The Cowbear's Curvy Valentine (Curvy Bear Ranch 5) Read online

  “Oh my God,” he choked.

  He buried his face against her shoulder. Every inch of him shivered as he lay between her thighs. She stroked his arm and stared up at the ceiling. The sun had set, plunging the room into darkness.

  As he rolled onto his side to face her, the full weight of what they’d just done crushed her chest. Why did she think it would be okay to indulge in such intense pleasure, knowing that a murderer was out there, walking free because of her? Fresh guilt ate at her. She had no right to feel this good.

  “What are you thinking?” Cody asked.

  “I don’t deserve this.”

  “What? Sex?”

  “No. I don’t deserve to feel this incredible.”

  “Why?”

  “I can’t stop thinking about Nate’s parents, about what they must be feeling right now,” she said.

  “Nate’s the boy from the trial?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll keep telling you this until you believe me—it wasn’t your fault,” he said.

  “Intellectually, I understand what you’re saying. But emotionally, I still feel responsible.”

  He sighed and pulled her into his arms. After kissing her forehead, he rubbed his hand across her back. She snuggled against him, grateful that he was so understanding. He was one of the few people in the world that didn’t blame her for losing the trial. A part of her never wanted to leave the room. If she could find a way to stay with him, locked away from the pressure of returning to Dallas, she’d take it.

  Chapter 7

  Cody yawned and patted the bed beside him, searching for Abby’s curvy form. He’d slept like he’d been hibernating, so he wasn’t quite ready to open his eyes. But when he didn’t find her, he relented and forced one bleary eye open. He turned his head to one side, the side she should have been lying on. When he didn’t see her curvy little butt, he rolled from his belly onto his side.

  “Abby,” he called softly. “Where are you, honey?”

  When she didn’t respond, he groaned and slid to the edge of the bed. He stood on wobbly knees. After finally convincing her that the trial verdict wasn’t her fault, he’d made love to her for hours. If would be a wonder if he could walk today, but it was totally worth it.

  He padded to the bathroom.

  “Abby, are you in here?” he asked.

  Again, no response. That was weird. Maybe she’d gone down for breakfast.

  He returned to the bedroom and picked his clothes up off the floor. As he dressed, he couldn’t stop picturing the expression of total ecstasy on her face as she trembled beneath him. He couldn’t wait to have her tight little body wrapped around his again. Even his bear couldn’t sit still while he tried to put his socks on.

  Calm down, bear, he chided. We’ll find her in a minute. She’s probably in the kitchen.

  Our mate’s in the kitchen?

  Wait, what? No! Did the creature actually think Abby was their mate?

  She’s not in the kitchen? his bear asked.

  No, she’s not our mate.

  Yes she is, his bear snapped.

  That’s impossible. Sure, she’s hotter than the Minerva Terraces, but she’s not our mate.

  His bear growled in dissent. Why was the creature so convinced that Abby was their mate? It didn’t make sense. Mating with a pure human wasn’t something he wanted. During the few times he’d dreamed about having a mate, he’d always pictured her as a bear shifter.

  Besides, Abby was very clear about her intentions. She’d set down firm rules that he intended to follow. This was a no-strings-attached relationship. Sex only.

  A rumble in his chest indicated his bear’s annoyance. He wasn’t sure how to convince his bear that he was wrong, but he’d worry about that later. Right now, he wanted to find Abby and drag her perky butt back to bed.

  He hurried into the bathroom and took in his disheveled appearance. Oh, boy. Madison was going to kick his ass when she saw him. Eh, she’ll get over it.

  After taking the stairs two at a time, he trotted into the kitchen. Madison sat at the small table and stared out at the snowy landscape. When he entered the room, she turned to him. Her eyes flashed as she gave him an up and down look.

  “Doing the walk of shame?” Madison asked with a smirk.

  He coughed. “Uh, have you seen Abby?”

  “Maybe. Are you going to tell me what happened between you two last night?” Madison asked.

  “Nope.”

  “I didn’t think so, but it was worth a shot. We need some gossip around here. It’s so dull without a house full of guests.”

  “Don’t worry, spring’s coming. I’m sure you’ll wish you had more free time in a few months,” he said.

  “In a few months, I won’t have any free time for eighteen years.” She rubbed her belly.

  “Good point.” He chuckled.

  “Abby seemed upset when she came down this morning. Did you two have a fight?” Madison asked.

  “No. Everything was fine last night.”

  “More than fine from the sound of it,” she grinned.

  “Oh, God. Were we that loud?”

  “Loud enough to make me wish I wasn’t pregnant. Mack always wants to be so careful, but I told him—”

  “Okay…” He held up a hand to stop her. “No more details, please. I get the idea.”

  “I think Abby said she was heading down to the lake. She said something about wanting to paint a grizzly.”

  “She did?” His bear perked up.

  “Yep. I don’t suppose you know where we can find one, do you?” Madison asked in a joking tone.

  “Actually, I do,” he winked.

  “Just be careful,” Madison said. “You don’t want her to discover your thousand-pound secret and give her a heart attack in the process. Trust me, I know all about that.”

