Goldie and Her bears (6 page)

Goldie smiled again, remembering that conversation, and her gaze locked with the bear under her window. A chill went up her spine. She knew those eyes, but that couldn’t be. It was impossible. Things like this didn’t happen in real life, for fuck’s sake.

As she watched the air around the huge bear distorted, and in the blink of an eye, Jason stood there in all his naked glory. Goldie shrieked in terror as the other two bears also shifted into the forms of Jacob and Catalina. Cat smiled at her, shrugging her shoulders. Jacob at least looked chagrined, but it was the expression on Jason’s face that had the terrified shout of “Teddy” die on her tongue. Instead, she turned, ran, and locked herself in the bathroom.

***

Goldie sat huddled on the turned down toilet seat, tears streaming down her face. This could not be happening to her. She pinched herself hard. No, she wasn’t dreaming—of course not. Even she didn’t have dreams as fucked up at this. She sat on a toilet, miles from her home, buck naked and any minute now those three bears—
bears
for fuck’s sake—would no doubt break the door down. She knew how Goldilocks must have felt when she ran away screaming from that house. Just like her namesake in the nursery rhyme, she’d ended up trying every bed in the place. At least the fictional Goldilocks hadn’t
slept
with her bears…

Goldie swallowed another hysterical sob. Thank heavens they had always used protection. There was no way she could be pregnant—could there? She scrambled off the seat to stand in front of the bathroom mirror. A terrified version of herself stared back at her. Blonde hair in disarray, her blue eyes were huge as saucers. What would she have anyway if she were pregnant? Cubs?

Her terror gave way to hysteria, and she burst out laughing. This was ridiculous.
Come on girl. Get a grip.
She froze at the muffled sounds coming from behind the heavy bathroom door. The handle turned, and Jason’s vicious curse carried through loud and clear. She shrunk away from the door, expecting him to come charging through any second. The door wouldn’t be able to stop Jason the man—Jason the bear, that just didn’t bear thinking about. Goldie groaned at the unintended pun and eyed the door suspiciously. It was still intact. In fact, it hadn’t even wavered slightly, and all was quiet. Surely they wouldn’t just leave her in here? Anger replaced her fear. Did she mean that little to them that they couldn’t even be bothered to come and get her?

You don’t really want him to come and get you.

Did she? Goldie tiptoed to the door, feeling beyond ridiculous, and put her ear to the wood. Not a sound could be heard on the other side.
Bastard!
She stormed away from the door and once again sat down on the toilet seat with a huff. If those bears thought they could force her out of here, then she would just stay right here and—and—well, just sit here.

After half an hour of just sitting there, Goldie started pacing. Where the fuck was he? Another half an hour passed with no sign of man or bear, and Goldie peered carefully out of the window. Nothing, nada, zilch. Not a fucking bird in the sky and certainly no man-eating-bears. Okay, maybe she was exaggerating here a little. If he’d wanted to eat her, he’d had plenty of opportunity to do so over the last couple of days. She ignored the way her breathing sped up and moisture pooled between her thighs, recalling how he had nibbled her.

Damn the man, bear, whatever he was—they were—
damn it
. After the gazillionth lap around the bathroom, Goldie had to concede that they weren’t coming. She opened the door, not even trying to do so quietly. As she thought, the place was deserted. She stomped to the kitchen and stopped dead at the sight of her dry cleaned dress draped over the kitchen chair, her heels placed neatly underneath, an all too familiar folded note propped up on the table.

She picked it up, unfolding it warily as though it might bite her and her heart jumped into her chest.

My sweet Goldie,

I’m sorry you had to find out this way, but I didn’t know how else to tell you. I suspected this would be a leap too far, even for someone as generous as you. There is a taxi waiting for you in the parking lot. I won’t bother you again. I never meant to hurt you.

Thank you for an incredible weekend.

J--

What the fuck?
The nerve of the man! Did he think her so shallow that this would make any difference to her? Okay, so she had freaked when she saw him shift. Any sane woman would but to just dismiss her like this? No fucking way!

Master J. was going to learn that this human at least had claws of her own.

