Beauty and the Bear: Denali Den #1 (Alaskan Den Men) Page 2

  “Don’t you need to get back to wherever it is you came from?”

  She plopped the last bite of the second muffin in her mouth. He watched her chew, swallow, and lick her lips. Maybe the poor girl hadn’t had a real orgasm. Or maybe she wasn’t old enough--hadn’t come into her full being as a human. He didn’t know squat about humans, and he didn’t know why he let the thought of her having orgasms enter his mind. Actually he did know why—because she brought it up.

  “It’s just my grandparents back in Michigan, so no, I don’t have to get back to anywhere.” She wiped a crumb off her chin. “Do you mind giving me another muffin? They are so freaking—”

  “Amazing. Yeah, so you’ve said.” He pushed back the bar stool. “Sure.”

  He placed another muffin on her plate.

  Her blue eyes batted at him. “So if you aren’t interesting in dating, why are you looking at an Internet dating site?”

  “I’m interested in getting married, not dating.”

  She opened her mouth, then closed it again, before taking a sip of coffee. Then after setting down her cup, she said, “Generally speaking, you need to date someone first before you marry them.”

  “No, you don’t.” He shook his head and slid back onto the barstool beside her. “I’m looking into an arranged marriage.”

  She stared at him, deadpan, for about three seconds before she busted out laughing again.

  “I’m glad you find me so entertaining.” He said the words with sarcasm, but something shifted inside his gut whenever she laughed, and it wasn’t due to indigestion.

  “Sorry, sorry.” She put both her hands up after she wiped a tear from her eye.

  The woman beamed with angelic innocence. The whole orgasm conversation was bold, but she said it so sweetly, he couldn’t help but be interested in what she’d say next. Her laughter lightened his mood and the burden of finding his True Mate seemed not so monumental.

  After taking another swallow of coffee, she said, “I don’t mean to laugh, really I don’t. Not if you’re being serious and I sense that you are being very serious, but—”

  “Laugh if you want. I’m fine with it.” Better than fine, actually. “I find the whole dating scene annoying, and there are women out there who think the same way I do.”

  “Annoying in what way?”

  “I don’t want to shock your maidenly sensibilities. After all, you’ve only experienced an orgasm to a level of fulfillment equaling a blueberry muffin. I figure you’re pretty innocent.”

  “I’m not a virgin, you know. I’ve just never had a real boyfriend.” She tipped her head to the side and wouldn’t make eye contact with him. “I don’t know why I’m telling you. It’s actually kind of embarrassing, but there’s just something about you.” She shrugged. “I don’t know. I feel safe.” She leaned closer to him. “You’re a huge guy, but for whatever reason—there’s just something—I can’t place my finger on it. I should feel intimidated by you, but you know…I don’t. I bet deep inside, you’re like a fluffy overstuffed teddy bear.”

  He choked on his coffee. “A what?”

  “You know, all gruff and tough on the outside, but soft as a marshmallow on the inside.” She shook her head. “But I digress. Why is dating annoying to you? I doubt you can shock me. I’m a counselor, after all. I’ve heard a lot of crap throughout my internship.”

  “Arranged marriages are just as successful, if not more so, than non-arranged marriages.”

  “Okay. I can buy that, but your parents haven’t arranged your marriage, right? You are scanning an Internet dating site, so that tells me you are looking for yourself—no parental involvement. Or is this a cultural Alaskan type of thing?”

  “No, it’s not an Alaskan thing. This particular site is focused on marriage, not dating.” And was especially created for werebears, but she didn’t know that.

  She pursed her lips. “I see. Well, why are you so anxious to get married?”

  He was about done with the questions. There was no point in building a friendship—or anything else—with this woman. She was human. That was never going to change. No sense in becoming chums with her. “Because I want someone to have sex with every day.”

  He’d hoped to shock her, but she just rambled on. “I have to point out the fact that you can have sex with someone you’re dating. In fact, you don’t even have to be dating them.”

