrestle and looked right at her. It was a black bear, with these really intense, soulful eyes. As she watched, it came right up to the window, and pressed a paw against the glass. The paw was huge, with a large black pad, five smaller pads, and five sharp black claws. It’s Logan, of course it is, her rational mind told her, although her heart was still pumping double time. Tense with nerves, she stepped away from the window, and walked to the front door. She opened it cautiously, and the bear was there, on the veranda, standing a little back from the door.

“Logan?” she whispered. The bear walked forward on all four paws, stretched its long muzzle towards her hand, and gave it a lick. She lifted her hand, still trembling a little, and placed it on the bear’s head. Its fur – Logan’s fur – was so soft and luxuriant. Growing more confident, she stroked his ears, and his muzzle, and his cute leathery nose. He turned his head in the direction of the other bears, and she followed his gaze. He gave a little bark, and they stopped rolling around in the dirt, got to their feet, backed up onto their hind legs and raised a paw. They were waving to her. They were all the guys she’d met at the garden party. Not that she could identify them individually, but it was them: Logan’s clan. She waved back at them, and they returned to their tumbles. Logan stepped closer to the door, and nosed it wide open. Slipping past her, he walked into the cabin. Dina followed him hesitantly, and closed the door.

As she stood and watched, something began to change in his bear’s body. His fur seemed to be disappearing. His head was shrinking, the muzzle shortening. His torso became tighter, more compact, while his limbs lengthened. Then it happened in the blink of an eye: he had human skin, and his muscles rippled; there was the sound of bones cracking, followed by a loud crunch and a kind of whoosh. And he was standing on two feet: a naked man. Dina ran over to Logan and wrapped her arms around him. Her eyes stung with emotion. Logan squeezed her tight, gently rubbing her back.

“I’m so sorry for scaring you, baby,” he said tenderly.

“I wasn’t scared,” she whispered. He laughed. “Dina, I could smell it on you. You can’t hide things like that from me, you know!” She looked up at him.

“I’m sorry. I was so happy to finally see you as a bear; I didn’t want you to think I didn’t like it. I was a little scared at first, but as soon as I understood it was you, it was fine.”

“Good,” he said, stroking her face. “I felt like this was the only thing missing from our pair bonding. Now we’re complete.” He lifted her chin with his thumb, so she was looking him in the eye. “Dina, I love you,” he said.

“Oh, Logan, I love you too,” she replied, eyes bright with tears of happiness.

“You do?” he whispered, as if he could scarcely believe it.

“I do. My feelings have been growing for you every day, as we’ve been spending all this time together and getting to know each other so well. And now I feel like we’re so closely joined, we could never be parted.”

“It’s true, baby. We never will be,” he replied, dipping his head, and drawing her into a long, tender kiss.

After what felt like hours, Logan drew back.

“God, you must think I’m a disgusting bear,” he said. “I’ve been running around all morning, and here I am, touching you and I haven’t even had a shower!” Dina laughed in delight.

“You smell great to me,” she said. He smelled earthy and spicy – his usual exciting masculine scent. “But what happened with the fire?”

“Ah, just some idiot starting a fire by dropping a cigarette butt into a litter bin. We put it out easily. But if it hadn’t been reported to us quickly, it would’ve been a different story,” he said, shaking his head. “Now, I’m going for a shower. Want to join me?”

“I’d love to!” Dina said, eyes lighting up.

Chapter Six

Three months later

The town hall looked beautiful. The clan had worked so hard at turning it into the perfect space for both humans and shifters to celebrate, and they’d done an amazing job. There was a huge barbecue, and plenty of outside seating for everyone to hang out and relax. There was a jazz band, of course, and a full bar. The sun was shining, the sky was a perfect blue, and a few of the trees were turning to russet gold, signifying that fall wasn’t far off.

Dina looked around in wonder. As a little girl, she’d thought she’d get married in the town hall, but when she’d grown up, the chances of that happening seemed slimmer and slimmer. And now here she was, being united with the most amazing guy in the world.

She’d made out to her friends that she and Logan had married spontaneously during a weekend away in Vegas. They couldn’t have a legal marriage, because he was a shifter and didn’t have a regular birth certificate. They’d already had a shifter-only ceremony in the forest with the clan. It had been ancient and mysterious, involving complicated rites. Now, they were having a symbolic ceremony with all their friends and family. Dina’s mom had been crying the entire time, and her dad looked like he was going to burst out of pride. Once they’d seen the venue looking so beautiful, Melissa and Kristin had forgiven her for apparently not including them in her wedding. She knew they’d understand once the shifter secret was revealed to them. They were her bridesmaids of course, along with Lauren. They were all wearing mint-green dresses in raw silk, cut in different styles to flatter their figures. Lauren’s dress had been the most challenging to design, as she was almost six months pregnant, and her baby bump was getting big. She was blooming, her skin glowing with health, and she looked deliriously happy.