Goldie shimmied into her dress, and clutching one of her shoes in each of her hands, she eyed the six-inch heels with grim satisfaction. These would at least put a dent in a certain part of the bear’s anatomy. Taking a deep breath, she stormed out of the flat and all but flew down the back stairs and into the club. She drew a few startled glances from the sparse crowd gathered there this early in the evening. She spotted Catalina first, deep in conversation with another Dom who looked at Goldie incredulously. He said something to Catalina, who spun around. Poised for a fight, Goldie advanced on the other woman, heel high up in the air, only to be smarted in her efforts by an arm like steel around her waist.

“Easy, Goldie, you really don’t want to piss off Cat now, do you?” Jacob’s astonished and slightly amused tone washed over her, and her stomach tightened. She elbowed him in the solar plexus, and he let go of her with a
hmph
. Heel in hand, she advanced on him as the nearest target, and Doms and subs alike scarpered away from them. Catalina laughed and Jacob grinned from ear to ear, hands held up in mock surrender. What the hell was so fucking funny?

“Put them down, Goldilocks, before you injure yourself.”

Oh for pity’s sake!
Goldie gritted her teeth and prayed for patience. “My name is not Goldilocks, and I am not running away like some frightened little girl.” She spat the words at him, but the dratted man’s grin just grew wider. And he was looking straight down her cleavage, damn him. It occurred to Goldie that her far too revealing dress was not exactly the best choice for going into battle, but she couldn’t very well have turned up naked. In fact, judging by the snickers behind her, the few onlookers had a perfect view of her naked bum.

Great going, girl. You really thought this through.

“What are you doing here, Goldie? We expected you to be halfway back to London by now, not giving us your impression of an Amazon warrior.” Jacob winked at her, but concern was edged into his face, and when he put one arm out, Goldie walked into his embrace with a sniff. His warmth surrounded her, and she allowed herself a moment of leaning into him before she straightened and pulled away.

She looked straight into Catalina’s tawny eyes and handed her heels over without protest. Cat smiled at her. “Those aren’t nearly lethal enough. If you really want to get my dickhead of a brother, I’ll lend you one of my whips. That’ll get his attention.” Her smile turned into a belly laugh at Goldie’s astonished expression. “I told him that you’d be cool with it. But no, being a typical man, he’s jumped to all the wrong conclusions and is cutting his nose off to spite his face.”

“Well, I suggested we should have just broken the door down and explained things to you while you were tied to my bed, but he nearly ripped my head off for that.” Jacob took a step back as both Cat and Goldie turned on him. “Hey, just a suggestion. You know me. I’m an action type of guy. I leave the thinking and agonizing stuff to Jase. He does plenty for all of us. Nothing is so broke that you couldn’t fix it with sex.”

If he didn’t look so damn sexy, she’d wipe that smug grin off his face right now. Catalina just rolled her eyes. “You are cool with this, right?” The slightest hint of vulnerability showed on her face, and Goldie smiled at the other woman. Cat wasn’t quite the hard nut she showed the world as Goldie knew only too well after their night together. She nodded, and Cat relaxed visibly, as did Jacob.

A weight lifted off Goldie. “At least I think I am. I’m certainly willing to try.” Now she just had to make one silly dominating bear see that. “Where is he?” she asked.

“He’s in the office. Holed himself up in there after he wrote that silly note. There’s no window, and he said something about not needing to see you run away from us. From the noises he’s been making, we may well need to redecorate.” Jacob’s dry wit had never been more in evidence, but the hand he put on her arm wasn’t quite steady. “Be careful, Goldie. He can be a bit volatile.”

Goldie shook his arm off, earning another chuckle from Catalina, who pulled her close and dropped an open-mouthed kiss on Goldie’s lips. “Go get him, girl.”

Go get him, she said
. All well and good, but the sight that greeted her when Goldie finally managed to push open the heavy door to Jason’s office filled her with renewed unease. The place was trashed. Files and furniture lay strewn about. The leafy plant shredded. The earthen ware pot in tatters. Jason sat on the one remaining office chair, and Goldie’s heart constricted painfully in her suddenly tight chest. He looked lost, her big hunky, Dom reduced to—surely not. Jason swiped the moisture out of his eyes with an impatient wave of his large hand, and he swore again. He spun round in his chair, then froze. His head went up, his nostrils flared, and Goldie knew he scented her when he shook his head in disbelief.

“I thought you’d be long gone by now.” His voice lacked his usual authority, and the stiff way he held himself tore at Goldie’s heart strings.
Silly little bear
.

“You used your safe word. You’re free to go.” He frowned at her when Goldie just stood there. “Is there a problem? Did the taxi not turn up?” He rummaged through the mess on his desk. “I call you another one just as soon as I find the fucking phone.”

