Page 38 of Caught Bear Handed

I swallowed hard, but it didn’t come close to touching the disappointment that was growing inside me.

“Here’s the thing, Beau.”She scooted closer to me.“I don’t want fake anything.I want you.”

Fuck yes, my bear said.

But human me wasn’t as confident as my animal.“You do?”

The corners of her lips quivered as she fought her smile, but she gave in.“I want to get to know the bear who fights fires because his job as a private investigator isn’t exciting enough for him.I want to hear all about your time in the military, and where you grew up.And I want to know why you have that chip on your shoulder.”

I wiped my shoulders playfully.“No such thing.”

“Oh, come on.You’re impossibly good at everything and still you feel like the underdog.You don’t even believe that I want you.”

I slid closer, closing the gap between us.

“I haven’t shown you everything I’m good at.”My voice was almost pure growl, and I was feeling far more animal than man.

Even though she was calling me out on my insecurities, I was still nervous.I was about to cross a line that we couldn’t come back from.No matter how she reacted, tonight would change everything.

She leaned in, close enough that I could kiss her.“I told you I want to see it all, bear.”

I wouldn’t deny my mate anything.

I took her face in my hands, rubbing the pad of my thumb against her soft cheek.Her skin was still dewy from the moisturizer she’d applied after removing her disguise.Her brown eyes widened, and this close to her, I could feel each breath hitch in her throat.

The anticipation was enough to make my bear go absolutely fucking feral.

“You smell like honey,” I said, regretting it instantly.

Even more so when it earned a chuckle from Kayla.“No one’s ever said that to me before.”

“No?”I drew away, just slightly.“It’s been giving me a buzz ever since I moved in here.”

“Huh.”Her body relaxed a little.“We all have a signature scent, but maybe it’s more apparent to…never mind.”

“Finish that thought.”My bear was going crazy inside me, insisting the time for talking was later, and all he wanted was action—in the form of driving his cock deep inside her.

“My mate,” the word was barely more than a whisper.“Maybe our scents drive our mates wild.”

My bear liked that a lot.

“What’s my scent?”I asked.

“The earth,” she said, closing her eyes for a long blink.“Like grass in the morning when the sun is finally powerful enough to burn off the dew.And something sweet, like berries, but I’m having a hard time placing it because it’s totally unique to you.”

“I like that.”I could barely speak.“Our bodies are telling each other their secrets.”

“What else does your body want to tell me, bear?”she asked, her voice husky.

“So many things.”I finally gave in to my bear’s demands and covered her mouth with mine.She met the kiss eagerly, her intensity matching mine as her lips parted and she let me inside.

I thought the last kiss was amazing, but this one was on another fucking level.She’d just said I was her mate.That we were connected on another level.I led her down onto the cushions, never breaking contact with this kiss.

I had no idea I’d been starving for this woman until she walked into my life and showed me what I wanted.

Her hands grasped my shoulders, fingernails pushing against my skin like she intended to mark me.It was enough to send my bear into another dimension.I growled against her lips.Her body tensed, just for a moment, and then she moaned, accepting the challenge.

I moved my lips away from hers, down to her neck while I slid my hands up her sides, stopping at her bra.It wasn’t anything fancy, it felt like a sports bra.I didn’t care.This woman didn’t need lace and jewels.She was beautiful when she was raw, genuine, and unapologetic.