Bringing Home The Bear

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2014 Vanessa Devereaux

  ISBN: 978-1-77130-896-0

  Cover Artist: Sour Cherry Designs

  Editor: Kerry Genova

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  DEDICATION

  For Emma Devereaux

  BRINGING HOME THE BEAR

  Kalispell Shifters, 2

  Vanessa Devereaux

  Copyright © 2014

  Chapter One

  Trent settled down in the armchair by the window. Its arms were torn and threadbare, but it had been his father’s favorite resting spot, and for that reason alone, he’d never part with it. It also offered the best view from the house. From here, he could see the stream and the mountain range in the distance. He sipped his beer. It had been a beautiful sunrise and he cherished every day he could just sit and relax. Yes, he’d prefer to be on duty but until his leg was one hundred percent healed, the department had told him to take things easy.

  A flash of something bright from the stream below caught his attention. He took another sip of beer. He stood, trying not to wince when his leg felt sore again. He hobbled closer to the glass to get a better look.

  Stranding by the stream was a young woman dressed in waders. Didn’t she know this was private property? He watched as she ventured out into the stream. Also private. He stood spellbound as she threw the rod behind her, the hook catching on one of the nearby branches and pulling her backward until she went butt first into the water.

  Trent knew it was wrong of him, but he burst out laughing. She was obviously new to fly-fishing or even plain old fishing, by the look of things.

  She struggled back to her feet, waded out of the stream, and lifted the hook from the tree. Losing her footing yet again, she went ass first onto the ground, this time causing Trent to draw in his breath. She’d have one sore butt tonight.

  Brushing some mud off her jacket, she got to her feet again. Whoever the woman was, she was clearly one determined lady. He liked that quality in a person. Now he was intrigued to see what she looked like up close. He could go down to the stream and tell her it was private land, but after all the trouble she’d been through, it was only fair he let her continue. And yes, he had a motive for not letting her know someone was in spying on her. Trent walked over to the bookshelf and reached up on the top shelf for his binoculars. Once he got back to the window, he put them up to his eyes.

  Young and very pretty were the first two adjectives that shot into his head. He had no problem with her trespassing on his land at all. He took another sip of beer and then got back to watching her. She cast the line back, this time clearing the branches but as she placed it in the water, and she fell face down into the stream.

  He laughed, spilling beer down the front of his t-shirt. Yeah, this was so wrong, but in a way, it was so right.

  Should I go help her, show her how it’s done?

  He wanted to but something deep inside him just wanted to watch her from afar.

  The front of his pants grew uncomfortably tight as she strolled toward the water’s edge. He refocused the binoculars for a more up close view. The hat she’d been wearing was now floating on the downward current of the stream. Her gorgeous dark brown hair hung wet and limp around her shoulders. She climbed out of the water and up the bank where it looked like a backpack sat. She unzipped it and pulled out a white t-shirt. She gave it a shake.

  Taking another sip of beer, he stood fascinated while as she took off her jacket and then proceeded to take off the wet blue t-shirt. He swallowed. His cock twitched. She reached behind her back. She was taking off that pretty pink lace bra she was wearing. He swallowed again. When he’d sat down to enjoy the view, he hadn’t quite expected this. She was now topless, almost making his inner bear roar to life.

  Her breasts were round and heavy looking. Just the sort the bear in him loved so much. Trent adjusted the lenses on the binoculars just a little more so he could zoom in on her nipples.

  Yes, this wasn’t a nice thing to do, but she was the one who’d invaded his private domain.

  His bear half made a gurgling sound that originated in the back of his throat. She wasn’t putting on another bra but simply slipping the new white t-shirt over her head.

  Next, she pulled down the waders, stepped out of them, and set them down on the grass.

  He licked his lips as she slipped off her jeans, the obviously wet panties under them gliding off her body too.

  His cock sprang to life when he saw the dark curls bordering the most gorgeous pair of curvy thighs he’d ever seen. She suddenly bent over. Shit, his fingers almost wouldn’t let him adjust the binoculars quick enough to zoom in even more. They weren’t that great which meant it wasn’t the best view, but he was rewarded with the slightest glimpse of her pussy.

  You are a bad bear. This is so, so naughty. Put the binoculars down and walk away from the window.

  He couldn’t. He could swear they were stuck to his hands. His feet glued to the carpet.

  Trent ran his hand down the front of his pants, feeling the bulge and sensing the need to do something about the sudden surge in hormones. She slipped on another pair of undies and jeans and then carried everything back up the hill and went out of view.

  Would she be back?

  He hoped so. She was welcome to fish in his stream anytime she wanted.

  He rolled the still cool beer bottle over his forehead hoping that would take away the sudden rise of heat in his body. All this discomfort was his own damn fault. What did you expect when you became the voyeur of a sexy, curvy woman?

  His balls were heavy and achy, his cock rigid and almost pulsating its way out of his pants. Every single vein in his shaft felt like it was gorged with blood and about to explode.

