Wild Bear Winter, Part Two

*** Please Note - This is Part Two of the Wild Bear Winter story. If you're looking for Part One, CLICK HERE! 

Tasha glanced at the clock that graced the wall just above a glittering Christmas garland. Four o’clock sharp, and time to shut down the store. Her boss, Emily, had told her they could close down as early as she wanted on Christmas Eve, or even not open at all. But Tasha hadn’t minded working. She wanted to give their customers one last chance to find the perfect book to wrap and put under the Christmas tree, and she also wanted to keep her mind busy, so she wouldn’t spend too much time thinking about how sad it made her to not have her mom around for the holidays anymore.

If Tasha was being honest, she’d also been hoping that she just might have another chance to see Max. He’d been in the store nearly every day over the last few weeks. Most days, it had been because he had large boxes of books to deliver. Business had been good, and Emily had been ordering new books nonstop, afraid of the store running out of stock.

But even on the days when he didn’t have a delivery, Max had found reasons to show up at the bookstore. He’d claimed he needed a book for a gift, or that he was desperate for a new story to stave off boredom after work.

Whatever his reason for being there, he always lingered. He would spend far too much time talking to Tasha, asking questions that made her feel like he had a genuine interest in her life. She had told him practically her whole life story at this point, and he knew all about how she had struggled to take care of her sick mother over the last few years. He had been so kind and sympathetic when he learned that she’d lost her mother, and the way his eyes had crinkled up with concern over her story had made her heart melt.

She told herself that she shouldn’t be jumping into a relationship, and that she didn’t know him very well. But she had to admit that these admonishments to herself were quite half-hearted. The more Max hung around, the more she wanted more than anything to be able to spend time with him.

She tried to ask him questions about himself, so she could get to know him better as well. But although he never outright refused to answer a question, he often gave her short answers that didn’t fully satisfy her. He was especially reluctant to give any more information about why he had suddenly moved to Wood Canyon, usually just saying that it had been time for a change, and leaving it at that.

Even Emily had noticed the way Max held back details of his own life, and she deemed this a giant red flag. But Tasha didn’t listen when Emily told her to be more careful. 

When Tasha looked into Max’s eyes, which were always so full of earnestness, she could not believe that his reasons for remaining so private were nefarious.

He must have his reasons for not wanting to talk much about himself. She wouldn’t fault him for that. Not when their friendship was still so new. Not when he always treated her with such kindness.

Not when she desperately wanted him to continue coming to the store and talking to her every day.

Tasha sighed as she glanced at the clock once more. The time had crept forward to 4:10, and Tasha really should close down the store. She doubted any more customers were coming at this point, and it seemed that Max was not going to make an appearance. She tried to swallow her disappointment and not take his absence personally. He didn’t owe her anything, after all, and he probably wanted to spend time with his friends. She’d learned over the last few times she’d seen him that he was good friends with Julia and Julia’s boyfriend, as well as friends with Julia’s best friend Lola and Lola’s boyfriend, Dane. Julia and Lola both attended a book club with Emily, and Emily had been trying to get Tasha to join. But Tasha had not committed yet, afraid of taking on too many social commitments all at once. She had said she’d think about it, although she had secretly been reading the book for the next month’s meeting, just in case she drummed up the courage to go.

As she walked toward the front door of the bookshop to lock it, however, she didn’t feel particularly courageous. She felt worn down and sad at the prospect of facing Christmas Eve alone. Emily, Julia, and even Lola had invited her to spend time with them, but she’d turned them all down, not wanting to be a mopey wet blanket on their Christmas Eve parties. She was beginning to think that had been a mistake, however, especially when she considered the fact that Max might very well be at a party that Julia or Lola were attending, since he was good friends with their boyfriends. Just the idea of running into Max at a party and having hours to spend with him made Tasha’s heart beat faster.

“Stop being ridiculous,” she said aloud to herself as she reached the front door. Even if she did run into Max at a party, there was no guarantee that he’d want to spend hours talking with her.

