Timberman Werebear (Saw Bears Book 3) (5 page)

If she said no, she wouldn’t be able to go back to her life and not be affected by how intense her feelings still were with him. Saying no wasn’t an option anymore. Not when it would hurt so badly again.

“I won’t run, if you let me in.” Negotiations, oh yes. She was good at haggling.

“Done. You might not like what you find out, though.”

She leveled him with her gaze and cupped his cheeks. Lowering her voice and rocking against his hand, she said, “I won’t run.”

With a deep, steadying breath, she lifted her shirt over her head and shrugged out of her loose bra. Then she turned and showed him the tiny arrow tattoo on the side of her ribcage. “No matter how far an arrow is drawn back, it always shoots forward again.”

He dragged his gaze from the tiny mark with a smile of triumph. He was beautiful like this, confident and happy, staring at her like he’d never seen another so alluring. He pressed his finger into her again, but she shook her head.

“I want all of you now.”

He hesitated, and she thought he would reject her. Embarrassed at putting herself out there like this, she murmured, “I’m on birth control if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“That’s not… I’m worried about bonding to you even more, and then you leaving again.”

She frowned and stroked the shadow-colored stubble on his jaw. “You’re already bonded to me, Denny. And I’m not going anywhere. I made a mistake before.”

He dropped his eyes to the door handle and for a moment, he looked lost.

“Denny,” she whispered, pulling his face back to hers. Her pulse hammered as she realized her feelings for him hadn’t diminished at all, no matter how hard she’d tried to snuff him from her heart. “I’m sorry.” Sorrier than he would ever know.

He pulled her nipple into his mouth and dragged his tongue against it until it tingled. When he eased back again, he looked surer of himself, as if he’d made up his mind. Kicking open the door with his heavy work boot, he slipped from the car. When he turned back to her, he was unbuttoning his pants, and she smiled.

“Say it. Say you forgive me.”

“You haven’t bought me a single beer,” he teased as he eased his long, thick cock from his briefs.

Her heart thrummed erratically against her sternum as she watched him stroke himself from the base to the tip. It was red and swollen, ready for her, and she shimmied out of her jeans as fast as she could peel the danged things off.

“I like that you’re smooth,” he whispered reverently. Gripping the backs of her knees, he pulled her legs until her hips rested on the edge of the seat. He knelt down between her thighs and stared at her sex. “I like being able to see all of you.”

He eased her back and dragged his tongue along her slick seam. Her shoulders shook with the tremor that blasted up her spine, and she arched her head back and closed her eyes. The sensation of his whiskers against her skin was nothing shy of orgasmic. His tongue lapped at her, three languid strokes, then he stood and leaned into the Bronco, over her body, and trailed soft kisses up her bare stomach.

When he came to her tattoo, he paused, then kissed it. “You’re mine, Danielle.” His voice was pitched low and had a gravelly quality she’d never heard before.

She dragged her fingernails across his shoulders and sighed at the happiness that filled her. “You’re mine too, Denny. I think you always have been.”

He rattled off a low growl and plunged his shaft into her, filling and stretching her. He felt so good, so familiar, as if they were meant to be here, connected. As if they were better when they were together.

He opened his eyes just before his lips collided with hers, and she saw it. Something hidden beneath the surface. Something churning and silver and incomprehensible. He thrust into her again, and she bowed against him and clawed his back. She didn’t care if she hurt his skin. She wanted him to feel her here. To be marked by what they were doing in these quiet woods. This wasn’t just making love. She felt it to her bones. This was more. Denison was tethering her to him with every stroke.

He bucked harder, pulling her tightly against his chest as his teeth grazed her skin. She yelled out his name as she detonated around him, and he froze and threw his head back. The muscles in his neck strained before he brought his cool, silvery gaze back to her. It wasn’t a trick of the lighting this time—she knew for sure. Denny was different, and those eyes… He was hiding something scary inside of him. She hadn’t a guess what, but right now as he filled her with pulsing, hot jets, filled her until she overflowed and wetness trickled between her thighs, she didn’t care that he kept secrets.

