Bearly Healed: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (11 page)

“
H
ard enough getting pants on
, let alone lingerie,” she gasped. His hand was warm and his fingertips rough over her delicate flesh.

“Hard is right. You’re wet for me. I like that,” he breathed into her ear. Running his tongue along the shell of her ear, his bear chuffed loudly in his head when she shivered.

“How could I not be? You’re big, handsome, built, and you say you like me. Normally it would take a lot less to get me in the sack,” she said.

Cash growled. “I don’t want to hear about anyone from before. You belong to me now, and I don’t share.”

Cassie should protest, tell him she belonged only to herself. But his wicked finger was rubbing circles over her clit. She couldn’t help matching her hips to the twirl of pleasure he was creating.

“You got it, big guy,” she agreed. She didn’t want him to stop touching her; it was too good.

Cash slid his fingers down lower, parting her pussy and teasing her entrance with just the tip of his finger. Using the heel of his hand, he kept pressure on her clit as his finger dipped just inside her.

“Oh shit,” Cassie moaned.

“Don’t swear,” he said giving her another swirl. He didn’t care so much about her swearing. He just liked teasing her.

Her delicious arousal was teasing all of his senses. He wanted to slide down and taste her, soak up all of her luscious honey. This time was for her, though, he had all the time in the world to taste her, feel her clenching around his cock. All in good time.

“Don’t hold back from me,” he said low into her ear. He pushed his finger deeper into her tightness. He felt her muscles flex against him, seeking more. Curving his finger, he searched out that spot inside her that would make her come apart for him.

He found it when her body bucked against him, her back arching. One hand clutched at the one between her legs, and the other dug into his thigh.

“Cash,” she moaned. Her breath was coming fast. She was panting as her body searched for her release. Coming was easy for her, but oh so better when someone else was guiding your body toward it. You weren’t just on the fast track to orgasm. You had to wait, be patient, work with what they gave you. It was always better that way.

“I’ve got you, Cassie. You can trust me with this,” he assured her. He wanted to hear her, smell her body drenching his fingers.

Cassie was so close, her body primed with the heat of the man under her. The flutter started radiating from her clit, down through her pussy until it cascaded over her. She gasped his name, and her body locked as she came hard, her body holding his finger tight inside her, and he continued to torment the nerves deep inside her.

“So pretty, baby. So very pretty. I want to do that to you multiple times a day. How does that sound to you?” he asked, gentling her down. He slid his fingers from inside her but left his hand cupped over her soft heat.

“I’ll pencil you in,” she said, trying to catch her breath. She was panting, and her body was tingling. It was a really good orgasm. The kind you wanted to randomly post on social media because everyone you knew should be jelly of you.

“Glad you can fit me in,” he said placing a gentle bite against her neck. His bear needed the contact. It wasn’t the bite he wanted to give her, but it would have to do.

“Oh, I so shouldn’t have let you do that. It’s bad, bad, so very bad,” Cassie whined.

“Of course you should have. I’m here to take care of you, however you need. I’m going to keep telling you that until you understand. I’ve got time,” he promised her.

Shit, Cassie’s shifter knowledge was reminding her that he lived longer. Had already been around a while.

“Eww, you’re old enough to be my dad!” she said, giving a wiggle his lap.

“Settle down, Sprite. Unless you want to help me out with my little problem,” he growled.

Cassie gave a laugh. “Little? Feels like one of those summer sausages under me. You are not getting that anywhere near me mister. Simple physics; it won’t fit.”

“First, you’ll fit me like a glove, of that I’m sure. Second, I may be old enough to be your dad, but I am very young at heart and body,” he said, his voice lowering to a seductive purr.

“Do bears purr?” she couldn’t help but ask.

“Because you’re mine and injured, I won’t spank you for that comment. No, bears do not purr. We rumble,” he said demonstrating along her neck. “We growl, we can even make a chuffing noise, but we do not purr. You’ve been living with a cat for too long.”

