Page 55 of Cowboy Bear's Hope

“What was it about?”

“You,” I confessed.

“Me? What happened?”

“Sh-she said I didn’t know what I was getting into. Mating you. That I wasn’t right for it. That I would hurt you,” I said, and God, but it broke something in me to admit that.

“What did you say?”

“I said what she thought didn’t matter because you thought I was good for you, and that was all I needed.”

“And is that how you feel?” he asked.

I sat up, dragging my gaze to meet his. His brows were furrowed, but he didn’t look mad or upset. His dark velvet eyes were locked on mine, and inside them I saw truth and honor, and so much depth.

Maybe Penny was right? Maybe he was too good for me. But I didn’t care. At that moment, Dante was all I ever wanted. So, I nodded my head.

“Yours is the only opinion that matters in this, Dante. If you want me. If you think I can be a good mate to you, then this is where I want to be.”

“You mean it? No one’s opinion matters to you but mine?”

“About us? Yes, I mean it.”

The air around us seems heavy with Dante’s pause, then he’s pushing me off his lap and standing, and I just sat there, wondering why.

“What are you doing?” I stopped talking the second his hands went to the fastening on his pants.

“Take your clothes off, Honey,” he said, more bark than I was used to.

I didn’t hate it, though.

In fact, I kind of liked it when Dante got all bossy with me.

“Avery. Get naked. Now,” he said, and resumed taking off his pants and shirt.

I swallowed audibly. Then I got moving.

Every inch revealed of his bronzed skin sent shivers of attraction swirling through me. Desire had my clit throbbing and my panties soaked.

Fuck.

Why was I still in my panties?

The need to rush filled me and I stood on the bed, whipping off my shirt and bra, and shoving my pants down my legs. I started to tip sideways, but Dante was there, catching me before I could fall.

“You always this clumsy?”

He grinned, and boom, there went my heart.

“Clumsy? Me? I’m a goddamn sex symbol,” I snapped.

“Damn straight you are,” he growled and tossed me on the bed.

“Now let me see that pretty pink pussy of mine,” he rumbled, finishing the job of taking off my clothes.

Dante’s eyes turned black with his bear as he ran them over my body. I wasn’t perfect. I knew that. But the way he looked at me sure made me feel like it.

“So pretty, Honey. Fuck, I want you so bad.”

---