  Damn.

  He’d just planned on a relaxing with his beer, a good book, and finally watching the sun setting over the mountain range. But now he’d have to put that on hold.

  Trent hurried into his bedroom, pulled off his jeans and boxers, letting his cock spring free.

  Phew, that felt better. Dr. Delaney had told him to take it easy while he was on the mend, but he wouldn’t mind doing some physical therapy with the trespasser.

  Why was he still thinking about the woman in the stream? For all he knew, she was a mile away by now and he’d never see her again.

  He ran his hand along his shaft. He hadn’t gotten laid for six months, and it was driving him crazy. Before he realized it, he was flat on his back on his bed, running his hand up and down his shaft at record speed.

  Even this was better than nothing.

  Another gurgle in his throat rose as his climax reached its peak and he found release.

  He turned and put his face into the pillow, wishing she’d do some trespassing in his house next time.

  ****

  Emily tossed and turned in the back of the camper. She pushed the pillow around hoping that would soften it up some more. The damn thing felt like it was stuffed with pebbles. And the mattress wasn’t much better. How did guys stand sleeping on these things?

  She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes and then looked at her watch. Only one minute and thirty seconds since she’d last checked it the last time. She should have brought more
books with her. Even put her Kindle into her bag. Maybe she’d go back into town tomorrow and pick up some magazines. Anything to stop herself from going stir-crazy.

  Just two minutes past eight at night. She’d never been in bed this early before. Well, not since she was nine-years-old and sent to her room when it was a school night.

  She turned and looked out of the window. One plus was that it sure was pretty here. The sun was setting and cast a beautiful glow on the water.

  The water.

  What a disaster her first attempt at fly-fishing had been. Her ass still hurt where she’d fallen on the rocks and then on the grassy bank. Maybe she’d have better luck tomorrow.

  There was no way she could go home without catching a fish. Her dad would know if she lied. He’d been able to since she was a kid.

  “Your eyes water when you’re not telling me the truth.”

  She’d always rushed to the mirror to see what he’d meant, but she hadn’t been able to see any signs of moisture. However, it was true. He could tell when she lied about not doing her chores, or that it was her and not her baby sister who’d broken something.

  Yeah, he’d know all right. And then there was the thing with the bear…she’d need help with that. Shit, that sounded dangerous, but she’d promised him.

  Emily turned onto her back, thinking that all the fresh air would have made her sleepy, but it hadn’t. She reached for her phone. Maybe she’d call a few of her friends to see what they were doing tonight. She reached for it, turned it on, and saw something she didn’t want to. No signal.

  What did she expect stuck out here in the middle of nowhere? She wouldn’t have picked it in a million years, but her dad had told her this was the place to be.

  She took a deep breath and sat up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. If she lay here any longer, she’d start pacing and listening to all the thoughts milling around in her head. Silence was a strange companion.

  She’d go for a nice evening stroll before it got too dark to find her way back to the camper.

  ****

  Trent finished the last of his burger and took the plate to the sink. He turned on the taps and glanced out at the last tiny sliver of the sun as it went down on the horizon. Tonight was a full moon and he’d hazard a guess it was going to be a beautiful evening. In fact, he’d drag out the telescope and do some star gazing. Lots of shifters in their group often got together for some mass star gazing and reminiscing. They’d listen to the elder shifters tell them stories about where they’d come from and what their old home had been like. They’d take turns guessing whereabouts in the sky their home planet had once been. Maybe he’d get the group together and do that again sometime soon. Perhaps have them over at the house for a barbecue too.

  He wiped his hands, turned, and walked along the hallway. He pulled open the cupboard door and reached up on the top shelf for the telescope and its stand. Trent placed both on the ground and assembled it, remembering fondly that he and his dad had used it almost every night during their first summer in this house. He carried it into the living room and sat it in front of the window. He dragged a chair over behind it and sat.

  Swiping away some dust from the lens, he glanced through the eyepiece and focused on the stream. That was the best thing about this place; complete privacy and no one around to disturb the peace.

  He moved the lens upward, looking into the sky. Some stars were already twinkling. He was young enough to remember what their lives had been like on their home planet. There you didn’t need artificial lights because the stars were so bright they lit up the night sky and reflected back down onto their homes and streets.

  Trent moved the lens downward.

  He swallowed.

  She was back. Not fishing this time, but strolling along in a brown jacket and some very tight jeans.

  Maybe she was a figment of his imagination. His mind conjuring up a female mirage because it had been so long since he’d been with a woman shifter in their group. He took a deep breath. If he looked at her any more, he’d be jerking off again and then need another cold shower.

  He had to quit looking.

  Wolves howling in the distance caught his attention. He listened closely. They were part of his shifter’s group. Announcing a small get together tonight once the moon was out. Maybe he’d go. No, he felt more like staying in and watching this woman who continued to fascinate him so much.

  Was she living around here someplace? The nearest house was a mile away and he hadn’t seen a for sale sign outside it. That didn’t mean she wasn’t staying there as someone’s guest though.

