Bear Mated: A BBW Bear Shifter Paranomal Romance (Pine Ridge BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance Series Book 2) by Belinda Meyers Read Free Book Online Page B

hungry.”
    “I guess.” Why was she so reluctant
to admit that? It wasn’t like she was owning up to some deficiency. She
supposed it was because she didn’t want him to rescue her anymore. If she were
hungry, he would feel obliged to correct that. To fix her. She wanted to fix
herself.
    On the other hand, she was kind of
touched that he cared enough to wonder how she was doing and what she was
feeling. Did he … like her? He could
be so thickheaded and insensitive it was hard to tell.
    “So what if I am?” she added. “I
guess this McDonald’s of yours has a super-size option?”
    He laughed. “I’ll hook you up,” he
promised, although she wasn’t sure what that meant.
    They walked for a ways, and the sun
was edging toward the mountains to the west when Barbara heard the sound of
water. They came to a creek—maybe a river; it was pretty broad—and followed it
for a time. More sound reached her, the sound of a waterfall, and ahead of her
she saw mist. Soon they came on the falls themselves, a beautiful cascade of
crystal water plunging down into a secluded lagoon encircled on three sides by
a curtain of stone. The setting sun threw sparks across the rippling surface of
the little lake, and a fish leapt up into the air, its scales shining
silver-green.
    Barbara had to stifle a gasp. “It’s
beautiful,” she said.
    He wasn’t starting at the falls or
the lagoon. He stared at her. “Yes,” he said, and his face was as solemn as
she’d ever seen it. “It is.”
    Gulp. She twisted away, feeling her
neck grow warm.
    “Take a break,” he said. “I’ll find
us some grub.” He started to turn, then said, “Just so I don’t frighten you—I’m
going to Shift.”
    She nodded and stepped back. He
faced the river, and a bear exploded from him, superimposed itself over him,
eclipsing his human self. He became the bear, huge and handsome, a formidable
gray-brown grizzly showing terrible scars from the recent battle with the
eagles, and some older wounds that were larger and more vicious. Doubtless
caused by other bear shifters. Barbara had read that they fought a lot amongst
themselves. Their bears could get unruly and wild. Did that ever happen to
Rick? He seemed so calm, so in control. It was hard to imagine him truly
wild—cocky, yes, and living in a seat-of-the-pants manner, but not crazy.
    Judging by those scars, though, his
bear might grow out of control at times. He hadn’t talked about it, though. She
realized he was a deeper being than she had thought, that there were facets to
his personality beyond the ones he’d showed her. He had his own pain, his own
struggles. Just who was he? She realized she didn’t know. He’d asked a lot of
questions about her, but when she’d asked questions about him they hadn’t
really been about him but about his people. About whatever mystery they were
guarding. She had acted like a cop ,
she thought with dismay. Not a friend. Not … well, not a friend.
    Rick caught one fish, then another,
and another, laying each one side by side on the river bank, and she was
impressed by his smooth, quick movements, and she had to admit his bear was
very handsome. At last, when he had five fish gathered, he Shifted back into
human, and she had to suck in a breath at the sight of him, all muscles and
slim waist and sly grin. His bear had gotten wet obtaining the fish, and the
water had stayed on him during the Shift so that now it glistened on his pecs and trickled down the hollow between them, over his rippling
abs. Some of it even tangled in his pubic hair and sparkled like dew. A little
of it even misted his cock and made it shine wetly. His body was so naturally
hot that a hint of steam rose off him, even his shaft.
    Barbara realized she was biting her
lip and staring. Hastily, she averted her gaze. Too late. Out of the corner of
her vision she could see Rick looking pleased. Gone was his gloating smile. In
its place was a quieter, deeper expression, more somber and