Someday, she was going to prove she was worth sharing them with.

He slammed into her three more times as his cock swelled and emptied completely. Spent, he nuzzled her neck and stroked her hair until their breathing slowed and their pounding heartbeats synchronized at a much slower pace.

“I’ve missed you,” he said so softly she almost didn’t hear it.

She smiled at the ceiling of the Bronco and ran her fingers through his hair, her heart full as a future with the man she’d always loved stretched on and on before her. “I’ve missed you, too.”

Danielle moved to open the car door, but Denison reached over her lap and pulled it closed again. When she turned to ask him what he thought he was doing, he cupped the back of her neck and pulled her closer. Hesitating half a beat, he dropped his gaze to her lips, then kissed her. It wasn’t one of those powerful lip-locks that tried to make up for lost time, but a sweet one with a gentle pluck of her bottom lip before he pulled away with a soft smacking sound that made her insides feel like they were glowing.

“I’m sorry if I pushed us too far earlier. I was going to stop when you showed me your tattoo, but I let things get a little out of hand.”

She nibbled his bottom lip, then glared. “Are you done apologizing for sleeping with me?”

“It wasn’t just sleeping together. Not to me. It was—”

The window popped three times, scaring the glow right out of her. Bruiser stood leaned against the Bronco, grinning at her through the glass. “Took y’all long enough.”

Startled, Danielle clutched her chest, as if it would keep her heart from escaping, and shoved the door open. Hiding her burning cheeks, she slung her purse strap across her torso and made her way toward Brooke and Skyler.

Looking at paperwork, the others stood in a loose half-circle around the open tailgate of Kellen’s truck. The parking lot was nothing more than an open field full of calf-length waving grass and wild flowers.

Brooke waved from the other side of a lower, marshy area that was still holding water from the recent rains. As Danielle prepared to jump over the tiny creek, her feet flipped out from under her and before she knew it, she was thrown over Denison’s shoulder like a sack of cat food. She yelped when his big palm smacked her bum soundly. He hopped over the water like she weighed nothing and let out a booming laugh as she pummeled his butt with her closed fist.

“Denison Donavan Beck!”

“Oh, he got the full name, boys. Denison’s in trouble!” Bruiser called as he hopped over the tiny stream behind then.

Danielle arched her back and glared at him, but the jokester only chuckled harder.

Denny set her down so fast she gasped, but he didn’t miss a step. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her against his side, then draped his arm around her shoulders and called behind him, “If she wasn’t getting me in trouble, I’d be worried she was sick or something.”

“Har, har,” she muttered, but she couldn’t help the grin that was cracking her face wide open. She’d been afraid Denison would act like there wasn’t something simmering between them in front of his friends, but nope. Apparently, Denison was making their budding relationship status public.

His utterly comfortable behavior added another layer of seriousness to the naked party they’d had in the Bronco earlier. He wasn’t just sleeping with her. He still cared for her enough to make his feelings obvious in front of the people who meant the most to him.

A familiar warmth flooded her veins and made her go all gooey as she remembered how he used to make her feel when they were together. He’d never acted ashamed of being with her. His obvious pride at her being on his arm had always made her feel coveted, and it seemed that part of their relationship hadn’t changed.

Drew sniffed her hair as Denison led her past and murmured, “Mmm, pheromones.”

A low growl emanated from Denison, and Drew backed off.

Could he smell what they’d done? Heat flared hotter in her cheeks.

“Leave them alone,” Brooke said as she made room between her and Skyler where they were leaning against the oversize white pickup.

Denison squeezed her hand and kissed the side of her head where he allowed his lips to linger. When he pulled away, he said, “I’m in the first event, but my heat doesn’t start for another forty-five minutes. We’re going to plan who is going to do what events and go sign up. You can stay here or go see what they have going on over there.” He pointed to a group of tents and vendors.

She didn’t want to stand around and take Denison’s attention off what Tagan was talking low to the others about, so she jerked her chin at Brooke and Skyler and scrunched her nose, a little nervous they’d reject what she was about to propose. “Are you hungry?”

