Page 35 of Mated to the Mountain Bear (Bear Protector #1)

BEN

“ S how me,” she whispers.

Her eyes are shining in the dim light as I grab the sides of her already wet panties in my hands. She obliges me by lifting her hips, her eyes locked on mine, as I shimmy them down over her thighs and down her calves. The fabric catches on her knees, so she helps, wiggling until they’re free.

Smoothing my hands up her legs, from her ankles and all the way to her waist, I hum in contentment as I finally get my hands on her bare flesh. Her skin is impossibly soft, and the scent of her arousal floods my senses. My cock throbs, and my bear rumbles, already itching to be buried inside her.

I position myself over her, letting my weight settle on my forearms. Just for a moment, I let myself imagine it. My cock brushes against her inner thigh, and she gasps, squirming to help me get into position.

“Ben?”

It would be so easy to push forward and claim what my bear insists is ours.

“Fuck.” I pull back, jaw clenched tightly. Not yet. Not when I need to stay alert. Anyone can get past locks and doors, but they can’t get past me. And I can’t protect her if I’m lost inside her.

“What’s wrong?” She props up on her elbows, concern replacing desire.

“Nothing’s wrong.” I drop between her legs, pressing a kiss to her inner thigh. “Just need to take care of you first. Make sure you’re ready.”

“I am ready.” She protests, but I’m already settling between her legs, my chest now resting between her parted thighs. With an exaggerated inhale, my senses explode with the scent of her, so intense, I can taste her on my tongue.

The tiny morsel of her juices I got from her finger was nothing. I want a proper feast.

“Did… did you just sniff me?” she whispers, not horrified, but intrigued. “Oh God.”

She moans, watching me with hooded eyes, as I run a finger along the delicate side of her pussy, her skin quivering under my touch.

I press a soft kiss to the ticklish flesh and raise my eyes to Zara’s, never looking away, as I lick her ever so delicately.

She’s stopped breathing, eyes wide, every muscle tense.

“Breathe,” I whisper, my heated breath on her core making her gasp as the cabin settles around us, peaceful with just the fire crackling in the other room.

Finally, I feel her relax.

“Zara, is this okay?” I ask, my lips a hair’s breadth away from her entrance. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No!” She shakes her head, and her hands flutter in the air before settling on the sheets. “I mean, yes, it’s okay. No, don’t stop.”

The pleading, desperate edge in her voice makes me smile. I give her another long lick, my powerful tongue giving her the pressure she needs in exactly the right spot. Every little movement and noise is catalogued in my brain, my bear determined to work out exactly what makes my mate crazy.

Swallowing her honey has my bear rumbling steadily, and the vibrations travel through my mouth and onto her needy flesh. She cries out, her fingers digging into the sheets beneath her, as she practically climbs up the bed to escape the intensity of the sensations.

“Oh, fuck,” she mumbles, twisting her head to the side, eyes squeezed shut against the unfamiliar sensation.

“Just me,” I murmur. “I’m your mate, remember? Everything about us is going to feel a little... intense.”

She laughs, breathless. “A little?”

“Relax.” I tilt her hips to give me better access, and she just surrenders to it. My hand slides along her silky skin from the inside of one knee, up and out to her hip, gently but firmly holding her exactly where I want her.

I stroke over her clit with my tongue, swirling and sucking it between my lips to tease her, but once I figure out what she likes, I adjust the speed and pressure to exactly that. The slight sting of her nails on my scalp as she holds on tighter spurs me on.

As a string of incoherent mumbles and curses falls from Zara’s mouth, her fingers dig into my hair. I’m obsessed with hearing her come, but unlike that night when I could only listen from next door, I’m going to be right here to witness it, with my mouth on her pussy, and her cum on my face.

“Yes, Ben, oh!”

Nothing could make me stop as her cries and moans become more and more breathless. Her core clenches and her stomach tightens as her release nears, but I want this to blow her away.

Still devouring her with my mouth, stroking her swollen clit with my tongue, I press my finger into her slowly.

She wriggles at the intrusion, but I hold her steady. “So big.” Zara pants, her eyes flying open as she looks down the length of her body at me. “Oh, fuck, that’s just your finger…”

I drag my finger in and out of her warm heat, gradually making each thrust a little faster, as she stretches and relaxes.

I watch every facial expression for signs of discomfort, but she’s lost to her pleasure, her front teeth buried into her full, pillowy bottom lip, and her back is arched off the bed as she presses her needy pussy toward me.

“The wolf.” She gasps between moans. “He could…”

I don’t want to hear about the fucking wolf. Not now. Not with my mate finally in my bed, giving herself to me.

