A Flame To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters 4) by Sloane Meyers Read Free Book Online

Bailey a little nudge on the small of her back.
    “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get going.”
    Once they passed the sign marking the trailhead, Trevor stepped in front of Bailey to lead the way down the overgrown path. He had walked this path hundreds of times, and he could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen someone else out here. He hoped the trail would be as deserted as usual today—he wanted some alone time with Bailey.
    They walked along in an easy, companionable silence for the better part of an hour. Trevor let his eyes wander over the familiar Redwoods that towered over the path. Ferns of all shapes and sizes grew up in the damp shade of the Redwoods’ shadows, and the sunlight that did seep through treetops lit up everything it touched into a brilliant shade of green.
    Magic seemed to ooze into the atmosphere out here. Trevor sometimes came here to shift. He would let his bear loose and run through the forest, breathing in deeply all of the fresh, earthy smells that surrounded him. He hadn’t told anyone else in his clan about this place. Normally, he shared everything with them—especially prime shifting locations. But somehow this place had always felt sacred to him. It was his special, secret place.
    As they continued hiking, Bailey started commenting when they passed a particularly large or beautiful tree. Which, out here, happened frequently. Trevor smiled as he watched Bailey’s face lighting up with wonder. This place had a way of healing Trevor’s heart when life became too much to take, and he hoped it would do the same for Bailey. He hoped that being away from the noise of civilization would bring her some clarity.
    As the sun rose high in the sky, and the time displayed on Trevor’s digital watch flipped over to 12:00, the trail began to follow the upstream path of a small stream. A faint roar slowly grew louder and louder, until Trevor and Bailey rounded a corner and came face to face with a large waterfall. Crystal clear water cascaded from rocks high above them, catching sunlight to create a dazzling display of sparkling droplets on the way down. A small pool of water at the bottom of the waterfall formed a lagoon in the shape of a perfect half-circle.
    “Wow,” Bailey whispered. “This is incredible.” She slowly stepped toward the lagoon and took in the beauty surrounding them. Trevor held back, letting her enjoy the magnificence of what might possibly be his favorite place in the world. She paused for a moment in one of the sunbeams streaming through the treetops, and the light set the silhouette of her hair aglow.
    When she turned around and the sunlight hit her face, Trevor felt his dick stiffening, and his bear clawing at his insides. He told himself to remain calm. They’d only spent one morning together so far, and he didn’t want to scare her off. To get his mind off of how much he wanted Bailey, he shrugged off his backpack and started pulling out Tupperware containers.
    “What’s that?” Bailey asked.
    “Lunch,” Trevor said. “Are you hungry?”
    “Starving! All that hiking has definitely made me work up an appetite.”
    “Good, let’s eat.”
    Trevor sat on the soft, grassy area near the lagoon, and Bailey joined him. He noticed she was shivering a bit, and he pulled off his sweatshirt. “Here, take this,” he said, handing it to her. “I know even this mild California winter starts to feel a little chilly when you sit still in the shade.”
    Bailey gave him a grateful look and took the sweatshirt from him. Trevor had to look away for a moment when he first saw her wearing it. He felt himself growing hard again at the sight of his sweatshirt draped over her curves. He focused his attention on opening the Tupperware containers that held their lunch. He had packed grapes, sliced strawberries, and sliced apples, along with an assortment of crackers and cheeses.
    “Trevor, this looks amazing,” Bailey said, popping a slice of Brie into her mouth. I