Bad Bear Santa (Bad Boy Bear Shifters Book 1) Page 2

  “Thank you.” When he tried to follow her, she turned and held up a hand. “You wait here.”

  She wanted to slap the infuriating smirk from his face. She knew she was overreacting, but after almost dying in a car crash, she was on edge.

  His bedroom held a bed with a rustic wooden frame. It looked like he may have made it himself. With his hands. His big hands. His hands that definitely didn’t belong anywhere near her body.

  She huffed and crossed the room to his closet. It was small, but stuffed with jeans, button up plaid shirts, she several sweaters and jackets.

  After trying on every pair of jeans in the closet, she gave up. They were all ridiculously huge on her. Even with her curves, she was petite compared to the hulking, 6’3” bear shifter in the living room.

  She pulled out the longest shirt she could find. She sniffed it. The fresh scent of pine trees curled into her nose. Nice. At least his clothes were super clean. Not that he ever looked dirty. In fact, she couldn’t remember a single time he didn’t look completely put together. Sure, he usually wore black t-shirts, leather jackets, and well-worn jeans, but he never looked sloppy. He had this dirty-hotness about him—and a hint of danger. The kind of vibe that made women want to drop their panties and act like fools.

  Last year during the Christmas party at the lodge, two of his “friends” got into a knock-down, drag out fight over him. Of course he ended up leaving with someone else entirely. She never understood what they were fighting over. It wasn’t like his dick was magical or something.

  She swallowed and tried to force the image of his cock poking against the blanket from her mind. No reason to dwell on it.

  When she returned to the living room, Tristan was in the middle of adding another log to the fire. As he turned toward her, his eyes went wide. His gaze swept up and down her body, lingering a bit longer on her thighs than necessary. Not that the expression on his face was necessary for anything. Why was he looking at her like that?

  “What?”

  “You look…amazing.”

  “Not bad for a drowned hedgehog.”

  “Hedgehog?”

  “Rounder than a rat.”

  “Depends on the rat,” he said. “I put a pot of coffee on.”

  “I won’t be staying that long. As soon as my shoes are somewhat dry, I’m leaving.”

  “You won’t get far with the way it’s snowing right now. The storm is much worse than it was a couple of hours ago. Besides, your car is several feet under water. You definitely can’t drive it out of there.”

  “I know that. I was planning on walking up to the road and hitchhiking. Unless you’re willing to drive me back to town.”

  “My truck won’t make it. The snow’s too deep. My road is private so it doesn’t get plowed in the winter.”

  “If it’s not plowed, how did you get here?” she asked.

  “It wasn’t snowing this hard a week ago. I had no problem getting in. I’ve got four-wheel drive. But there’s no way I can get out now. I wasn’t planning on leaving until after new-year’s anyway.”

  “I definitely can’t wait that long,” she said. “If you won’t drive me, I’ll walk out.”

  “You’ll never make it. The road is a good three, maybe four miles from here. It’s way too cold. Nature calls.” He pointed at the bathroom. “I’ll be right back. I’ll make some coffee and then we’ll figure out what to do next.”

  She smiled as he closed the bathroom door. The minute it shut, her smile dropped and she hurried to get her shoes. They weren’t even close to dry yet, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going to spend Christmas week in a tiny cabin with a man she couldn’t stand. Frostbite was a better prospect. Besides, she’d walked four miles before. Granted, it was on a long hike in the summer, but still, she could do it.

  Without waiting to say goodbye, she wrapped a blanket around her waist to help keep the bottom half of her warm. It wasn’t perfect, but it was all she had to work with.

  She crept toward the front door and cracked it open. A blast of frozen air rushed into the cabin, causing the flames to flicker wildly. She stepped out into the blistering cold and hesitated. Maybe he was right. Maybe trying to get back to the road was a stupid idea. But she had to try. She couldn’t risk being stuck with him for the holidays. If she was trapped here, it would be the worst Christmas of her life.

  * * *

  Tristan almost didn’t go after her. If she froze her ass off, it would serve her right. Stupid stubborn woman. He glared at the door then sighed. She probably only had a five minute head start. He could track her. If she made it to the road, great. If not, he’d be there to save her again, and to gloat. He fully intended on rubbing her stupidity in her face.

  Finding her tracks proved to be harder than he’d anticipated. He’d assumed she’d follow the road from his house to the main highway, but it was buried in snow. Unless she already knew its path, she’d never be able to find it.

  A tinge of worry sparked in his gut. His bear grumbled. Even in bear form, she could get lost in the forest. They weren’t the only bears around. He didn’t want to scare here, but there were some bears in the woods who didn’t belong to established clans for one reason or another. Some had been banished from their clans, and for good reason. They were dangerous.

  He kicked himself for not warning her. But, to be fair, he never expected her to take off without him. How could one woman be so dammed stubborn?

  After sniffing in each direction, he caught a faint whiff of her scent. He shifted into bear form before plodding through the snow. It was still bone-chilling cold, but he couldn’t leave her. She was heading in the wrong direction. She’d never make it to the road going this way.

