All About the Bear (Grizzly Cove Book 1) Read online

  It could easily have gone the other way. But maybe more than a few people had noticed them necking on the beach yesterday afternoon. Brody had been on the receiving end of a couple of envious looks and at least one high five. The latter coming from his deputy, earlier this morning.

  Brody felt about ten feet tall, even in his human form. He liked that the others knew he was courting Nell. And he liked the subtle, silent approval from both his male contemporaries and the small, but growing, female population.

  Before meeting John, Brody had always roamed alone. Now he was coming to appreciate the feeling of belonging, of being part of the larger bear shifter family.

  When there was no longer any excuse to stay in the bakery, Brody parted ways with Seamus and made sure the Aussie shifter left the premises before Brody went up to the counter to speak with Nell. He didn’t need an audience—especially not Seamus—for what he had in mind.

  “Are you doing anything tonight?” Brody asked Nell as casually as he could, during a lull in business. The lunch rush was nearing its close, and the few people eating had chosen to sit outside.

  “What did you have in mind?” Nell’s smile was full of mischief and slightly shy. It was enchanting.

  “I thought maybe I could make dinner for you. You’ve been feeding me for months now. I owe you a steak at the very least. You do eat steak, don’t you?” For a moment, he had the horrific thought that she might be a vegetarian.

  Nell chuckled. “I like steak. I can bring a salad, if you like. We have some nice ripe lettuce plants on our roof balcony.”

  “You grow lettuce on your roof?” Brody couldn’t picture it.

  “There’s lots of sun up there, and it’s all just wasted space. We put a plastic patio table and chairs up there, and surrounded it with a container vegetable garden. Saves us a lot of money on groceries, and everything is super fresh.”

  “I had no idea,” Brody said, charmed by the thought of a secret garden up on the roof.

  “I’ll show it to you, but not today. I know for a fact that Tina is sunbathing up there before her shift.”

  The way she said it made Brody think about Nell lying up there on a patio lounger. Naked.

  He almost growled out loud at the image that popped into his mind.

  “You should know, there are probably a few raptor shifters in the area. At least one eagle and a couple of owls and hawks. They don’t usually have much to do with us, but occasionally, I see one fly over.” He could see she wasn’t quite making the connection. “If I can see them, they can most definitely see you up there sunbathing on your roof.” Nell’s mouth dropped open, and Brody had to grin. “It’s something to consider.” He shrugged. “You’re not quite as alone up there as you might think.”

  Nell nodded. “Good to know.” He could see the wheels turning in her mind.

  “So. Dinner? My place?” he reminded her of the most important part of their conversation.

  “Oh, yeah. I’d love to. What time?”

  “How about I pick you up at seven when I get off shift?” Excitement flowed through his veins as both his human half and his bear half scented victory.

  “Sounds perfect,” she said, smiling at him with that shy look in her eyes that he found absolutely adorable.

  He couldn’t resist leaning across the counter and kissing her.

  What he meant to be a quick peck turned into something molten as she kissed him back. Brody damned the counter that separated them, but thankfully, it kept him from going too far. The bell above her door jingled as somebody walked in on them, and Brody cursed inwardly.

  Nell pulled back, her cheeks flushing a lovely shade of pink while she looked toward the door and the newcomers who had interrupted them. She pasted a bright smile on her face and tried to pretend that they hadn’t just been caught red-handed.

  Brody whistled as he left, a spring in his step. He had a date, and if he played his cards right, he might just convince her to stay all night.

  Or maybe forever.

  CHAPTER SIX

  Brody picked her up at the agreed time in his Sheriff’s Department SUV. It wasn’t very subtle, and everyone on Main Street saw him open the passenger door for her and help her in. They also saw the kiss he stole as he was assisting her up into the off-road vehicle, which had massive tires that made it a climb for her to reach the seat.

  He chuckled at her momentary struggle, then solved the problem by lifting her around the waist and tucking her into the car. She squeaked, not expecting the move, but in the end, was grateful for the assist.