Still, a girl could daydream, couldn’t she?

Tasha was so caught up in her daydream that it took her several seconds to realize that the very object of her daydreams was standing right in front of her. 

“Max!” she yelped as her eyes met his through the glass of the bookstore’s front door. He grinned as she opened that door to greet him. 

“Hey,” he said in a voice so warm it chased away any small chill Tasha felt from the fact that she’d opened the door and let in the December cold. “I know you’re closed already, but is it alright if I come in for a minute? I tried so hard to get here before four, but I just couldn’t make it.”

Tasha held the door open. “Of course! Come on in!”

She didn’t care if he held her up at work on Christmas Eve. It’s not like she had a family to head home to, so she was in no hurry to leave. And she was so happy to see Max! She’d given up hope that he was going to come by, so seeing him truly felt like a Christmas miracle.

“Did you, uh…need a last-minute Christmas gift or something?” she asked. “We still have a pretty good stock of new releases, although our selection of thrillers is running a bit low. But you could always do a gift card if you don’t find what you’re looking for. And, anyway—”

“Tasha!”

Max’s amused but firm voice stopped Tasha’s ranting in its tracks.

“Um…yes?” she asked. 

To her shock, Max walked over and placed one of his large, impossibly warm hands over her smaller, colder hand.

“I didn’t come here to pick up a last-minute gift.”

At his touch, Tasha felt like her whole body had instantly gone up in flames.

“You, uh, didn’t?” she asked. “Then what’d you come here for?" 

He squeezed her hand that he was holding. “I came here to see you.”

“Me?” she squeaked.

His smile widened, but his eyes burned with unmistakable heat. “Yes, you. I know we haven’t known each other that long, but we’ve actually spent a lot of time together, and I feel like you’ve become one of my very best friends. I couldn’t bear the thought of you being alone on Christmas Eve, so I came to see if you had plans.”

“You came to check on me?” Tasha asked, wonder filling her voice. She knew she probably sounded ridiculous as she dumbly repeated what he was saying, but she couldn’t help it. Her own mind couldn’t quite comprehend what was happening.

Max, the most handsome man she’d ever met, the man she’d been crushing on for weeks while trying to convince herself that she could never hope for a future with him…that very same man was standing in front of her now, asking to spend Christmas Eve itself with her.

Max suddenly looked worried. “Yes, I did. But I’m not trying to impose. If you already had plans, don’t feel obligated to come with me. It’s just that I know this is your first Christmas Eve without your mom, and I thought maybe it would be helpful to have a friend around. But if you already have other plans, or if you’d rather be alone, then I completely understand.”

For several long moments, Tasha could only stare at him. He must have taken this to mean that she did indeed have other plans, or, worse yet, that she didn’t want to spend time with him regardless of whether she had plans. His face fell, and he pulled his hand away and started turning toward the front door.

“Never mind,” he said thickly. “Of course you already have plans. I didn’t mean to bother you. Merry Christmas, Tasha.”

She felt the loss of his hand on hers as sharply as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over her head. “Wait!” she cried out. “Don’t go!” 

He turned, a look of cautious hope in his eyes. She realized then that, while his reasons for being alone at Christmas might not be quite as tragic as hers, the fact remained that he might also be alone at Christmas. He was new in town, and if he hadn’t wanted to intrude on the romantic Christmas Eve celebrations his friends Andy and Dane were no doubt planning for their girlfriends, then Max might also be spending this Christmas very much alone.

“I actually don’t have plans,” she told him. “Well, no plans other than to heat up a frozen lasagna and probably watch something sappy on T.V. Do you want to join me?”

Max’s face instantly lit up. “Nothing would make me happier. Do you have enough lasagna for me, or should I try to catch the grocery store before it closes?”

Tasha laughed. “I have plenty. It’s a party size frozen lasagna, which is ridiculous since I live alone, I know. But I like to get the biggest one available and then cook it all at once so I have dinner for several nights in a row. Oh, god. I can’t believe I confessed to that. You must think I’m so pathetic.” 

