Shifting Impulse: A BBW Bear-Shifter Romance (Complete Edition - Books 1-3) Page 13

  He didn’t know what to say. That sort of thing never happened to Ryan. Not even to his twin, Adam. They had always been encouraged to make mistakes and learn from them. What could he say to this gorgeous and strong woman in his arms?” They’ll get over it in time.”

  “I sure hope so, but I’ve lost faith in them. The older they get, the grumpier and more dissatisfied they are. I don’t know what to do anymore. Nothing I do is good enough for them,” she complained.

  He held her closer and debated if telling her about his past was the best of choices. He decided to take that chance. She was the mother of his future cubs now anyway. His bear had made sure of that. As soon as he lost control of the animal inside, he couldn’t get it back, so he had just watched his mate open up to him, welcome his seed in her and enjoy the orgasms his bear’s will had pulled out of her. He was sure in a few days he would smell her pregnancy. He wasn’t thrilled of how things went. She would lynch him when she discovered she was pregnant, but he had thick skin.

  “I don’t know what that’s like for you, so I’m not just going to pretend I do, but I want you to know I’m here for you.”

  “What about your parents?”she asked.

  “We only have our father. Mum died when my brother and I were five. It was a hard hit for our family, but my dad’s strong and he managed to get us through. He has been very supportive of us making mistakes and learning from them. The restaurant had been my mother’s dream. She had never been to Europe, but it was her dream. The plan was to take a family trip around Europe when the business was up and running. She never got the chance to see that happening because she passed away just two years after they had opened it. My father made it quite successful and involved me and my brother, Adam, in the decision making since we were young. He said we had to know every aspect of the business so we started with menial jobs and climbed our way up the ladder. I’m grateful for his approach. I’ve learned so many things I wouldn’t have learned without those experiences.”

  She sighed. “That sounds like a sad and happy story. Thank you for sharing it with me.”

  “You’ll get to meet him soon,” he whispered.

  Oh, boy. That didn’t sound so good to Celine. She didn’t plan on getting involved with Ryan so meeting his father was out of the question.

  “Okay… Can you cover us up, Ryan? I’m stiff and cold.”

  “Yeah, sure,” he said as he pulled the blanket over their bodies. “I’m stiff too, I think we should do something about it,” he said in his persuasive and mischievous tone.

  Celine slapped his shoulder. “I don’t know how you can sport a boner like that for that long. Are you on drugs or something?” she chuckled.

  “Oh, no. No drugs or pills, baby. It’s all you,” he bragged, quite satisfied of the answer.

  She laughed so hard her cheeks hurt. “You sure know how to make a woman blush. I have a better idea. Since you made me sore, you get to make me better… with a massage.”

  His grin spread all over his face. He got to touch her again without it being about sex. That was all that mattered to him. He couldn’t get through another round of sex without having a heart attack anyway.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Late morning. Liquid warmth spread all around her. Celine’s mind was a bit foggy and she would give anything for some water. If only she could move. A huge hand was holding her right breast in a tight embrace. His hot breath was making her left nipple hard. He was using her as a human pillow. She smiled at how funny that was.

  Ryan.

  Memories of the previous night came flooding her already confused mind. The man was a storm of pleasure and ecstasy. She couldn’t believe this had actually happened.She was glad she had been on the pill for years now. She had to get the hell out of there. Put some distance and get her shit together. First things first, some water.

  She yawned louder than she intended and her neck muscles hurt so bad she thought she would never be able to move again. Same thing in her legs and abdomen and back muscles. As if sensing she was awake, Ryan mumbled something she didn’t understand. The mess that was his long dark wavy hair covered half her chest and she couldn’t see his face even if she tried. The man would soon have hair longer than hers. Now that she thought about it, he was kind of hot with all that hair. She didn’t realize how much she liked the view of him pumping her senseless while threading his fingers through his hair for his face to be visible. How it turned her on.

  There was something about his touch and his presence that was so pacifying. She had to shake that feeling off. Water. Clothes. Leave.

