Wedding Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance (Enforcer Bears Book 3) (8 page)

No, the best solution to this problem was to keep away and hope that Blood Claw would leave as well. After all, Blood Claw didn’t care about these folks. Blood Claw cared only about Kayden.

And once we kill him, that problem will be solved once and for all,
his bear growled dangerously.

Once again, Kayden found it hard to argue with that solution.

L
aughing and out of breath, they stumbled into Sidney’s house. On their way back, they’d continued to watch the rearview mirror as though Karen might show up any moment. It had been silly, lighthearted fun, and Sidney felt incredibly lucky. For the first time in her life, she'd found someone who would laugh with her, and not at her.

“God, I feel terrible.” Sidney laughed even as she allowed herself to be pulled into Kayden's arms. “Who keeps hiding from her own sister?”

“There were extenuating circumstances,” Kayden murmured, his breath hot against her throat. “Like you said, if she thought that you were driving home, she'd find some excuse to visit.”

“Mm,” Sidney purred at the sensation. “She would have. She's curious about you. They're all so curious. I love it. Sorry, I'm not usually so...” She gestured helplessly.

“It's all right. Remember, I heard your mother talk.” Kayden's hand slid up her waist. “God, I can't believe it. I hope you know that all those guys she listed were fools.”

“All of them but Christian.” Sidney shook her head with an amused laugh. “I can't believe she brought that up; that was in high school! Mom's really desperate these days. No grandkids from Karen so far, so she's decided that it's going to be me. If you hadn't shown up... I think she might have invited my awful ex Timothy to the wedding without telling me about it.”

Sidney grimaced at the thought. Would she have caused a scene? She'd promised herself that she would never talk to him again—but she couldn't ruin the wedding.

Oh God, it would have been horrible. He would have pretended nothing’s wrong. Then he’d get drunk and try to grope me on the dance floor, and later he'd cry and beg me to take him back.

“What did he do?” Kayden’s voice had gone dark, all of a sudden deadly serious after their earlier joking.

Sidney exhaled deeply. “The whole relationship was just... a complete clusterfuck. He'd make mistakes, and then he'd apologize and beg me to take him back, and I... I always ended up feeling sorry for him. And at the same time, whenever I had a problem, or if I felt upset and just needed someone to hold me, he got all annoyed and called me selfish and clingy. He'd tell me I just wanted attention and that I was a burden.”

Sidney bit her lip as some of the old despair and humiliation welled up in her again. Then she snorted, remembering the night with Kayden and how he’d made her feel instead.

Two years with Timothy, and he hadn't even come close in all that time to the care and the desire Kayden had shown in just a few days.

“Hey,” Kayden said softly and reached out to gently touch her cheek. “I don't need to meet him to know that that's all wrong. I've seen the way you get worked up because you want to make sure that your best friend and your cousin have a perfect wedding. And don't forget—you even claimed a nameless stranger as your wedding date to make your mother happy. You’re the least selfish person I know.”

“Oh, now
that
was selfish,” Sidney murmured, although she was smiling again as she looked up at him. “That was less about my mother and more about my own peace of mind. And of course, there
was
the fact that you are very hard to resist when you're wrapped in a sheet...”

“Only when I'm wrapped in a sheet?” Kayden teased. His arms came around her once more.

Sidney sighed and for a moment allowed herself to be held. Just held.

It felt so good. Kayden’s closeness. His scent. There was a hint of expensive cologne, but beneath it all was something feral and wild, something frighteningly masculine that made little bubbles of excitement burst inside her.

“Always,” she breathed. “You're always hard to resist.”

“I wouldn't have it any other way.”

Kayden kissed her, gentle but demanding, his tongue hot against her own so that she moaned.

“And I think I have something to prove to you today,” he murmured. “I owe you a dance...”

Sidney had to swallow before she could speak. Desire throbbed wet and hot between her legs, an ache that could only be filled by Kayden's touch. It caused her nearly physical pain to leave his arms. She'd never wanted a man more than she wanted him.

Would he really stay after the wedding? Would he still be here when winter came?

