Chase: Black Bear Outlaws #2 (Mating Fever) (8 page)

Every time Claire brought her over, my little one lit up like a firecracker. “Look who came to see you,” I said to Quinn and turned so she could see Tegan.

A loud squeal filled the back yard.

Everyone laughed.

“Looks like the party has started,” Chase said, handing me a tall glass of lemonade.

“It will as soon as this one gets what she wants,” I said, trying to keep Quinn from jumping out of my arms. The child was reaching down for Tegan before we even made it to the blanket.

Claire jumped up from her spot and took Quinn from me. “I’ve got this, Momma. Relax for a while.”

I gave her a smile of thanks and sat on the back steps, watching her play with the children. Her blond hair was piled high on her head in a messy bun and she worn no makeup, yet she was gorgeous. Glowing even.

Cyrus sat down next to me. “How’s it going?”

“Great. You?”

His smile was huge as he watched his wife.

That settled it. I’d suspected for a few weeks, ever since Claire complained of nausea two days in a row, but this was too obvious. “What’s her due date?”

He jerked his head, startled. “She told you?”

I laughed. “No. It’s obvious. I just did this, remember?”

“Crap.” He took a swig of his beer. “Do not tell her I confirmed it, or I’ll be in the doghouse. She wanted to wait three months. Just to be sure.”

I shook my head. “Anyone with eyes is going to be able to tell. But I won’t say anything. Not yet anyway.”

“Thanks. I doubt she’ll last that long, but I don’t want to be the one who spills the beans. I get blamed for enough these days.”

I turned to look at him. “Blamed for what, exactly? She seems pretty damned content.”

“The usual. Leaving the toilet seat up, causing her boobs to hurt, not letting her get enough sleep, drinking the last of the milk.”

“You poor thing. Tell you what. You work on putting the toilet seat down and I bet she forgives you for the rest.”

He thought that over for a moment and then raised his beer in a mock toast. “You know, I think you’re on to something there.”

I picked up my lemonade and mirrored his movement. “Count on it.”

“Hey, where’s Cole?” Chase called as he turned the burgers over.

“We had a client call about personal security. Seemed urgent, so he took it. Said he’d be here as soon as he was done,” Cyrus called back.

“So I should or shouldn’t cook him a burger,” Chase asked, wiping his sauce-covered hand on my white apron.

“Damn,” I said to myself. “Should’ve gone with the black one.”

“What was that? Are you muttering to yourself again?” Chase teased.

Cyrus got up to confer with Chase at the grill while I turned my attention back to the children.

A small pang of jealousy hit me when I noticed Tegan running around in her bear form. Babies often shifted when they were excited. It happened often when the pair were together...for Tegan anyway. Quinn was proving to be a slow bloomer.

Before long, Chase joined me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. There was no doubt we were both thinking the same thing: would our daughter ever shift? Had I forever damaged her that day Stan had tried to abduct me?

“Look at Quinn,” I said. “She loves it when her cousin turns into a cub.” Tegan was running circles around Quinn. Our daughter laughed her head off as she tried over and over to catch the cub in her baby embrace.

Chase pulled me in close and kissed the top of my head. “It’ll happen, Kitty. Look at how happy she is. That isn’t the picture of a traumatized child.”

It certainly wasn’t, but we both knew some things manifested in very strange ways.

“And even if she doesn’t, it won’t matter. She’s perfect just the way she is.”

I smiled up at him, loving him more and more every day. It’d been a year since we’d moved in together and six months since we’d made it official at the courthouse. And I hadn’t regretted a moment of it. Chase was everything I wanted in a man; loyal, protective, supportive, and damned fantastic in the bedroom. Holy Christ did that man know what he was doing.

“You’re looking at me with your bedroom eyes, again,” he whispered into my ear, making me tingle all over.

“It’s your fault,” I breathed, wondering just exactly how long this fever was going to last. And if I was going to end up in Claire’s condition before too long. We weren’t actively trying for another addition, but it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Especially if there was plenty of practice.

Which there was.

“How fast do you think we can get rid of them?” Chase asked.

I giggled. “We haven’t even eaten yet. I’m guessing a couple hours at least.”

“Dammit.” His hand tightened on my thigh. “How about a quickie? Five minutes is all I need.”

I scoffed. “Five minutes. I need at least ten.”

His eyes flashed with hunger and I started to wonder if he was serious.

But before I could ask, the doorbell rang. “I’ll get it. It’s probably Cole.” I stood up and let out a squawk when Chase cupped my ass. Blushing furiously, I swatted his hand away. “Stop, there are people right there.” I jerked my head toward my brother and sister-in-law.

“We’re not people,” Claire said, laughing. “Just pretend we’re not here.”

“Y’all are just as bad as he is,” I said with a grin and took off to the front of the house.

Sure enough, our visitor was Cole...and Amberly Matthews, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

I stood at the door holding it open, gaping at our guests.

“Katrina,” Cole said, giving me a warning look. “This is Amberly, a client of Black Bear Outlaws. She’s hired me to be her bodyguard for the time being. She’ll be joining us for the afternoon.”

Bodyguard? Well, wasn’t that unusual. It was rare when any of them brought a client to a family function. I offered her my hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Amberly.”

She clasped my hand in hers. “And you are?”

“Sorry,” Cole said. “This is my sister-in-law, Katrina. And this is her house.”

“Come in.” I waved a hand. “We’re all in the back for a barbeque. Do you eat burgers? That’s what we’re grilling today.”

