Grizzly Love (21 page)

I’m alive.

He’s alive.

I love him.

I’m a widow. Good grief. I’m free.

Which means…

Things will turn out all right.

Because she wouldn’t allow any other option.

With that in mind, she stroked the hair from Travis’ forehead. “You brave, foolish, lovable man. What would I do without you?”

“Invest in lots of batteries?” He peeked out of one eye as he said it, and his lip curled in a grin.

She jabbed one of his bruises and made him yelp. “Can’t you ever be serious?”

“Nope.” No hesitation.

“Good thing for you I kind of like it.”

“Only kind of?”

“Okay, maybe love it. And possibly, maybe even love you.”

“No possibly about it. What’s not to love?”

“The fact you probably go through ridiculous amounts of clothes because of your shenanigans.”

“Yeah, but on the other hand, I’m keeping our economy working. So is it really that bad of a thing?”

She couldn’t help but laugh. “How do you do this? Here we are in the middle of nowhere. Lost. Alone. With no idea of where our friends are or how they fare, and yet, I’m still happy. Happy we’re alive. Happy you’re with me. And despite the evidence, I even believe we’ll make it out of here and get back home.”

“Because we will. This is our fairy tale ending, Doc. We slayed the dragon lady. We killed the evil suitor. We went through hell and back for each other. And now it’s time for our happily ever after. So plant one on me, Doc.”

“Plant what?”

“A kiss of course. All princesses kiss their prince in the end.”

Indeed they did.

Forget the grime coating them, and the forlorn landscape, she leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. It wasn’t a fervent, hungry embrace, but it was powerful nonetheless.

As their lips caressed and clung, she could almost hear the promise in them.

I love you. I will be with you forever. From this day forward, we are one. We are mated. We love.

How she loved. Cradling his face even as he strained upward to taste more deeply of her mouth, she felt the hunger stirring within her. The need for this man who taught her to believe in life and happiness again.

Travis dragged her down until she lay atop him, his hands cupping and palpating her ass while his tongue plunged to dance with hers.

Who knows how far things might have gone if not for the yodeled, “Travis, stop manhandling the doc. We need her services.”

Before, Jess might have flung herself away from the situation and blushed or pretended to ignore what had just happened. New Jess gave his tongue one last suck and whispered, “Later.”

Rawr.

Did I just hear something roar in my head?

Before she could wonder at her mental state, another voice joined Boris’.

“My baby! Oh my poor baby, covered in blood. Don’t worry, Travie-teddy, Mama’s here.”

He shifted to a seating position with a wince.

Ignoring the approaching group, all people she recognized from Kodiak Point, all alive, Jess’ expression turned to concern. “What’s wrong, Travis?”

“I’m pretty sure I just heard my man card disintegrating into a zillion pieces.”

She snickered. Then snorted. Then outright laughed. Laughed and laughed, even wiped a few tears as Betty-Sue threw herself on her poor Travis and dabbed at his face using a cloth she wetted from a canteen she must have pulled from her ass because, really, where the hell did the woman keep yanking supplies from? She didn’t have that many pockets.

Turned out, Reid came prepared. Not only did they have vehicles stashed nearby, but they also had clothes and medical supplies and even some much-needed food. What they couldn’t provide was privacy.

That embrace and instance of intimacy proved to be their last private moment until almost a day later when they were on the plane, heading back home. Given it was a late flight, most of the travelers slept, except for Travis and Jess. They were finally kind of alone, and seated together, his hand laced around hers.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” he whispered.

“Probably not,” she admitted because, really, who knew how her grizzly’s mind worked? It was one of his better qualities. She kind of looked forward to his unexpected acts and outbursts. They made life interesting.

“Two words, Doc. Mile high.”

“Are you insane?” she hissed, yet unable to stop her pulse from speeding up.

“Crazy in love. You?”

Crazy in love, too. Which was why she allowed him to lead her to the back of the plane and the tight squeeze of a bathroom. Given it was a private charter, they didn’t quite have to worry about a crowd of passengers banging at the door or a stewardess, but there were challenges. Such as space.

Trust her bear to have it already figured out.