  And she was really starting to piss him off. Pointing out the obvious wasn’t something he needed right now. At twenty-nine, the need to find a True Mate had consumed him. It was every werebear’s fate. And while most werebears his age were already married by his age, he’d thought he could wait awhile.

  He’d been wrong.

  He made it through the winter dormant period, but now with spring and nearly summer upon him, he had the need to mate more than ever. The constant urge to breed was nearly impossible to live with. He was determined not to spend the entire summer needing sex every day, and not having a mate nearby for that purpose. A willing participant would be okay, but he preferred his True Mate—not an imitation.

  This woman just didn’t get it. After being completely honest with her, she still wouldn’t back off. “Maybe I need to explain with more clarity.” He stood, with every intention of letting her see the hard-on this conversation had evoked. “I have the need for sex. No, it’s more than a need. I’m in a must-have scenario.”

  She glanced at the hardened ridge between his jean-clad legs, and at least she had the decency to blush, before she said, “I see—I mean I can see that. Not because I just looked at your crotch, but I get what you’re saying, I do.”

  She had no clue what it was like to be a werebear with the intense need to mate, but he’d explained it the best way he knew how without being crass. He didn’t want to scare off the hired help. He peered down at her, having the urge to rip off her clothes, but at the same time knowing he was old enough and experienced enough to contain his inner bear. He cocked a brow. “Do you now?”

  “Y-yes, I do. Have you considered counseling for your problem?”

  He growled a deep guttural sound. “I don’t have a problem. I just need sex and my hand doesn’t cut it anymore.”

  She swiped her tongue across her bottom lip and shivered. She’d said he didn’t intimidate her, but he didn’t buy it for a second. He intimidated everyone. That’s what he did. That was why he holed himself up in the dining hall and only helped with the problem kids. Anyone could follow a recipe, may as well be him. “Listen, you’re done with your muffins. I’ll pack you some extras to take to your cabin, so you won’t be inclined to drop in on me every morning unannounced.”

  He swung around, pulled a brown paper lunch bag out of the cupboard and started filling it with muffins.

  “I have a proposition for you,” she said meekly from behind him.

  He folded the top of the sack and handed it to her.

  She stood. Her fingers caressed his when she took the bag from him. He swore that tiny bit of skin to skin contact sent his pulse into overdrive. He needed to get laid, and get laid soon. “Oh, yeah, what’s that?”

  “I could be your fill-in, stand-in, whatever you want to call it, until your mail-order bride shows up.” Her voice shook almost as much as her body, but conviction laced her words. As much as she liked to laugh at his expense, now he believed she was being quite serious.

  “You need to explain exactly what you mean, Blue.”

  “Blue?”

  “Yes, I think I’ll call you Blue. It fits, don’t you think?” He took a step closer to her and reached for a piece of that blue hair. He rubbed some strands between his index finger and thumb. “So go on—explain yourself.”

  “Well…I’ve been busting my ass to finish graduate school, working a waitressing job, trying to stay afloat financially. I haven’t been laid in a long time, and not nearly often enough, and like you said, I probably don’t even know what it’s like to have a real orgasm. So I’m thinking a once-a-day deal wo
uld be perfect. I’m long overdue and besides…I have the whole Alaskan man fantasy thing going on in my head and you really fit the bill.”

  “For clarity’s sake, let me understand. You and I will have sex once a day until my future bride arrives.” He stared at her hoping to scare her off. “Because you want it and I need it, and you’d like to experience a real orgasm.”

  She nodded vigorously. “Yep. But as a side note, I wouldn’t mind a little bit of talking too. I have a feeling you have some pent-up anger issues and since I’m a therapist, you know, I might be able to help you with that.” She put up her hands. “Free of charge, of course.”

  He chose to ignore the counseling bit, but he would certainly focus on the sex part. “So we both want daily sex, but you also want some talking too?”

  “Yes. You know, maybe twenty minutes ought to do it. But you have to actually talk. You can’t just sit there and be growly, the way you are right now.”

  Apparently she wasn’t letting go of the therapist part. “So I get sex and you get a new patient, is that the deal?”

