Bad Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (BRIDES fur BEARS Book 1) Read online

  She saw that her wild, frizzy brown hair was adorable, and that she looked sexy as hell in figure-hugging skirts. David had said something about her skirts once. What was it? Oh, right. He said that her skirts were too tight and they showed her bulges in all the wrong places. Well, to hell with David!

  She was here, in a new town, with new friends. And she had met a nice, sexy man. She was going to start anew, and she was going to start having fun.

  She could have some naughty no-strings-attached fun with Marcus. She was thirty years old, but she had always lived her life safely, bookishly, according to the rules. It was time to live a little dangerously.

  Marcus was so tall and broad, and he felt so solid, hard and real under her hands. Staci purred and pulled him closer. Nope. She wasn't dreaming. She was really pressing up against a sinfully handsome man, who looked at her as though he wanted to eat her up...in a very good way.

  “Marcus...” she moaned his name, as he pressed her against the wall and worked the buttons of her blouse.

  They had slipped out of the bar and tumbled into a side alley. A stray cat yowled and bolted from the top of a trash can but they didn't even raise their heads. They were too busy with their hands and mouths.

  Marcus's kisses were hot and hungry. His lips and tongue drove her out of her mind with lust. His erection ground into her belly as he pressed his body against hers.

  Staci clung to his neck and she gasped at the raw, feral hunger in his eyes. His skin was hot to the touch and she sensed there was something dangerous inside of him. She could feel it.

  “Wh—what are you, Marcus?” she asked breathlessly when she came up for air.

  His brows furrowed.

  “I mean, I'm just human,” Staci said. “I'm not like Melanie and Claire, who are half paranormal.”

  “You are not just human,” Marcus growled. “You are human, and you are perfect.”

  Her breath hitched. No one had ever told her that she was perfect.

  “I'm a bear shifter,” Marcus said.

  “A bear,” she murmured, pushing her fingers into his soft, sandy hair.

  “Do I scare you?”

  “No.”

  “Have you ever...” His eyes darkened.

  “Been with a bear shifter before?” she finished for him. “No. I've only been with one man. He was human and he was a jerk.”

  Staci fisted Marcus's collar and pulled him down to her. “I want this,” she hissed. “I want you.”

  She had been living such a safe, sheltered, structured life. She should live more, love more, have sex more! For once, her body and her brain were both in agreement.

  They both said yes to Marcus. Yes, yes and yes!

  Staci's eyes rounded when she realized that she had just muttered her thoughts out loud again.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Staci moaned when she felt Marcus's large, calloused hands against her bare skin. He had unbuttoned the buttons of her blouse and was running his hands up and down her curvy torso.

  Biting her lip to keep from crying out, Staci gave up trying to think and just felt. She felt what Marcus was doing to her, and it felt so damn good.

  Marcus had his mouth on her breast, and he was doing crazy things with his tongue and teeth. She felt her nipples harden and throb as Marcus teased and tormented them with his mouth and fingers. When he straightened up, he cupped her breasts with his huge hands and kissed her passionately on the mouth.

  Marcus was breathing hard when he broke the kiss. His eyes were burning with desire as he dragged his gaze hungrily over her quivering body. Staci swallowed, unable to speak. She was sure she looked a mess. She was half undressed, with her breasts exposed, and strands of hair were plastered to her face and neck. She was sure that her lipstick was smudged and her makeup thoroughly ruined, but—she had never felt sexier.

  She made no effort to pull her blouse close and cover herself up. She just stood there with her back pressed against the wall, letting Marcus caress every inch of her with his eyes. He stared at her with raw want and longing. He wanted her and hungered for her, and the way he looked at her made her feel so beautiful and desired.

  She felt Marcus's hot breath on her neck as he leaned in and growled, “I want to taste you.”

  The words sent a powerful jolt of lust through her as the image of him going down on her flashed through her mind. She could feel herself getting wetter as she looked up into his burning blue eyes.