“Face the mirror,” he murmured as he nuzzled her ear, his hands at her waist and already turning her.

Her reflection stared back, cheeks flushed, eyes bright, lips parted in expectation. Was that truly her?

It was. The new her. The new Jess, who would no longer live in the shadows doing her job and hoping for a brighter future.

And excitement.

With Travis around, she’d never lack for anything again, especially not pleasure.

His hands slid under her shirt, sliding up the smoothness of her stomach to cup her breasts. The brush of his thumb over her nipples turned them into tight buds. Buds that would have to wait for a suckling given their tight quarters, but in the meantime, she could enjoy the teasing pinch and roll as he took them between his thumb and fingers to play with them.

A soft sigh of enjoyment escaped her, and she leaned her head back. He took advantage, his lips caressing the exposed column of her throat as he toyed with her nipples.

But that kind of play wasn’t enough for either of them. Burning with need, Jess undid her own pants and wiggled her hips so they’d slide down. She caught his expression in the mirror as she took charge of the pace.

Fierce hunger shone in his eyes. Tenderness too. And when he cupped her mound with his big hand?

Possessiveness.

His.

Finally. Someone who wanted her. Loved her.

She trembled at his touch. Wetted herself too, the sweet honey kind.

He rubbed his damp fingers against the lips of her sex, heightening her pleasure and need, shortening her breath with anticipation. Her hips rotated in time to his strokes. His finger found her clit and played with it until she thought she would go mad.

“Now, Travis. Please. I need you.”

He didn’t reply with a cocky remark. Instead, all serious and intent, he fumbled at the closure of his jeans until she felt the probing hot tip of his cock against her backside. He adjusted it so that it slid between her thighs, its silken length rubbing against her heated sex.

She leaned forward, hands braced on either side of the sink, projecting her buttocks, an open invitation.

He took the hint and, with his hands on her hips, angled himself so that the head of his dick poked at her nether lips. With but a simple thrust, he was in. In and stretching her gloriously.

She exhaled, and moaned in enjoyment, loving how he filled her. As for when he began to actually thrust? She panted and keened, so close to the edge.

She needed only his bold strokes to reach the pinnacle, but it was when she glanced in the mirror and caught his gaze and saw him mouth, “I love you, Doc,” that she came. Came hard. Came in shuddering waves. Came and didn’t come alone.

Travis joined her, the hotness of his seed marking her womb while the intimacy that joined them, the vows both spoken and thought, bound them.

We are mated. We are one.

Now and forever after.

So wouldn’t you know, Travis had to be himself.

“Mated and a member of the mile high club at the same time. Rawr.”

Yup, that was her lover. Good thing she didn’t mind his grizzly kind of love.

In a little town in Alaska called Kodiak Point, where the inhabitants might wear clothes but hunt in fur by the light of the moon…

While certain members of Kodiak Point were flying home, a few stayed behind to deal with the mess the Naga left behind. With the enemy boss dead, her hold over the soldiers died too. The end result in some cases wasn’t pretty. Some men immediately went AWOL, literally running off into the desert, screaming, their minds damaged by the things they’d done under her command. Others put in for counseling, their gazes haunted by the atrocities they could remember participating in and, worse, enjoying.

Then there was the Sarge, who, as it turned out, knew full well what he’d done the entire time.

“Why?” Brody asked as they cornered the rhino in the military camp. The master sergeant sat at a table in his tent, a glass of whiskey in hand, and didn’t so much as flinch when they raided his space. The old man had too much pride to run from his actions.

“Why the fuck not? I spent my life giving to the military. I gave them my youth. I lost my wife in my dedication to it. And yet, despite all my years of service, they were planning to put me out to fucking pasture. Said I was getting too old. Me, too old. I’m better than most of the young’uns under me.”

“So because you would have had to retire, you betrayed the soldiers under you?” Boris couldn’t help his incredulity.

“Gene betrayed you, and yet I see you welcomed him back with open arms.”

“He never actively killed those who trusted him. And he’s repented his acts. You though?” Brody sighed as he shook his head in sad resignation. “There is no forgiveness for what you did.”