He smiled at her like she was anything but pathetic. “I don’t think you’re pathetic at all. That’s very practical. Also, I brought you a bottle of red wine that I was hoping we could drink together, and I’m sure it’ll go really well with lasagna.”

“Sounds perfect,” Tasha said. “I just need to close up here, but it shouldn’t take too long. If you don’t mind waiting, you can follow me back to my place.”

“I don’t mind at all,” Max replied. “Take your time.”

Tasha did not take her time, however. She completed her closing duties in record time, thrilled at the idea of having uninterrupted time with Max, and in the privacy of her own home! Would he try to kiss her? She hoped so. She would never have admitted it out loud to anyone, but she could not think of a better Christmas Eve present than a kiss from Max.

Regardless of whether any sparks flew between them tonight, though, she felt grateful for his company. If nothing else, at least having him around would keep her mind off the fact that her mom wasn’t there to celebrate the holidays with her.

Max was fairly quiet when they arrived at her house. He stood silently in her driveway for a few moments, taking in the cozy cottage in front of her, and Tasha wondered what he was thinking.

“I know it’s a fairly simple home, but it’s mine,” she said, a note of apology in her voice. “It was my mom’s and she left it to me, and, well, I love the place. I didn’t want to move. I feel close to her here.”

Max turned to look at her, a caring smile spreading across his face. “Don’t belittle this place! I was just thinking how perfect it looks. Even in the dark and with snow on the ground, I can tell that the yard is well maintained.”

Tasha felt her nerves easing a bit. “I love tending to the yard. And there’s a garden in the back. It’s not much to look at now, but in the spring and summer it’s just divine! You’ll have to come back and see it then.”

“Can I see it now, even if it’s not much to look at?”

Tasha shrugged. “Sure, why not? Follow me.”

She walked around to the side of the house, leading Max through the gate into the backyard. The garden definitely didn’t have the same wow factor at that moment as it did in the spring or summer, but with bright moonlight shining down and making the snow covered shrubs and flowerbeds glisten, it did have a certain magic all its own.

Max must have felt the magic, too. “Wow,” he breathed, looking around. “It’s beautiful.”

Then he turned to face her. “Just like you.”

It didn’t matter that a December chill filled the air. Tasha instantly felt her whole body warm. She tried to come up with something witty to say in response, but she felt tongue-tied. She’d known that the chemistry between her and Max had been building over the last few weeks, but she hadn’t expected him to be so immediately and clearly vocal about it.

As it turned out, she didn’t need to find the right words to say. Before she could get her bearings, Max was stepping toward her and putting his lips on hers.

Fireworks instantly went off all across her body. She could hardly believe it was happening: Max, the man she’d dreamed about nonstop for the last several weeks, the man who had won her over with his witty conversations and kind smile, was kissing her.

She forgot about the fact that she’d been trying to convince herself that this was a bad time to fall in love. She forgot Emily’s warnings about romance never working out as well in real life as it did in romance novels. All she could think about was how good Max’s lips felt on hers, and how she never wanted this kiss to end. They hadn’t even made it to the wine and lasagna yet, and already this night had proven to be the best Christmas Eve ever.

But the kiss didn’t last nearly long enough. Max only kissed her for a few beats before jumping back suddenly, as though he’d been stung. Tasha felt her heart sink. Was kissing her really that bad? 

“What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to keep the shaking out of her voice, but not quite succeeding. She could see Max shutting down, the emotion in his eyes going behind a carefully shuttered look.

What had just happened? He had seemed so overcome with desire for her, and the feeling had been quite mutual. How had that desire died so quickly? 

“We…we don’t have to do anything,” Tasha said, trying to sound nonchalant. “I mean, yes you’re a good-looking guy and I find you attractive, but if you don’t feel the same way toward me, no hard feelings. We can just have some dinner as friends. No worries.”

