Taken by the Bear Read online

  She wanted more than sex. Callie wanted the whole nine yards, the happily ever after. Robert Williams had been married for almost seventy years before his wife passed away. The stories he told her described an epic romance, a faithful love that passed the test of time. Maybe that kind of relationship was a thing of the past. Finding Mr. Right didn’t seem probable at this point.

  Bastian was another story entirely.

  His deep, rough voice and fuck-me eyes had her stomach in knots. He doted over her, making her feel special when she’d felt like an outcast the past week. He gave her attention when she needed it most. If only things had been different, if only she’d met him at the grocery store or somewhere much closer to home. Or maybe she’d pegged him wrong and he chased after every single woman on his tour. She couldn’t imagine many women refusing even one night with a beast like Bastian. There was something irresistible about him, something almost primitive.

  For the next few hours, she’d just enjoy the attention and pretend she was the only woman he had eyes for. It was a welcome change of pace. She’d become a work horse, and forgotten she was a woman with dreams and desires.

  The climbing part of their tour wasn’t as steep as she expected, which was good. Heights were not her strong suit. She did savor being in the depths of such old growth forests. There were birds singing that she’d never heard before. Back in the city, there wasn’t much of anything but concrete and exhaust fumes. She rarely had time to visit the protected parks, so this was a treat.

  “Look!” One of the men pointed below at the river, urgency in his tone. Everyone leaned closer to the edge of the cliff. A huge grizzly bear walked along the riverbank, bulky and magnificent. She’d never seen one so close. It looked up at them, letting out a deep roar that made her blood curdle. When it started to charge up the side of the mountain toward them, everyone began rushing in every direction. The earth beneath her feet rumbled. Her group members pushed and screamed, crying for help. Callie was in shock, not sure what to do next. She’d been assured the tour was safe, and she put all her confidence in the four tour guides.

  Callie turned around and noted Bastian was alone. The other man who’d taken up the rear was gone.

  She locked eyes with Bastian. “What do I do? Should I run?” So many conflicting thoughts flitted in her head—run, play dead, scream, hide. She was too afraid to make her next move. Bastian looked calm and in control, and right now she needed someone to take charge.

  “Follow me,” he said. She did as told, following behind him as quick as she could, continually looking over her shoulder for the bear. He led her in a new direction, away from everyone else. Her thighs burned from exertion, but she ignored the pain and kept trudging onward. He slowed down at a rocky outcropping, proceeding to remove some vines and leaves to reveal a dark cave entrance. “Get in,” he said.

  She stood beside him, glancing at the foreboding hole in the side of the mountain. No way in hell was she crawling into there. “Bastian, I don’t know what’s in there. It looks like a bear cave.” Not to mention the bugs and who knows what else.

  “You want me to protect you, then listen. It’s safe inside. I’ll be right behind you.”

  The grizzly bear growled again and the sound echoed through the forest. She dropped to her knees and shuffled into the cave. Her only consolation was having Bastian by her side. She’d never be able to handle the fear on her own.

  After lowering some of the foliage back in place, he came and sat beside her.

  “Where is this place?”

  “I used to play here when I was a boy. I know these forests and mountains like the back of my hand,” he said.

  What kind of kid played where grizzlies and wolves were a constant danger?

  “Well, I’m glad for that,” she said. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

  “I can protect you from anything, Callie.”

  “Even a grizzly?”

  Her eyes adjusted to the minimal lighting. There were cracks and fissures above them, letting in thin rays of light. Bastian looked intense, not playful like she expected. “Yes, even a grizzly.”

  He sounded so damn confident that her nerves settled slightly. She wasn’t sure what it was about him that made her feel so safe. The man didn’t even have a gun.

  “Has this ever happened before?” she asked. “The whole grizzly thing.”

  “Not exactly, but it’s nothing to worry about.”

  “What happens if he catches one of the people from the group? Will he eat them?”

