Bear Cop: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (11 page)

But then, she’d never known the right cop to keep her safe before. Her own cop.

Her bear cop.

She closed her eyes with a smile, allowing herself to sink into the safety and pleasure of Chris’ arms once more. He’d always keep her safe. He and his bear, for all the many days of happiness yet to come.

***

Chris woke to the scent of coffee. He stretched with a yawn, glorying in the feeling of being back home at last, in his own bed. Even the wounds the jaguars had left didn't hurt anymore. When he opened his eyes, he found Eve watching him with a mischievous expression on her face.

“Good morning,” she murmured and leaned down to kiss him, then reached back to produce a plate with the most perfect slice of pie he had ever seen.

“Wow. This is a really good morning,” he said, and she laughed.

“I'm used to getting up early,” she explained. “I couldn't sleep anymore. I hope you don't mind that I took advantage of your kitchen?”

“Never. Not if it results in something so gorgeous.”

He kept his eyes on her as he spoke, making it clear just who he was referring to as gorgeous, and she blushed a little with delight.

“It's not the bear pie I promised you,” she said. “That will need more experiments, and more ingredients.”

He chuckled. “I'm impressed you managed something so delicious with what I had left in my cupboards!”

“It's just an apple pie,” she pointed out.

When she scooped up some of the filling that filled the room with the delicious aroma of apples and spices, he obediently opened his mouth.

“Mmm,” was all he managed.

It was the best pie he had ever tasted—the crust was buttery and flaky and the filling gooey, still warm from the oven, with just the right amount of cinnamon. There were small, crunchy bursts of sweetness when he chewed, and at his questioning look, Eve leaned forward to kiss some of the sticky filling from his lips.

“Caramelized nuts. I only found pecans in your kitchen, but I think next time, I will go with walnuts,” she said.

He made a protesting sound.

“No, no, this is perfect!” he said once he had swallowed.

After he gave her a begging look, she obligingly fed him another spoonful of the pie.

He licked his lips. “Perfect,” he said again, and then lightly rested his hand on her thigh.

She hadn't bothered to dress yet. She'd slipped on one of his own t-shirts, and the bear in him felt a primal happiness at smelling his scent on her. Furthermore, this would make it much easier to convince her to spend the morning in bed with him...

She gasped a little when he slipped his hand further up her thigh beneath the shirt.

“The coffee!” she protested.

But he could see from the way her eyes had darkened and her nipples pressed tight and hard against the shirt that it wouldn't take much to convince her to abandon the coffee.

“What about this,” he murmured as his fingers traveled even higher. “You stay here in bed with me for a while, and afterward, I will get up to make new coffee and bring back more of the pie?”

“Hmm.” She tilted her head as though she was deliberating.

Then his fingers brushed against her folds, and he found her already hot and damp. She shivered a little as he trailed his fingers through her wetness.

“It's a deal,” she gasped.

She barely managed to put away the plate before he drew her into his arms.

With a hungry growl, he nuzzled at her neck to breathe in the way their scent had mingled on her skin: her sweetness and spice and the familiar, comforting smell of
home
.

Now it had truly become a home. Now it was filled by the warmth and the passion of his mate. The restless bear in him had quieted at last to settle down with perfect contentment, and when she drew his head up so that their lips met once more, he could feel the bear's happy rumble vibrate in his chest.

Our mate,
that sound said, and he allowed the joy to wash through him as he pulled her closer, until all he could feel was the heat of desire and love.

***

Thank you for buying
Bear Cop
! I hope you enjoyed it.
Please click on the title to write a review of
Bear Cop.
I love hearing what my readers think! It helps me decide what to write next.

If you’d like to be emailed when I release my next book, please
click
here
to be added to my mailing list.

And keep paging through to read a sneak preview of another book I wrote,
The Bear's Christmas Bride.

***

Rescued By The Jaguar.
A curvy Mexican billionaire whose money can't buy her love + a powerfully masculine American jaguar shifter firefighter + a world trying to tear these fated mates apart = one fiery romance!