  Unable to speak, all she could do was give a barely perceptible nod. That was enough.

  Marcus hitched her skirt up to her waist and parted her legs. He knelt in front of her and ripped her panties away. The sound and feel of the tearing fabric aroused her further. Marcus put one hand under her knee and guided her leg to his shoulder.

  With one leg over his broad shoulder, Staci braced herself against the wall and blinked rapidly as she felt his lips on her pussy.

  “Oh God...” she whispered.

  Marcus sucked and licked greedily at her hot, wet pussy before sliding his tongue along her slick folds. His mouth kept moving against her pussy as he fingered her. When his tongue touched her sensitive, pulsing clit, Staci had to bite the back of her hand to stopper her scream.

  He kept lapping and sucking at her engorged nub, driving her out of her mind. His mouth and hands were relentless. Marcus knew just where and how to touch her, when to increase the pace and pressure, and when to pull back and make her pant for more.

  It felt so good, so damn good, but she wanted to come. She was going to come…

  “Don't stop,” she panted. “Don't stop, Marcus, please don't stop...”

  Marcus obliged by plunging his tongue into her and fucking her senseless.

  She was teetering on the very edge of her orgasm when the door of the bar crashed open noisily.

  Light and loud music spilled out of The Round Table and drunken, obnoxious laughter floated towards them.

  A conga line of witches whooped and weaved out of the bar. Staci froze in horror and mortification as the witches headed straight into the alley.

  Finally, Staci found her voice and gasped. “Stop, Marcus. Stop!”

  CHAPTER SIX

  Marcus surged to his feet and stood protectively over Staci, using his broad body to shield her. She scrambled to button her blouse and smooth her skirt down over her thighs.

  Marcus growled at the line of drunken, dancing witches. Gramma was at the head of the line with Ne-ma immediately behind her. Ne-ma's spectacles sat askew on her nose and her hair was sticking out at odd angles from the usually neat and perfect bun at her nape.

  The singing witches came literally to a screeching halt in front of him. A few of the witches in the line actually screeched in shock when they saw him.

  But Gramma and Ne-ma merely blinked at him and shrugged. “Oops, wrong turn,” Gramma said.

  Instead of reversing out of the alley, Gramma did a U-turn so that every witch in the line had a chance to dance past Marcus as they jiggled and jostled their way out of the alley. The witches gleefully resumed their boisterous singing and some of them made a “Call me” gesture at Marcus as they sidled past him.

  Marcus stood still like a statue as his bear snarled at the infuriating witches. Those witches had really bad timing. He had been about to feel Staci come against his mouth, but the witches had to ruin everything. He was frustrated, angry and his entire body was hard as hell. He felt as though he might just burst a blood vessel any second now.

  A bespectacled, blond witch brought up the rear, and she made loud smooching sounds at Marcus as she slung her hips every which way. Winking at them, she slapped her ample hips and shouted, “Yee-Haw!” before lurching out of the alley.

  At last, the long line of witches receded down the street. Marcus could still see their bobbing shadows and hear the echo of their cheerful, tuneless song.

  He turned around to see Staci standing silently behind him. She was smoothing her t
rembling hands down her clothes and hair and blushing furiously. She looked terribly embarrassed.

  Peering past his shoulder, she hiccuped a nervous little laugh. “I should go—while the coast is clear,” she said with a gulp.

  “Staci,” he said, reaching out to touch her but she sidestepped him and smiled awkwardly.

  “My car is just round the corner. I better get home. It's getting late,” she mumbled quickly.

  Marcus picked up her bag from the ground. It had fallen off her shoulder when he unbuttoned her blouse.

  “I'll walk you to your car,” Marcus said as she took her bag from him.

  “You don't have to...”

  “Don't worry. I won't stalk you. But...I would really like to see you again, Staci.”

  She sucked in a breath through her teeth. “Ah...”

  “I'd like to take you on a date,” Marcus clarified in case she thought he was just trying to get into her pants.