She gave him what she hoped was a bright, convincing smile, even though she felt like her heart was breaking.

“Oh, god, Tasha,” he said, putting his face in his hands for a moment before looking back up at her. “That’s not it at all. Believe me, I feel very attracted to you. It’s just that…there’s something I haven’t told you about myself, and I don’t feel right coming onto you until I’ve explained it.”

Tasha frowned. What could he possibly have hidden that he needed to explain before they continued to kiss? “Oooookay,” she said slowly, unsure of what else to say.

Max put his head in his hands again, but only for a brief moment. When he raised his head again, he had a very determined look. “Okay then, I’ll just come right out and say it…”

Max took a deep breath and tried to ignore the panicked look in Tasha’s eyes. This wasn’t exactly the way he’d planned on telling her that he had a bear within him, and it definitely wasn’t the way he’d planned on telling her he had feelings for her.

He’d wanted to plan something romantic and heartwarming to show her that his heart beat for her. And he’d wanted to do it after he’d told her that he was a bear shifter, so that she wouldn’t have to deal with conflicting emotions over whether she wanted to have a bear in her life or not while also trying to process that he liked her.

But he’d screwed up his plan. He’d been so overcome with her perfect beauty in the moonlit stillness of her backyard that he’d lost control of his own emotions and kissed her. It had been rash and foolish, and he knew it. And yet, who could blame him? 

He dared any single man to look at her in that moonlit winter landscape and not want to kiss her. She looked positively ethereal.

“Max?” she prompted, bringing him back to the present moment.

He sighed. He’d said he would come right out and say it, but he still found himself tongue-tied. What if Tasha wasn’t the woman he thought she was. What if she judged him as unworthy simply because he was different?

Only one way to find out, he told himself.

And then, he looked up and forced himself to meet Tasha’s eyes. “Look, Tasha, I think it’s not a secret that I’ve been attracted to you since the very first time I met you. Surely, you felt the sparks flying between us that first day that I showed up with a delivery for the bookstore.”

She nodded, but kept a guarded expression on her face. 

Max took another deep breath and continued. “The thing is, I’m the kind of guy who normally wouldn’t wait so long to tell a girl I liked her. I’m the kind of guy who sees what I want and goes for it. The reason I haven’t done that yet with you, is that, unlike most women I’ve known in my life, you don’t already know about a very big, very different part of me.”

“Oooookay,” Tasha said, furrowing her brow in understandable confusion. “Care to elaborate on that?”

Max steeled himself. Here went nothing. Or, here went everything. It all depended on Tasha’s reaction.

“The thing is, I’m not an ordinary man. I’m a bear shifter. That means that I can switch back and forth between being a human man and being a bear at will.”

Tasha blinked at him several times, her eyes still furrowed in confusion. Finally, she asked in a wary tone. “Is this some sort of prank? Because I’m not quite getting the joke.” 

“No,” Max said vehemently. “It’s not a prank, and it’s definitely not a joke. I know it sounds strange, but it’s true. Bear shifters aren’t just the stuff of fairy tales. They’re real, and I’m one of them.” 

Tasha still looked unconvinced. “Like…a werewolf, you mean? Except a bear? A…werebear?”

Max shook his head. “Not exactly. A werewolf is a creature that occurs when a current werewolf bites and infects a new person. But a shifter is a genetic trait. It’s passed down from generation to generation of bear shifters. It isn’t something that’s ‘contagious’ or spread by biting. And werewolves generally can’t control changing their forms when there’s a full moon, or other certain situations. Shifters can change back and forth at will at any time.”

Tasha was silent again, staring at him as though she still expected him to tell her that this was all a joke.

“I could…show you how I shift,” Max said. “If you want me to, I mean. I know it’s a lot to take in. And I don’t want to scare you. I assure you, I’m still very much aware of who I am and what I’m doing while in bear form. I won’t become a wild beast and hurt you or anything like that.”