Dancing Bearfoot
.
A single dad from the city + his daughter's BBW teacher + a surprise snow storm = a steamy story that will melt your heart.

A Werewolf's Valentine
.
A BBW cat shifter who's turned her back on love + a handsome werewolf stranger who comes to town + a very special Valentine's Day = a hot and heart-warming romance!

Bad Boy Bear
. Biker bear on the open road + BBW runaway-bride hitchhiker + evil motorcycle gang = an unforgettable red-hot road trip!

The Billionbear's Bride
.
A BBW desperate to save her little sister + a hot alpha billionbear who needs a wife + a fake marriage that becomes a sizzling reality = one steamy romance!

Bodyguard Bear
.
(Protection, Inc. # 1).
A curvy paramedic who witnesses a murder + the sexy bear shifter bodyguard sworn to protect her with his life + firefights and fiery passion = one hot thrill ride!

Defender Dragon
.
(Protection, Inc. # 2).
A curvy backpacker who loses a shoe at a ball + a lonely dragon prince facing an arranged marriage to a princess he doesn’t love + magnificent castles and deadly assassins = one thrilling romance!

Protector Panther
.
(Protection, Inc. #3).
A curvy paramedic who doesn’t know the meaning of fear + a mysterious panther shifter bodyguard with the power to inflict terror + sinister experiments and desperate passion = one heart-pounding romance!

Hero Bear
.
A wounded Marine who lost his bear + a BBW physical therapist with a secret + a small town full of gossips = a hot and healing romance!

Sheriff Bear
.
A small-town sheriff + a wrongly accused BBW on the run + deadly enemies and dangerous passions = a sizzling forbidden love!

Alpha Lion
.
A frightened but determined BBW + a sexy lion shifter martial artist + a dangerous enemy = one unforgettable romance!

Guarding His Honey.
A BBW in danger + the hot bear shifter who'll do anything to protect her + a dangerous fight with the mafia = one thrilling romance!

Hollywood Bear
.
A BBW stuntwoman + a movie director bear shifter + Hollywood hijinks = one blockbuster romance!

See Zoe Chant’s complete list of books here!

***

The Billionbear's Winter Angel
, by Annora Lynn. Curvy Ella meets handsome billionaire bear shifter Martin at a holiday fundraiser. When Ella is kidnapped, only Martin's polar bear can find her in the freezing cold of this snowy winter's night.

Billionbear Heir
, by Annora Lynn. Curvy fashion designer Cat returns to her hometown—only to stumble straight into the arms of bear shifter Marius, heir to a fortune. Can Cat learn to love again, and can Marius protect his new-found mate and reclaim his father's legacy?

Laura’s Wolf
,
by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine Roy Farrell, scarred in body and mind, thinks he has no future. Curvy con artist Laura Kaplan, running from danger and her own guilt, is desperate to escape her past.  But together, they have all that they need to heal. A full-length novel.

Prisoner
,
by Lia Silver. Werewolf Marine DJ Torres is a born rebel. Genetically engineered assassin Echo was created to be a weapon. When DJ is captured by the agency that made Echo, the two misfits find that they fit together perfectly. A full-length novel.

Partner
,
by Lia Silver. DJ and Echo’s
relationship grows stronger under fire… until they are confronted by a terrible choice. A full-length novel.

Mated to the Meerkat
, by Lia Silver. Jasmine Jones, a curvy tabloid reporter, meets her match in notorious paparazzi and secret meerkat Chance Marcotte. A romantic comedy novelette.

The Christmas Tree Bear
, by Rosie Lynne.  Bear shifter Willis Barnett meets his fated match in Charlotte Caldwell when she hopes to earn extra money as Santa Helper’s on Willis’ family farm turned Christmas Tree Town for the holidays.  A romantic comedy novella.

The Strength of the Pack
, by Jorrie Spencer. Seth Kolski, a werewolf, hides his heritage and passes for normal. Until he meets Jamie.

Taming the Beast
,
by Honey Dover. Beauty is a paranormal investigator hired to deal with a man cursed to become a monstrous beast. Helping him recover his humanity will change her life.