  “Ryan?”

  He groaned. “Yeah?” he asked with a sluggish deep voice she didn’t recognize. It’s the first time you hear his morning voice, dumbass! Her brain started making fun of her. That was bad. Very bad.

  “Is there any water around? I’m thirsty.”

  He lifted his head and tried to comb his hair into submission with his sweaty, warm fingers. It wasn’t working, so he gave it up. He went for the sexy-disheveled-right-after-sex hairdo, hoping his mate found it attractive. Even as drowsy as he felt, he grinned with satisfaction to have her here with him. Mate. He kind of liked the sound of that.

  He got up and looked down to check on his manly parts. He should feel weird for walking around the house naked with the most throbbing boner ever on display while his mate was still here blushing because of it. It was his favorite thing about having his own place, though. He was a shifter and walking around naked was part of him.He didn’t bother putting on any clothes. He went downstairs and came back with a jug of cool water and two glasses. While gulping down the water, her stomach growled like it hadn’t eaten for a full week.

  Oh God, that was humiliating.

  Ryan took that as a cue for him to start preparing breakfast. “What would you like for breakfast?” he asked with a glow in his eyes. He wanted to cook for his mate. He also wanted to take her hiking. Unfortunately, she was also very sore.

  “That sounds tempting. I wouldn’t want to put you through that much trouble. I can cook. If and when I manage to get up, that is,” she said laughing while holding her stomach. Everything hurt.

  “Nice try. I’m the reason you’re sore right now, so let me make it up to you. Omelet and coffee?”

  “Yeah, do you want some help?”she offered and then her face turned scarlet when she realized what she might be offering given that they were both naked and still in bed.

  “I could definitely use some help in the shower. I’m afraid I might slip and fall so you holding me would be a great idea,” he said, putting on the most angelic face possible.

  She burst into laughter.

  He continued. “But you’re hungry and a shower now, regardless of how much I need and want one, would mean you starving so I might take you up on that offer after breakfast if that’s fine with you.”

  After some long minutes of staring out the window and reliving every position they had gone through the previous night, Celine decided to get out of bed. With great care and a lot of swear words on her mind, Celine got in the shower and for long minutes the steaming hot water worked on relaxing her strained body. She felt lighter today. Like a boulder had been lifted off her chest. Her satisfied body wanted more of the sweet torture. It almost asked where to sign-up for more. There would be no more. She had to think of an excuse to get him to drive her home. Thinking on a full stomach was better.

  Coming into the room from the adjoined bathroom, her stomach growled again. Even louder this time. She opened the door. The food Ryan was preparing smelled divine. It was a pity she had to take her time getting down the stairs to get to the kitchen, but fast was not a defining word for her right now.

  When Celine stepped on the section of the floor that creaked, Ryan asked her to stay there because he wanted to carry her down the stairs. Given it hurt to even breathe at the moment, he quickly jogged upstairs, scooped her in his arms and got her down in no time.

  Munching on her omelet with
everything in it, Celine heard her phone ringing. It was upstairs. Ryan stood and brought it from the nightstand.

  It was her friend, Antonia, who was supposed to be visiting her next week. They had been childhood best friends and they still kept in touch from time to time. She lived in another state. Celine had lost count of the places her friend had lived in and wasn’t sure where she was calling from now.

  “Hey, love!” Celine almost sang as she answered it when the phone rang again.

  Ryan’s full facial expression changed. His lips pursed. For a second he raised his brows and then he frowned. Who was she calling “love”? His anger was to be short lived because a feminine voice answered back. Ryan went back to focusing on his extra-everything-omelet.

  “Morning, Cookie! Did I wake you up? I hope not!” Antonia spoke in her usual fast-paced style and answered before Celine even realized she had to say something. Antonia continued. “Are you sitting, Cookie?”

  “Mhmm,” Celine confirmed. “What’s up?”

  “I’m coming to see you!”she shrieked with excitement.

