One in a Bear-llion (Polar Heat Book 3) (9 page)

She couldn’t believe it was all coming together. She had the same peaceful feeling she’d had the morning she was painting. Her stalker was gone and could never come back. She’d be with Scott. Painting. Loving him. Giving him cubs.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, tilting his head to look at her.

“I’m thinking that you promised you’d ravish me,” she joked, chucking him lightly under the chin.

“I do like to keep my promises,” he said, studying her with narrowed eyes before pouncing on her with a growl and pinning her hands above her head.

She wriggled slightly. “Show me what you got.”

A slow grin spread over his face.

H
is mate was so unbelievably
beautiful, writhing beneath him with that gorgeous, curvaceous body that had driven him crazy from the moment he’d met her.

He stripped her slowly, enjoying each glimpse of her soft skin as he peeled away layers of clothing until she was resting there only in her soft, light-blue panties. He hooked a finger in the waistband and slowly drew them down, enjoying the view that was revealed as he did it.

When they’d mated before, he’d been heated, caught up in the utter passion of the moment, the intensity of the mating. This time he could enjoy and savor her, notice every little sigh and tremor, and reassure himself she really was his.

He ran his hands over her, loving the look of pleasure on her face. He trailed a finger down between her breasts and then gently pinched her nipple, loving how it grew to a point. He did the same to the other and sat back to look at her, gorgeous and aroused for him.

“Come back,” she said, pouting. He grinned. His woman wanted him.

He’d never let her down. He kissed her everywhere, from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, letting all the emotions he’d been pressing down flow within him. He loved her. Now that he was thinking it, he couldn’t seem to stop. It was everywhere. She was everywhere.

Being with her now, seeing how much a mate could mean, he could forgive his father somewhat. If Mara was to leave him…

But Mara wasn’t his mother. She wanted to be with him, and he’d been the only thing in the way.

She’d be happy here. He knew it. They’d have long sexy nights in the Jacuzzi, swim together in his pool. Run in his garden as bears. He couldn’t believe so much happiness was going to be his.

He kissed and kissed her, reveling in her writhing and sighs as he worshipped her body, and when she could barely take anymore, was begging him to take her, he did, parting her legs and coming inside her in one smooth motion.

When they came together, he felt total peace. This was how it should have felt the first time.

“I love you. I love you so much, sweetheart,” he said, surprised by how easy it was to say it. He’d just needed some time, but now he wondered if he would turn into a mush pot. No, he knew it would come in waves. Sometimes he would be okay to tell her exactly how he felt, and sometimes he would need something to do so he could just distract himself for a moment.

But that was what made her so special. She was okay waiting for him.

“I love you too,” she gasped out as he began moving inside her. “But then I think you already knew that.”

“I guessed,” he said with a wry smile, trying to keep it together as an incredible pleasure began to build. He wanted to savor this with her. Not rush it.

“Silly,” she said. But she dug her nails into his back and thrust with him. “Every time. Every time, you feel so good.”

“I was made to feel good for you.”

“Mush,” she said.

“Maybe sometimes,” he said. “I hope you can cope.”

“You’re hot, rich, and you helped me paint again. I think I’ll manage.”

He laughed and continued to stroke, paying careful attention to her rising movements, the little hitches in her breath. He could tell she was like him, just trying to revel in the warm peace of it all, but passion was beginning to swell between them, heating the room to a feverish degree.

He stroked faster, and she held on to him and met him with every movement, gasping at the intensity. She was so tight, so slick, so fitted to him that it felt she was made for him.

He was made to make her happy, so it made sense.

When she came, he was ready to go with her. Pleasure surged through him, unimpeded by shock or guilt. All he felt was her body next to his. His bear, roaring with pleasure. Her nails digging in, letting him know how much she was feeling it. And pure, sheer joy rocketing through him, making him nearly shake with the force of it.

She was amazing. She was incredible. She looked into his eyes as he came and, for once, he didn’t look away. He let her see everything inside him. For a moment he felt vulnerable, weak. In love.

But then, when it was over and she pulled him to rest against her, he realized after so much time alone, so much time guarded, he’d finally found somewhere safe.

It wasn’t so much that he’d been able to change what he was capable of; it was just with her, he was capable of things he couldn’t do with anyone else.

