Some Bear to Love: BBW Bear Shifter (BWWM) Romance Standalone by Terry Bolryder Read Free Book Online Page A

“I’m not looking for anything serious.”
    “You won’t get it from me,” he growled, lowering to water level to lick at her nipple. She tasted salty, but it felt just right. He arched her farther back and kissed her navel, dipping his tongue along the center. The more he touched her, the more he tasted, the wilder her body felt, the more the bear within him roared for his mate.
    But he knew how stupid it would be to answer that call.
    She had her life; he had his. It wouldn’t do to pretend being mates would solve all of that. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t experience all this chemistry together.
    She flailed slightly in the water, and he pulled her closely, keeping them afloat. “When you’re touching me, I can’t seem to focus on not drowning.”
    His eyes grew serious as he made her a promise. “I would never let you drown. I would never let anything happen to you.”
    Her eyes widened, like his statement meant something to her, like no one had ever said that before. The thought of it made him angry. This beautiful woman should be protected. She was strong and fiery and beautiful and precious, yet protection seemed to be lacking in her life.
    He pulled her close and just held her. Was he really protecting her by taking what he wanted with no thought for the future?
    She ran her hands over his shoulders. “I can’t promise you more than tonight, but I really want tonight. Just one night with my captain.”
    He swallowed, still holding her, letting the cool water pass them, keeping each other warm with their bodies. What to do? The bear inside him ached to know his mate at least once, and it wouldn’t do to ignore his bear. But the human in him resisted a match that made no sense. She was everything he wasn’t. She’d be bored with him for sure, and he’d get angry with her.
    So why wasn’t he letting her go? Why was he dipping to kiss the shell of her ear? Why was he grasping her large, soft butt in his hands and wrapping her legs around his waist in the water so he could keep her afloat? What was wrong with his brain today?
    Damn, his father was a good matchmaker. The problem was neither Sebastien nor Kim wanted to be matched. She didn’t want commitment any more than he did. The thought bothered him slightly, but at least it was fair. If she had wanted him for keeps, he could never condone doing what they were probably about to do.
    But just one night with only the ocean as witness, the sound of waves drowning their passion, alone… what could that hurt?
    Maybe a lot, but he felt he’d hurt more if he didn’t have it. After this, he could go back to the sea and she could go back to New York, and they’d each have a pleasant memory to treasure.
    He took her hand and swam toward the little dinghy he’d brought out with him when she’d stolen the boat. That seemed like an eternity ago, when she’d only been a nuisance. His dad had tried to describe to him just how quickly the mate thing happened, but he’d never believed it, always thought his father frivolous and shallow. Not that he blamed him for what happened afterward, but he had to believe his dad had made some sort of mistake that could be avoided. Because otherwise, how could he prevent the same thing happening to him?
    He imagined building a life with this woman, enjoying everything with her, having cubs with her, and then her disappearing one day. The imagined pain of it struck him down to the bone.
    That’s why this just had to be a passionate night to lose oneself in. One where they both knew the rules and took whatever passion they could from one another while leaving their hearts intact. But a part of him wanted to know why she said she couldn’t make promises. A part of him realized there was a part of her that was just as trapped as he was. And though he had no intention of getting out of his cage, he found himself wanting to free her.
    He climbed into the boat and helped her up from the much smaller swim platform. The