Dina stood in a spot where no-one could see her, looking at all the happy guests waiting for the ceremony to begin. Logan came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Are you ready, baby?” he asked, gently rubbing her belly. She wasn’t yet beginning to show, but she could feel the new life inside her, alive and kicking, and growing day by day.

“I’m more than ready, Logan,” she said. She lifted her chin, and he leaned over her shoulder and kissed her tenderly. He looked so handsome in his gray suit and button-down white shirt. Dina was wearing a stunning white satin dress, and a headdress with a long train.

As they walked out into the garden together, all eyes turned on them. Dina looked from one friend and family member to another, and her heart almost burst with happiness. They reached the end of a flower-strewn aisle that the clan had created for them, and the girls took their place behind her, lifting up her train.

Tamika was waiting at the other end of the aisle. Dina and Logan were making out to all the human guests that she was an official wedding celebrant, and she looked the part, in a striking white suit. The jazz band began to play the wedding march, and they walked down the aisle slowly, Dina wanting to savor every single second of it. They stopped in front of Tamika, beneath an arch entwined with passionflowers, just like the one at the garden party.

Shyly, they spoke their vows to each other, a simpler version of the ones they’d spoken at the shifter ceremony, where they’d promised to be each other’s life-long mate. When they’d each said “I do” – the two little words that completed their union – Logan lifted Dina’s veil and kissed her. Their friends and family broke out into clapping and cheering.

“Congratulations, darling!” Tamika’s husky English voice boomed, and Dina hugged her. She knew she’d be grateful to her forever for connecting her with Logan. Then she turned to her bridesmaids and hugged them too. She looked from Melissa to Kristin with excitement. Once the shifter ceremony was complete, she was allowed to share the secret with either one of them. She’d been too busy preparing for the human ceremony to have time to do this yet, but once she and Logan returned from their honeymoon in Mexico, it would be top of her list. The only problem was figuring out which one to tell.

THE END

Although Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love Dating App Romances can be read in any order, turn the page for Kristin and Roman’s story, the second book in the series.

Want to Swipe Left for Love again?

Read Kristin and Roman’s story, the next book in the series, here!

Want to Swipe Left for Love yet again?

Read Adaira and Leigh’s story – the latest book (a complete, full-length novel) in the series here!

Connect with Ariana

Sign up to her mailing list to be notified when her next book is coming out!

She also loves to connect with her readers, and you can reach her here on Facebook, Twitter and www.arianahawkes.com.

Want to read more from Ariana?

Turn the page for more books by Ariana Hawkes, including the other parts of the Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love Dating App Romances.

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Kristin

The second book in the Hope Valley Dating app series

To the outside world, Kristin Pasternak is a feisty, statuesque, auburn-haired journalist. Only those close to her know that she suffers from PCOS, a condition that has left her unhappy with her body, and scared that she won’t be able to have children.

When best friends Dina and Lauren introduce her to Shiftr, the secret dating app for curvy girls and shape shifting men, she thinks that none of the guys will want her - especially smoking-hot tiger shifter, Roman, whose profile says that he definitely wants cubs.

But, according to the app, Kristin and Roman are a 100% match, and when Roman scents Kristin for the first time, he seems to know her body better than she knows it herself.

Will the sexy tiger be able to convince Kristin to let go of her insecurities and abandon herself to the crazy attraction that sizzles between them?

Buy it now:    US   UK

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Melissa

The third book in the Hope Valley Dating app series

Melissa Ericson has a panic attack as her best friend Lauren is giving birth, but sexy shifter doctor, Harley, is on hand to calm her down. When she later finds out that he’s not only on Shiftr - the secret dating app for curvy girls and gorgeous shape-shifting men - but is also a great match for her, she’s ecstatic.

But there’s something about Doctor Harley that keeps tugging at Melissa’s mind, and suddenly she’s drawn back into a place she never wanted to think about again.

The past is so confusing and painful for her, but will the smoking-hot werewolf prove to be her destroyer or her savior?

Buy it now:    US   UK

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Andrea

The fourth book in the Hope Valley Dating app series

Ruthlessly ambitious and fixated on a big-city career, Andrea Bianco returns to Hope Valley after nine years of living in New York. She claims she’s on a break from her high-powered job, but old friends Melissa and Kristin just know she’s hiding a big secret from them…

Meanwhile, sexy, sophisticated lion shifter Magnus Adams has made enough money to never have to work again. The only thing missing from his luxurious life is his mate. Luckily, someone’s told him all about Shiftr – the secret dating app for curvy girls and shifter men – and he comes to Hope Valley hoping to find his match.

It’s no surprise that Shiftr identifies the two extroverts as being purrfect for each other, but neither of them have dealt with their baggage, and Magnus’s reckless urges soon offend Andrea’s insecure nature, and the wrong type of sparks start to fly.

Magnus has a cunning plan for making it up to the curvy beauty. But will she be able to forgive him? And if they ever meet again, will Andrea’s secret make her more irresistible to him, or will it be the end of them?

Buy it now:    US   UK

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Lori

The fifth book in the Hope Valley Dating app series and a complete, full-length novel.