“But why tell me now?” Tasha asked, apparently not willing to answer the question of whether he should actually shift. “Why not tell me before, during one of the many times we talked in the store?”

Max shrugged. “I could have, I guess. But I didn’t want to tell you in a place where we could be interrupted by customers, or by Emily. It’s a pretty big piece of news, and I didn’t want to have to rush my explanation.”

Tasha considered this, and then her eyes widened. “Wait a minute. Is your friend Dane that you moved here for a bear shifter too?”

Max hesitated. He hadn’t planned on outing Dane, and he wasn’t sure whether it was the right thing to do. If Tasha decided to freak out and go to the police about the fact that he was a shifter, which wasn’t an unheard of reaction for a full human, then he didn’t want Dane to be dragged into things.

But he also didn’t think Tasha was that kind of person. Even if she didn’t want a romantic relationship with a bear shifter, he didn’t think she would go running to the police and cause trouble. Either he trusted her, or he didn’t.

Max decided he trusted her. 

“Yes,” he said with a firm nod. “Dane is also a bear shifter. And so is Andy.”

Tasha’s eyes widened even more. “Do Julia and Lola know?”

Max wasn’t sure whether to be offended or to laugh at that question. “Of course,” he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. “Bear shifters are very serious about our mates. We would never lead someone on and hide who we are from them. That’s why I jumped back from kissing you. I really should not have done even that much without explaining things to you first, and I’m truly sorry for that.”

“So it wasn’t that I’m a bad kisser?” Tasha said, suddenly sounding very hopeful.

It was Max’s turn to widen his eyes. “No way! That was easily the best kiss of my life. I’d love nothing more than to continue it, and to kiss you again, over and over for the rest of our lives. But I want you to understand who I am and what you’re getting into if we start a relationship.”

Tasha was quiet for a few moments, staring at him with a hard gaze, as though she might see right through whatever prank he was playing. Max met her gaze with a steady gaze of his own, willing her to see that he was telling her the truth.

“Can you show me?” she finally asked.

“Show you what?” He had a feeling he knew, but he wanted to make sure.

“Show me how you…turn into a bear.”

She sounded nervous, and Max supposed he couldn’t blame her. This whole thing must seem quite bizarre to someone who had never heard of shifters before.

“Sure,” he said with an easy smile. “Just to warn you, though, I’ll need to take my clothes off to turn fully into a bear. Otherwise they’ll be torn and ruined from the force of shifting.”

“You don’t have to, if it’s too cold,” Tasha said quickly. “I don’t want to push you. I’m just really curious what it looks like when someone changes into a bear.”

“I don’t mind the cold. It’ll only be for a few moments, because once I’m in bear form my fur will keep me warm. Hang on, let me get all this clothing off and then I’ll show you.”

Tasha nodded, then her face turned a bit pink. “I’ll, uh, turn around to give you some privacy.”

Max almost laughed at that. Like most bear shifters, he wasn’t at all shy about being naked when he shifted. It was just a fact of life for him. But he respected Tasha’s feelings, so he said nothing as she turned around quickly. Whatever made her feel more comfortable was fine with him.

As soon as he started peeling his clothes off, the freezing temperatures did indeed bite at his skin. But it only took a few moments for him to begin transforming into a giant grizzly. His body grew rapidly in size, and his skin thickened and then sprouted thick brown fur. His head morphed into the shape of a bear’s head. His teeth grew long and razor sharp, and his hands and feet changed to paws that ended in long, sharp claws. When finally he had finished shifting completely, Tasha still hadn’t turned around. Gently, he padded across the snow toward her, then nuzzled her hand with his large bear nose. 

She startled as he touched her, whirling around and widening her eyes. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth as she took in the sight of him.

“Wow, it’s really true. You really became a bear.” She tentatively petted the top of his head, and he remained very still as she did, not wanting to scare her.

She walked in a slow circle around him, taking in his bear form from every side.