  “I’m going to have to install running boards for you,” he murmured. “But I like helping you in, too. Any excuse to touch you is a good thing as far as I’m concerned.”

  His words, coupled with the audacious wink he gave her as he closed the door, made her blood warm in her veins. He walked around the front of the large vehicle, and she noted he had no problem climbing into his own seat. The car was made for someone his size.

  Suddenly, she felt small and feminine, which wasn’t a sensation she often experienced. The oldest of the three Baker sisters, Nell hadn’t had much time for dating after they lost their parents. She’d been eighteen and just barely able to hold her little family together. With the help of their elderly grandparents in those first few years, she’d been able to provide for the small family. When their grandparents died, too, the girls had been old enough to make their way in the world on their own.

  Moving here had been part of the new start all three of them needed. They’d sold the home their grandparents had left them and unanimously decided to strike out on their own. After working for a successful bakery chain for years, all three of them knew the business and were able to take their skills with them.

  Finding a place in the country had been ideal because of the lower cost of living. Their rent on the building wasn’t much, and they had been able to squirrel away a bit of savings since opening the store, which they hadn’t really expected.

  Oh, they’d wanted to show a profit, of course, but hadn’t projected any until next year at the earliest. But the people in Grizzly Cove had been amazingly receptive to the bakery, and business was booming. Well, as much as business could boom in a tiny town like this.

  “How far is it?” she asked, to make conversation as they rolled past the last of the small businesses on Main Street.

  “Not far. I live closer to town than most because of my job, but I managed to snag some property up on the hillside, with a lovely view of the cove. I think you’ll like it.”

  Brody suddenly realized this was the first time he’d brought a woman to his new den. It was important to him that she liked the place. More important than it probably should be, but he found himself thinking in terms of forever where Nell was concerned.

  If she liked the place, maybe she’d consider moving in with him? Maybe, if he could get even closer to her, he could discover if she was truly meant to be his mate. The bear inside him was still on the fence, but it was leaning more and more toward her each time they were near.

  He’d deliberately held the bear back until yesterday because he couldn’t have contemplated getting involved with her until she knew about shifters. Now that she knew, he had released his tight hold on his inner bear, and the cranky animal was being stubborn, withholding from the human side just for spite. Otherwise, he’d know already whether or not Nell was meant to be his.

  Or so he believed. His parents always said they knew at first sight that they were meant for each other. In fact, Brody had spent an hour on the phone last night with his dad, trying to figure it out, but his dad had seemed to think that it was different for each shifter. Many, like his folks, knew immediately. Others had to be hit over the head with it.

  Brody hoped he wasn’t one of the latter. He wanted a mate. And a family. And a home that was more than just a house.

  “I built into the side of the hill to take advantage of the views but did my best to leave the natural habitat intact,” he told
her. “Though there’s plenty of room for a garden,” he said, thinking of her rooftop oasis.

  He looked over to find her smiling in a shy way that he found adorable. Pretty much everything about Nell was adorable. If he could pick a mate, he’d want a woman exactly like her. But one thing his dad had impressed on him in their talk last night was that shifters really didn’t have much choice. True mates were granted by the Goddess and brought together by fate.

  Brody pulled into the drive and drove up to the house, holding his breath to see her reaction.

  “Oh, this is lovely,” she exclaimed, and he started to breathe again. “I love the way the house blends into the woods. It’s like it grew out of the hillside naturally.”

  Brody felt his cheeks heat as he flushed with pleasure at her compliment.

  “It’s my attempt at a human grizzly den. All the comforts and safety of being in the ground, and yet, the beautiful views and natural light my human side craves.” He had never really put it into words before, but he found himself wanting her to understand.

  She turned in her seat to look at him. “You really are two in one, aren’t you? I mean, I’ve been thinking about it pretty much non-stop since yesterday, and I’m so curious about how it all works…being a bear, I mean.”