“Starving,” Skyler said as she pulled her dark hair into a high ponytail. “I’m in an event later today, and I don’t want to eat too close to it. Let’s find some grub.”

“I’m down for finding food,” Brooke said. “I skipped breakfast.”

“Brooke,” Tagan admonished, suddenly looking up from the paperwork stacked on the tailgate.

“It was too early,” Brooke explained. “If I eat that early, I’ll feel sick all day.”

Tagan angled his head and gave Brooke a worried frown before returning to a conversation about something called a hot saw.

“You want me to grab something for you?” Danielle asked Denison, who was still lingering beside her instead of joining his crew.

“Yeah, just get me whatever you think sounds good. Here.” He reached in the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out his wallet.

“No! Beer wench today,” she said. “Remember?”

A slow smile crept across his face, exposing a dimple in his left cheek. She fought the urge to touch it. He licked his bottom lip and nodded. “Okay. If you’re paying, get me double.” He laughed and ducked out of swatting range. Quick as a snake, he leaned in and pecked her on the forehead, then jogged over and joined his crew at the back of the truck.

Danielle giggled—giggled! Like a teen with a crush and not a twenty-four-year-old woman who was supposed to be keeping her cool about all of this. Danielle followed Brooke and Skyler toward the first tent, but looked back because she couldn’t help herself. Denison was watching her leave, and when she smiled, he winked at her and gave her a slow-simmering grin that just about locked her knees.

That man was a charmer and a mystery, but most of all, Denny was going to wreak havoc on her hormones.

She jogged and caught up to the girls, but when she did, Brooke lifted her hair and studied the back of her neck.

“What are you doing?” Danielle asked, locking her legs and halting.

“Checking for a bite mark,” Brooke said nonchalantly.

Okay. “Like a vampire bite mark?” She hadn’t exactly believed in things-that-go-bump-in-the-night before now, but something was definitely different with Denison. His changing eyes were supernatural for sure. They were like two damned mood rings right on his face, telling her when he was pissed or turned on.

Skyler rocked back on her heels and laughed. “No vampires around here.” She frowned. “At least, not that we know of.” She turned to Brooke and shook her head as she shoved her hands in the pockets of her jeans. “He wouldn’t bite her. Danielle’s human—”

“Skyler!” Brooke admonished. Her eyes went round and serious, and her voice changed. Deepened as if her words held weight. “That’s enough. Good grief, do we have to censor you
and
Kellen now?”

“Well, blame that on him. He talks about whatever he likes all the time, and I get used to it. Maybe you should drag us to town more often. Living in the Asheland bubble ain’t doin’ us any favors.” Skyler crossed her arms in front of her chest with a pouty frown.

“Why would Denison bite me?” Danielle asked. “I’m assuming it isn’t just for kink.”

“All the boys are biters. Forget I said anything,” Brooke muttered and began walking again.

“Are you two like Denison?” Danielle tested.

“Like Denison how?” Skyler asked, sounding too innocent.

Well, crap, she hadn’t figured out a guess yet. “Zombies?”

Brooke snorted and kept her face carefully hidden behind her blond locks.

“Yeti?”

Now Skyler was laughing, too.

“Give me a hint,” Danielle pleaded. “All I’ve got are glowing eyes and growling… Oh, werewolf!”

“No, and stop guessing,” Brooke said with a little worried moue to her glossed lips. “
If
there was anything different about Denison and
if
he decided he wanted you to know, he would tell you when he was good and ready.”

Danielle narrowed her eyes and sighed. “Fine.” It was just like last time she’d lived here when she was the odd woman out. Everyone was in on the secret, but nobody trusted her enough to let her in. It stung and made her realize she wasn’t part of this trio of friends. She was just a tagalong.

“I’m going to go get Denison some food before his event. I’ll see you later.”

She turned to leave, but Brooke hugged her from behind, arms squeezing Danielle’s collar bones. “I know how it feels,” she whispered. “Feeling like everyone knows but you. You have to be patient, though. It’s not my place, or Skyler’s place, to spill secrets that aren’t ours.”