“I have no idea whether it turned up. I had no intention of ever getting into any damn taxi, you fool.”

“You didn’t? But I thought—I saw you. You used your safe word—”

Goldie shook her head and took a step toward him. “No, I didn’t, you big hairy oaf.” He raised one eyebrow, and some of his usual presence returned. Goldie’s heart gave a little bump in her chest, and she took another step toward him. “I thought about it, but I never said it, as you’d know had you bothered to talk to me. But no, the big bad bear has to decide my fate for me.” She took another cautious step, and her pussy clenched at his heated gaze. “I admit I freaked. It’s not every day a woman finds out that her lovers sprout fur and roam in the woods chasing bunnies.” She giggled as his eyes narrowed. She took a final step that brought them within touching distance. “But once I had time to calm down, I realized that I was simply pissed at you for making assumptions about me. I still am for that matter!”

“You are?” His hand went under her chin. She looked up into his golden eyes. His other hand settled on her ass, and he pulled her to his hard frame. As his heat and scent surrounded her, her body melted into his. His mouth hovered over hers, and he smiled. “Why? I should paddle your sweet behind for disobeying your Dom.”

She snorted her disgust and poked him in the chest, putting some distance between them. He let her go without protest. “Phht, Dom, schmom. Just because I let you get away with it this weekend does not mean I’ll just roll over and let you decide how I should run every aspect of my life, you know.”

His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes, and he stuffed his fists into his jeans pockets. “I have no wish to run your life. You’re a confident, beautiful woman, more than capable of finding your own destiny.” He glanced at her and sighed. “You just needed help to realize your submissive nature. The Dom you choose to settle with will be a lucky bastard.”

His eyes widened at her exasperated growl in response. “Oh for fuck’s sake. Do I really have to spell it out for you, you overstuffed teddy bear? I have already chosen, and the only person I would allow to go all Dom on me is you—and well Jacob—and Cat too—maybe.” Her voice trailed off, and she wrung her hands, suddenly unsure. Maybe he didn’t want her after all.

Jason’s smile deepened, and he caught her flailing hands and tugged. She tumbled against him with a shriek, and he slapped her ass twice. She moaned as the sweet pain zinged to her pussy.

“Careful, sub, I feel the urge to put you over my knee for the doubts I see in your eyes.” He took her hand and ground it into the hard ridge of his cock straining against his fly. “Does this feel as though I don’t want you?”

Goldie shook her head and sighed into the kiss he gave her. His tongue sought hers with exquisite tenderness, and Goldie snaked her arms around his neck and ground her hips into his erection. He groaned, caught her wrists in his hand, pushed her backward against the desk until her bare bum sat on it. Goldie swallowed at the emotion shimmering in his eyes. He caged her in until she couldn’t move. “I fell in love with you the minute you tumbled into my office, my sweet little Goldilocks. Believe me, the irony of our position wasn’t lost on me. I was so sure you couldn’t handle this. Are you sure you can?”

Goldie leaned forward. “Of course I can handle it, you silly bear. I love you, and I think I’m in halfway in love with your brother and sister too, so don’t you dare doubt me!”

His answering growl vibrated through her, and he rested his head against hers.

“I realize you must have lots of questions about us, what we are, how it all works, and I’ll answer them all—tomorrow. For now I need to teach you some obedience.”

Happiness enveloped her at his teasing tone, and he laughed when she mumbled into his chest, “Promises, promises, Sir.”

B
IOGRAPHY

Glutton for punishment would be a good description for Doris... at least that’s what she hears on an almost daily basis when people find out that she has a brood of nine children, ranging from adult to baby, and lives happily in a far too small house, cluttered with children, pets, dust bunnies and one very understanding and supportive husband.  Domestic goddess she is not.

There is always something better to do after all, like working on the latest manuscript and trying not to scare the locals even more than usual by talking out loud to the voices in her head. Her sexy Alpha heroes and sassy heroines tend to be pretty insistent to get their stories told, and you will find Doris burning the midnight oil on a regular basis. Only time to get any peace and quiet, and, besides, sleep is for wimps. She writes contemporary, erotic and paranormal romance.

German born, Doris now resides in the middle of a busy town in Bedfordshire, England and dreams of a nice big house by the sea, with plenty of space to run kids and dogs and let her imagination soar.