Sexy bear shifter Bruno Davis is tortured by a tragic past. Between firefighting and being a single parent to his nine-year-old son, there's no space in his life for anything else.

Lori is fleeing to Hope Valley to begin a new life after being dumped by her cheating husband. After all the pain she's been through, she doesn't even want to hear about men.

When a terrible accident puts their lives on a collision course, Bruno’s bear tells him that the beautiful, curvy woman he snatches from an explosion is his mate. But the darkness in his soul convinces him that they can't be together.

Through friendship, they develop a powerful attraction. While Lori is willing to take a chance on the brave firefighter who treats her like no one else has before, emotionally damaged Bruno rejects her, hurting her badly.

But when Lori’s life is thrown into horrific danger, he doesn’t hesitate to save her. Will he make it in time, and will this convince him that he was wrong about the lonely destiny that he imagined for himself?

Buy it now:    US   UK

Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love – Adaira

The sixth book in the Hope Valley Dating app series and a complete, full-length novel.

With the bone structure of a god and abs that turn smart girls’ brains to mush, Leigh Canvey is the hottest member of his Hope Valley bear clan. But a painful childhood of being abandoned by his parents and brought up by a pure-blood bear has left him a recluse who lives on a mountaintop, far away from the other bears in his clan.

Flame-haired Scottish fireball Adaira has just come to town, hoping that her cousin Tamika, the creator of Shiftr – the secret dating app for curvy girls and shape-shifter guys – will be able to set her up with someone who appreciates her curves – and her sassy nature.

When Shiftr picks the two of them out as a perfect match, even Leigh’s animal nature isn’t enough to dissuade the energetic Adaira from hiking all the way up the mountain to meet him. But he’s not the only one who likes the look of the curvy beauty, and when an alpha wolf decides to kidnap her, Leigh has to put aside all his misgivings about humans and snatch her away from danger – even if it threatens the solitary existence he’s created for himself.

Buy it now:    US   UK

Isabel and The Wolf – A complete, four-part werewolf erotic romance serial

He’s looking for a mate. She’s looking for a dominant man. When their very different worlds collide, can they find what they need in each other?

Beautiful, sassy Isabel Alexander has repressed her deepest yearnings for too long. Beneath her strong-willed character lies a secret passion for dominant men. A move to New Mexico finally offers an opportunity to explore her darkest desires. There she finds Peter – hot, dark and a perfect match for her needs. But after a storm ruins their first date plans, she’s confronted by a man as unsettling as he is captivating.

Peter is a werewolf of ancient Transylvanian lineage. By rights an alpha of the pack, he’s been cast out to find new blood for his perishing line. Scouring the world for suitable mates in vain, he meets strong-spirited Isabel. He was only looking to have a little fun with the human female, but he didn’t bank on falling for her in the process.

You can find it on Amazon US here and on Amazon UK here.

Once Bitten Twice Smitten

A standalone comedy romance featuring one kickass roller derby chick, two scorching-hot Alphas, and the naughty nip that changed their lives forever.

Aspen Richardson loves playing roller derby: the fun, the exciting games and her teammates – an amazing bunch of curvy, kickass girls. The only thing missing from her life is a man who will love her just the way she is. In the small town she calls home, bullies from the past remain, making her wonder if it’s ever going to happen.

But, things are about to change in a major way, as the secret Aspen’s parents have been keeping from her comes out: as a small child, she was chased by two wolf pups, and one of them bit and marked her.

Now on the cusp of her first shift, Aspen is hunted down by cool, laid back Brad, and impetuous, hot-headed Chase, who both desperately hope they’re the fated mate of this deliciously curvy girl. The trouble is, no one knows which of them bit her, least of all Aspen, who finds herself equally drawn to these two super sexy Alphas.

This is a standalone romance (no cliffhanger), with lots of laughs, scorching ménage sex scenes, and a HEA, of course!

Buy it now: US    UK    DE    CA    AU

Ravished by the Ice Palace Pack – BBW werewolf erotica

Delilah, a young werewolf of the Zephirah Pack, has never seen snow before. Her father, the pack’s Alpha, warns her not to wander off by herself during a meeting between the most powerful packs in the region. Full of excitement, she disobeys him and runs off into the woods to play.

But it’s not long before her father’s fears are realized, and she’s captured by the Ice Palace Pack and taken to their underground territory. Delilah has never been mated before, but it’s the winter solstice, and, before the pack’s annual mating frenzy can begin, a were-female from another pack must be shared between them. Scared by what this might mean, but dazzled by the smoking-hot males, Delilah has a tough choice to make – and one that will bring her more pleasure than she could have imagined.

Buy it now: US    UK    DE    CA    AU

About Ariana

Ariana loves to write spicy romantic stories with complex, quirky characters, plenty of suspense, and, of course, a whole lot of laughs.

She graduated in English and Latin Literature. Since then, she’s been writing full time, for both work and pleasure. When she’s not doing that, she loves reading literary fiction, fantasy, romance and erotica, and snuggling with her man and their two huskies.