  As he tracked her, the scent became fainter and fainter. The wind picked up, whipping her smell in every direction. He wasn’t totally sure he was on the right path anymore and it was starting to get dark. On this side of the mountain, sunset came earlier, especially in winter. Even though a storm raged, gray light blanketed the landscape. His bear’s superior vision helped a lot.

  He spotted movement a hundred yards ahead of him. Crystal plodded through the snow. Her pace was terrible. Even if she’d been heading in the right direction, at this rate, it would have taken all night.

  He growled when he got closer.

  “Great,” she said as she turned to face him. “Are you here to rub it in my face that I messed up?”

  He shook his head from side to side. He wasn’t going to rub it in her face, but he was going to give her one hell of a lecture when they got back to the cabin.

  He dropped down onto his front paws and jerked his head to indicate she should climb on his back. She was shivering so hard that he worried about her ability to shift. It took a lot of energy to transform and she probably wouldn’t be able to manage it.

  She sighed and climbed onto his back. When she gripped his fur, he turned back toward the cabin and ran. She bounced on his back and slid from side to side as if she hadn’t ridden another shifter before. Maybe she bounced around in bed too.

  He shook his head and chuckled. No matter how much he tried to get his mind out of the gutter, he couldn’t. Not when it came to women like her. She might play hard to get now, but if they really were trapped in his cabin for the next few days, she might come around and wind up in his bed after all.

  When he reached the cabin, he lowered himself to the ground. She slid off his back and stomped inside while he shifted.

  He found her standing in front of the wood burning stove.

  “You’re lucky I went after you,” he said as he slipped back into his clothes.

  “I would have made it.”

  “You were going the wrong direction. You would have ended up lost in the forest. And there are other bears out there.”

  “Good. Maybe I’ll go stay with one of them instead.”

  “They’re borderline feral. You don’t want to end up with one of them, trust me on that. Most of them aren’t welcome among
st the Yellowstone County bear clans.”

  “Are they dangerous?” she asked.

  “Yes. I know you’re pissed that you’re stuck here, but the second the storm breaks, I’ll help you leave. Just don’t run off again. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “You know…” He took a few steps closer. “That’s the second time I saved your life. You owe me now.”

  “Really?” She crossed her arms over her chest.” What exactly do I owe you?”

  “A kiss.”

  “No way.”

  “I rescued you. Twice. It’s the least you can do.” He flashed a wicked grin.

  When she didn’t immediately respond, he chuckled and took another step forward closing the gap between them. Her lips parted in surprise. He caressed the side of her cheek with his thumb.

  “One kiss?” She swallowed, her eyes never leaving him.

  “Just one.”

  “No tongue,” she whispered.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Actually, he would, but no point in pushing too far. Baby steps.

  He cradled her cheeks in the palms of his hands and leaned down to brush his lips across hers in a feathery kiss. She didn’t pull away, so he slowly increased the pressure until she melted against him. Her arms snaked around his waist as she leaned into him.

  Encouraged by her response, he cupped the nape of her neck in his palm and pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. A soft moan escaped her lips, and for a second, he considered slipping his tongue between her lips to taste her sweetness—but he kept his promise.

  It took everything inside him to finally stop kissing her. As he stepped back, her eyes flew open. She brought her fingers to her lips for a moment before dropping her hand to her side.

  “See, that wasn’t so bad,” he murmured.

  “You saved me twice.”

  “I did.”

  “So… Maybe another kiss?”

  It was all the encouragement he needed. He scooped her into his arms and reclaimed her mouth. Her lips moved against his in a dangerously sexy way. Blood rushed to his cock. He leaned his hips back slightly so he wouldn’t jam it against her belly. He didn’t want to make a single wrong move. He’d been waiting years for a shot at kissing her. Now that he finally had the chance, he wasn’t about to mess up it because he couldn’t control himself.

  As the kiss continued, she slid her hands lower, resting them low on his waist. He silently wished she’d go even lower. But to his surprise, she broke her own rule.

  Her tongue pressed against the seam of his lips. As he opened his mouth, she groaned and plunged her tongue into his mouth. His bear jumped and crashed against his ribs. He silently willed his bear to calm down. If the beast screwed this up for him, he’d keep him trapped inside for a week.

  The sweetness of her mouth mingled with the intoxicating scent of her coconut hair drove him wild. He reached lower, resting his hands on her luscious hips. She had curves for days, and he wanted to trace every single one of them with his tongue.

  When she pulled away to take a breath, he took the opportunity to nuzzle the side of her throat. She moaned and laced her fingers in his hair. Since she didn’t pull him away, he continued to nibble at the soft flesh until he reached the hollow of her throat. He traced a line up to capture her bottom lip between his teeth. He pulled back slightly, drawing her lip with him before releasing it with a soft snap.

  She pulled him back, crushing her mouth against his and wrapping a leg around his thigh. The sudden ferociousness of her response drove his bear wild. He backed her into the nearest wall and grabbed her hands to pin them overhead. She arched her voluptuous chest forward, teasing him with the softness of her breasts.

  He grazed his fingers across the edge of her breast. When she didn’t slap him, he returned to cradle her breast in his hand. Heavy and full, she had the best rack he’d ever seen. And he hadn’t even seen her yet. Well that could be easily remedied.