  He chuckled. “They’re not man-eaters. He may kill them, but that’s about it.”

  “That’s not comforting.”

  She ran her hands up and down her sleeves as they sat on the hard ground. It was freezing and her nerves weren’t helping her predicament.

  “Cold?”

  “I should have worn more layers. I think my butt and hands are going to freeze off. Alaska and I don’t go very well together.”

  “It’ll get warmer soon. Like I said, just a cold snap. Come here,” he said, patting his lap as he leaned back against the rocky wall.

  “What?”

  “I’ll warm you up. No funny business.” He winked.

  She shuffled closer to him. He took her chilled hand and slipped it under his shirt. She gasped. “You’re burning up. Are you sick?”

  “When you grow up in Alaska, you’re wired a bit different. My body always runs hot.”

  He felt feverish despite the cold. He certainly didn’t look or sound sick. Once she’d gotten over her shock, she became hyperaware of the intimacy of the situation. They were skin to skin, and his abs were rock hard. The man was ripped, not husky. She couldn’t resist running both her hands higher up his shirt, using the low temperature as an excuse to explore his body.

  She found herself crawling up onto his lap. The heat from his legs thawed her frozen ass. It felt heavenly. The man was like a living furnace—a sexy, muscular furnace, and she swore that was a hard cock pressed against her thigh.

  “Feel better?” His deep baritone was sex for her ears. She realized both her hands were on his broad shoulders, his shirt pulled up so high his torso was left exposed to the cold air.

  “Oh crap. I’m sorry.” She attempted to pull her arms away, but he grabbed her wrists.

  “I’m not complaining,” he said. The tip of his tongue wet his lips. They were so close. He even smelled good, such a rustic temptation. When he leaned closer to her, she didn’t back away. Callie wanted him to start something, wanted to feel his lips on hers. It felt like they were the last two people left in the world. Alaska had a way of doing that to a person. It was magical, and felt separate from everything she’d known. She almost wished the real world didn’t exist.

  She ran the tip of her finger along the thick scar on his cheek, the stubble not growing in along the old wound. “What happened to you?”

  “Bear attack.”

  Callie gasped. It wasn’t what she needed to hear. “Really? What happened?”

  “I was a lot younger. Trying to protect my mother,” he said. “Things would have been different had it happened today, but back then I wasn’t as strong. She was killed because of me.”

  “I’m sorry, Bastian. But you can’t blame yourself. A bear against a human is no match, no matter how old you were.”

  “That was a long time ago,” he said. “It will never happen again.”

  She cupped the scarred side of his face, feeling herself fall for this virtual stranger. Part of her wanted to heal him, to be everything he needed in a woman.

  “Alaska suits you, Callie.” He whispered the words only inches from her face, then he brushed his lips across hers. She exhaled, and the desperate sound she made surprised her. God, she needed this more than she realized. At thirty-two, she was peaking sexually, and with no man of her own, she couldn’t resist Bastian’s attention.

  She kissed him back, forcing him against the stony wall. His rough stubble scraped her cheek
s and his chest rumbled. His lips were thick and he kissed so damn well. She felt like she was the most desirable woman in the world. “I don’t do this kind of thing. I swear.” Callie wasn’t sure why it was so important for him to know. She wasn’t some whore who messed around with every hot guy she met. In fact, she’d been stifling her needs and focusing on the daily grind.

  “Hush now,” he whispered. Bastian combed his hand into her hair and kissed her neck. He licked her, suckling sensitive spots she never knew existed. She mewled and squirmed on his lap.

  “You’re good at this,” she murmured, her eyes closed.

  “I’m good at a lot of things.”

  She could envision them naked, his strong body dominating hers. The guys she’d dated looked nothing like Bastian. She couldn’t keep her hands to herself.

  “Are you still cold?”

  “Not anymore,” she said. He slid his big, rough hands under her shirt and up her back, holding her close. Callie was losing her mind, ready to let this stranger fuck her on the floor of a cave in Alaska. Should she go for it or stop this in its tracks?