But she was his mate, after all, and that made sense. He pushed up on one hand to look down at her.

“I wanted it to be better this time,” he said, stroking her hair off her face. She was glowing and content, and he didn’t think he’d ever seen a more beautiful sight in his life. “I wanted to make you forget the other time.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to forget. I want to remember every moment with you. The good and the bad. I came alive with you,” she said. “I don’t want to forget any of it.”

He let out a breath of relief and held her tight. He wasn’t an easy person to love, but he’d found someone to love him. He’d still mess up at times. He’d still hold things back. He’d still probably get crazy and controlling and overprotective. But that was totally justified, because his mate was one in a billion.

And he’d never let her go.

S
cott grinned
as his very pregnant wife made her way to him through the crowd of people in his living room. She looked so right there, so glowing, so round.

“I’m going to go out on the patio with the other girls,” she said, leaning up on her tiptoes to give him a kiss on the cheek. He turned her face gently and gave her a long, slow kiss on the mouth before releasing her. She gave him a grin before walking back across the room to meet up with Kim and Leah, his brother’s mates, both heavily pregnant.

He was staring after her with a contented expression when Sky sauntered up beside him and handed him a glass of something cool and refreshing. Scott drank it while thinking about what it would be like once the cubs came in a couple of months. There would be so much joy around.

He couldn’t wait to see what his and Mara’s cub looked like. Would it be more like him or more like her? It didn’t matter, as long as he got here safely. Yes, he’d found out that their cub would be a boy.

“Damn, looks like the old man really passed on his gift for virility,” Sky said, looking at the room.

“It would appear so,” Sebastien said, joining them with a cool look on his face. It was always hard to tell what Sebastien was thinking. He’d grown up working on boats with a rather salty boat captain and as a result, he wasn’t that great at communicating his feelings.

He’d gotten much better since Kim came around though. She seemed to bring out the best in him. Much like Mara did for Scott or Leah did for Sky.

“We should have known,” Scott said. “After all, it was pretty odd that he was able to have three cubs after only a few years with our mother.”

“Ever wonder what happened to her?” Sebastien asked.

Scott narrowed his eyes and looked across the room at his dad, who was following the women out onto the patio to get them situated. He was over the moon about the upcoming births, and Scott knew he couldn’t wait to see all of the cubs in person. Sky and Mara were having a boy and Sebastien and Kim were having a girl.

But as long as they all came healthy, he would be happy and content. The past few months with Mara had gone by in a moment, it seemed. Time had flown too fast as she’d grown with his child. He’d handed off some of his duties at the hotel so that he could spend more time with her, and it had paid off in relaxation for both of them.

He supposed he would take even more time off when the cub came.

“What are you thinking?” Sebastien asked, nudging him. “You’re looking intense.”

“Just thinking about how things will change when the cubs come,” he said.

“It’ll be a little chaotic, with three of them running around. That’s for sure.”

Scott nodded. “They’ll have good friends in each other. I worry a little for your Sarah,” he said, eyeing Sebastien. “The lone girl with the boys.”

Sebastien raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t worry too much about that. If she’s at all like her mother, she’ll scare the pants off your boys.”

Sky laughed out loud, leaning over and slapping his leg. Sky was the easy-going one in the family, who liked outdoor activities and his mate Leah and basically most things in life. He would probably be a very good, but very laid back father.

Scott’s eyes went to his own father again, and he tilted his head and looked at him thoughtfully. “You know, we need to do something about that,” he said, nodding to direct his brothers’ attention.

Sebastien’s eyes flashed as he caught Scott’s meaning, but Sky just looked confused.

“About what?” Sky asked.

“Dad,” Sebastien said. “He’s been lonely too long.”

Scott laughed and rubbed his hands together, feeling a little too gleeful. “Plus, I think we owe him a little bit of payback.”

Sebastien raised an eyebrow. “I for one think we owe him a lot. If he hadn’t brought Kim out, I wouldn’t be happy like I am right now.”

Sky agreed. “I don’t know what I’d do without Leah.”

Scott sighed. “Don’t you see? That’s exactly why we need to do something. Why do you think he hooked us all up? Because he sees having a mate as happiness, and he wanted us to be happy, even when we couldn’t figure it out ourselves.”