  When he reached for the top button on her shirt, all hell broke loose.

  3

  Crystal had fully intended to stop this madness after the first kiss, but he was good. Really good. His lips found all the right spots and had a way of teasing her just long enough before moving on to inflame another part of her.

  When he reached for her breasts, she tried to summon the willpower to make him stop, but she couldn’t. He was so damn good. Just one more minute and then she was totally going to back off. Totally.

  But as one minute bled into the next, she fell further under his seductive spell. No wonder women flung themselves at his feet and got into fist-fights over him. A simple kiss nearly melted her panties. What would happen if she’d let him do more?

  She’d end up one of his conquests. That’s what would happen. Ugh!

  She pushed him away.

  “That’s enough,” she said as she tried to compose herself.

  To his credit, he did back away immediately. She wanted to wipe the smug expression off his face. He could probably scent her arousal.

  “You didn’t like it?” he asked.

  “No. I mean… no. I’m tired.”

  She had to get away from him before she did something she’d regret. She walked into the bedroom, closed the door behind her, and locked it.

  “That’s my bedroom,” he yelled through the door.

  “Not anymore.”

  “Fine. But I’m sleeping in there tonight, so make sure you pick which side you want now.”

  “That’s not happening.”

  “We’ll see.”

  Ugh! The nerve. He was the most infuriating man she’d ever met. Of course he thought a few kisses would be enough to seduce her into his bed. She couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he realized how wrong he was.

  She plopped down on his surprisingly comfortable bed. She peeled back the edge of the sheet. A memory foam mattress, nice. She’d always wanted to try one. The squeaky box springs on her bed at home groaned when she lay down. She needed to replace it, but hadn’t stopped long enough to do the research on a new bed. Now she wouldn’t have to. She could try this one out.

  As she fell back onto the bed, the scent of him enveloped her. It was all over his sheets, but not in a bad way. They were definitely clean. She could still smell a hint of fabric softener. But they also carried his woodsy scent.

  She rolled over and buried her face in his pillow. She inhaled and let out a sigh. This whole situation was a complete disaster. She was going to miss the party and she was trapped here for the foreseeable future.

  She watched snow falling through the large window next to his bed. Outside, light faded and darkness spread across the snow. The storm showed no signs of letting up. Stuck for the night, she’d have to find a way to make the best of it.

  Still cold from her attempted escape, she slipped under the covers and pulled a sheet over her. All of the blankets were still out in the living room. And it was at least ten degrees colder in the bedroom than it was in the rest of the cabin.

  As she eyed the door, she scrunched her nose up. She needed more blankets, but that meant going out there. With him.

  She swung her legs over the edge of the bed and stood. Two seconds. She’d go out, grab the blankets, and be back before he realized it.

  Before opening the door, she paused to listen. She couldn’t tell where he was in the cabin, so she’d have to take her chances.

  As she opened the door, the scent of fresh-brewed coffee drifted in. She hadn’t had a chance to make any before leaving her house, so she was in desperate need of a caffeine fix. One cup wouldn’t hurt. She could grab it and the blankets, then head back into the room.

  When she walked into the kitchen, he held up two cartons of creamer.

  “Peppermint mocha, or Eggnog Latte?”

  “Peppermint mocha for sure. I hate Eggnog.”

  “A girl after my own heart. I hate Eggnog too.”

  “Then why do you have it?”

  “A friend brought it as a gift.” r />
  A friend. Right. Most likely one of his many girlfriends.

  “Have a seat and I’ll bring over some snacks.”

  She eyed the kitchen table while considering his suggestion. Well, she was hungry. What shifter wasn’t?

  As she sat on a bench at the table, she ran her fingers across the polished wood. The table looked as if it had been carved from a single piece of wood.

  “Where did you get this table?” she asked.

  “I made it.”

  “Really?”

  “I had to chop down a tree that was growing too close to utility wires. I brought it back and made the table and benches out of it. It was so beautiful that I didn’t want it to go to waste. I couldn’t turn it into firewood.”

  “So you stained it and sealed it?”

  “Yes.” He set a steaming mug of peppermint mocha coffee in front of her. “I hope you like whipped cream. I forgot to ask.”

  “I love it. What are those brown flakes on top?”

  “Chocolate shavings. I found this great rainforest-friendly chocolate company. The cocoa farm is located in Paul Kru, Côte d'Ivoire. They protect shade trees, plant native species, maintain wildlife corridors, and conserve natural resources. I met the shifter who manages the farm while on vacation in Morocco.”

  “Wow. So this is all the way from Africa?”

  “Yep. I have a recurring subscription to it. I get a new box every month.”

  “I need that. Chocolate on the regular.”

  “What is it with women and chocolate?” he asked. “You guys can’t get enough of it.”

  “It’s the most divine food on the planet.”

  “Really?”

  His smile made her bear do a backflip in her chest. Why were the bad boys always so good looking? It was like the chicken and the egg thing. Was he a bad boy because he was born hot? Or did he somehow get hot because of his bad boy personality?

  She hid a smile behind the rim of the coffee cup.