  “I’ll shift in the woods,” he said.

  “I know there’s a joke in there somewhere—if a bear shifts in the woods, is he still wrong?” She laughed.

  “Don’t quit your day job.” He scrunched up his nose as if a bad smell had wafted into the room.

  “Do you think you’ll be back in time for lunch?” Madison asked.

  “I’m not sure. Don’t worry about cooking. I can always whip something up if we get hungry.”

  As he turned to leave, his bear growled. The creature never turned down a meal. He promised his bear he’d eat later.

  When he reached the woods, he walked several yards in before shifting. He turned and ran toward the tree line, eager to show Abby his bear. She’d never know it was him, but if he could make her happier and give her a fun experience at the same time, why not?

  He spotted her sitting at the picnic bench overlooking the lake. So as not to scare her, he circled around to the edge of the lake about one hundred yards to her left. He slowed his pace and ambled along the bank. Occasionally, he’d glance up at her to see if she’d spotted him yet.

  When he was about halfway to her, she looked up and gasped. She grabbed her watercolor brush and dunked it in a paper cup to wet it.

  He sauntered up the path, occasionally stopping to sniff the ground. After a furtive glance in her direction, he dug his nose into the snow. He couldn’t stand being this close to her, smelling her irresistible scent, and not being able to do anything about it.

  I told you, his bear said smugly. She’s our mate.

  Maybe the beast was right. Maybe she was their mate. He’d never felt such a strong pull toward any other woman. Part of him couldn’t imagine letting her go. Even though they’d agreed to keep things light between them, he wasn’t sure he could fulfill his side of the bargain.

  He lifted his head to look at her. She froze mid-stroke. Time stopped as his heart clenched. Could this curvy, golden-haired goddess really be his mate? If so, he was in serious trouble because she had no intention of staying. He needed time to figure it out, but time was the one thing he didn’t have. If there was even the slightest chance that
she was his, then he’d have to do whatever it took to figure it out. He couldn’t let her leave the ranch if she was his fated mate.

  ***

  Abby tried not to move anything other than the paint brush. She didn’t want to scare the magnificent grizzly bear away. She couldn’t believe how lucky she’d gotten. Bears were supposed to be hibernating this time of year, not trouncing around the forest.

  Also, there was something really weird about the animal. She couldn’t quite figure it out, but it seemed to have an awareness of her. It kept cocking its head from side to side, staring in her direction. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the beast was posing, which was completely ridiculous. It obviously kept its eyes on her to make sure she wasn’t going to attack. She fixed a semi-wary gaze on the animal too. She wasn’t in the mood to get eaten today, at least not by the bear.

  Flashes of last night’s intense lovemaking session with Cody played through her mind with distracting frequency. Even now, her body warmed at the thought of falling into his arms. Too bad it was just sex. He would probably ruin her for all other men. And why not? The man was a freaking stallion in bed.

  Her thighs ached from being spread and pounded by his feral thrusts. The more they’d made love, the rougher he’d gotten until the last time when she’d nearly fainted in ecstasy. When she’d tried to stand that morning, she’d collapsed back onto the bed. It took two more tries before her legs would hold her. She’d walked bowlegged to the bathroom in a decidedly unsexy swagger.

  The paintbrush moved over the paper as if on its own accord. She directed her attention back to the bear. Its light brown fur glimmered in the sunshine. When it bent to lick its paw, her heart melted. Bears were so cute. Granted, this one had paws the size of her head and claws to match, but still, from a distance, it was stunningly beautiful.

  An hour passed with the bear still standing in one position. She dipped the brush in the water and wiped it on a paper towel. The finished painting captured the majestic look in the bear’s eyes. She didn’t know how she was able to translate what she saw onto the page, but she didn’t question it.

  The bear yawned and ambled back toward the woods. She wasn’t ready to watch it walk away, so she quickly packed up the watercolors and started into the woods.

  Careful to stay a good distance behind the creature, she stepped in its tracks. She didn’t want to accidentally snap a tree branch and give away her position. For every step the bear took, she had to take two. Five minutes later, the bear stopped in a small clearing. Thank God. Freezing air curled into her lungs, sapping her strength.

  She couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch and indulge in a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows. She also needed to find Cody and thank him for the incredible night. Maybe he’d want to spend another night together. So what if she could hardly walk today? It had been totally worth it. She’d lost count of how many times she’d come in his arms.

  Up ahead, the bear chuffed and pawed the ground. A strange keening burst from its lips before a loud cracking noise snapped through the air. The bear reared up as its bones snapped and twisted. Abby’s eyes went wide. What the hell?

  The fur on its body receded. The giant paws shrunk to form hands. A man’s hands. A man’s hands that she recognized.

  Her stomach plunged.

  The bear painting felt from her fingers, completely forgotten as she struggled to make sense of what she was seeing. The elongated snout morphed into the rugged shape of the face she’d kissed all night—Cody’s face.

  Holy shit.

  She backed up a step, right onto a fallen branch. It snapped louder than a gunshot. The report echoed through the woods.

  He rose up from the ground to stand completely naked in front of her. She glanced at something hanging on a nearby tree. His clothes.

