Page 4 of Bear Creek Father's Day
While Tasha gave him some side-eye, the boys gathered around to stare up at his wistful face with confusion. Kip patted his thigh for attention.
“Is you kay?”
Orrin tucked away the compelling memory and reached down to ruffle three heads of hair before lifting Kip in his strong arms.
“Yes, Kip, I’m okay. Thank you for asking. Now, why don’t we go find that cinnamon raisin bread you like so much?”
They took off down the aisle to continue shopping with Tasha shaking her head and Orrin wishing he could track down the man he’d scented. His bear wanted him to do just that, and while he tended to agree, they had a task to complete. If, however, he happened to run into the owner of that incredible scent before they left the store, all bets were off.
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Zak’s home, early evening
What a day!
Moving in was such a chore, and a three-bedroom home was a lot bigger than the dorms or one-bedroom apartments he’d been living in for the last decade. This time, he didn’t mind all that much, since settling here was a far cry from a temporary crash pad while he worked himself to the bone. No, this place began a new era, both intimidating and a little scary. For the first time, he was truly on his own and ready to begin his career in earnest. That, at least, could wait a while longer until he’d hired his staff and officially opened the clinic.
After putting away the truck-bed full of groceries, he’d unpacked the boxes and set up the bedroom and bathroom with what he’d brought along. At this point, he only had a few basics, but tomorrow he intended to shop for more bedding and bath items, along with cookware and other kitchen paraphernalia. His office in the clinic building contained a desk and chair, but little else, so he’d need to buy some office products as well. The goal was to get himself situated before the staff interviews on Wednesday. Once the hiring was done, he’d figure out what else the clinic needed before opening day.
At present, Zak was setting up his previously delivered exercise equipment in a corner of the finished basement. While naturally tall and broad shouldered, the muscle he’d packed on was the result of hard work. He’d found that fewer people messed with him, even shifters, if he looked more intimidating. It also helped him attract company of the intimate sort when the itch needed scratching. Now that he had his own home, he wasn’t too keen on bringing strangers here for sex. Fortunately, there were ways around that, which would also keep nosy townsfolk from noticing things they shouldn’t.
After the weight bench, he assembled the weight rack, set up his barbells, unpacked the treadmill, and arranged the kettlebells and dumbbells he used most often. While he could have filled the entire basement with equipment, he found that less was better. Zak disliked going to public gyms and sharing germs with strangers, and working out at home gave him fewer excuses for not maintaining his regimen.
It was late by the time Zak finished setting everything up, and he decided to take a quick shower and call it a night. He’d requested several changes in the primary bathroom, including an extra-large shower, a garden tub, an on-demand water heater, and a roomy linen closet. He stripped down and turned on all the heads for a warm and relaxing shower. As luck would have it, his brain conjured up a naked version of the long-haired guy at the grocery store—this time wet, glistening, and bent over for the taking.
Too good to ignore, Zak soaped up his cock and busted a nut in record time. In all likelihood, the sexy stranger would be a recurring visitor in his fantasies, but he knew it would never happen in real life. Hot or not, shifters were off limits in the romance department—and while he wasn’t opposed to finding ahumanpartner and raising some kids, this wasn’t the right time to pursue that dream either.
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Meanwhile, in Orrin’s bedroom
He lay naked and spread-eagled on the mattress, with a hand towel and a bottle of lube at the ready. First, Orrin wanted to replay the memory of that fantastic and arousing scent he’d picked up at the market. More had been detected in other parts of the store, but he was never able to pinpoint the source.As they checked out, he spotted someone leaving the building—a gorgeous blond, bulging with muscle. Itcouldhave been him, though he’d never know unless he met the stranger again sometime. Even if it wasn’t the right guy, Orrin decided that there was no harm in using the handsome hunk as spank bank material.
The man’s amazing scent remained a puzzle, and though he mostly smelled like a human, there were elements of shifter within it; weak and incomplete, but present. Could he be what was called a quasi-shifter? Orrin had studied the phenomenon in school, and had encountered only one such person when he was very young. Nevertheless, the stranger smelled intoxicating, essential, and irresistible. His bear wanted to wallow in the scent and rub it into his fur. Orrin had never reacted toanyone’sscent that way before, even during mating season, and while his bear hadn’t identified him as their mate, it seemed like the most plausible explanation.
Orrin flicked open the lube, squeezed a dollop into his hand, and started stroking. He would begin by sticking his sensitive nose into every nook and cranny of the man’s body, saving his pubes for last. Then it would be his tongue’s turn to lick every inch of skin, cataloging flavors from head to foot. With a hand around the base, he’d wrap his long, prehensile tongue around the man’s shaft and go to work.
The mental image was incredibly strong and realistic, exciting his libido and causing him to pant through the strokes of his own shaft. Pressure and anticipation climbed steadily until Orrin shouted out a powerful release, leaving splatters of jizz on his face, chest, and abdomen. Heart pounding and body trembling with aftershocks, Orrin continued stroking until he was too sensitive. Whoa! He’d never produced an orgasm like that before—though it only involved his right hand and a vivid imagination. Even if it wasn’t the attractive blond,whoeverowned that amazing scent was someone he and his bear wanted to meet at the earliest opportunity.
Chapter 3
Wednesday, January 15th
Zak’s day began with the installation of the new clinic sign, and he snapped a few photos to commemorate the event.
BEAR CREEK MEDICAL CLINIC
Zachary Hall, D.O.
Human/Shifter/Ursine Healthcare
Though not yet open for business, the sign offered tangible proof that this wasreal. Yes, he had his medical license at last, and while all the training and preparation led up to this turning point, actually seeing the new sign made him both proud and nervous. He had no one in particular with whom to share the excitement, except his parents, and he sent them one of the photos.
The address, phone number and hours were also included, and the sign would be lit up so everyone could find the new doc in town. He had an ideal location offering both visibility and easy access off the main drag, without being too close to the busy shopping district. Even so, Zak was glad that the sign went up before his potential staffers arrived for their interviews this afternoon. He’d hate to have people driving in circles trying to find the building among the thick trees which effectively hid the clinic from casual view. In the spring, he intended to clear some of them out and install low-lying landscaping instead.
As expected, Zak’s phone quickly pinged with a message from his mother.
>How exciting! They’re going to love you as much as I do. Hugs and kisses!