  He liked that she was interested. It was a good sign, as far as he was concerned. If she could accept his dual nature, maybe she would be amenable to being his mate. If the Goddess blessed them, of course. For now, the bear was withholding the knowledge from him, the furry bastard.

  “Well, the first thing you need to know…” he said, pulling to a stop in front of the house and shutting off the engine, “…is that the bear side of me will never hurt you. I’m still me when I’m in my fur. I still know all my friends, and my protective instincts are in full force. You never need to fear the bear in me, Nell.”

  When she was silent, he turned to look at her and found her mouth open in shock again. Finally, she seemed to process his words. “I hadn’t even thought about that. I mean, you were so great in the bakery yesterday, I guess I just didn’t even consider it.”

  “Great?” She thought he’d been great in the bakery? He thought he’d scared her half to death, but apparently, she remembered it differently.

  “Yeah, I mean, you could’ve torn up the place, or roared, or something. You could’ve wiped out that little koala with one swipe of your claws, but you showed enormous restraint, I thought. You were great,” she repeated, nodding.

  He was blushing again. He could feel the heat in his cheeks. He hadn’t been so emotional since he was a teen, but something about Nell brought out all sorts of strange reactions in him.

  “I probably should have sat on him at least,” Brody joked, uncomfortable with the praise he didn’t quite know how to handle.

  Nell chuckled. “Then I would have had squashed koala in the middle of my shop.” She giggled some more. “I shouldn’t laugh. It’s just a funny visual, you know? Like a cartoon or something.”

  “It would’ve been a little ridiculous,” Brody admitted, smiling with her. “I just couldn’t bring myself to hurt the little guy. I mean, he was stupid and drunk. And did I mention stupid? But there’s something about a koala. They’re not a real bear, you know? But they’re kinda cute if you hold your breath.”

  “Why hold your breath? Oh! You mean the eucalyptus smell?” She chuckled again. “He kind of smelled like a cough drop to me.”

  “Well, I’ve heard that smell is intense for humans, but imagine how my nose reacted to that. We smell things, hear things, taste things…a lot more than you do. Our senses are way more acute. His scent is literally an assault on the nostrils.”

  “I had no idea, but I guess it makes sense. Wow. You continue to amaze me the more I learn about you,” she said candidly.

  He liked that she wasn’t holding things back from him. He’d seen her shock and her fear, though thankfully not too much fear. Her honesty was fresh and welcome.

  “Then let me amaze you even more with my grilling skills. I’ve got everything set. All I have to do is light the fire and get things cooking.” He gestured toward the house. “Shall we?”

  She smiled at him, and his heart stopped for a moment. “Sure. But I’m going to need some help getting out of your car, or I might fall on my nose.”

  “Say no more. Your wish is my command.”

  He got out of the vehicle and walked quickly around to her side, opening the door and lifting her out.

  He took his time lowering her to the ground, allowing her body to slide against his all the way down. And even when both of her feet were on the ground, he didn’t let her go. He paused, letting her decide if she wanted to step away and break their connection.

  When she didn’t, he lowered his head and stole the kiss he’d been wanting since the night before. A kiss with no holds barred. Nobody watching. Nobody gossiping. Just the two of them, in the forest evening.

  His arms swept around her when her knees crumpled, and he felt the sharp stab of pride knowing he’d nearly made her swoon with pleasure. Just from a kiss. He wondered what would happen when they finally made love. And then, he almost growled out loud, thinking about how much he wanted that to happen tonight.

  He tightened his hold, wanting to feel every one of her luscious curves against his starving body. But then, he made himself release her, one agonizing inch at a time. He couldn’t rush this. He had to remember she was human. She probably didn’t feel the same raw urgency as shifters did. He had to do this right and give her all the space she needed.

