Healing the Bear (8 page)

He
was more than ready for sex again and he knew the drill now.
Condom
before entry.
He couldn’t ask her to put it on a second time. That would
look either suspicious or just downright lazy of him. Reaching over her
shoulder to the bedside table, he grabbed one of the two remaining packages.

“You
want me to do it for you?”

“No,
I can do it.”

He
pulled out the rubber disk and flopped over onto his back. Melanie rolled onto
her side and ran her finger up and down his arm, making all his nerve endings
tingle. He placed the condom on end of his shaft and tried to pull it downward
just like Melanie had but the damn thing wouldn’t budge.

She
was still caressing his arm. He loved it but really wished she’d stop because
it was turning him on, making him harder and the condom was getting tighter. He
loosened his grip, letting it dangle momentarily. It waved around on the end of
his cock and he felt like an idiot.

Come on you can
do it and your reward is being inside her.

He
pulled again, thought he had it, and then it flew across the room like a
deflated balloon.

Shit.

Melanie
handed him the last of the packages. He’d better get this one on right or he’d
be going home a grouchy bear.

Tearing
open the package with gusto, he pulled out the disk, pushed it on his dick, and
endured the pain it caused when it encased his shaft.
 
Melanie flipped over onto her belly with her
butt looking so enticing. He rolled his body beside her, taking the opportunity
to run his hands over each cheek. Lucinda had loved him to spank her, but he’d
get to know Melanie a little more just in case she wasn’t into that sort of
thing in the bedroom.

Dane
ran his finger down her crack, seeing her cheeks wiggle as she moved her body.
Easing himself up so he straddled her, he parted her cheeks with one hand,
running his finger around her anus, making her wiggle her butt again. He used
his other hand to lift his cock and slip it into her pussy. She was warm and
tight.

He
pulled her arms upward, raising them over her head as she sat her left cheek
down on the pillow. He rode her, slowly and gently at first; hearing her
groan
and lift her butt upward. The movement caused his cock
to slide in deeper, exciting him more, making him harder and urging him on to
ride her faster.

Dane
thrust his hips, moving at a speed he knew only shifters were able. He held her
back, hoping she didn’t pass out on him again. She grabbed the quilt and cried
into it.

“More, more of that.”

Sure I can do
that.

He
moved faster than he ever thought he could with Melanie crying out.

“Don’t
you dare stop, even if I pass out
again.
” Her voice
was hoarse now.

He
was tired, so he stopped but let his cock vibrate to allow his body the rest it
needed for his own big finale.

“Oh
my god,” cried Melanie. She beat the bed with her fists and feet.

Her
pussy was getting tighter and tighter, and he knew she was close to climax. He
gave one final thrust and saw stars like the ones that used to surround their
planet. Beautiful shooting ones that he’d hoped to tell his unborn child all
about.

He
fell forward, kissing her spine.

“I
think I need to rest,” she said, half asleep.

“I
can let myself out. Is it okay if I call you tomorrow?”

“You
better call me tomorrow,” she said before she fell fast asleep.

Dane
got up, grabbed his clothes, and tiptoed out. He got dressed, left her
apartment, and headed back to his car.
 
He smiled. Humans weren’t so bad after all. Well, at least this one
wasn’t.

Chapter Eight

Melanie
woke up the following morning, first opening one eye and then the other. She
hadn’t slept this well since the whole nightmare had begun. Her body felt
rested and relaxed, just like it used to feel waking up with Mike beside her.

Had
she been dreaming? Was her mind, body, and life so deprived that she’d created
a near perfect man, tall, hunky, picked flowers for her, made her laugh, was
great in bed? She sat up, swinging her feet around and putting them on the
floor.

Nope,
by the way her body felt and the way her pussy was sore from lack of recent
use, the man had been very real. She stood, thinking she had to get up for work
but today was Sunday. She walked over to her closet and pulled out her
sweatpants and top and put them on. Walking out to the hallway, she realized
the alarm system hadn’t been armed.

Sex
had made her forget that this place was supposed to be her Fort Knox. She checked
the windows and doors, all tightly secured. She turned on the alarm and headed
to the kitchen to make
herself
some tea, and this
morning she craved scrambled eggs on toast. Dane had said he’d give her a call
but guys often said that without meaning it. She flipped on the TV and took the
eggs out of the fridge.

The
commercial was advertising a concert in the local park next weekend. She’d love
to go. She’d often loved to go to events like that, but hated doing things by
herself
. Maybe Dane would feel like joining her. She
wondered what he was doing this Sunday morning.

****

Dane
whistled as he walked up the path to Aiden and Charlotte’s house. Whistling
meant he was happy, right? He’d never whistled before in his entire life, but
he guessed that’s what it meant. He rang the doorbell, hearing a dog bark but
hadn’t remembered Aiden telling him they’d purchased one.

Aiden
opened the door and the dog he remembered as Barney, aka Christopher’s other
best man, made a dash out of the door and ran circles around Dane’s feet and
then jumped up, trying to knock the box of chocolates from Dane’s hands.

“Barney,
quit that,” said Aiden. “You want to come in?”

Dane
stepped inside the house with Barney close on his heels.

“I
got these for Charlotte. Lucinda craved chocolate when she first got pregnant,”
said Dane.

“Uncle
Aiden, where’s my coloring book?” Dane recognized the cute little flower girl.