She felt too afraid to ask him again. Timothy had called her clingy. He'd been an asshole who'd been afraid of settling down—but ever since, a part of her had been afraid that it was true. That she was coming across as desperate.

Her hands trembled a little as she switched on the radio. She was too frazzled to find one of the CDs with songs they’d prepared for the party, but after a short search she found a station with some quiet, slow music that would do.

“Perfect,” Kayden murmured against her nape.

He'd come close enough to wrap his arms around her once more. For a moment, they simply swayed together.

Sidney listened to the sound of the wind outside. The entire house was quiet. There were only the two of them. There was only the heat of Kayden's body and the safety of his embrace.

Kayden turned her around. The look in his eyes was soft as he clasped her waist with one hand. With the other, he took hold of her hand, and then, slowly, gently, he began to twirl her around.

Warmth spread in Sidney's chest. His grip was firm. His strong, masculine body that had looked so intimidating now moved with careful precision. For a man so large and overwhelming, he held her as though she was as fragile as glass.

Sunlight fell in through her large windows. It painted golden rectangles on her hardwood floor. Kayden waltzed her through them, and it felt for a moment as if they were dancing on clouds. Her curvy body that had made her feel ashamed when others compared her to her perfect sister was completely at home in Kayden's strong arms.

It felt like a dream—only she knew it was real, because Kayden didn't look away from her even for one moment. Kayden saw her. Kayden saw the
real
her. Not someone she was supposed to be. Not the ways in that she wasn't like her sister. Kayden saw her, and they danced together as though they had been born to move together, her curves molding to his strong arms.

Heat spread wherever they touched. The sunlight gleamed on Kayden’s hair. With a soft laugh, she tilted back her head, allowing herself to be spun around.

Kayden moved closer, manly stubble scratching against her throat as he moved to press a kiss to the tip of her ear.

“Good enough for a wedding?” he asked, his voice a deep purr.

She shivered with delight at the sensation.

Good enough to keep forever,
she thought, but didn’t dare to say it—not yet.

“I think you’re off the hook. No additional lessons needed,” she murmured.

He slowed a little. The radio was still playing. She closed her eyes and breathed in deeply, his scent filling her senses. Even here, in the middle of her living room, something of the wilderness seemed to cling to him.

The sunlight bathed them in golden warmth. She could feel Kayden’s heart beating against her chest: a deep, rhythmic thumping, the sensation strong and comforting as his arms wrapped protectively around her.

“I haven’t told you yet,” he said softly, “but much of this is still new to me. I grew up in a place that was very... different.”

“Different how?” She opened her eyes again to give him a questioning look.

His lips twitched a little. “It’s hard to explain. You’d think it very backwards. We lived very isolated. There was little technology. It was a strict community.”

Sidney’s eyes widened. “You grew up Amish?”

Now Kayden laughed. “Not quite, but I guess that’s close enough. So if I do something stupid, just tell me. I promise I won’t be offended.”

“You’ve been absolutely perfect so far.”

They had stopped dancing now, though Kayden was still holding her.

She gave him a wary look. “Is that really true? You’ve got to be joking. Seriously, you’re perfect—I couldn’t ask for a better wedding date.”

Kayden tilted his head a little, his smile mischievous. “It’s been a few years. I decided I didn’t want to spend my life like that. So once I grew old enough, I took every opportunity I got to get out of there. To learn how to survive in the world outside our clan. It wasn’t always easy, but here I am.”

“Was it worth it?” Sidney asked in fascination, wondering whether he’d left a family behind.

There’d been pain in Kayden’s voice when he spoke—but also pride. And it was something he
should
be proud of. To leave behind everything he had been taught to find his own happiness, that took a lot of courage.

Kayden nodded slowly. “It was worth it,” he said, his eyes intent as he looked at her.

The emotion in his eyes left no doubt about what he truly meant. And then, as if to wipe away even the last remaining doubt, he leaned forward and kissed her once more. His mouth was demanding despite the gentleness of his embrace, until Sidney thought she was going to melt in his arms.

“I want you,” he growled softly when they parted. “I’ve been thinking about you all day. No more chases now. No more interruptions.”