“So kill me.” The ex-master sergeant held himself proud, and it didn’t take a mind reader to see he expected to die. Wanted it. Wanted the glory of dying for a cause since none of the wars he fought in did him the favor of making him a hero or a martyr.

“I think dying’s too good for you. You need to pay for what you’ve done. Starting now. You’re been dishonorably discharged from the military. As such, you forfeit all your benefits, including your pension. We’ve also revoked your passport, and there is a customs warning should you try to enter the country. Since you love this land so much, you get to live here for the rest of your days. An outcast. A disgraced one.”

With each pronouncement, the old man’s face paled, and by the end, he physically flinched. “You can’t do this. It’s not the shifter way. You were supposed to kill me.”

“Not today, Sarge.”

And with that, they walked out of the tent, leaving the rhino behind to bellow. A man broken. A man alone.

But we should rewind a bit, as surely there were those who wondered how Travis’ mother, along with Reid and the rest, found them in the first place? Simple. Even before Jess called, Reid and the others were on their way, the disturbing evidence of a traitor in the military camp bringing reinforcements. When they arrived at the military camp to find them all missing, Kyle simply activated the embedded trackers under their skin. And the rest as they say was history.

Life went on. Those in Kodiak Point resumed their lives—and their furry pastimes.

There was much rejoicing by the time the winter solstice rolled around.

Not only had they vanquished their enemy, but the town had also grown in the last year. Grown stronger both in numbers and determination as a clan.

Their leader, Reid, and his wife, Tammy, had seen them through some tough times. The alpha of Kodiak point had shown himself capable and fearless. He’d also helped father a new generation. Twins actually, a boy and girl, and while Dr. Jess claimed they were bears, even she couldn’t tell with certainty yet which parent they would take after. But there was no denying both children bore alpha traits. Their lusty yells, rapid growth, and keen intelligence shone through. Or so the proud papa claimed, and who was going to argue the point with a Kodiak bear?

Boris as a berserker with a gun in hand was scary. As a moose, who trampled anything in his path and, despite his blunt rack, managed to ram a man and shove until his innards squished, he was impressive. Now imagine Boris, paired with his father-in-law, determined to protect a sassy blonde vixen who was almost seven months pregnant with his daughter. Fucking terrifying.

“Move out of the way. Precious coming through,” Boris could be heard blaring when Jan went grocery shopping.

Or…

“Boris, put me down. I am perfectly capable of walking up steps,” from his exasperated mate, Jan, who might protest aloud but wore a smug smile at the adoration Boris showed her. An adoration that turned into fierce, bloodthirsty pride when her mate pounded the hell out of Munroe when he dared buy the last carton of pecan caramel ice cream.

His excuse, as Boris cradled the dented box under his arm and glared at the moaning heap? “Jan’s craving.”

Then there was Gene and Vicky. Sweet girl that Vicky. Kind. Soft spoken. Cute if you liked the geeky type. And completely oblivious when it came to Gene. She thought him a hero.

Snort.

But she was allowed her delusions; she was human. That and Gene threatened to kill anyone who told her otherwise.

Then there was Kyle. Manwhore Kyle, who settled into domestication with Crystal and her daughter, Gigi, like a duck to orange glaze sauce. Once upon a time, he might have roamed the wild, but now, only one pair of panties adorned his mighty rack. He also was a scary glimpse into how scarred ex-soldiers were as dads. He worshipped the little girl he adopted. Make her cry and you’d better run. Daddy Kyle didn’t let no one mess with his little girl.

It seemed no one was immune to the love bug. Even Brody, the man who craved adventure fell victim and, of course, found a lady to suit his needs. Layla might have spent years as a prisoner seeing nothing of the world, but she’d done her best to rectify that since she and Brody had escaped. With Reid’s blessing, they were off traipsing Europe at the moment. Getting thrown into jails for spying, allegedly. Not that they let something like incarceration ruin their fun. Or so the postcards claimed. Springing themselves and leading the authorities on a merry chase was their idea of a good time. A perfect life for a man and a woman who weren’t ready for a white-picket-fence-type of life.