The BEARly Reluctant Grizzly (Bear Clan 4)

“Why did you show up tonight?” The words came from me on a whisper, and I knew it sounded a little more sexual than I intended. But all I could think about was being with Asher, wondering what it would feel like to have his body pressed to mine, to have him on top of me, his hands pushing my thighs apart…

I shook my head to clear those thoughts. Now wasn’t exactly the most appropriate time for all that.

Was any time appropriate to lust after him?

He still had a towel wrapped around his waist, but his chest was on full display, the light from the fire causing shadows to bounce off his broad shoulders. He seemed very sure of himself, confident. He wasn’t arrogant, didn’t have this cocky persona about him. It was just as if he … knew.

“Asher?” I said softly when he had yet to answer me.

“I tried to stay away, Ainsley.” His voice sounded so thick, with a touch of animalistic magnetism.

“Tried to stay away?” My heart was thundering a mile a minute at his words.

I knew what I wanted him to mean.

“I tried to stay away,” he said once again and moved an inch closer to me. “There’s no denying this. I can’t fight it.” He swallowed, and I watched his throat work from the act. “I tried, and it was the worst fucking mistake I’d ever made in my entire life.” He looked down at my lips. “Walking away from you the first time we met...” He shook his head and glanced back up at me. “I’ll never forgive myself for that.” He exhaled slowly, and I sensed this internal war, this remorse come from him. “I thought staying away was the best thing, that being with you, and maybe losing you …” He shook his head slowly, this painful, anguished expression on his face. “But I realized that not having you in my life is more painful than anything I have or will ever experience.”

My hands started to shake, and I placed them on my thighs, curling my fingers into my legs, trying to keep them steady. I didn’t know what was happening right now, or why he was saying these things, but what I did know was that I felt them too.

Strange and crazy, but also so incredible.

And then he lifted his hand, about to touch me, but he stopped right before he got to my cheek. He looked like he was fighting a war with himself, that he was trying to go slow. But I didn’t want slow or easy. It was like that rope wrapped around me had pulled so tightly it finally snapped in half.

I lifted my hand and curled my fingers around his thick wrist, brought his palm to my cheek, and leaned against it, moaning softly at the contact. It was like a tiny thousand ants moved along my skin where his touch was, but it wasn’t painful.

It was the most incredible feeling I’d ever experienced.

“What’s happening, Asher?” I thought I said those words in my head, but the low growl that came from him, the heat slamming from his body into mine, told me he’d heard me.

“What’s happening is two mates who have finally found each other.” His voice was so masculine.

We stared at each other for long moments, neither speaking, the only sound that of the fire crackling and the storm raging outside.

But I didn’t know what to say regardless. He’d admitted we were mates, something I’d felt from the moment I saw him. The many things I thought about telling him, my emotions and feelings, this intense attraction I felt toward him, all made sense.

Fated mates.

Two souls drawn together.

A lifetime connection.

My breath hitched at that knowledge, at the deep-rooted realization that settled in my core.

“Mated?” I didn’t know why I phrased it like a question, but this low hum left him, and I knew it was one of approval.

He moved an inch closer to me, his hand still on my cheek, his thumb running right beneath my eye.

“For fucking life, baby.”

I grew wet between my thighs at hearing that endearment.

“I felt it instantly,” I said honestly. He made another low hum and moved another inch closer. His leg was pressed against mine now, his gaze lowering to my mouth. Involuntarily, I glanced down and saw the way he tented the towel, his massive erection thick and long and because of me.

All for me.

I watched as he lowered his gaze to my mouth and I licked my lips, desperately wanting to feel him on me, his tongue spearing into me, tasting me, claiming every part of me. My entire body tingled, and I felt a surge of electricity move through me. Excitement and anticipation were at war, and all I wanted to do was beg for him to finally take me in the way true mates did.

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