  Antonia had been working on her list of things to be done by the time she was thirty for a few years now. That included travelling like a lunatic and meeting many people. She was a people person. A real people person. In the sense that she enjoyed the company of people more than anyone Celine had met. Not like Celine who only pretended to like people and who secretly wanted to be hurled up in her favorite armchair catching up on some reading.

  “I know, love. Next week. You’ve been calling me every three days ever since you decided six months ago. Thanks for the reminders, but there’s no way I could forget about your visit.”

  Antonia cleared her throat. “Yeah, about that… Things didn’t turn out the way I planned and I’ll be there earlier. I’m on the train right now.”

  “Don’t tell me you are arriving this second. I’m not even home, Tony!” she raised her voice a bit dramatically, recognizing this could be her chance to get the hell out of this hot-yet-probably-serial-cheater’s house.

  “No, I’ll be there tonight. The train gets there at nine-thirty. Can you pick me up or would you like me to get a taxi?”

  “Okay. No. Don’t take a taxi, I’ll be there to pick you up myself. What do you want me to cook for you?”

  “Your killer chicken! I miss it. Thanks, cookie! You’re the best!”

  “Yeah, sure. When you take advantage of me, I guess I am,” she joked.“See you later, love. Safe trip.”

  “Byeeeee!” was the last thing Ryan heard before Celine’s friend hung up.

  Pretending not to have heard anything of the conversation, Ryan asked if that was her boyfriend.

  “Oh, no. I don’t have a boyfriend. It was just my crazy friend Antonia. She was supposed to be visiting me on Thursday and spend the weekend together, given that it’s the town celebration and she loves it. Only she’s getting here tonight.”

  “So that means you’re leaving?” he asked, visibly hurt. His bear wasn’t happy about leaving his mate’s side.

  “I’m sorry, but I have to. Not right now, but later today,” she clarified.

  Celine couldn’t believe her luck, though. She would have to thank Tony later about this. She continued her breakfast and sipped the steaming coffee that was missing cream, but was still delicious.

  “We could go hiking if you feel up for it,” he said and searched her eyes for traces of panic. As he didn’t smell fear or panic from her, he continued. “Not far though, around here. It’s so beautiful and peaceful. I think you would love it if you gave me a chance to show you around.”

  He waited for her answer. It was clear she was debating what to do.

  “Are you sure you know these woods like the back of your hand? You speak so nicely about this place that I’m dying to see what all the fuss is about. I’ve never been on this side of the mountain.”

  “Well, I’ve never got lost in almost twenty years since I discovered this place, so I think that should be a clue of how well-prepared I am to take you on a hiking trip,” he grinned, flashing his white teeth in the process.

  “You will have to carry me if I panic and freeze, or if my legs decide to take a long break. You know that, don’t you?”

  “My pleasure, baby,” he said as he leaned over the table and kissed her still-tasting-like-coffee-lips.

  ***

  Parking into her driveway, Ryan took out her shopping bags and carried them into the kitchen. Her house smelled like her and it calmed his bear. He had insisted on taking her shopping just to spend more time with her. She had decided walking was too much for her and she hopped into the shopping cart. It had been so much fun that he decided to repeat the experience.

  As he was taking the things they got out of the shopping bag, Celine strolled into the kitchen wearing a short simple purple dress with yellow dots on it.

  “Come closer. I want to take a look at you.” She made a pirouette in the middle of the living area. “You look stunning, baby.”She blushed and sat down on the sofa. She was holding a tube in her hand and prepared to unscrew the top.

  “What’s that? Don’t tell me it’s lube!”he laughed as he abandoned the food and came to sit on his knees in front of her.

  She laughed too as if his laughter was contagious. “No, silly. It’s for my sore muscles that could use your divine hands giving me a leg and foot massage.”

  He took the tube out of her hand and did as requested while she relaxed on the comfy sofa.

  “Can I stay or do you want me to leave?” he asked while rubbing her heels in circular movements for the lotion to get in faster.