Claimed by the Wolf
, by Candi Jackson.
Zenobia Jones ends up pregnant after a night with a billionaire—and lands herself in a war between werewolf packs. A full-length novel.

The Right Bear's Arms
, by Nora Eli. After a sizzling one night stand with bear shifter Jake, curvy Katie realizes her perfect man is everything she's tried to avoid. If they can both stop running from their pasts, they may find a destined future together.

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
, by Lauren Esker. Curvy farm girl Julie Capshaw was warned away from the wolf shifters next door, but Damon Wolfe is the motorcycle-riding, smoking hot alpha of her dreams. Can the big bad wolf and his sheep shifter find their own happy ending? A full-length novel.

Handcuffed to the Bear
, by Lauren Esker. A bear-shifter ex-mercenary and a curvy lynx shifter searching for her best friend's killer are handcuffed together and hunted in the wilderness. Can they learn to rely on each other before their pasts, and their pursuers, catch up with them?

Guard Wolf
, by Lauren Esker. Avery is a lone werewolf with no pack; Nicole is a social worker trying to put her life back together. When he comes to her door with a box of orphan werewolf puppies and danger in pursuit, can two lonely people find the family they've been missing?

Discovering the Dragon
, by Sofia Stone. When reporter Chloe Martin investigates Lancaster Gold, she finds herself tangled up with the oldest son
—
Isaac Lancaster, billionaire dragon shifter.

***

By Zoe Chant

Special Sneak Preview

Matt was easy to talk to. Even though they were practically strangers, Ashley found herself telling him everything, without a moment of awkward silence. She knew that she was being a bad host and should really go circulate and talk to guests other than Matt, but somehow she couldn’t tear herself away from his side. Even after Francine came by and rescued them from Emma, they stayed in the same chair, the Christmas tree lights twinkling behind Matt’s head like the halo on an angel.

              Eventually Ashley’s legs grew tired of perching on the chair’s arm, and she slowly slid down to be next to Matt. As big as he was, there was plenty of room on the plush loveseat for both of them. Matt hesitated a moment, then lifted his arm onto her shoulders. Ashley smiled up at him to let him know that, in her opinion, it was a fine place for his arm to be, and she felt the tension in his muscles slip away.

              And i
t
wa
s
a very fine place to be. She could feel Matt against her side and leg, and he was warm and solid, his muscles evident even beneath the cushioning of his winter clothes. With his arm around her, she felt surrounded but not stifled. Instead she had to stop herself from snuggling even closer, from tucking her head into the welcoming nook between his shoulder and neck, or even from climbing into his lap and kissing him senseless.

              Luckily, before she could embarrass herself – or maybe just embarrass any kids in the room – dinner was announced, and Ashley, Matt, and everyone else proceeded into the dining room. The Carson family only used the room on formal occasions like this one, but even with the extra panel added to the middle of the tabl
e
an
d
all the kids downgraded to eating in the kitchen – where the inevitable spills were easier to clean up – there weren’t going to be enough seats for everyone.

              However, it turned out that wouldn’t be a problem for Matt and Ashley. Ashley’s mom welcomed Matt with open arms and an exclamation of delight, and sat him in a place of honor in the direct center of the table. Ashley was seated across from him, which made it hard to continue their intimate conversation, but she had to admit that the view more than made up for it.

              Matt hadn’t known about the Carsons’ Ugly Sweater tradition, so alone of all the guests he was dressed in a respectable button-down shirt and dark blazer. The white fabric of the shirt made his skin gleam like gold, somehow still tan even in late December. Ashley guessed that was what working outside did for you.

              All dressed up, he was even hotter than he’d been at the store, and Ashley would have bet a significant amount of money that was impossible. But the formal clothes highlighted the primal quality of him, the way his firm muscles shifted visibly with every move he made. He had a vital, almost animal-like side to him, and it attracted her like a bonfire on a winter’s night, that promise of heat and light and movement.

              When all the seats at the table were filled, Ashley’s father brought out the centerpiece: an entire roast turkey, its skin crisp and brown. Its rich scent filled the room to the sound o
f
oooo
h
s an
d
ahhh
h
s and even scattered applause.

