Page 30 of Bearly Breathing

CHAPTER 10

He wanted to growl, to roar, to punch something, anything to get that horrified look off her face. One thing he never considered was possible rejection.

Oh crap. The dirt under his bare ass was hot from the late afternoon sun and the pebbles sticking to his cheeks grated. It wasn’t that he minded sitting there in the buff, well, not exactly, but how was he supposed to answer questions when his cock was sitting at half-mast? As a Shifter, he was hardly bothered by nudity, but the smell of her so close was driving him fucking nuts.

Not being able to touch her? Fucking torture. In those tiny cut-offs and that fitted tank top, she looked good enough to eat. Talk about good ideas! She sat back on her feet facing him and unconsciously thrust her perfect breasts forward. Drool.

He could almost imagine what she was thinking behind those gorgeous blue eyes of hers. How could she not know how perfect she was? He had to wipe that confused frown off her face. For good.

“Just to recap, you’re a Bear and you think I’m your mate?”

“I know you’re my mate.”

“And it’s possible we have some sort of close connection, but we haven’t bonded yet because we haven’t had sex.”

Swallow.

“Um, yes.”

“So, if we have sex then we are what, like married or something?”

“Yes. Sort of. We will be officially mated. It’s better than married to Shifters. Once I have claimed you, you can be damned sure, I will never let you go, and every other male around you will know you belong to me, but of course, a legal marriage would be prudent too.”

“Okay, Captain Caveman, hold up a sec, are you saying you want to marry me?”

Swallow again. Hard. Fuck.

“Yes. Absolutely. I want you, Leya, only you. As my mate, as my wife, forever.”

“Okay, then, there is only one way to see if this is true or not,” she stood up in front of him.

Her skin seemed to glow against the rising moon as she took the band out of her hair and let the soft blonde waves fall down around her shoulders. She unbuttoned her shorts and Marcus hissed in a breath.

“What are you doing?”

“Unzip that sleeping bag, will you?”

He moved mechanically following her orders, but his eyes never left her. She stepped out of her sneakers, stuffing her socks inside, and placed them inside the tent. His hands stilled on the sleeping bag as she stood just inside the opening.

He tensed in his crouched position, eyes riveted to the movements of her hands as she unzipped her shorts and pushed them down her long legs. Marcus’ throat went dry. Before he could move, she had her tank top over her head, revealing lace-covered mounds of flesh to his starving eyes.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m taking my clothes off, Marcus.”

“Why?”

“I thought that was obvious,” she grinned, her hands moved to the front clasp of her demi-cup bra.

Before she had the chance to unfasten it, he was there. His sweet, sexy mate was taking her clothes off. For him. Marcus shivered like an inexperienced cub, taking her in his arms as if she was something delicate and precious. She is.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. Part of him was afraid she’d say yes, the other part of him wouldn’t move a muscle until she told him to. Her big, blue eyes looked up at him, trust and something else, something warm and all-consuming glistened in their depths.

“Yes,” she said, “Marcus, I’m sure,” her blue eyes roaming his face as she raised her hands and pulled on his head.

“I won’t be able to stop,” Marcus’ voice was a low growl. Longing and need threatened to consume him. Never like this, he thought as he struggled to hold on to his Bear.

“I don’t want you to stop. Please Marcus, no more waiting. I want you,” she went back to the bra, but his hands swallowed hers and gently moved them aside.

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