“Of course she does,” Cole said as we made our way through the house. “She’s a bear like the rest of us.”

“Actually...” Amberly started, then shook her head. “Sorry, old habits. I used to only eat lean meats, but things change. A burger sounds delicious.”

“We have chicken or turkey if you prefer,” I said, sort of mesmerized by her perfect good looks. Her dark skin was flawless, and her large eyes looked as if she could see into your soul. It wasn’t hard to understand why the camera loved her so much.

“Burgers are fine,” she said.

“Sure thing.” We made our way to the back, where Chase was busy pulling the chairs out of storage. But as soon as we stepped onto the deck, everything seemed to stop as everyone turned and stared at Amberly.

Cole put his hand on the small of her back to guide her forward, and I swear even I could feel the spark that ignited between them as they met each other’s eyes. They stared at each other for a second too long until Amberly tore her gaze away and spotted the children.

She clasped her hands together and gasped. “Cubs! How adorable.”

“Cubs?” Chase and I repeated at the same time. I spun and let out a happy cry when I spotted the tiny black cub curled up next to the blond one.

“Oh my God!” Claire exclaimed. “She was human just a moment ago. I can’t believe it.” She put her hand on Tegan, the blond cub, and leaned down to kiss Quinn’s tiny little bear head.

“It’s her first shift?” I heard Amberly ask Cole as I ran to my daughter.

Chase got there first and scooped her up, twirling her in his arms.

She let out an angry little roar at being taken from her cousin, but as soon as I wrapped my arms around both of them, she cuddled up next to my chest and settled down. “I can’t believe it,” I said, half-crying and half-laughing.

“Believe it, Momma.” Chase put one arm around me and pressed his forehead to mine. “I kept telling you it would happen.”

A cheer rose from the others as we stood there wallowing in our family joy. Who knows how long we’d have stayed there if little Tegan hadn’t ran over to us, jumping up on Chase’s leg to get to her cousin.

Quinn squirmed, already tired of our smothering.

“I think we have to let her play,” I said, hating the very idea of letting her down.

Chase gently took our cub from my arms and set her down. The pair went wild, pawing at each other.

He smiled at me. “We have all night to love on her.”

“I know. It’s just...” My eyes misted again.

He gently wiped the moisture from my cheeks. “I know exactly how you feel, love.”

It was then I noticed I wasn’t the only one getting emotional. With a shake of my head, I pulled him in for a hug. “For someone who never wanted kids, you sure are a softy.”

“Yep. I fell hard for that one. I’m sure it’s going to be just as bad when the next one comes along.”

I glanced up and gave him my bedroom eyes again. “Let’s hurry up and feed these people so we can get back to the practicing.”

He cupped my ass once more and winked at me. “I knew there was a good reason for marrying you.”

“And don’t you forget it.” I pulled away and grabbed his hand. “Come on. You have to meet Amberly, Cole’s new...client.”

He cast his gaze over at the porch. Cole and Amberly were standing entirely too close together for anything that would be deemed a professional relationship.

“I thought Cyrus said Cole was meeting a client?” Chase asked.

“He was. Apparently he’s Amberly’s new bodyguard.”

We watched as she laughed at something he said and placed her hand on his shoulder, while he followed up with brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes.

“Could’ve fooled me,” Chase said. “Then again, you started out as a client, too. So who am I to judge?”

“That I did, Mr. Doucet. That I did.” I reached up and cupped his cheek. “Thank God for that.”

“You can say that again.” His eyes turned soft as they filled with all the love I knew he carried in his heart, then he lowered his head and brushed his lips over mine. “One hour and forty-eight minutes, until I get you naked again.”

“I can’t wait.”

“There’s always the quickie in the bathroom,” he said just before he kissed me again.

Heat filled me as his tongue tasted mine. I pulled back, breaking the kiss. “Meet me there in two minutes.”

“Don’t mess with me, woman.”

I smiled up at him, knowing mischief was dancing in my eyes. “Upstairs. Our room. You have a minute and a half now.” Then I released him and ran into the house, making some excuse about potato salad.

A minute later, I was completely naked and already lying on the bed when Chase strode in, already unbuttoning his jeans. Locking the bedroom door, he said, “I’ve bought us seven minutes.”

“Do I even want to know what you said?”

“Nope.” He stripped as if his life depended on it and then climbed on top of me. “Now kiss me like you mean it.”

I wrapped my entire body around him, every bit of me roaring to life at his rough, but gentle hands and met his kiss with a passion so fierce it instantly left me breathless.

“Yes,” he breathed, his fingers already entering me. “You’re always so hot. So ready.”

“Only for you,” I confirmed and reached for him, holding his hard cock in my hand. Guiding him to my center, I said, “I want you now, Chase. Take me, hard and fast.”

“I love it when you say things like that.” Then he plunged into me, torturing me with his long slow movements.

But when I dug my nails into his back and said, “Fuck me,” he groaned in my ear, and lost all control...exactly how I’d planned.

***

W
ant the rest of the books?

Book 1: Cyrus: Black Bear Outlaws

Book 3: Cole: Black Bear Outlaws

Also try Book 1 in Wolves of the Rising Sun

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The Beaars

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Rocked by the Bear by V Vaughn

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Bears of Kodiak by Selene Charles

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Black Bear Outlaws by Kenzie Cox

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Barely After Dark by Elle Thorne

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