This was true, not about the too long part, but that Dax was a big purrer around his mate. Cassie’s brain was about done at this point. She’d had a lovely orgasm, she was warm, which was a big selling point for her since she was usually cold. And she wasn’t in any pain. The thought of fighting with him any longer was an exhausting thought.

“I’m tired, Cash.” She knew it was a little abrupt, but the hell with it.

“Do you need anything before bed? Bathroom, food?” he asked.

“No, just sleep. Maybe things will be clearer tomorrow. I need Effie,” she admitted.

“I know. She’ll be here soon. I’m going to go talk to Edward and Connie. You rest,” he said. Cash picked her up and while still holding her, pulled back the covers on the bed and settled her in.

“I’ll see you tomorrow or are you working?” Cassie mumbled sleepily.

“You’ll see me when I come to bed,” he corrected.

That woke her right up. “Cash you can’t sleep here! We aren’t dating. I’m a guest here. What will they think?” Great, the Rochons already thought she was crazy, now they’d think she was a slut.

“Connie and Edward would expect me to do no less. They know you can’t be apart from your mate when you find them. Cage has already given me his blessing, so he expects me to be with you,” Cash explained like it was obvious.

“Cage was here?” Great, why not invite the whole family. It was like her mom throwing a kegger when she got her first period. True story.

“Of course, he was called. He’s my Alpha. Now close your eyes, I’ll be back in a little while,” he said, placing a soft kiss on her lips. This had Cassie melting in an impossibly easy puddle. Tramp.

Cassie looked up with eyes full of confusion, indecision, and just a little lust thrown in. Cash had his work cut out getting his mate to accept her future.

“Sleep,” he ordered.

Cassie wanted to fight, but she was stick-a-fork-in-her-done. She closed her eyes, figuring sleep was better than making this mountain of a man understand reality.

She heard him step away, the door opened and closed.

Cash closed the door behind him. He took a deep breath, and then went to the bathroom to clean up. His mate probably knew that every other shifter would have some idea of what they just did. But he wanted to limit the offered information to others to protect her.

Finishing up, he went out to the great room to find Connie and Edward sitting up waiting for him. He knew they would be. Cash took a seat on the couch and tipped his head back on the cushion covering his face with his hands.

“Big night, huh?” Edward said from his recliner.

Connie, who was on the couch too, scooted closer to Cash and patted him on the knee. “We understand, dear. Believe me,” she said, giving Edward a pointed look.

“Seems like it was yesterday, beautiful,” Edward said to her smiling. “I’d say the mate call hit me like a truck. I’m guessing it hit you like a freight train,” he said to Cash.

“She’s tiny,” he said, dropping his hands and looking at the couple. He respected his aunt and uncle, their marriage and bond was so strong just like his parents.

“She’s strong,” Connie added.

“I know. I just have to convince her. I get the feeling her self-esteem is pretty much nonexistent. For all her bravado, she’s just a young woman that never had the kindness growing up that she should have. How do I show her that there isn’t one more thing she needs to be for me?” Cash was looking for guidance.

“Son, from the looks of things, the only person to have ever loved her was Effie. She’s probably never seen a stable relationship outside of Dax and Effie. She probably thinks it’s a one-off. Show her every second that you aren’t going anywhere. That her needs matter to you. It will start to wiggle into her brain. She just has to get used to being loved. If anyone can take care of her, it’s you,” Edward said to him. His nephew was good to the core. Cassie was never going to want for attention or affection.

“You think that will be enough? Caring about her, loving her?” Cash thought there had to be more to this equation.

“For her, it will be everything,” Connie assured him.

Cash hoped they were right. It wasn’t just about convincing her that he was meant for her. He also had to heal her body along with her mind before she could accept him and everything offered.

“I’m going to head to bed. I don’t think I can get her to move to my house anytime soon. Are you okay with me crashing here for a while?”

“Sweetheart, you are welcome here as long as you need. I think Cassie needs the stability of being here right now. This way when you have to work she’ll still be surrounded by family,” Connie assured him.

