Bear Essentials (3 page)

“You’d better do a good job.” The door slammed as she jerked
her seat belt into place.

“Don’t worry, honey, I’m man enough to deliver a kiss worth
your time.”

“I meant about—”

His mouth caught her words and shoved them back into her
throat. His hand cupped the back of her neck as his lips pressed hers apart and
the tip of his tongue firmly invaded her mouth. Sensation sprung up from the
contact as heat seemed to sear them together. She craved the feeling of his
lips on hers and he didn’t disappoint her. He sipped and lingered over her
mouth as his hand angled her head to give him better access. His tongue boldly
thrust into her mouth to explore the taste of her.

Her own tongue answered his. It shocked her, but she
couldn’t resist the need to mingle with him. Touch an intimate part of such a
strong male. It went beyond his well-muscled shoulders, she seemed aware of him
in the most primitive fashion. Her hand lifted to take that chance to touch the
shoulders that she’d eyed so completely just moments before.

He suddenly pulled his head away. The fingers on her neck
gripped and held her in place while those sharp eyes lingered over her lips.
Heat flickered in his eyes along with a hard promise. Deep in the center of her
belly, a curl of excitement responded to that unspoken declaration. Her body
urged her to reach for that promise right then and let the rest of the details
of life drop away.

“We’d better stop right here or this truck won’t be
leaving.”

Her face redden. Granger gently rubbed the back of her neck
before forcing his fingers to release her. He wanted to snarl as he turned
around to aim his attention at driving. All he wanted to do was follow the
creamy column of her neck until it met with her shoulder. Her sweet feminine
scent filled his senses as his jeans cut painfully across a swollen cock. The
sexual tension was almost acute. He would have let his logic dismiss that need,
but it was just too painful. His body wasn’t interested in what his head
thought. He wanted her and her taste clung to his tongue, slowly burning him
alive.

“How long is this event?”

* * * * *

It was three hours long. Roslyn kept breathing a sigh of
relief as she handed out little glitter wands. Granger took a few minutes to
loosen up, but she was frankly amazed at the bounce his step developed as the
event went on. She was almost sorry she couldn’t see his face. She didn’t know
what a true smile looked like on the man. That was a shame. Watching him wade
through the endless adoring children as a giant teddy bear made her curious to
see if the mask hid a scowl or a silly smile of joy. Were his teeth gritted
against the need to cuss or was he discovering the reward of self-satisfaction
like she did every time she came out for the children?

A little ping of regret twisted through her. She was asking
for trouble, the big sort; the kind that would rip through her heart if she let
herself start thinking too much about Granger. He only wanted a Wish Bear. His
zany little dance steps were no more than the price agreed upon for the prize
she’d denied him yesterday. That stolen kiss a reprimand from a man who wasn’t
accustomed to asking twice for what he wanted.

Still…she had drawn him back. Shaking her head, she scolded
herself for taking her thoughts towards the positive once more. Granger wasn’t
there for her. Better to face that now rather than after she’d made a bigger
mistake, like kissing him some more.

Except that she owed him a kiss.

Excitement bled down her body, touching her nipples. The
little sensitive tips drew tight as anticipation made her jumpy. A deep blush
warmed her cheeks, making her grateful for the hospital lighting. Everything
blended together under the bright, fluorescent bulbs.

But she was still delighted with the view she had of his
performance as Wish Bear.

Watching him prance between wheelchairs and hospital beds
only made her desire grow. He was sexy incarnate, but he also had a good heart
buried in that massive chest. It was a combination that was going to sink her
for certain.

Hey, but who was she kidding? Men like Granger had women
flinging themselves at him. It spoiled them for true relationships. Inside
every man was a male who hungered for sex. When they could get it anywhere,
they never understood the value of a relationship.

Roslyn indulged herself in a good long look at her dancing
Wish Bear. That man was going to collect his fee and waltz right out of her
world.

After she kissed him, that was.

Her toes would still be curled when he left.

