Page 45 of Bear Creek Valentine
Aiden carried in the last box of essentials and brought it to the spare bedroom until he could move in properly. Besides the awesome sex involved with being claimed by a bear shifter, Aiden discovered a few things Levi forgot to mention. One was that Dash could NOT tolerate living in separate places, not even for a few nights, thus the impromptu move from the condo into Dash’s home—well,theirhome now.
Not only was Dash extraordinarily possessive and clingy, but he alsoinsistedon following Aiden everywhere—either holding his hand or touching in some other way. Further, it distressed Dash if he couldn’t at least see Aiden, even though they were in the same house but in different rooms. It was endearing at first, but when Aiden couldn’t even use the restroom by himself, things got tense.
Dash’s ursine nature was primarily to blame, and Aiden realized it was unfair to fault him for something he couldn’t change. What followed was an uncomfortable but enlightening discussion about what Aiden could expect as the mate of a bear shifter. The clingy behavior, while perfectly normal, wasapparently at its strongest for the first few days and would taper off after a couple of weeks. Adding to Dash’s anxiety, however, was a deeply ingrained fear of losing Aiden just as he lost Harv.
It didn’t help that Dash had been mated to a fellow shifter the first time, where they both heavily relied on their superior senses. Aiden couldn’t always tell what was going on with Dash without asking specific questions, yet how was he to know which questions to ask in the first place? They agreed a learning curve was expected, and total honesty was essential. Neitherwantedto cause pain or misunderstanding, which meant lots of patience and no assumptions.
That they were besotted with one another helped smooth over the bumps tremendously. Learning to live with someone, however, was a separate skill from simply loving them. Domestic bliss now required the breaking of old habits, compromises, and choosing their battles carefully. Dash definitely had the upper hand, given his remarkable sense of smell. Aiden didn’t have to say a single word when he was in pain, angry, disappointed, or frustrated. Dash simply knew it, but still needed to find outwhy, and then do something about it if he could.
The next challenge they faced was Monday morning, and the normal routine of them going to work. The bond was simply too fresh for Dash to be physically separated from his mate for hours at a timeandout of sight. Just thinking about it reduced him to a moaning and huffing mess. Aiden quieted him down, parking him on the edge of the bed while he put away some things he’d brought from the condo. Dash wasn’t in any frame of mind to be creative, so Aiden got them started.
“What’s your schedule look like for the next few days? Can you work from home, or do you have to be at the resort?”
Dash thought for a moment and then checked the calendar on his phone.
“All of my appointments and meetings are in the afternoon this week, so normally I would work from home until after lunch.”
Aiden saw a window of opportunity, and a rudimentary plan formed in his mind.
“Mornings are the time when I really need to be in the shop. You can bring your laptop and set it up in the breakroom while I do my thing in the kitchen. Then, if your bear gets lonely, I’m only a few steps away. Leo and Serena can take over until closing, and then you and I will come home for lunch. Afterward, I’ll hang out with you at the resort for your meetings. Does that sound doable?”
Dash’s smile lit up the room and the purr Aiden loved to hear returned with a vengeance.
“I think it will work! Let me call Ryder and see what he says.”
Dash reclined on the bed as he waited for the call to go through, eyes watching every move Aiden made. Ryder picked up quickly, as always.
“Hello, Dash. What can I do for you?”
Dash didn’t mince any words, though with Ryder, he never needed to.
“I mated with Aiden yesterday, and we’re trying to figure out our schedule for the week.”
Ryder growled on the other end of the line, elated by the good news.
“Wonderful! Give my congratulations to your mate. I assume you want to keep him close, so what did you have in mind?”
“I’ll join Aiden atDeliciousin the morning, and he’ll come with me to the worksite in the afternoon. Can do?”
“No problem. He might get a little bored during meetings, but he’ll learn something new. You can always retreat to your office if need be, and I’ll make sure no one disturbs you. I’m happy for you, my friend. Aiden is a good man.”
“Thanks, Ry. See you tomorrow after lunch.”
Dash ended the call, tossed the phone on the nightstand, and went to his beloved. Aiden only heard one-half of the conversation, but it was obvious their plan received a green light. Dash backed him up to the dresser and, careful not to press too hard against him, pulled his face down for kisses.
“Mine... love you... my mate... so happy... want you...”
Dash led Aiden to the bed, where they both stripped. He lay his mate down, slicked up his blushing cock, and impaled himself with a loud groan. Aiden had allowed him full control since yesterday, but right now, Dash wanted to be filled by him. Aiden seemed pleasantly surprised, and though his groin muscles were undoubtedly sore, he pumped up into Dash’s body with enthusiasm.
The music they made soothed Dash’s bear as nothing else could, short of shifting. When Aiden’s energy flagged, Dash allowed his mate to lie back while he did all the work. Their orgasms built steadily—hearts racing, breath choppy, blood pulsing. Aiden’s body stiffened, muscles taut as a wave of pleasure washed over him. Dash felt the man’s cock expand and flood his channel with hot seed, setting off his own climax and spraying cum over Aiden’s bandaged chest.
A purring Dash fell forward on his hands and knees, taking the pressure off his mate while they kissed and sighed through the afterglow of their lovemaking. Eventually, Dash took his mate to the shower, where he tenderly cleaned him from head to toe. After careful toweling, he applied ointment to the scabbed-over claw marks and re-wrapped Aiden’s chest with sterile gauze. A little later, sleep overcame them as they cuddled together in the dark.
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Dawn came, and along with it, Dash’s morning wood—made worse by a new bond and the instinctual pull of mating season. For a human, it was akin to using an umbrella to ward off a tsunami, and predictably, just as ineffective. Aiden willingly bowed to the inevitable, doing everything he could to slake his mate’s desire before they started the workday. He’d purposely set the alarm extra early so Dash could pound him into the mattress. It wasn’t enough.
As soon as they climbed into the oversized shower, Dash pressed him against the wall and filled his ass with another load of cum. Even getting dressed didn’t deter the randy bear, and he followed Aiden into the walk-in closet for a hurried blow job. Dash then switched places and returned the favor, savoring the unique taste of his mate with growly appreciation. Aiden couldn’t help but chuckle at the sweet bear’s antics.