  Of course, that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do his best to seduce her, but he’d lured her to his den with the promise of dinner. He could at least feed her before he tried to convince her to go farther. Besides, he liked spending time with her. Sex would be great—no, it would be awesome—but he also wanted to just have her in his space for a little while, all to himself, to enjoy talking with her and basking in the sparkle of her eyes.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Nell’s head was spinning when Brody let her go. She was dazed and didn’t really comprehend at first why he’d stepped back. She had been on the point of climbing his body like a tree and removing his clothing with her teeth. Even now, she had to fight the impulse to step closer and demand he give her more of those addictive kisses.

  She wanted to run her fingers over his body, to learn the curves and hardness of his muscles. Brody was, by far, the finest specimen of a man she had ever gotten this close to. She hadn’t been in town long before she noticed that he filled out his clothes with amazing detail, his shoulders straining at the seams of his embroidered uniform golf shirts.

  She liked the casualness of this town’s sheriff’s uniform—those nice, stretchy golf shirts that showed off every muscle when he moved a certain way, and cargo pants that showcased a tight ass she had found herself watching every time he walked out of the bakery. Brody Chambers had a great butt.

  And he was a truly nice guy too. Not vain, he didn’t even seem to be really aware of how good looking he was. As she was getting to know him, she had figured out that he came by his muscles honestly, doing all sorts of physical labor around the town when needed. He wasn’t the kind of man to sit on the sidelines when something needed doing, and she really admired that.

  As her head began to clear, she realized he was looking into her eyes as if to gauge her reaction. She felt like a fool, caught staring at him, probably with a goofy expression on her face.

  The man was lethal. His kisses should come with mandatory warning labels. May cause dizziness, light-headedness, lack of oxygen to the brain and gooey, lovestruck appearance. Oh, yeah.

  “Ready to eat?” His voice rumbled through her body, warming her in very private, sensitive places.

  You bet she was ready. But it didn’t sound like he was on the menu at the moment. Nell tucked away her disappointment and tried to sober up. He’d invited her here for dinner. She had to get with the program!

  “Wher
e did you put the bag I gave you?” she asked, buying time to settle her nerves.

  Brody went to the backseat of the big SUV and removed the big shopping bag she had packed earlier and given him when he’d picked her up. He closed the car door and hefted the bag in one hand as he motioned for her to precede him up to the front door.

  He reached around her to open the door and let her walk through first. The house was lovely. Although built into the side of the hill, there were lots of windows at the front and skylights in the front part of the roof that let the twilight of outside into the structure. It almost felt like a continuation of the woodlands she had just stepped out of. The house was rustic and majestic all at the same time.

  Rough hewn beams and giant poles that had to have been entire tree trunks dominated the entryway but gave way to more modern materials at the back where the house entered the hillside. There was a techno-forest vibe where the wood blended with poured concrete slabs and brick that had been artfully arranged as walls and supporting structure. The house was definitely built to last.

  “You built this yourself?” she asked, not quite believing it. This house should be on the cover of a design magazine.

  “Every beam and every brick,” Brody said, and she heard the hint of pride in his voice. He should be proud. What she could see of it was amazing.

  “Wow.” She moved farther into the giant living room, which fronted the house, probably to take advantage of the awesome view.

  “So you like it?” He seemed unsure.

  “Like it?” She turned to meet his gaze. “Brody, this place is like nothing I could have imagined. It’s ingenious. I love it.”

  Hearing her sincere approval of his efforts did something to Brody. It was like a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders, and a smile started inside his heart, working its way outward. She liked the den he had built for his mate.

  Oh, he hadn’t been consciously aware of it, at the time, but Brody had always had a little ray of hope, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he might find a mate to settle with after he put down roots in Grizzly Cove. He’d designed the house on a much larger scale than he’d need just for himself. He’d also put in every modern convenience a woman—or a growing family—could need. And safety had never been far from his mind. The entire back half of the house could be sealed off like a fortress if attack came from the open front half, and there was even a secret tunnel escape route if they got trapped in the underground section.