  She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and fidgeted. “I'm really busy these couple of weeks so...”

  “I understand.” Marcus walked down the street with her, his hands in his pockets. From her body language, it was clear that she didn't want to be touched right now. The color was still high in her cheeks, and her heels were clicking a frenzied rhythm as she quickened her pace. She was suddenly in a great hurry to get away from him.

  Staci reached her car and got in. “It was nice meeting you, Marcus,” she said.

  “You okay to drive?” he asked with concern.

  “Of course. I only had one beer, and a margarita. I'm not drunk,” she said huffily.

  Marcus smiled. “Okay. I'll see you.” Tomorrow.

  No way was he letting her disappear on him. He should have asked her where she worked, but no matter. He would find her. He knew her scent intimately now. His bear would track her down tomorrow.

  With a quick wave, Staci sped off.

  His bear wanted to chase its prey but Marcus wasn't going to let his beast go after Staci and terrorize her. Staci wasn't a shifter. Shifter females relished the hunt and the chase. Being hunted by their mate was exciting and arousing to them. But Marcus was sure that being hunted by a ferocious, sex-crazed bear wouldn't count as foreplay in Staci's book.

  She was human, and he sensed that she was used to doing things by the book.

  If he wanted her, he would have to train his bear to be more...civilized. He could be civilized, patient and...relentless.

  “Staci,” he said her name like a promise as he watched her car disappear round the corner.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Staci glanced in her rear-view mirror and saw Marcus starting after her car. She gasped and shook her head, and immediately Marcus froze. It was as if he could see her shake her head at him. He simply stood in the middle of the road and watched her drive away, his eyes glowing softly in the dark.

  She turned the corner and checked her mirror again. Nope, Marcus hadn't come after her. She felt both disappointed and relieved.

  Blowing out a shaky breath, Staci fanned herself with her hand. That free mug of beer had gotten her into a lot of trouble tonight. With too much beer in her belly, she had gotten too bold and brazen. She had made out with a big bad bear in an alley and lost her panties.

  She squirmed when she remembered how his hands and mouth felt on her. He had almost made her come right there in the alley, with the cool night air against her bare breast. God, she had bared herself to a complete stranger, and almost had an orgasm in front of an audience of drunken witches.

  Staci groaned. She really shouldn't drink so much if she couldn't hold her liquor and her libido. Marcus seemed like a nice guy but she doubted she would see him again.

  It was just one drunken encounter in a bar and when they saw each other in the harsh light of day, they would probably just smile at each other politely, maybe a little awkwardly, and go their separate ways.

  Staci grimaced. She hoped things wouldn't be awkward between them. She liked Marcus. Maybe they could be friends? Ah, who was she kidding? How could they be just friends if she was so attracted to him? He was a fantastic kisser, and he was sweet and protective. It was clear that he wanted her, but he wasn't pushy and domineering. He had tried to shield her when the witches burst into the alley and he had respected her. If she got to know him better…

  “I could fall for a man like that,” Staci muttered to herself.

  Staci shook her head hard. Nah, love wasn't on the cards for her. She had moved to Shadow Point to get away from her ex and his new love. Love didn't last, she realized. It might feel nice and fuzzy at the beginning, but once the novelty wore off, she would be traded in for a new, younger, better-looking model.

  Marcus was a hundred times hotter than David. A sweet, sexy man like Marcus could have any woman he wanted. She was sure there was no shortage of females waiting to climb into his bed. He was just having some fun with her. He would tire of her pretty quickly and drop her like a hot potato.

  Staci chewed hard on her lip. She was judging him, even before she had really gotten to know him. She wasn't being fair to Marcus, or herself. Marcus's attention had been solely on her even when there were scores of beautiful women in the bar. There had been a whole line of flirty, pretty witches making eyes at him but he never strayed from her side. He wanted only her.