  She wasn’t willing to put on the brakes. Callie nipped his ear and kissed his neck, his skin firm and tight. He unzipped her coat and unbuttoned her oversized sweater. Her pussy pulsed, making her breathing irregular. She swore she’d spontaneously combust at any moment.

  He peeled one cup of her bra down and covered her areola with his hot, wet mouth. His tongue painted patterns around her nipple as he suckled her tit in his mouth. She closed her eyes, her body so needy, so completely wanton.

  “You taste perfect, Callie. Sweet and addicting.” He switched from her breast to her lips again, hungrier than the first time. His other hand cupped her ass, securing her close.

  There was a noise outside the cave. Her last shred of logical thought came to the surface. She was a grown woman and had to think with her head. “The others are probably waiting for us.”

  He nipped her jawline, clearly not interested in the tour. “They’re probably at the departure site by now.”

  She bolted back, still on his lap. “What do you mean?”

  “We’re alone now, Callie. Hundreds of hectares of forest in every direction.” He stared at her, intensity in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if she should feel safe with him or terrified.

  “Would they actually leave without me? How will I get back to the ship?”

  ****

  Bastian heard Ranger outside the cave. He’d made major strides with Callie and didn’t want to be disturbed. But if he didn’t acknowledge his brother, things could get a lot worse. “Let me see what I can find out. Wait here, baby.”

  He got up and ducked out the entrance.

  “What the fuck are you doing?” Ranger whispered harshly.

  “Trying to claim my mate.”

  “Have you lost your mind? She’s human.”

  “I don’t give a shit.”

  His brother threw both arms in the air. “I thought this was about sex. I mean, blue balls I can understand. But this? Have you forgotten the family business? It’s over if you keep this girl, Bastian. You think any cruise line will contract us again if we can’t even return their fucking guests?”

  “Every tourist that comes through here gets the usual scare from Coben,” said Bastian. “And they keep sending them to us. I don’t think they’re too worried about safety.”

  “That’s because they think it’s part of the tour, some stunt to entertain the guests.”

  A few years ago they spiced up their regular tour with a bear sighting to keep things exciting, and make adventure-seekers anxious to sign on. All Coben had to do was walk along the river or make a sudden appearance within sight of the tourists. Today he pushed things way too far, but it had worked to Bastian’s advantage, giving him alone time with Callie.

  “I don’t think you understand what the fuck’s happening here,” said his brother.

  “Enlighten me.”

  “I only have Drake to count on. You and Coben have gone off the fucking bend.”

  “Coben?”

  “He wants the girl, too. As soon as he shifted, he went nuts. Isn’t that why you’re hiding her?”

  “I was just trying to be alone with her. She’s my mate, Ranger. I have no doubt about it. Why would he think she’s his?”

  “We’re bears, not wolves. You’ve seen males fight over females before. It’s brutal and bloody. The mating calls means nothing. The best man wins.”

  Bastian narrowed his eyes. Coben had been his friend since childhood, but the fuck if he’d hand over his woman to him.

  “We have to send her back to the ship,” said Bastian, thinking with a level head in light of the news. Until he knew exactly what was going on, he needed to ensure she was safe.

  “Finally, something smart out of you.”

  He grabbed his brother’s collar, tugging him close. “I didn’t say I was giving her up, Ranger. That’s never going to happen. She’s mine and I plan on claiming her. If Coben tries to stop me, I’ll kill him.”

  “You’re not thinking clearly. How long has it been since you’ve been with a woman?”

  “That has nothing to do with this. I want her as my mate, not a one-night stand. Stop fighting me on this. If you’ve forgotten, I’m still the eldest son.”

  Ranger kept his mouth shut. He’d be a fool to argue. Bastian had never felt more passionate about anything in his life. Until now, his days were black and white. Finding Callie changed everything. As soon as he released his coat, his brother turned to walk toward the helicopter site. Ranger shouldn’t be questioning him about any of this. Bastian had always been the stickler for rules, not the type to get drunk by the bonfire at night and make rash decisions. His feelings for Callie were real.