“He’s nowhere near us.” I lift my head just enough to meet her eyes. “And even if he was stupid enough to try something...” I let my eyes flash gold for just a second. “I’ll kill him.”

Her pulse races as she melts back into the mattress.

“Good girl.”

Adding a second finger makes her tense.

“Whoa, woah.” Her body clamps down around my fingers, and her nails dig into my shoulder.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m gonna make it great.”

Circling her clit to give her a break from the onslaught, I gently push my two fingers in halfway and drag them out, then further on each pass, until I have them all the way inside her perfect little pussy.

My bear loves the fact that she’s ours in this moment. Even if we haven’t claimed her, she knows nothing right now but me. With her honey coating my lips, and her body completely owned by me, she’s mine.

Even if it’s just for tonight, she’s all fucking mine.

“So beautiful,” I whisper, and my good girl does as she’s told, more and more of the tension leaving her body with each thrust of my fingers. “That’s it. You’re doing so well.”

The praise makes her clench around me, and I file that information away. My mate likes to be told she’s good. My bear delights at the knowledge.

Reluctantly abandoning her clit, I come up over her, my hand still buried between her thighs, and look down even as I flex my fingers, scissoring them apart, stretching her tight walls. “Zara, look at me. Breathe.”

When her gorgeous green eyes open and meet mine, I’m floored. There’s no apprehension, no hesitation, just adoration. Her palm is warm against my beard, and her thumb is stroking my cheekbone.

I press my lips to hers; she doesn’t flinch at tasting herself on me, so I pour every dream and hope that I can’t yet voice into this kiss, praying that somehow, she can feel my intentions in how I slide my mouth over hers.

Our tongues meet, and I can’t stop myself from making it deeper.

Fingers still stroking in and out of her in hard thrusts, I kiss her hard, possessively, only pulling away when I feel completely overwhelmed by the depth of my need to claim her as mine.

Every instinct screams at me to cover her, to drive into her, and to make it so every shifter for miles knows she’s mine.

It may be too soon for that, but I can still make damn sure this first time with me is the last first she ever wants to have.

So, I focus on her pleasure instead, on making this perfect for her.

“Ben,” she moans as I pull away. Her expression is full of tender emotions, as if she can feel just how much this means to me. Her arms are wrapped around my back, clinging to me as we gaze into each other’s eyes. It’s too much and yet not enough.

“I know, baby.” With one last gentle kiss to her swollen lips, I slide back down her body, ignoring her attempts to hold me in place. She needs to come on my fingers first, or she’ll never be relaxed enough to take me.

Curling my fingers to hit the spot inside has her arching further up and writhing beneath me, her blonde hair fanned out on my sheets, as she cries out.

Mouth hanging open, she whimpers and mewls as I torture her, teasing her with promises of climax, until I’m pretty sure she’s past the point of no return.

Closing my hot mouth over her again, making sure my fingers maintain their rhythm, I lick her in time, hard and firm, just as she likes it.

The way she chants my name in response has my bear growling in delight, and a deep, loud rumble shakes the walls of the cabin as he shows whoever’s outside just who this woman belongs to.

“Ben!” she cries out, her fingers scratching my neck, as she holds my face to her.

Zara crashes over the edge, her core clamping down around my fingers like a vice, as wave after wave of her orgasm overtakes her. As she comes, I continue to stroke her through it, enjoying each mini aftershock and the ecstasy written across her pretty features.

She looks dazed and slightly confused, but happy and satisfied, as she melts into the mattress, every muscle completely relaxed and her body, limp.

I climb onto the bed and pull her into my arms, then stroke her hair as she curls into my chest. One slim leg slides between mine as she clings to me and catches her breath while I hold her close, breathing in her delicious scent.

“You okay?” I whisper, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as her eyes slide closed.

“Hmmm.” The contented sound makes my chest tight.

Reaching down, I grab the comforter and pull it up over our bodies, worried she’ll get chilly now. She’s so small and fragile compared to me.

“Are you sore? Was that too much?” I ask, suddenly afraid I was too rough.

Zara’s mouth curls into a smile against my chest as she presses a kiss to my pec, right over my heart, and her warm palm slides around my waist to stroke up and down my back.

“That was perfect.” Her words soothe the concern inside me, and I tighten my grip on her, wanting more, but at the same time, knowing that I’m stupidly lucky to even be touching her.

My bear wants to be even more connected to her, but we need to accept that this, the physical side of things, is going to have to be enough.

For now.

“You’re perfect,” she murmurs, already half asleep.

“Glad you think so.” I pull the blanket higher, cocooning us. “Sleep, baby. Nothing’s going to touch you while I’m here.”

He’ll have to go through me to get to her, and that will never happen.