Page 35 of Bearly Mated

“Can’t you?”

“Fine, I can. I’m just irritated.”

“You won’t be for long. Trust me.”

I did trust him, and my initial anger calmed as he turned onto a dirt road I recognized. We’d gone hiking together a lot when we were teenagers, with him in his bear form. I’d even ridden on his back now and then.

He parked in a small, empty dirt clearing, and got out. When I opened the door, he lifted me out of the truck, setting me on his feet.

“Hikingis what we have to settle?” I asked, the doubt in my voice clear.

“Yep. Let’s go.” He laced his fingers through mine, and we headed down the trail together. Though it was familiar, I couldn’t remember where this one led.

It still felt nice to be in the forest together, surrounded by nature, though.

“I hope you have a plan,” I said. “Because I’m going to be very irritated if we skipped the appointment and there’s no plan.”

He chuckled. “We’re practicing trust, remember?”

“Right.” I moved a little closer to him as we kept walking, pressing my arm against his.

“Tell me about your favorite class in college. You never mentioned that on the phone,” he said, as we kept walking.

I launched into a story to answer his question, and by the time it was over, we reached a familiar lookout point.

MakeoutPoint.

I was pretty sure every town had one.

My face flushed as I remembered leaning in and trying to kiss Hudson there during my sophomore year. Some embarrassments would never fade.

I turned to ask Hudson why he’d brought me back, and my mouth closed suddenly.

My eyes widened, too.

He was on one knee, holding a small, black box with a glittering ring inside it.

“Callie,” he said, those gorgeous eyes gleaming as they met mine. “I’ve wanted you for more than a decade. I’ve been yours for just as long. Our situation is abnormal to say the least, but I want this desperately. Say you’ll be mine, for the rest of our lives.”

My eyes stung. “Hud…”

“That’s not really an answer.”

I sputtered an emotional laugh. “Of course I’ll be yours, you big, ridiculous bastard.”

His chest rumbled with his laughter as I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him, hard.

He kissed me back, and I heard the ring box hit the ground, but was too lost in him to care.

“Remember when you tried to kiss me here?” he asked against my mouth, pulling away for a moment.

“Are you trying to kill the mood?” I teased.

He chuckled. “No. I’m reminding you why this is the perfect place for a new start.” Taking my lips again, he pulled me down over his lap, so I could feel his erection against my core.

“We’ve been together so many times the last two weeks, I don’t know how you can still be hard,” I whispered.

“Welcome to Shifter 101. Being near your mate equals wanting to fuck her. Always.”

---