Page 25 of Bearly Breathing

“Oh, Marcus, this is beautiful!”

His chest swelled with happiness. Leya seemed genuinely eager to go on this hike with him. When he’d suggested they camp their overnight, he was equally surprised when she agreed.

Her trust in him, in his ability to keep her safe and his good intentions, humbled the mand and filled the Bear with pride. She was his. His to care for, to love, and protect. She just didn’t know it yet.

“I’m so glad you wanted to do this. I wasn’t sure you’d like this kind of thing.”

“You know, not all chubby girls hate exercise.”

“Okay, about all this fat nonsense-”

“Marcus, come on, it’s not as if I don’t know I’m fat-”

He turned around in a move so fast she didn’t even have time to guess what he was doing! He plastered her against his body. Holding her by the waist in his steely grip.

Every nerve ending was on edge at being so close to her. Feeling her body, even through layers of clothing, smelling her sexy honey scent as her arousal drifted into his nostrils was almost more than enough to wrest control from his hands. He closed his eyes, attempting to hide the Bear.

This was dangerous, being so damn close to heaven! He pressed his hips forward unable to help himself, and in truth, not wanting to. Her body was soft, rounded and perfect for him. A foil to his hardness.

He growled deep in his throat as he nuzzled her neck and found her lips with his, allowing her to feel his current physical state. A state that hadn’t changed since he’d laid eyes on her.

“You feel this?”

Her eyes grew darker in her arousal, her honey scent all the more potent. His voice deepened, instinctively answering her need. It would always be like that. His Bear’s first thought to please, protect, and care for his mate. Mine.

Marcus moved his hands, caressing the silky skin of her arms and neck. Damn, she felt so fucking good. His breathing became rough as he tried to focus.

“For the record, you are perfect. And I didn’t think you wouldn’t like hiking because of your weight. I was thinking more like girls, bugs, and no bathrooms didn’t mix. The only chubby thing around here, is this,” he pressed his hardness against her soft belly and saw heat flare in her blue eyes, oh fuck.

“Leya, this happens anytime I get within a few feet of you. Hell, all I have to do is even think about you and I’m hard as a fucking rock. You are so beautiful, baby, I’m having a hell of a time remembering my promise not to rush things.”

“I never asked you to promise that.”

“I know, but I promised myself, I’d give you some time to decide for sure. Because once we do this, baby, there is no going back.”

There was already no going back, but he didn’t want to scare her. His Bear roared angrily. He was never giving his mate up regardless of what his human half may have implied. Easy, he told his beast.

“Okay. Um, so tell me about this place, while we set up camp,” she said and bent down to their supplies.

“Okay. This side of the island is completely mountainous and unspoiled. No one lives nearby,” he said and unfolded the tent while she removed two rolled up sleeping bags from her bag.

“Why not?”

“Well, the natives here live in a fishing village,” he thought of Mrs. Leeds and her Cormorant Shifter family and smiled, “They’re pretty damn amazing and supply all the fish to the hotel restaurants. Anyway, this part is deserted as there are rumors of wild boars and packs of feral dogs roaming the hills,” he frowned when he saw her eyes go wide.

“Don’t worry, sweet, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

‘I know that. Sorry for being silly, it’s just I was bitten by a dog as a child and sort of never got over my fear of them.”

Marcus frowned hard. His bear wanted to find the offending mutt and rip its fucking head off. Grrr.

“Marcus! I was nine, really, it’s okay!” She laughed, and his Bear was soothed once again. A happy Leya was good. Yeah. Keep her happy. That was the plan.

“Sorry,” he continued, “alright, well, mostly folks stay away because the volcano, though dormant, it’s due for an eruption. At least that’s what the locals say, but they’ve been saying that for a hundred years or more.”

“They do, uh, track volcanic activity though, right?”

“Of course,” he smiled.

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