  He glanced through the lens again just as the wolves howled another message. Bring your own food and beer.

  And then suddenly she was gone.

  Chapter Two

  Emily ran so fast up the hill that she fell over not once, but twice. Both times, she’d fallen over her own feet because she couldn’t move them fast enough.

  She looked down at herself. Shit, she had dirt all over her, but she’d been smart to run. The wolves had sounded close by. Her heart pounding and almost beating out of her chest, she put her hand on the camper door and opened it, almost falling face down on the rug. Putting her hand on her chest, her heartbeat pounded against its palm. That had been a close call.

  Unlike her dad, she’d never been an outdoorsy sort of person, and now she knew why. Nature and its inhabitants scared her. What if the wolves decided to pay her a visit tonight? She reached across to the door making sure it was closed all the way and bolted shut.

  The windows—could they break the windows? Would they smell her inside the camper and try any means to get inside?

  She’d never heard of them doing something like that, but there was always a first time.

  This panic was getting her nowhere.

  She’d go to bed, shut her eyes, and try to forget about the howling she’d heard. She’d pretend she was safe at home.

  Emily got under the blanket and pulled it up over her head, peeking out over the top.

  Shit, had the wolves howled again? And had they sounded closer this time around?

  Pulling the blanket completely over her head, she willed herself to go to sleep and hoped that the morning would arrive before she knew it.

  ****

  Trent hadn’t felt sleepy. He’d thought about joining the wolf pack for drinks, but instead opted for a stroll along the stream.

  He hadn’t realized how chilly the night air was until he got to the edge of the water. He rubbed his hands up and down his arms. He hated being cold.

  Knowing no one was about to witness the transformation, he gradually shifted into his bear form. The thick fur would keep him warm and allow him to stay outside longer. He went on down all fours and pounded along the edge of the water. Why hadn’t he thought about this straight away? One of the great things about being a bear was running through the water with the stars shining overhead.

  It sure was a lovely night. Every star looked super bright. He turned the corner where the stream began meandering to the north, but then he stopped dead in his tracks.

  A trailer.

  Someone had parked a trailer on his property. He put his nose in the air. A human was in there. He glanced around, his night vision allowing him to see the bra, panties, and jeans hanging on a tree branch nearby. He recognized all these pieces of clothing. He sniffed the air again. The clothing smelled good. Trent looked at the trailer. He’d hazard a guess she was staying inside it.

  He edged closer. The trailer didn’t have drapes like many did these days. This one looked like it belonged to a real outdoorsman. He took another step, putting his nose into the air. Yep, it was a female and she was definitely inside. Her perfume drifted his way and then he got a whiff of her female scent.

  No one else was inside there. She was all alone.

  Trent edged even closer to the trailer, hoping she didn’t have a gun. The last time he’d been out here in his bear form, someone had taken a shot at him a
nd got him clean in the thigh.

  He circled the trailer, keeping his nose into the air. She excited the man in him as well as the bear. A human had never thrilled him like this before. Trent got up on all fours and put his paws on the edge of the trailer close to one of the windows. He spotted her immediately. She was in bed.

  She was more beautiful up close than she’d been at a distance. Her dark locks hung over her shoulders and she had the most perfect oval face. And as she lay on her side, her curvy hip and thigh stuck up in the air almost calling him inside.

  Trent put his face to the window hoping it would get him an even better view of the sleeping beauty.

  Shit, very bad idea.

  She must have heard him wandering around outside because she suddenly woke up. She looked straight at him.

  Her scream almost pierced his eardrums. She jumped out of bed, causing the blanket to fall to the ground. She wore a t-shirt that barely covered her thighs.

  He licked his lips and despite the urgent need to stay and look some more, he knew he had to run just in case she did have a gun and was a better shot than the last idiot who’d fired at him.

  Trent turned on one paw and took off at full speed down the hill. Even if she had a gun, in this low light she’d never see him well enough to shoot, well, not unless she got damn lucky.

  He changed back into his human half and rushed back into the house.

  Sitting down in his father’s chair, he got his breath back, thinking about what he’d just discovered.

  She was staying nearby which meant she intended to stick around for a bit. He’d pay her another visit tomorrow. His bear half might have scared her, but he was hoping his human side would be a lot more appealing.

  Chapter Three

  Emily yawned. She hadn’t gotten more than an hour’s sleep since she’d woken up and seen the bear looking through the window. Her scream had obviously scared him off. She wouldn’t be surprised if people living in the nearest house had heard it too. Well, if that were the case they hadn’t come to her rescue. Maybe this sort of thing was perfectly natural out here in the wilderness. Sort of ironic that when she’d gone to bed her only concern had been that the wolves would circle the trailer. She’d woken up hearing something outside and had the shock of her life when she’d seen a bear’s face at the window. It was the first time she’d seen one, and the eyes almost looked like there was a human somewhere inside there. In its own way, it had been sort of cute.