Cash nodded to them both, and then stood and went back to the bedroom. He paused and heard Cassie’s quiet breathing. Opening the door, he shut it behind him and stripped out of his clothes, leaving his underwear on. Sliding in next to her, he saw that she had rearranged so she was on her back, pillows under legs and was lightly snoring.

He rolled to his side, trying to get as much contact to her without disturbing her. He let his arm drape over her and then realized even his arm might be heavy on her. He scooted closer, so his arm rested on the bed on the other side. Having her protected under him made his bear very happy. Cash closed his eyes and tried to make a plan of attack for the next day.

C
assie woke
up with a heaviness on her chest and her neck hot and damp. Her brain came awake slowly as she tried to remember where she was. Looking around the room, she took in the lace curtains and rustic charm of the bedroom. Still in the woods, she mused. She also took stock that she hadn’t woken with any nightmares last night. That was a welcome change.

She started to give a languid stretch, then noticed the heat radiating along her side. Waking up to an unknown body next to her had only happened twice when she was younger. Now she was a little pickier about her one-nighters. There were no bars in the woods so who was snuggling so close?

Then she remembered.

Cash. Big, strong, handsome as fuck, Cash Rochon. He’d declared her his mate last night. Not something any shifter would do without knowing for sure. Then he’d kissed her, and that had been nice. Then he’d gotten her off. That had been fan-fucking-tastic. Shit, she was in bed with a bear.

Turning her head to peek at the big guy, she sucked in a breath at how damn pretty he was. No guy should be prettier than his girl, but in this bed, this morning, he won hands down. Cassie couldn’t deny that she had a thing for tattooed, bearded guys. She didn’t see any ink on his arms or chest, which was damn fine by the way. But that close cropped beard did all sorts of things for her girly parts.

Now that he wasn’t breathing on her neck, she could see his soft lips slightly parted in sleep. Her naughty parts were encouraging her to reach over and sneak a kiss. But then she wasn’t encouraging this whole mating thing, she reminded her overly awake parts. Cassie used to joke she woke up with her own version of morning wood.

Because the bed was against the wall, there was no way for her to maneuver herself over this giant man and find her crutches without waking him or causing herself pain.

Stalemate.

Cassie chose not to go with the kiss and instead figured encouraging him by waking him gently was counterproductive.

Pulling back her thumb and middle finger, she gave the tip of his nose a sharp flick.

Bright hazel eyes opened in shock, then warmed to a golden honey color. Damn him.

“Morning, beautiful,” he murmured. Dude, even his morning breath smelled good. Clearly not human.

“I need to pee,” she announced unceremoniously.

Cash smiled even bigger. So much for shock and awe in the morning.

“Aren’t you going to kiss me good morning?” he asked, leaning closer.

“Unlike you, Mister Supernatural, I have normal dragon breath in the morning. Need I remind you, I did not brush my teeth after partially eating a burrito. It’s like Death Valley in here, now scoot,” she said giving him a shove. Totally didn’t budge him.

Cash kept his forward movement and didn’t stop until his lips met hers. Cassie kept her lips tight together; she had some pride. He still managed to make the kiss, hot, wet, and sexy.

Pulling back, he stood up in one movement from the bed, and Cass sucked in a breath. She knew he was fit, but daammmnn. He was wide, thick muscles corded over his shoulders, massive biceps, and forearms. His stomach was a ripple of thick abs that made Cassie want to run her tongue over them.

Even his thighs were thick and muscled, shit if she looked she’d probably see muscles in his feet. She managed to take this all in before he scooped her out of the bed. Quickly wrapping her arms around his neck, she held on when he turned her towards the door.

“You’re naked!” she reminded him.

“I’m covered,” he said, opening the door.

Cassie didn’t want to explain to him that boxers and a bare chest was not covered in anyone’s book.