Sky’s eyes widened as he finally understood. “Oh. Right. So do we try to hook him up, like he did us?”

Sebastien nodded, a thoughtful look on his face. “I think our mates would probably be up to the challenge.”

“Well,” Scott said, “I guess first things first. We need to find out what happened to our mother. I get the feeling that dad never told us the whole truth about that. We’ll need to figure that out to know where to go from there.”

Sebastien looked at him carefully. “Are you sure you want to look into this now? With the cubs coming?”

Scott shook his head. “Of course the cubs are the priority. Once they’re safely born, we should be able to get a lot done while he’s distracted by them.”

Sky frowned. “I’m the one who is going to be distracted. I can barely stand the wait.”

Scott put a hand over his face. “Oh, Sky.”

“What?” Sky said. “I want to be a dad. Alright, you two keep plotting, I’m going out to find Leah.”

Scott sighed and Sebastien laughed as their youngest brother went off in search of his mate. Sky and Leah had had the easiest time getting together, and the only speed bump had been an awful former boss who had come to kidnap Leah.

Luckily, Scott and Sebastien had been able to intervene and save Sky from going to jail by detaining the bear themselves until Sky was able to mate Leah and claim her for himself.

“So, you really want to do this?” Sebastien asked, folding his arms and looking uncertain as they looked out to the patio where their family was happily gathered.

Scott nodded. “It’s time he moved on. And it’s time we helped him do it.” He grinned at his brother. “After all, don’t we owe him one?”

“That we do,” Sebastien said, putting an arm around his shoulder as they walked out to join their mates in the sunlight. The season was calmer and they all had some time to relax. The sun would be setting soon and they could all eat on the patio while they watched it.

Sebastien went to sit with Kim, who was still feisty even when pregnant, and Scott felt Mara’s eyes rest on him and went to go join her. She was resting on a lawn chair, rounded belly looking profoundly uncomfortable. He put a hand on it, gently stroking, and she gave him a weary smile.

“I’m sorry you’re tired,” he said. “Can I do anything?”

“No,” She said. “You’re already perfect. The foot rubs, the grocery store runs…”

“Good,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. “You deserve perfect. Thanks for taking care of our cub.”

“I’m trying,” she said, shifting to find a more comfortable position. “His father’s a big boy and I’m thinking he’s the same.”

His brow furrowed with worry. His mate was small, would she be okay? But bears were hearty, and he knew he’d be with her every step of the way, making sure nothing happened to her. He’d make sure things were as comfortable as they possibly could be.

If he could have carried it for her, he would have.

But she seemed to enjoy being pregnant at least some of the time. She’d been painting truly beautiful works, and he was enjoying exploring the island with her to find new places to put into her art.

Her business was flourishing again and the stalker was nowhere to be seen. Thanks to Scott. Since she’d come into his empty world and filled it with love, he was grateful that he’d been able to do something for her.

And he remembered that every time he carried her upstairs to bed at night. Sometimes just to cuddle when she was tired. Sometimes to make love. Sometimes to just talk about their plans for the future.

He finally had some balance in his life, and it was all thanks to her.

Well, her and his father, but he intended to take care of that debt very soon.

For now, he just wanted to enjoy a quiet day with his wife. And then a million more after that.

T
hanks
so much for reading Scott and Mara’s story! If you enjoyed I hope you’ll leave them a review to let me know. Even just a few words makes all the difference.

If you haven’t read the other books in the series, you can pick them up here:
Bear-ever Yours (Sky’s Story)

Some Bear to Love (Sebastien’s story)

I
f you’ve read them
, you might want to take a look at my other bear books, a full series starring three sexy, successful brothers (a billionaire, a celebrity, and an athlete) that come home to the small tourist town of Bearstone park to find mates.

Bearllionaire

Bearlebrity

Bearthlete

A
lso
, sign up for my newsletter here so you can know when the next polar bear brother finds his mate. I release quickly and tell my newsletter first.

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T
hanks
so much for being awesome fans. It’s your support and your reviews that help me release quickly, keep prices low and still make a living.

I appreciate you all so much,

Sincerely,

Terry Bolryder

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terrybolryder.com

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I’ll be hard at work on the next story!