Chapter Three

“Hello? Can a guy get some help?”

His voice bounced around inside the costume, making him
grimace. There was a somewhat transparent screening material over the mouth of
the helmet that let him see into the outside world. But it let in precious
little air. The bear suit was a sauna.

A firm grip caught his furry glove as Roslyn led him back
into the dressing room. Once the head was over his, vision was very limited and
he needed to be led through any tight doorways in his path.

The Velcro on the back flap ripped open and cool air rushed
onto his neck. Granger reached for the thing himself and lifted it off his head
before Roslyn had her hands on it. Now that the kids were gone, he felt the
heat ten times more than he had during the meet-and-greet event. Somehow, he’d
lost track of how uncomfortable the costume was while he was catching glimpses
of smiles through the mouth opening. A sense of accomplishment kept his mood
light as he placed the bear head on a chair and began to pull the furry gloves
off his hands. His fingers were beet red and slick with perspiration. The air
felt super cool as he stacked the gloves next to the head.

“Oh yeah.” His voice was deep and husky, setting off a storm
of fantasies inside her. It had been practically forever since she’d heard a
man sound like that, and coupled with the emerging perfection of Granger as he
shed the costume, her mind was having a field day at her expense.

It was going to drive her insane tonight when she was left
with the bear suit and her lonely bed.

He shook his head and flung it back as he dragged a deep
breath into his lungs. Roslyn stared at the sight. His hair was soaking wet and
perspiration dotted his forehead, but his lips were turned up into a grin of
satisfaction.

“I think Wish Bear needs more breaks. Do you have any idea
how hot it is inside this costume?” he groused in a teasing tone.

“Yes, I play Precious Cub sometimes.” The tone of his voice
surprised her. It was lazy and smooth, not edged with frustration as she’d
expected. He hadn’t asked to cut the program short, not even hinted that he was
fed up with entertaining kids. Somewhere inside him was a kind heart. The idea
floored her.

He stood up to shrug out of the suspenders that attached the
weight of the body to his shoulders. The costume slumped to the floor in a
furry heap as he stepped out of it. He rolled his shoulders as another groan
passed his lips, sending heat straight down her spine. It had to be wrong to
enjoy the sight of the man so much, but it was a damn fine sight to behold. Her
nipples were hard as feminine appreciation tingled all the way through her.
There was just something about the way he moved that spoke of maleness in a way
that made her want him.

Badly.

She was pathetic. Not that that stopped the heat as it hit
her clit. The little button between her thighs tingled as Granger turned to
consider her.

“How many characters do you have?”

“Forty-three, Wish Bear is our newest creation.” Handing him
a bottle of water, Roslyn watched his lips wrap around the neck of the bottle
as he tipped it back. Heat snaked up her spine in response. She turned away
before those keen eyes of his caught her gaping at him yet again.

She really needed to get her thing for him under control.

“I’m impressed. Not bad for a little home-based idea.”

He meant it too. Granger had seen far more financially sound
businesses flounder and flop. Reading up on Roslyn’s company had kept him
enthralled. She’d begun it in her tiny apartment and now had a company worth
buying out.

But she wasn’t selling. She had grit. Granger looked over
her rainbow-striped overalls and the little shiny stars that she’d stuck in her
hair. His last girlfriend would have died rather than wear that outfit.

Roslyn looked absolutely perfect in it. She was silly and
charming wearing it, but the thing that struck him the most was the fact that
he respected her. She wasn’t afraid of doing what she thought was best for a
bunch of kids and didn’t much care if the collective designer world would
condemn her for dressing like a hippie. It was a combination of sultry and
sweet so intense, it almost struck him speechless. But a wave of anticipation
interrupted his awe as he looked at the sweet lips that owed him a kiss.

Sure, he’d kissed her already, but being kissed by someone
like her was far more enticing than he’d ever imagined it might be. It was
something he couldn’t take. There wasn’t a bullying, high-stress tactic in the
business world that could pry a kiss out of Roslyn if she didn’t want to give
it.