  Bastian ducked back into the cave. The sight of Callie soothed his beast in a heartbeat.

  “Everything okay?”

  He nodded. “The helicopter’s ready. We should hurry before that grizzly comes back.”

  “Thank God they didn’t leave without me. I can’t afford to get home if I miss the ship.” She took his hand and he helped her out of the cave. Every instinct in his body screamed at him not to let Callie leave the forest.

  It went against logic to let his mate walk out of his life when he’d just found her. It also crossed every boundary of friendship for Coben to challenge him for a woman.

  He pulled her close. “I don’t want you to leave.”

  She scraped her nails lightly along his stubble, staring into his eyes. “You’re not married, are you?”

  “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had a woman.” She kept quiet, but he felt her conflict. “Something wrong?”

  “It’s stupid.”

  “Tell me,” he said.

  “Part of me wishes I could stay here. With you.” She looked down. Her cheeks were a pretty pink. “Told you it was stupid. I’m acting like a teenager.”

  Bastian tilted her face up, forcing her to look at him again. “It’s not stupid at all.”

  “Love at first sight doesn’t exist. We don’t even know each other.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Sometimes a person just feels that connection. Maybe it’s fate, something deeper than we can understand.”

  “Real life doesn’t leave room for dreams … or fate. I’ve learned that over the years. I have to start back to work Monday, no matter what I want.”

  He ran the pad of his thumb along her lower lip. “Sometimes we have to take risks. To give that little part of us that still dreams a chance.”

  “It’s not so easy.” Callie held his wrist. “It’s not fair,” she whispered.

  He kissed her before they started walking, hoping to show her how much she meant to him. Humans and their odd customs continued to baffle him. Why marry and then cheat on your mate? Why settle for a mate because of status or money? In his world, it was about gut feelings, passion, and a mating call so deep that nothing could break it.

  They headed toward the departure
zone. He helped her over roots and obstacles along the unbeaten path, keeping his guards up for Coben. That fucker was on his shit list.

  The buzz of the helicopter blades caught his attention. They needed to hurry if he wanted her on board.

  “Come on,” he said. They moved faster, rushing up the last of the hill to the departure point. Just before they emerged into the open area where the helicopter waited, he stopped her. “You haven’t seen the last of me.”

  Callie smiled, but it was sad and didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t believe him.

  His mate had no clue how far he’d go to keep her.

  He turned and stared into the shadows of the forest, wondering where Coben was hiding. If it wasn’t for the threat his friend represented, he had no doubt he’d be buried between Callie’s legs by now.

  The rest of the group was already on board, and he took his seat up front after getting Callie secured. The tourists were gossiping about the sighting and their so-called near-death experiences. It would be good for publicity. In fact, the only one Coben had been after was Bastian’s mate. After decades of working together, the same woman managed to unhinge both of them. The difference—Callie belonged to Bastian.

  Chapter Three

  If only things had been different. Callie felt crushed, given a taste of happiness, only to have it taken away again. The helicopter ride back to the cruise line seemed to take much longer than this morning. As the others talked amongst each other, she stared down at the endless forests, her mind a million miles away. It was easy to convince herself that her real life back home didn’t exist when Alaska had such power over her heart. It was a different world, and it was going to be hard to say goodbye. She occasionally stole peeks of Bastian, sitting next to the pilot. Was he for real?

  Callie was used to fake assholes and found it hard to believe he felt anything real for her. He was too damn good-looking not to be taken. The last thing she needed was to give up her life only to find out everything about him had been an act. She’s have to be satisfied with her memories of today.

  Then why did a little voice inside her head keep nagging her to stay, to take a crazy chance at love? It was something in his eyes, the way he kissed, and the sincerity in his voice when he claimed to want her.