  The man was so adorable in his uncertainty that she couldn’t say no. She liked being around him. He made her laugh and his constant touching stirred the fire inside her. She had never felt so desired in her life. Unfortunately, she knew it wouldn’t be too long before he got tired of her. Of her lack of personality as her ex-boyfriend had put it. Yes, she was shy and she liked to help other people, but that didn’t mean she didn’t have a personality.

  She decided not to risk saying she liked having him around. Instead she just added “I could use some time to process what has just happened. Before my storm of a friend arrives.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  Celine hadn’t heard anything from Ryan since she asked him to leave on Sunday evening. Today was Wednesday.

  A part of her was happy he hadn’t come over or called, but the other parts of her body and soul just wanted him to call or show up or something. Anything just to keep his word when he had said he was interested in her. It was true she wanted not to get hurt again and she was willing to pay any price necessary for this not to happen again, but she felt they had a connection and hoped he wasn’t like her dumbass ex-boyfriend.

  She had only met him a few days ago. Not even a week had passed and she ached for his touch like they had been separated for a very long time. That wasn’t her. You have to forget about him. He has forgotten about you. Hasn’t called. Hasn’t been around. You were just a one night stand for him and that’s the end of it, Celine. She decided the voice in her head was right and she had to forget about him.

  Celine had been busy with Tony ever since her friend arrived. The woman was unstoppable. She was a force of nature. Celine hadn’t managed to get any days off because her boss was a tyrant. He wanted to control every employee and make slaves out of them. The good news about not taking any holidays was that they got paid more, but today Celine had woken up feeling so exhausted and with the nastiest cold that she had to take the rest of the week off. She had been to the doctor’s office first thing in the morning and solved her medical leave problem. Every time she took time off, she ended up worrying sick about losing her job. Good thing Tony was there to keep her company and distract her from her problems. She hadn’t mentioned Ryan to her because now she was completely sure it had been a one night stand. A satisfying and unforgettable night, but a one nightstand nevertheless.

  Her kitchen loo
ked like it had been hit by a bomb. She wasn’t the tidiest person in the universe, but it usually was cleaner than this. The previous night Tony had offered to cook. Celine wondered what had gotten into her because she never cooked. Tony was more the take out type of person. When she asked Tony about it, her friend said she was a real cook, certificate, experience and the like. She had been a cook for the last two years. Celine couldn’t be happier to have someone cook for her, especially because her body still hurt and every time she moved, her soul remembered Ryan. Every time she sat down she prayed she wouldn’t have to stand up because of how sore she was. Damn man!

  Tony’s cleaning skills were disastrous because she wasn’t very organized, but the result was absolutely delicious. She even prepared one of those keep-in-the-fridge-till-it’s-ready-cakes. Celine was alone now and would be for the rest of the day so her plan was to have some of that cake and then go to bed. It was only noon, but she was so drowsy she couldn’t even process anything. Still staring at the cake in hopes her not-so-Superman-vision would warm the damn thing, she noticed there was a plastic bag she didn’t recognize next to one of the armchairs in the living room.

  She knew Tony would never touch one of those plastic bags since she was a teenager, Celine carefully got up to check out the content of the bag. She tried to pick it up without bending and she actually managed. Satisfied with how flexible her body was, even though she wasn’t exactly supermodel size, she peeked inside it.

  Inside there were some mountain plants, moss and even the tiniest fir tree she had ever seen. Oh, no! Ryan must have forgotten the bag. He had been very excited about the plants he had found in the forest when they went hiking that Sunday. She still couldn’t believe he had convinced her to do those things. First, going up there in the mountains, then eating her pussy all night long like a pro, then making her breakfast and finally taking her hiking. So many things changed in only one day. Her ex had never offered to devour and worship her lady parts, had never made her come and had never wanted to have so much sex. He had never taken her hiking, hadn’t even known she was terrified of going up there even though they lived two hours away from the mountain.