“I want you, too,” she breathed.

She could feel him—he was erect, hot and hard against her even with the layers of clothing between them.

Feeling a little wicked, she allowed her hand to trail down his chest. She hadn’t dared to be so openly flirty since Timothy—but Kayden made her feel so sexy with the way he looked at her, all hungry and aroused.

It felt good to have that effect on him. She’d thought she’d never have another man look at her with real desire. But now here was Kayden, who was smoking hot, who could have anyone he wanted, and who for some reason seemed to only want
her
.

It felt damn good, and she was determined to drive him just as crazy with need as he kept doing to her.

She opened his jeans. He groaned as she pulled down the zipper, a low sound of hunger that was nearly the growl of an animal. It sent a delicious shiver running down her spine.

Then she pushed her hand beneath all those layers of fabric and finally found what she had been searching for: hot skin, velvet-soft against her palm although his shaft was hard as iron.

She drew him free. God, he was
massive
! And gorgeous.

She stroked him, and he groaned again. She shivered a little at the way he felt in her hand. He seemed incredibly large against her palm, and a pulse of heat ran through her when she remembered the sensation of him inside her.

He had felt impossibly large inside her as well, but he’d made her feel so good...

The memory was enough to make everything inside her clench with need. She could feel that her panties were drenched; she wanted him so much right now that the emptiness inside her ached.

“Tell me what you want,” he said. His voice was so hoarse it came out as another growl. “Anything you want. I’ll give it to you.”

Suddenly she remembered the ridiculous movies she’d seen: couples making love in the sunlight right on the floor. Or the kitchen table. Or that thing in the book her cousin had loaned her with the blindfold and the large feather...

She blushed, and then she shook her head.

“I want you. Only you,” she said suddenly, and then slowly dropped to her knees.

Whoa, he looked even bigger like this!

She didn’t really have much experience with this. Timothy had always wanted her to, but the few times she’d tried, she hadn’t enjoyed herself at all. And of course Timothy hadn’t really cared, as long as he got off.

But this was different.

A shiver ran up her spine, but it was one of need as she leaned closer. She pressed her lips to Kayden’s erection. He was hot against her mouth, and when she parted her lips and breathed warm air against him, he moaned.

“You don’t have to,” he groaned.

Sidney laughed softly. “I know,” she said simply.

And perhaps that was why it felt so good. She really didn’t have to. She knew that.

But she wanted to. For the first time in her life, she knew what she wanted, and that was Kayden. She wanted to be the one who made him feel good.

She licked upwards. He tasted good too, clean with a hint of soap and beneath it all that masculine musk.

He groaned again. His hand came to rest against her cheek, gently caressing her. When she reached the crown, she slowly swirled her tongue around him. He was so hard for her that she could taste his desire already. There was a hint of salt and bitterness, and the overpowering taste of male arousal. It rushed through her, filled her up with need.

Heat clenched between her thighs, a trickle of wetness dripping from her folds, and with a moan she closed her lips around him.

After a moment, Kayden gasped, “Enough!” and gently drew her away.

He was flushed. His chest was heaving as though he’d run a marathon, and his eyes were dark with hunger.

“Enough,” he repeated, more softly, “or I won’t be able to do this.”

With those words, he scooped her up in his powerful arms. The motion was so sudden that Sidney let out a small gasp of surprise.

Kayden carried her to her bedroom. The room was filled by the warm light of the late afternoon sun, and he set her down on the bed, in the circle of gold the light cast onto her cushions.

Wordlessly, they helped each other undress. Her fingers trembled as she worked on the buttons of his shirt. The shifting muscles beneath distracted her for a moment. Intrigued, she followed the valley between his impressive pecs downward with her lips, until she had to raise her hips so that he could pull off her jeans and the soaked, pink panties she’d worn beneath.

She was already trembling with desire. Kayden pushed his jeans down while she struggled out of her top. And then, finally, his large hands cupped her breasts, pressing a kiss to a nipple through the lacy fabric of the bra before that was finally unhooked and slung aside as well.