“I can’t believe it’s true,” she murmured. “I still thought this was all some sort of weird trick. But you really did it. You changed into a bear.”

Max wanted to ask her if she liked his bear form, but he wasn’t able to speak while in bear form. So instead, he nuzzled her hand again, hoping that she would keep talking.

But instead of talking, she suddenly threw her arms around him, embracing his bear with no fear. Max felt his heart warm.

She accepted him. She accepted his bear. He was sure she’d still have a lot of questions, but the important thing was that she hadn’t run screaming into the woods when he shifted.

The important thing was that she had seen him, all of him, and she still cared for him. His heart swelled with love and gratitude, and he breathed in the scent of her as she pressed herself against his bear body.

And then, he felt that she was shivering. He himself felt warm and toasty with all his bear fur, but he needed to get her inside. He hated to cut the magical moment short, but he didn’t want her to get frostbite.

With a small grunt, he gently pulled away from her, and then shifted back to human form. She had sense enough to stay back as the powerful energy from his shifting radiated outward from his body, and within a minute had had transformed back into a human man. He reached for his clothes to pull them back on, but noted that she hadn’t turned around in embarrassment as she had before.

“Y-you really d-did it!” she exclaimed in a chattering voice. “You ch-changed into a bear.”

“I did,” he said with a smile. “Let’s head inside to talk about it. You’re looking and sounding a bit chilled.”

She nodded, and walked past him to unlock the back door. He followed her, holding his clothes in front of his body to block his nakedness. He wasn’t as cold as she was yet, but he wouldn’t mind getting dressed again in the warmth of her house instead of in the blistering cold.

But when the warmth of her living room hit him, he had no time to get dressed before she had launched herself at him, putting her lips on his.

He moaned, and melted into her kiss, instantly hard. She must have felt him through her clothes, because she pressed her hips against him. The pressure of her body against his dick only made him harder, and he pulled her into him, kissing her fervently as he reached to push off her jacket.

She tried to help him, but for a few moments they were an awkward tangle of limbs and clothing. Soon enough, though, he’d freed her from her heavy outdoor wear, and all that remained between his body and hers was her jeans and a soft sweater. He, of course, was naked as the day he was born, but he had no problem with that, and she seemed to have lost her shyness over the fact that he had no clothes on. She kissed him deeply, and he kissed her back, his tongue dancing with her tongue.

“Max,” she breathed, pulling back for a moment to look into his eyes. Her pupils were wide and dilated, and he imagined his must be the same. He felt drawn to her on a soul level, like nothing in the universe could keep him away from her. She was so damn beautiful. He never wanted to stop kissing her, but if this was all moving too fast for her, he’d respect her. He’d pull back and they would take things slowly, as much as it would kill him. He was already so hard that he felt he was going to burst out of his skin if he couldn’t mate with her and find some relief. 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” he asked. “Should we slow down? I can go put some clothes on. We can enjoy our Christmas Eve dinner, and just be in each other’s company.”

“It’s not that,” she panted. “It’s that I want you. I want to take off the rest of my clothes and have you inside me. But I feel weird saying that because I’m not someone who would usually move so quickly with a man. But you’re not just a man. You’re…well, you’re something more. And I want more of you.” 

He kissed her nose, gently. “I want to be inside you more than anything. But I don’t want to rush things if you’re not ready.”

 

She gave him a long-suffering look. “We’ve been dancing around the chemistry between us for weeks. I’m more than ready to act on that chemistry.”

He still hesitated. “If you’re sure. I have to warn you, once I really get going it’s going to be hard to stop.”

“I don’t want you to stop. I want all of you.”

Max growled, the hunger in her eyes mirroring the hunger he felt, and stoking that hunger. He wanted her, all of her. He needed her. He was going to have her.

His bear wanted to claim her, and it had been denied too long.

With another deep growl, he reached for the hem of her sweater to pull it over her head.

“Well, then, sweetheart,” he told her in a husky voice. “I’m going to give you all of me.”