  “Oh, God.” She brought her hand to her mouth. For each step she took back, he took one forward. She considered turning and running. What the hell should she do? Was he going to kill her? Turn back into a bear and maul her to death.

  “Stay away,” she yelled.

  “Abby, I can explain.” Pain and desperation rolled across each word.

  For a second, she almost considered listening to what he had to say. But she wasn’t stupid. Whatever he was, it wasn’t natural. It wasn’t normal, and she wasn’t going to stick around long enough for him to try to twist what she’d seen.

  She turned and ran as fast as she could toward the B & B.

  “Abby, wait!”

  She didn’t stop until she hurled herself in through the front of the B & B, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. She slammed and locked the door then backed away from it.

  Would he chase her? Break it down? God, what was he going to do to her now that she knew his horrific secret?

  She hurried to the closet and pulled her luggage out. Regardless of what was waiting for her in Dallas, at least it wasn’t a bear-man intent on chewing her to pieces. She was more than ready to face her parents if the alternative was being eaten alive.

  A knock sounded on the door.

  She froze. Her heart skittered around in her chest.

  “Abby, it’s Cody. Please let me in. I need to explain.”

  “Go away,” she yelled.

  “Please, it’s not what you think.”

  “You’re a fucking bear. Like a werewolf, but a bear. How the fuck—”

  “It’s still me. Please let me in so I don’t have to yell through the door. I don’t want to disturb Madison.”

  She looked around the room for a weapon. In the closet, she found a long handled broom. Brandishing it like a sword, she tiptoed to the door. After swiftly unlocking it, she scurried back.

  “Leave it open,” she said as Cody entered the room.

  “Okay,” he said. “You don’t need the broom.”

  “Sit in the chair over there.” She swung the end of the broom toward a chair in the corner.

  As he walked, she kept her gaze riveted on him, scanning for any sudden movement. When he slid into the chair, she relaxed a notch. The door to the bedroom stood open, as instructed. If she needed to escape, she could make it out before he caught her.

  “Please sit down,” he said.

  “No.”

  “I won’t hurt you.”

  “So you say.”

  “I wish you hadn’t seen me shift,” he said in a broken voice. The pain in his tone almost made her drop her defenses. Almost.

  “I was just trying to give you what you wanted,” he said.

  “A fucking monster? You think I wanted a monster?”

  “No, not a monster. You wanted to paint a bear, so I shifted so I could pose for you.”

  “That’s the most insane bullshit I’ve ever heard,” she said.

  “It’s true.”

  “How?” she asked. “How is that possible? What I saw—”

  “What you saw was another side of me,” he said.

  “No shit.”

  “I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  “What are you?” she asked.

  “I’m a bear shifter. I can transform from human to bear and back.”

  “Like a werewolf?”

  “Kind of like a werewolf. I don’t howl at the moon or anything like that,” he said.

  “Then what do you do?” she asked.

  “Everything a regular human does. Work, spend time with my family. Make love to beautiful lawyers.” He flashed a lopsided grin.

  “Don’t try to flatter me right now. I’m not in the mood,” she snapped.

  “Sorry. I was just trying to ease the tension.”

  “Does anyone else know about you?” she asked.

  “My family knows.”

  “Are they bear shifters too?”

  “Yes.”

  Her jaw dropped. “Are you serious?”

  “My whole family is shifters.”

  “Madison too?”

  “No, she’s human.”

  “But she knows?” Abby asked.

>   “She knows. All of my brother’s wives and fiancées know about their bears,” he said.

  For the first time since she’d seen him transform in the woods, she took more than a shallow breath.

  “Were you always like that?” she asked.

  “I was born a shifter.”

  “I just can’t wrap my mind around this. I feel like I’m in some kind of Twilight Zone nightmare,” she said.

  “I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you.”

  “That’s good to know,” she said sarcastically.

  “I’m still the same man you were getting to know,” he said.

  “No, you’re not. You’re not even a man. I mean, you’re half man, but half something else.”

  “I don’t know what I can say to convince you that I’m still the same man you took to bed last night.”

  “You don’t have to convince me of anything. I’m leaving and never coming back. Now get out and close the door behind you,” she said.

  He sighed and stood. She took a step back as he gave her a pained look. He turned and walked to the door.

  “Please at least take a few minutes to think about staying. I was hoping we could continue to get to know each other,” he said.

  “Why? I already told you I’m leaving at the end of the week.” She lowered her voice. “That was the whole point of having no-strings-attached sex.”

  “I know. I guess I was just hoping for something more.” His shoulders slumped as he crossed the threshold and closed the door behind him.

  Abby sagged against the broom. She didn’t need any more complicated, crazy problems in her life. Even if he was the same man she’d been getting to know, they could never be more than just passing acquaintances. Eventually she’d have to return to her life and figure out a way to move on.

  Chapter 8

  Cody stomped down the staircase. When he reached the foyer, Madison bustled out of the kitchen.

  “What happened to you?” she asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “It doesn’t look like nothing,” she said.

  “Abby saw me,” he said.

  “So? I thought she’d already seen all of you,” Madison said in a joking tone.