              “Thank you, thank you,” her dad said, pretending to bow as he smiled around the room at his gathered community. “Before we all dig in, I’d like to say a few words.”

              “Hurry up!” shouted Francine, throwing a balled-up napkin at him from her end of the table.

              Ashley caught Matt’s eye as they both laughed. She liked that he seemed to be comfortable with her family. He fit in like he was one of them.

              “All right, all right!” Her dad held up his hands to quiet the crowd. “I’ll be brief. I just wanted to thank you all for coming. Sometimes I let myself be caught up by work and politics and the news, and forget to appreciate what’s important. I bet a few of you have the same problem. But what better time to remember the people in our lives, and to be thankful for the gifts of friendship and family, than at Christmas?”

              Everyone around the table clapped, and Ashley couldn’t help peeking at Matt again. He was too focused on her father to notice her glance, but she saw how hard he applauded, as though the words she’d heard every year for as long as she could remember had truly touched him.

              “And that’s all you have to hear from me! But before I carve up this delicious-looking bird, why don’t we bow out heads and say Grace?”

              Ashley automatically reached out for the people seated on either side of her; the Carson family had always held hands during Grace. It took Matt a moment to notice what was happening, but then he quickly reached out to take hands with Great Aunt Meredith on his left and the man who owned Oakville’s bakery on his right.

              He bowed his head, and Ashley knew that she should too, but she waited just a little longer, to see how Matt’s large hands wrapped around those of his neighbors’, and the slight hint of vulnerable skin on the underside of his wrist that was just visible beneath his blazer’s cuff, and the one curl of cinnamon-brown hair that traced the outer edge of his ear.

              Then she too bowed her head and closed her eyes, and let the familiar words of the prayer sweep her away. Although her father recited the first line alone, soon everyone was speaking together. But closer than the voices of family and friends and nearly forgotten old neighbors was Matt’s voice, his baritone tracing each word like a secret message sent straight to Ashley’s heart.

            
 
Ame
n
rang out, and there was a brief silence before everyone began talking again: laughing, fighting over where to sit, and demanding food. Ashley shook her head to clear her thoughts and made herself turn to her brother-in-law Bob, who was seated beside her, and asked him to pass the mashed potatoes.

              The rest of the party passed splendidly, full of carols and gifts and far too much food. Ashley had finally managed to make herself talk to someone other than Matt, but she found herself drifting back to his side again and again. She would have worried that she was monopolizing his time except for the fact that he seemed just as fascinated by her as she was by him. He only had to look at her with those warm tawny eyes, and she knew that she was right where he wanted her to be.

              Finally the guests began to go home, trickling out individually or in small groups. Ashley couldn’t think of a single excuse to invite Matt to stay longer, no matter how much she secretly wished he would, so she offered to escort him to the door.

              “I’d like that,” he said sincerely, as though she had promised something much grander.

              She stood aside while he fetched his coat and scarf, then watched as he bundled up against the cold outside. “I’m really glad you came,” she said, wishing she could think of something more to say. That cliche was the same thing she had said to every departing guest; the words weren’t enough to capture the way Matt had truly made her feel.

              “Me too.”

              They paused, staring at one another, both awkward and unsure of what to do next. Then Matt looked over Ashley’s head, and a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Hey,” he said, pointing up. “Mistletoe.”

              Ashley looked up, and found herself directly beneath the little bundle of glossy leaves and white berries that she had completely forgotten about. She took a deep breath to summon her courage, and said, “Then I guess you better kiss me.”

              She had expected him to make a joke of it, but his eyes darkened, and without saying a word, he stepped closer to her, lifting his hands to place them on her shoulders. His long fingers were warm and strong even through her fuzzy sweater, and he drew her closer to him, until her breasts brushed his chest. Ashley heard the bell on her sweater jingle, but there was no time to be self-conscious because then all she was aware of was Matt lowering his head, his lips parting as they approached her own.

***

Click here to keep reading
The Bear's Christmas Bride
.