Danielle’s eyes burned with emotion, and she held still as Brooke hugged her tighter.

“I had to wait, and Skyler went through hell finding her way into the Ashe Crew, too,” Brooke explained. “You’re Denison’s girl, and if it were up to me, you’d already know how much you belong to us. It’s not up to me, though. I’ll tell you something I haven’t told anyone but Tagan, so you’ll know you have my trust.”

Skyler stepped in front of Danielle with a worried look in her bright green eyes.

Danielle could feel Brooke smile against her ear. “I’m pregnant.”

Skyler’s eyebrows drew up, and her eyes rimmed with tears. “Already?”

Danielle didn’t understand the dynamics here. Had Brooke and Tagan been trying for a baby for a long time? Had they suffered a loss?

Brooke pulled her and Skyler into a hug. “It’s hard for our kind to have babies,” she whispered so low Danielle almost missed it. “It’s why I’ve been having a hard time eating. I feel sick all the time, and we haven’t told the boys, so please don’t say anything. We wanted to make sure the baby is okay before we get everyone worked up.”

“The crew is going to lose their shit,” Skyler murmured. A slow smile stretched her lips. “We’re gonna have a baby.” The first tear slipped down Skyler’s cheek, and Danielle thumbed it away, then hugged them both closer.

She didn’t understand why it was hard for Brooke and Tagan to have a baby, or why Skyler worded it like the Ashe crew was having a child instead of just Brooke, or why a bunch of foul-mouthed, beer-guzzling, caveman trailer boys would care one way or the other about a baby, but she knew one thing—these were good people. People who cared deeply for one another and who were trying to let her in as much as they could. She wanted to be a part of this. She wanted to be accepted by Denison’s friends and become someone they could depend on, like they obviously depended on each other.

“Okay, okay,” Danielle said, giving them one last squeeze. “Let’s go feed this baby.”

****

The last half hour had been spent gathering food. Two rows of stands sat in a fog of savory scents that ranged from sausage to fresh fried pork rinds to hand-dipped corn dogs to gourmet pizza pies. Brooke had already inhaled a pair of three-cheese and meatball sandwiches by the time they made their way toward several sixty-foot poles towering along the outer edge of the crowded fairgrounds.

Danielle watched in horror as eight men ran up the poles with spiked shoes and a single belt thrown around the log. “They don’t have safety harnesses,” she said as her acute fear of heights threatened to freeze her into place.

“They don’t need them,” Skyler said, handing a bartender, who was set up right alongside the event, a couple of dollars. “This is an easy one for them, and that leather strap keeps them safe enough.”

“Safe enough,” Danielle repeated as she imagined Denison making it to the very top and plummeting to his death.

Out of nowhere, a man ran into her. “Excuse me,” he apologized, steadying her with his hands on her upper arms.

Her plate of food wobbled, but she righted it. “It’s fine. Sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

Tall enough to look down at her, the man was lanky, but not whiplash thin, with dark hair gone gray at the temples. His words had been polite enough, but his hazel eyes were lifeless and cold. A chill ran up her back as she jerked out of his grasp.

The man lifted his chin and looked down his nose at her, then slid his eyes to Brooke and Skyler before an empty smile stretched his thin lips. His eyes narrowed as he said, “Sorry for disturbing you, ladies. You all have a nice day now.” His deep voice sounded so familiar.

Danielle watched him go with a strange feeling in her gut. Like déjà vu, or as if she’d lived this exact moment before.

“He was weird,” Brooke said low. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Danielle muttered, shaking off the tingly feeling that had raised the fine hairs on the back of her neck. “I’m fine.”

Brooke turned toward the bartender and ordered a cold one for Tagan. Danielle rubbed the back of her neck and watched the stranger leave. He looked back at her once before he stepped behind a tent and out of sight.

“Hey,” a passing man said, pointing to Danielle. “I know you.”

She dragged her attention away from where the man had disappeared, and her stomach dipped to her toes. It was that asshole, Matt, from Sammy’s bar.

“Uh, no you don’t,” she said, her mood plummeting.

Maybe if she just ignored him…