Page 30 of Her Painter Bear Mate

"That was..." Clarissa struggled to find the right words. Or to breathe. "One hell of a kiss."

Dee chuckled, looking absolutely smug and it was well-deserved. "I told you I was going to make your heart race."

"That you did."

Once Clarissa had gathered her breath and her thoughts, she pulled Dee back to her for a kiss. This time, she was set on making sure she could reciprocate. She rolled Dee on her back and straddled her instead, enjoying the sight of having the beautiful woman underneath her for once.

Dee looked pretty happy on her back. She let her hands wander up, her touch light and teasing. "God, you're gorgeous."

"A nice face for painting, right?” Clarissa teased.

“A face nice for kissing,” Dee murmured intimately.

Pleased, Clarissa shifted her weight so she could urge Dee's knees apart. It was an easy task because Dee spread her legs without an ounce of resistance. She was wet, evidence that she'd definitely enjoyed herself so far, but Clarissa was determined to make her feel even better.

"What do you like?" she asked, drawing circles over Dee's skin to build the anticipation. Now that she was in control and no longer in the immediate grip of lust, she could take her time.

Dee bit her lip, her eyes a dark shade of navy blue. "Fingers. And tongues."

"At the same time?" Clarissa asked, her question causing the woman underneath her to twitch. "I'm going to take that as a yes."

She kissed a trail down Dee's body, enjoying the slow exploration because she could feel Dee grow more and more frustrated and desperate. Since Clarissa didn't know whether this would be more than a one-night thing, she was going to make every second count.

As she slid down the bed, Dee's legs fell even more apart. Clarissa kissed the inside of her thighs where the skin was incredibly soft and smooth. She could feel Dee starting to squirm and it made her glow that she could get such a reaction from the otherwise very composed and controlled woman.

She pressed her lips on Dee at the same time as she slid one finger inside. A guttural moan filled the quiet room and it was Clarissa's turn to feel smug. She swirled her tongue, matching the rhythm with her hand. Dee's body was incredibly reactive, responding to every little lick and kiss and stroke of her finger. And she was louder than expected, even having to bite down on her own hand to muffle herself.

Clarissa sincerely hoped this wasn't a one-time thing because now she wanted nothing more than to go somewhere isolated so she could hear those moans in full.

She kept kissing and added another finger, enjoying the way Dee was pulsing around her. There was no warning but Clarissa didn't need it. She felt Dee tighten around her fingers, her whole body spasming as she lost control.

Clarissa kept her fingers exactly where they were, only giving gentle kisses until Dee pushed her head away.

"Stop, please. Too. Sensitive."

There was one more little twitch when Clarissa pulled her fingers back and she almost smelled them, just for payback. Instead, she moved back up the bed so she could kiss Dee. The immediate urgency was gone making the kiss lovely and languid and tender.

A scratch came from the other side of the door and both of them burst into giggles. Neither got up to deal with the dogs though and instead, Clarissa snuggled into Dee's arms. As she fell asleep, she was vaguely aware of her bear mark burning hot, but she was too tired to register it properly.

Her last thought was that she really hoped it wasn't a one time thing.

SEVENTEEN

Dee

When Dee woke up, it was still dark and there was a warm arm slung casually over her stomach. There was a pleasant ache in her muscles too and she felt strangely relaxed. Clarissa was snoring gently and drooling ever so slightly which was kind of endearing.

As Dee stared up at the ceiling, she examined her feelings and thoughts. While it was slightly weird that she'd ended up in bed with Clarissa, there was no rush of regret, embarrassment, or disappointment. It had been good, really good, and Dee just couldn't muster the same anger she used to hold for her old rival. Maybe it helped seeing Clarissa for who she really was, a complex woman, not just some idea to measure herself against.

The faint light of the moon came in through the angled window and Dee briefly thought back to the lake ceremony and what the hell she would do if a mating mark appeared on her body once the sun was up. She'd have to go to the fated mate meet & greet to find out which shifter the Moon Goddess had chosen for her.

She glanced at the sleeping Clarissa but Dee didn't let her thoughts go there. There was no point in speculating and worrying about something that hadn't happened yet.

She closed her eyes but sleep eluded her. Even with Clarissa's steady breathing, Dee could feel herself growing restless. More. In the dark of Clarissa's room, Dee's imagination was sparking with colours and ideas. She didn't know what part of last night had helped, but she could feel her fingers itching to paint. It wasn't just an urge, it was a compulsion.

Dee untangled herself from the woman next to her, quietly slipping out of the bed. She searched around for her clothing, gathering what she could find. She hit her knee against a hard object and froze in place, worried she was making too much noise. Then again, it wouldn't be the end of the world if Clarissa woke up. Dee wasn't trying to sneak out, she just wanted to paint.

When there was no reaction, Dee continued on. She returned to the living room where Millie and Bork were snoozing on the couch. They were not quite touching but they certainly seemed happy and relaxed.

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