Page 20 of Bearly Ever After (Bear Creek Forever #5)

Nicole pressed her body close to Klein’s, as her lips moved against his.

His kiss ignited a flame within her, one of desire and longing, one that had been quelled for so long.

Too long.

When he’d said they were meant to be together forever, her heart had jolted in her chest, as if he’d brought her back to life.

She wanted him. Not just physically, but emotionally, spiritually, in every way that two people could connect.

Their kiss deepened, and he placed his hand on the small of her back, drawing her closer until there was no space between them. Her knees went weak, and she leaned into him as the shock of his revelation sank in. He was a shifter. Both man and beast.

Nicole pulled back slightly, her breath coming in short gasps as she tried to wrap her mind around everything Klein had just shared.

Klein stiffened and his dark eyes searched her face, a hint of uncertainty flickering in their depths.

“Are you okay?” he asked, his hand still resting on the small of her back.

The warmth of his touch seeped through the thin fabric of her dress, comforting her. Whatever he was, he would never hurt her.

He would never leave her. Never deny her.

Wasn’t that what she’d always longed for?

Yes. The answer was a million times, yes!

She nodded, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I’m more than okay,” she whispered. “I’m just...processing.”

Klein chuckled, the sound low and rumbling in his chest, reminding her of the bear. “I know it’s a lot to take in.”

“That is an understatement,” Nicole agreed. “But it also feels...right. Like I’ve been waiting for you to come into my life.” She reached up and traced the line of his jaw with her fingertips. “You being a shifter, us being mates… It explains so much about how I’ve been feeling since I met you.”

He leaned into her touch, his eyes drifting shut for a moment. “I was so afraid to tell you,” he admitted. “Afraid that you would run screaming in the other direction.”

Nicole shook her head, her fingers still tracing the strong lines of Klein’s jaw. “I could never run from you,” she murmured. “Not now, not ever. This connection between us… It’s too powerful, too real to ignore or deny.”

Klein’s eyes opened, the depth of emotion in them taking her breath away. “I could never deny it,” he murmured. “It’s like my soul is bound to yours. We were always meant to find each other, Nicole.”

A shiver raced down Nicole’s spine at his words, at the intensity of his gaze. She had never believed in fate or destiny, but standing here with Klein, feeling the undeniable pull between them, she couldn’t deny that there were forces at work beyond their control.

“So what happens now?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. “With us being mates and all?”

Klein’s hand slid up her back, his fingers tangling in her hair. “Now we take things one day at a time,” he said. “We spend time getting to know each other. We build our relationship from the ground up. The mate bond is a powerful thing, but we still have so much to learn about one another.”

Nicole nodded, relief flooding through her. She wanted nothing more than to explore this connection with Klein, to let it grow and blossom naturally. “I’d like that,” she said. “Getting to know each other, seeing where this leads.”

Klein smiled, the warmth reaching his eyes and making them crinkle at the corners in a way that made Nicole’s heart skip a beat. “Good,” he murmured. “Because I intend to court you properly, Nicole. Dinners, picnics, long walks under the stars. I want to show you how much you mean to me.”

Nicole’s breath caught at the sincerity in his voice. No one had ever wanted to court her before, to take the time to truly know her. It made her feel cherished, and treasured.

“I’d love that,” she whispered, emotion thickening her voice.

Klein’s smile widened, and he leaned in, brushing a soft kiss across her lips. “Then it’s a date,” he said, his breath mingling with hers. “I mean, this is a date…”

“The picnic.” She glanced down at the forgotten food laid out on the blanket next to the spring.

“Shall we eat?” Klein held out his hand to her.

“I am starving,” Nicole said, slipping her hand into his. “All this excitement has given me an appetite.”

And not just for food.

Her cheeks flushed pink as that idea slipped into her head. It had been a long, long time since she had been in a physical relationship with a man.

Klein gently squeezed her hand as he guided her toward the picnic blanket. Then he took a seat and pulled her down to sit next to him.

Would it be too forward to push him onto his back and straddle him and…

“Sandwich?” Klein held out a Tupperware container filled with sandwiches and offered one to her.

“Thanks.” Nicole accepted the sandwich, her fingers brushing against Klein’s as she took it from him. That simple touch sent a familiar jolt of electricity racing through her veins.

But it was stronger now. As if by revealing himself to her, by trusting her with his secret, their bond had grown deeper.

She took a bite, the flavors bursting on her tongue, but she barely tasted it. All of her senses were focused on Klein, on the heat of his body beside her, the spicy scent of his cologne, and the way his dark hair ruffled slightly in the mountain breeze.