He wanted it that exactly that way. A gift; one true kiss,
offered up because she desired the touch of their mouths. Her eyelashes
fluttered as she peeked at him. A swift glance from her eyes before she looked
away when he caught her staring at him. A nervous little shiver moved down her
back as she scooped up the bear head, keeping her gaze averted. Sweet desire
flooded his body, flowing towards his cock as he watched the blush spread
across her cheeks. Somehow, he’d never noticed just how much two people could
communicate with each other without a single word.

It was goddamn sexy on Roslyn.

And just a tad humbling.

His stomach rumbled, making her laugh. Her eyes sparkled as
she lifted the bear head into her arms. She hugged the thing as she smiled at
him.

“I think your alarm just went off.”

Well, something had, and all Granger seemed able to do was
follow her sassy bottom back out to the truck. He dropped the bear body in the
bed as he dragged his feet toward the driver’s seat. Coming on to her like a
jerk had seemed like a good idea at the time, now it just might cost him the
chance to discover exactly how those eyes of hers looked when desire mixed with
satisfaction.

His cock sprang to instant attention. The speed of that reaction
made him smirk. He could deal with the urge for sex. It came and went. Today,
there was something deeper. For the first time in too many years, he found
himself choosing his words with care, actually worrying about being turned away
from a woman.

“I’ll get you your bear today.” Her words didn’t fit his
mood. An excuse to come back was exactly what he wanted.

Roslyn was out of the truck before he put it into park. Her
body was pulsing with a surge of impulses. Sitting still was completely out of
the question. She just needed to get away from him. Her mind kept reminding her
about the second part of their deal. Her lips tingled with the burning memory
of his mouth on hers.

It was a ridiculous coil of sensation. So graphic and acute;
every nerve ending in her body seemed to be linking together to shout loud
enough to render her brain immobile while her body just took over. She’d never
been at the mercy of her own lust before. It had somehow become her main theme
for operating around Granger.

She wanted to get hot and naked with him and that was the
honest truth.

She was going to die of shame.

Or the heat burning in her passage.

She made it to her boxing room before forcing a deep breath
into her lungs. She was reaching for a boxed Wish Bear when she heard the
slightest sound behind her.

“Roslyn.” His voice was husky with demand. It was just so
very male that she felt her belly tremble with need. Somewhere in that dark
rumble was the essence of attractiveness. She turned around out of pure need.
Right and wrong didn’t seem to have a place in her thoughts. There was only
need and desire and the sound of his voice lured her toward the tempting
possibility of being satisfied.

He offered her his hand, palm up. “Come here, honey. I think
it’s time to finish what we started this morning.”

“That’s not a good idea, Mr. Webb.” Oh, but she wanted to do
exactly what he asked and she was placing her hand into his without thinking.

He caught her hand and pulled her into his embrace. She
landed against his body and her hands latched on to those powerful shoulders,
taking the chance to learn what they really felt like. Instinct drove her
fingertips as they spread over the ridges that a thin cotton shirt separated
her from. Each fingertip was suddenly alive and acutely aware. Her heart raced,
thumping against her rib cage as her breathing sped up. She caught the warm
scent of his skin and it triggered a response from her body that was nearly
overwhelming. Desire, thick and sweet, surged through her, touching off a storm
of need.

“So don’t think.” His hand settled onto the back of her
neck, shooting sensation down her spine. He captured her mouth and the whimper
that tried to escape her lips. His arm bound her to his length as he licked the
sensitive skin of her lower lip before sealing his mouth over hers in a kiss
that obliterated every thought. There wasn’t anything but sensation swirling
through her brain, blanketing her thinking as she was wrapped in its thick
folds. It was a tempest that swirled around her, exciting her with the raw
energy of nature at its most powerful.