He made short work of tearing off her clothes, until she was just as naked as he was. The whole time, they continued to kiss, their mouths hungry for each other, their bodies trembling with anticipation as they collapsed together on the ultra-plush rug that spread across her living room floor just in front of her Christmas Tree.

But despite the heat and passion of the moment, he still found the presence of mind to pause for a moment and take in the beauty of the sight before him. Tasha’s naked body was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen, her smooth skin glowing in the light of her Christmas tree, and her nipples pointing upward, hard and erect. 

Damn it if her beauty wasn’t going to be his absolute ruin. How was he ever going to concentrate on anything again other than the fact that he wanted her?

A soft moan escaped her lips, and he felt the heat and pressure building up in his core until he felt he was going to explode. He moved his body to hover over her, but forced himself not to slam into her. Not yet.

“Tasha,” he whispered. “Are you sure this is what you want? You’re sure you’re okay with this?” 

“Yes,” she panted, closing her eyes, and arching her hips up toward him. Her hair had come loose from its neat ponytail and hung in haphazard waves around her head. “I want.”

Max groaned, and decided to trust her and respect her enough to believe that she knew herself and did indeed know what she wanted. With one last, hungry groan, he slammed into her.

And oh, god, was it the best thing he’d ever felt. She was so hot, tight and wet. His whole body was on fire as he thrust into her again, and again, and again.

This must be what heaven feels like, he thought. And then he stopped thinking and lost himself in the pure, wild passion of the moment.

* * *

Tasha felt her whole body overcome with so many feelings that she couldn’t contain them. She’d hoped for a Christmas Eve kiss when she left the bookstore earlier with Max by her side. But she’d never imagined that the night would turn out the way it had, with Max telling her he was part bear and then making love to her. She was still trying to process everything, but one thing she knew with certainty: nothing had ever been as right as this.

 

She belonged with Max. She belonged here, in his arms under the Christmas lights, with him inside her. And oh, was having him inside her the best thing she’d ever experienced. His dick was so large and hard. It pushed against her slick inner walls as he slid in and out of her, hitting every sensitive spot and driving her absolutely wild. Her body felt impossibly hot, as though he’d literally set fire to her.

A delicious fire, that she never wanted to burn out.

The pressure and tingling in her core only grew as he moved in her, and when he bent his neck down to tease her hard nipples with his teeth, she became absolutely undone. She arched her back and screamed out his name as her release came in strong, unyielding waves. Her body shook with pleasure, and she heard Max growl as she came.

That growl. It was so primal. So Max.

She had never known pleasure like this.

He followed close behind her, roaring as he thrust into her one last time, deeper than ever before, then stiffened and panted as he pulsed into her, filling her with himself. Tasha clung to his bare back, drinking in the feel, the sound, the smell of him. 

He was perfect. This night was perfect. She’d been so afraid of being alone, but she wasn’t alone with him. And somehow, she knew, even though this thing between them had only just begun, that she would never be alone again.

Eventually, he pulled gently out of her and rolled to lay beside her, gathering her in his arms. For a long time, neither one of them said anything. They just reveled in the pleasure of being together.

Finally, he turned to look at her. “So, uh, I think we have a lot to talk about.”

“Shh,” she said, snuggling up against him. “Talk can wait. Let’s just enjoy this moment.”

He chuckled, and wrapped his arms around her. “Fair enough. Merry Christmas, Tasha.”

“Merry Christmas, Max.”

She had never known a Christmas so full of hope and happiness, and she could hardly wait to see what the new year brought for her and her bear.

Her bear!

What wonder! She couldn’t believe he had worried she would be anything less than ecstatic over the fact that he was part bear. She thought it was the most amazing thing she’d ever encountered, and she was looking forward to what life with a bear of a man would be like.

But for the moment, peace. Sweet peace. She would lie there with him, and simply enjoy the magic of the season.

*** Thank you for reading! CLICK HERE to read Part Three of the Wild Bear Winter story! ***