“It’s
on the kitchen table with the pens,” said Aiden.

She
turned around and headed to the back of the house with Barney chasing after
her.

“Looks
like you have your hands full.”

“Yep,
Lilly’s mom and step dad are looking after them while Christopher and Lilly are
on their honeymoon, but we said we’d give them a break for the day. I guess
it’s
good practice for when it’s the real thing.”

“How’s
Charlotte feeling?”

“She’s
doing better but won’t do as she’s told. Doctor’s make the worst patients. You
want to come through and give her those chocolates?”

“Sure.”

Dane
followed Aiden into the living room where Charlotte was sitting on the couch,
propped up with lots of pillows behind her. The Sunday paper sat across her
lap.

“I
have a bear baring chocolates,” said Aiden.

“Oh,
my favorite kind,” said Charlotte.

Dane
handed the box to her.

“You
want to sit down and visit, and I’ll go get something for us to drink,” said
Aiden.

“Great,
thanks.”

“Coffee okay?”

“Sure,
black, no sugar.”

“Honey,
can you put the laundry in the washing machine, and also check on Kaitlin
because I thought I heard her and Barney heading outside.”

“I
told her no because it was too muddy from last night’s rain. And she just asked
for her coloring book.”

“Yeah,
but you’ll figure out very quickly that kids lie.”

“I
guess I better go and look.”
 
Aiden left
the room, and Dane sat. He had wanted to bring her the chocolates, but he also
had an ulterior motive too. He wanted to know more about human women. There was
so much he wanted to ask Charlotte but didn’t know where to start.

“Something’s
on your mind,” she said.

He’d
never discussed sex before with a woman, but she was a doctor so what better
person to talk to.

“I
met this woman at the wedding. In fact, it’s Melanie who runs the Lodge.”

“She
was so sweet when I felt faint.
Pretty too.”

Dane
nodded. “We went to the movies yesterday and when we got back to her place
we
…”

By
the burning feel in his cheeks and neck, Dane sensed he was blushing. This was
more awkward then he’d thought.

“Had
sex,” said Charlotte.

“How
did you know?”

“You’re
blushing. For some reason you bear shifters blush when you talk about sex. Well,
besides Christopher who I’m convinced isn’t capable of blushing.”

Dane
laughed. She already knew her brother-in-law oh so well.

“So
what do you want to know?”

“Her body.
I mean you
humans…her body was different.”

“Pubic hair and clits.”

“I
saw the hair, but clits?”

“The
little nub above her vagina,” said Charlotte.

He
was damn well blushing again.

“It’s
called a clit?”

“Clitoris actually.
Hope you gave
it a lot of attention.”

Dane
shook his head.

“You
better do it next time around. I mean you’re planning on getting together with
her again.”

Oh yeah, he
definitely wanted to do that, and n
ot
just
for sex.

Dane
nodded. “And she passed out from her climax.”

Charlotte
laughed. “Oh yeah, I remember the first time Aiden made love to me, the whole
neighborhood heard me and I think I was cross eyed for at least a week.”

Aiden
chose that moment to come in with a coffee mug and now wearing an apron. Dane
tried not to laugh when he and handed the drink to him.

“Yep,
Kaitlin and Barney were out playing in the mud, so I have another set of washing
to do. There’s mud all over the floor I washed an hour ago. And to top that I
off, I now have a Pomeranian to shampoo.”

Bothe
Dane and Charlotte burst out laughing.

“And
what’s so funny?” asked Aiden.

“Domestic
life suits you,” said Dane. “So does that apron.”

“Did
you hear the good news? Dane is seeing a human,” said Charlotte.

“I’m
real happy for you,” said Aiden.

“Are
you planning to tell her about yourself?” asked Charlotte.

“I
know I have to, but I want her to get to know me before I spring it on her.”

“Just
don’t wait too long,” said Aiden.

Dane
looked at Charlotte. She nodded.

“You
want to take one of my medical books to study?” Charlotte winked at him.

Dane
smiled. Yeah, he’d read up and be ready for Melanie the next time they got
horizontal.

****

Melanie
had cleaned the sink twice, the bathroom mirror three times, shaken all the
rugs twice, and realized she’d done the very same thing when she’d first met
Mike and was waiting to see if he’d call her for a second date.
 
He had, but so far no word from Dane.

Her
mom had always advised her not to sleep with a man too early on in the
relationship.
Her mom.
How she’d love to see her parents and tell them all about this guy she’d just
met.

A
tear ran down her cheek. She’d lost so much. Those terrible people had taken
away her life and she’d never get it back.
 
If there was such a thing as Good Karma then maybe the universe had sent
her Dane.

She
glanced at the phone. She’d also done that when she’d first met Mike. She was
sure she’d sent vibes down the line, telling him she wanted him to call her
again.
Wasn’t working this time.
Maybe Dane had been
offended that she’d passed out. Maybe he’d thought she’d fallen asleep during
sex which definitely wasn’t the case.
 
Just the opposite in fact.

A
knock on the door made her jump. Unexpected knocks, sounds, and visitors always
made her do that and always would. Stupid she knew, because she doubted the bad
guys would make an announcement or ask permission to come inside and kill her.
She walked into the hallway and looked through the peephole. She smiled. It was
Dane. She unarmed the alarm, unhooked the chain and bolt, and opened the door.

“It’s
a beautiful day and I thought you might like to go for a walk by the lake,” he said.