  Staci sighed and forced herself to stop thinking about Marcus. She was new in town, and she should just go out and meet more people. If Marcus wanted to flirt with her, fine. She was an adult. She was entitled to have some no-strings-attached fun. She shouldn't expect anything more.

  Glancing over her shoulder as she turned into her street, Staci frowned when she saw a car behind her. That car had been following her since she drove away from Marcus. She was pretty sure it was the same car.

  She turned into another lane and waited. But the car didn't appear.

  Staci heaved a sigh of relief and chided herself. “It's just my imagination. And that damned beer.”

  Slowly, she circled back to her house and slotted her car in the driveway. She had rented this nice one-bedroom house from an elderly couple who would be overseas for a year, visiting family and attending all their grandkids' graduations. The timing was just right. Her transfer was just for a year. She would be in Shadow Point for only one year, unless...she found a reason to stay.

  Staci locked her car and hurried to her front door. She looked over her shoulder as she turned the lock. Somehow, she still couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed. But there was no one there.

  Rushing into the house, she bolted the door and tiptoed to the window.

  For a while, nothing moved. Then she saw a man walking towards her house from the end of the street. Staci held her breath as the man walked past her house. He had his hat pulled low over his face. The man kept walking, but she saw him turn his head slightly to stare at her front door. Was he the same man who was in the car behind her?

  Staci exhaled shakily once the man was out of sight.

  She checked all her doors and windows and went to peek out the front window again.

  “I need to sleep,” Staci muttered. “Or I'll start to imagine monsters under my bed...”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Staci walked into the bank and greeted Claire as she strolled past the reception counter. “Good morning, how's your night?” Staci said brightly.

  Claire giggled and pulled down her collar to display two neat pinpricks on her neck. “It was fang-tastic!”

  Staci paused and leaned forward. She didn't know if it would sound rude but she was so curious. “How was it?” she whispered.

  Claire's eyes rounded. “How was what? Oh, you mean, sex with a vampire?”

  Staci nodded and glanced around, hoping Claire would keep her voice down.

  “Depends on the vamp,” Claire said with a shrug. “Some are better than others. Some are more skilful, more generous, more adventurous...” Claire frowned sudden
ly and said, “You mean you've never done it with a vamp?”

  Staci shook her head. “I...I've only been with one man. He was human. And not very good.”

  Staci sighed but Claire punched her arm and said firmly, “Well then, I say good riddance to that not-very-good human. You deserve a good man, Staci.”

  Staci quirked a wistful smile as her thoughts immediately flew to Marcus. “Thanks.”

  Staci went to her room and fired up her computer. The bank occupied just a small area on the ground floor of a low building which housed a number of shops and small businesses. Her office had been partitioned off from the main banking lobby with see-through glass walls. Clients who needed financial advice could walk into her office to have a private chat with her.

  Melanie came up to Staci as she was getting a cup of coffee from the machine.

  “Hey, did you have a good time last night?” Melanie beamed.

  “Oh, hi Mel! I...yes, yes I did,” Staci said quickly.

  “Good. I had a great time! Those witches were a hoot! We all had supper at the Broomstick Inn after that. I thought of giving you a call to ask if you wanted to join us, but...” Melanie nudged her playfully. “I figured you were busy.”

  “You saw me.” Staci winced.

  “Of course I did! You were getting it on with one sexy bear. You go, girl!”

  Staci was saved from answering when Pamela, their bank manager came out of her office and strode purposefully towards Staci with a stack of documents.

  “Staci, can I speak to you for a minute?”

  “Sure,” Staci said immediately, putting down her coffee cup. Melanie greeted Pamela cheerily and sauntered back to her work station.

  “I have to see a client urgently at one o'clock this afternoon, and I forgot all about my meeting with Marcus Beck,” Pamela began, looking a little flustered. “Marcus requested that I meet him at his work site so I could see for myself the work they do and structure the best loan for his business. Marcus is a very busy man and I don't want to re-schedule the meeting.”