They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the soothing sounds of the nearby spring and rustling trees, only interrupted by the distant call of an eagle soaring above them. It was peaceful, and idyllic, like a scene from a dream.

Was it a dream? Had she imagined the whole thing?

Could a man really shift into a bear and back again?

And then swear his undying love for her?

“Wine?” Klein reached for the bottle and filled their glasses.

“Yes, please.” She let out a long breath. Yes, this was real. What she felt was real.

“Here.” He handed her a glass. “Since this is the reason we are here.”

“Is it?” she asked.

Klein chuckled. “Well, yes, and no.”

“You intended to tell me about your other side, didn’t you?” Nicole asked.

“I did,” he admitted.

“And your uncle and aunt we in on it.” She didn’t mind that they had been conspiring. It was kind of sweet. She’d never been part of a large family, but it was obvious the Thornbergs were invested in each other’s happiness.

And she wanted to be a part of that. A part of something whole. And wholesome.

Klein took a sip of his wine, perhaps needing courage to speak. “I knew I had to tell you the truth about who I am, about what we are to each other. I couldn’t keep hiding such a huge part of myself from you, not when my heart and soul are already so entwined with yours.”

She set down her glass and reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers. “I’m so glad you trusted me enough to share your secret,” she said, wanting to assure him. “It makes things so much easier. I don’t have to keep thinking that I’m imagining things. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve flip-flopped between believing there was something between us, to telling myself I am imagining the whole thing.”

He reached for her hand and pressed a tender kiss to her knuckles. “This is not your imagination, Nicole, believe me. I’ve waited my whole life to find you.”

Emotion welled up in Nicole’s throat, making it hard to speak. She had never felt so cherished, so completely and utterly loved. It was overwhelming in the best possible way.

But there was one other person they had to consider in all this. Mila.

Nicole took a long sip of wine. It was delicious, deserving of her full attention. But how could she focus on wine at a time like this? “You know we’ll have to tell Mila.”

“That is why I needed to tell you sooner rather than wait,” Klein said, and his expression grew serious.

“It is?” A sense of dread crept into her veins. Were her dreams of a happily ever after with Klein about to be shattered so soon?

“It’s nothing to worry about,” he added instantly as if reading her thoughts.

“Okay.” She took another sip of wine and then, as the alcohol buzzed in her veins, decided she really needed to eat something.

Nicole picked up a sandwich and took a bite, savoring the flavor of cheese mixed with chives and rich mayonnaise. She wanted to ask if the cheese was locally made, too, but then Klein dropped his bombshell.

“It’s about Finlay,” Klein began. “He’s a lion shifter.”

“A what?” Nicole nearly choked on her sandwich and swallowed hard before gulping wine.

“A lion shifter,” Klein confirmed.

“How?” Nicole asked, which seemed like a ridiculous question. She’d been only too willing to accept that Klein was a bear shifter. Why should there not be other kinds of shifters?

But a lion? It seemed too exotic for a place like Bear Creek.

“There are all kinds of shifters,” Klein explained, his tone gentle, kind, just like the tone she’d use to explain something to Mila as a child.

“Of course there are,” Nicole said with a small shake of her head. “Sorry, I…”

“Hey, it’s all right. It’s a lot to take in.” Klein gave her a sympathetic smile. “And I know that your reaction must be to protect Mila.”

“You’re right. It was a knee-jerk reaction. I guess the word lion…” She shrugged. “But a bear can be as dangerous as a lion, right?”

Klein gave a short laugh. “Definitely,” Klein agreed with a rueful grin. “But I would never hurt you or Mila. And neither would Finlay. He’s a good kid, Nicole. He cares about your daughter a great deal.”

Nicole nodded slowly, trying to process this new information. “I can see that.”

“I think Finlay sees something else in Mila,” Klein said. “A friend.”

“Friends.” Nicole let out a long breath. “Is exactly what they both need.”

“So, we’re good?” Klein asked.

“We’re good,” Nicole replied. “But I can’t speak for Mila. When she finds out…I’m sure she’ll take it in her stride. She does with most things. But I can’t…I won’t pressure her.”

“That’s all anyone can ask. Now…” Klein looked at the picnic they had forgotten once again. “Shall we eat?”

“Yes, this food is wonderful.” Nicole held up her empty wine glass. “And I could do with a refill. And this time I can give the wine my full undivided attention.”

But as he reached for the bottle and leaned in to fill her glass, he placed a butterfly kiss on her neck, and once again, consumed her thoughts, as delicious sensations flooded her body.

If this was her future, she sure was a lucky woman.

And that was something Nicole had never considered herself to be.

Until now.

Until Klein.

Her mate.