She ducked her head because she didn’t want to see if there was an entourage waiting for them to come out. All she did hear was one voice, thank goodness.

“Morning, dears,” Connie called out from the kitchen.

“Morning, Connie,” Cash called out and walked into the bathroom. He positioned her next to the counter and kissed the tip of her nose. “Be outside,” he said and then left.

Cassie looked into the mirror and saw the hot mess that was her hair. Eye crusties, drool mark at the side of her mouth. Oh yeah, super sexy.

She used the bathroom, washed her face and brushed and flossed her teeth. Making sure to eradicate any trace of burrito breath.

Cassie combed her hair and then spritzed a little hair spray and gave her pink tips a quick ruffle. She resisted the urge to throw on any makeup. She wasn’t encouraging him, she reminded herself.

As she turned toward the door, she knew that sneaky man had left her crutches in the other room on purpose. Pride made her want to hobble or crawl out to show him that she could do it.

But Cassie never crawled for a man and didn’t plan on doing it now.

“Cash Rochon! Get your ass in here!” she yelled at the top of her lungs.

It was about three seconds before the door opened to a grinning lout. “You rang?” He’d thrown on a pair of jeans but left the top button undone. He still wasn’t wearing a shirt. This look was almost better than just the boxers.

“You need to stop carrying me around and leaving me stranded without crutches. It’s rude,” she informed him.

“Well, soon you won’t need them, so this is just practice,” he explained.

“What are you a doctor now?” she scoffed, and he scooped her up.

“No, but I’m attending your PT appointment today. So I will get a timeline from your therapist on what milestones you need to hit to get rid of them. We will also be exercising daily.”

“Thhpptt!” Cassie blew him a huge raspberry.

“I can put that tongue to better use, Sprite,” he growled.

“I’m not kissing your unbrushed mouth. I have standards,” she sniffed.

Cash didn’t say anything, just leaned down and claimed her mouth with his. Her mouth opened under his forgetting to resist. She’d forgotten her damn plan when his minty fresh breath poured into her mouth. His tongue was so forceful, but at the same time wasn’t overwhelming her. He was in control, owning every sensual swipe. He was really good at this.

He broke the kiss and said against her lips, “That’s how you say good morning.”

“No, that’s how you say good morning, you big freak. Normal people grumble until they get their coffee,” she said, crossing her arms over her chest. She figured if he’s big and strong then he didn’t need her to hold on.

“So you’re saying you want coffee?”

“At the very least, please,” she added. She wasn’t encouraging, but she still wasn’t a total bitch.

Cash nodded and carried her into the great room, got her settled onto the couch and then made his way to the kitchen. Connie was at the stove cooking something that smelled amazing. She turned and gave Cash a smile as he was making a cup of coffee.

Walking over to Cassie, she sat beside her on the couch near her hip. “How are you this morning? Lots of crazy changes huh?”

“You have no idea,” Cassie whispered.

“Well, not from a human point of view, no. But I know what Cash is feeling, I felt the same the first time I saw Edward. Imagine seeing a person that became your oxygen in a blink of an eye. Another person, another soul that becomes the center of your universe. That man over there, watching you so intently,” Connie said with a smile, nodding over her shoulder.

Cassie saw that he was indeed staring very intently at her.

“You just became his everything in a blink of an eye. He will love you, protect you, cherish you, and spoil you. Nothing would make him happier than doing just that.” Connie’s voice was low, but Cassie knew that he could still hear them.

“Why me?” she whispered back.

“Because you are you. The fates, the universe decided whoever you are as a person, is what Cash needs.”

“But he doesn’t know me. I’m nothing special, not even interesting. He could do so much better than me. Like he could walk into a public place and grab the first girl he sees. I guarantee she’d be a better fit for him. I have no skills unless you count sitting on my ass. I’m pretty good at that. But I can’t cook, I’ve never worked doing anything but basic retail and reception work. My track record on relationships is downright laughable. He’s too good for me,” she said quietly, her eyes filling with tears against her will.