Her breasts were more sensitive, feeling heavy. The nipples
drew into tight little buttons that screamed for freedom from lace cups that
were suddenly horribly uncomfortable. She wanted to shred the shirt that kept
her from touching the warm male skin that she could smell. His scent filled her
senses as a hand twisted in her hair and held her in place for his kiss. The
hard grip should have bothered her, but it drove the excitement up another
notch because he demanded compliance. It wasn’t civilized, but it touched
something deep inside her that enjoyed knowing he could hold her without
hurting her; keep his strength on enough of a leash to not cross that barrier
while still being firm.

It was too sexy for her liberated mindset. Her pride hated
it, but her body enjoyed it.

It wasn’t a kind kiss. He took and tolerated not even a hint
of denial. His tongue speared towards her own, invading her mouth in a hard
thrust that sent a wave of need through her passages. His other arm bound her
to his length as the hand brushed over her bottom and cupped one cheek. But she
was arching toward him, thrusting her hips against his, seeking what she
craved. Fluid eased down her deepest core as the walls of her sex suddenly felt
too empty. The rigid length of his erection pressed into her belly, making her
groan as her passage sent even more fluid down its sensitive walls in
invitation.

“Have dinner with me, Roslyn.” He wasn’t asking. His tone
was hard and demanding.

He trailed kisses along her cheek and onto her neck.

“Your skin smells so good.” He inhaled deeply, the grip on
her bottom tightening.

His cell phone chimed, making him cuss. Roslyn wiggled out
of his distracted hold. Jerking the piece of technology off his waist, he glared
at the incoming call information.

“I guess it’s good something in the universe is interrupting
us before we end up against the wall.”

Her jaw dropped. “We weren’t going to—” She shut her mouth
so fast her teeth clicked because his eyes narrowed with the challenge she was
tossing at him.

“You were just as hot as I was.”

She turned back around and picked up the boxed Wish Bear.
She thought having him out of sight would give her a moment to recover at least
some of her wits, instead she felt as if she’d just turned her back on a lion.

She turned around and pushed the toy straight into his
chest. She took a deep breath before twisting her hands together.

“You’re cute when you try to ignore your passion.”

At least the presumptuous tone of his voice was something
she recalled too well. It slapped her back into reality. Reminding her that sex
for him wasn’t nearly as much of an event as it was to her. It would be
blistering hot but there wouldn’t be anything else.

She needed more.

“Thank you for being Wish Bear today, Mr. Webb. I hope your
girlfriend enjoys the bear.”

That wasn’t the right thing to say. Roslyn watched his face
flush with frustration as his knuckles turned white around the edges of the
box. His eyes flashed a warning at her before he drew a stiff breath.

“Let’s get one thing clear, Roslyn. I wouldn’t have kissed
you if I had a girlfriend.” The box went sailing onto another table as he
captured her wrist and pulled her back into his embrace. “And my name is
Granger. I’m going to enjoy listening to it on your lips.”

“You don’t have a girlfriend?” Her question sounded stupid,
even desperate, but it sailed out of her mouth before her common sense filtered
it. She just couldn’t picture a man like him without a trim blonde keeping him
happy. He cupped her bottom, pressing her against him from breast to knees, and
there was no missing the hard erection hiding behind his fly. She shivered as
her clit throbbed with need. Sex had never been very important in her life, but
right then, it felt like a necessity.

His lips curled back to show her his teeth. Mere inches from
her face, he whispered his next words as his hand cupped her bottom again.

“No, I don’t.” He smoothed his hand over her bottom,
watching her expression as he did it. “I might be a hard-ass in the boardroom
but I’m not a cheat.”

“Oh good.” She bit her lip as the response slipped past her
better judgment. His eyes flickered with appreciation for a moment as his lips
settled into a relaxed grin.

“It’s Valentine’s Day.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke. “Do
you have plans?”

“Um…well…” She squirmed, but he didn’t release her. A neat
row of teeth flashed at her as she chewed on her lip instead of admitting that
she was dateless on the lovers’ holiday. “I don’t have a lot of free time to
devote to dating.”

“You’ve built an impressive business with that devotion, one
that looks amazing on a spreadsheet.”