  “Well, no, I want sex as well.” She gazed upward, not making eye contact. “And an orgasm or two.”

  “I promise you orgasms. Plenty of them.”

  The skin around her eyes twitched. “We’ll have to see about that.”

  “Yes, we will.” He leaned in and sniffed her flowery scent, then leaned back again. “Should we have a trial run, right now?”

  He watched the muscles of her neck clench, and then loosen. Calling her out on her shit was going to be fun. No way in hell this human knew what she was doing, but he enjoyed the game, so he’d play a little longer.

  “Your eyes are turning a golden color.” She bit down on her bottom lip. “Fascinating.”

  She had too much of an effect on him if his eyes were turning color. He needed to abort this cockamamie scheme of hers. “Lift up your skirt and climb onto one of those tables.” He pointed toward the dining area. “I’d like to sample the goods before I make any kind of commitment to this deal of yours.”

  She absently glanced around the room. “It’s almost breakfast time. We might get caught. I’ll draw up a contract. Why don’t you come by my cabin tonight?”

  “A contract?” This was going to be more fun than he thought.

  “Yeah, I figure, we may as well both go into this with a clear understanding of what we’re expecting.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I should be going. Any specific requests you want me to put on the contract?”

  “Yeah,” he grumbled, wondering exactly how she’d managed to maneuver him into this arrangement and why he wasn’t scrambling to get out of it. “I want you to talk dirty to me.”

  Her eyes widened a fraction. “Um…okay, I’ll make a note of that.”

  She slid by him and headed for the kitchen’s side door. “Later after dinner, say eleven o’clock? Does that work for you?”

  “Sure,” he said. “See you then.”

  She opened the door.

  “Hey,” he called out.

  “Yes?” she spun around.

  “Did you pack any lingerie?”

  She shook her head. “No.”

  “All right. Then naked will have to do.”

  She nodded, then turned to leave.

  “I’m serious, Blue. When I show up to your cabin tonight I expect you naked. If you aren’t, then I’ll know you’ve backed out of the deal, which is fine by me. In fact, you can just leave a note on your door saying you’ve changed your mind.”

  She blew out a nervous breath. “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “Naked.” He pointed at her. “I want you naked.”

  She scurried out the door.

  Silas fully expected to see a note on her cabin door tonight. Granted, he’d sure like to see her naked, but he didn’t imagine that would happen. He sat back down with his laptop and started reading up on the credentials of a she-bear in Wyoming, but despite his efforts to focus his attention on his future bride-to-be, he kept imagining blue hair. Not just on her head, but other parts of her body. In fact, he wondered if Lexi-Blue Durham was a natural blonde or not.

  3

  Lexi was nervous as a cat, but she was also a professional and had a job to do. All afternoon she worked with the teens, which was a good thing. Counseling kept her mind off of Silas and his visit to her cabin at eleven o’clock this evening.

  She supervised the teens playing sand volleyball adjacent to the lake, but her gaze inevitably ventured to the dining hall. From speaking with some of the other counselors, she’d learned Silas’ apartment was on the second level. She kept hoping for a glimpse of him through the upstairs window.

  After assisting the kids in dividing up their two teams, she wondered if a school yard pick was the best option, because someone was always chosen last. But without knowing the skill level of each child, she couldn’t know how to divide them evenly.

  An athletic-looking, extra-large sized boy, Evan, was the last to be picked and he didn’t seem happy about it. If Lexi wasn’t mistaken from reading his intake files, he had spent time in a juvenile detention center. He evidently had anger management issues, and he reminded her of Silas. In fact, now that she looked closer at Evan, he also had those same flecks of gold in his eyes. A relative perhaps? Evan carried himself differently than the other boys too, or was she simply seeing things?

  Lexi glanced up the hill toward the dining hall again. She swore something about Silas called to her. Maybe his particular brand of testosterone had been designed specifically for her. Was she really hungry this morning? Or had her body sensed him in some way?

  Her fellow grad students and colleagues often teased her about how much she honed in on that extra sixth sense everyone had, but not everyone acknowledged. Call it supernatural, call it going with your gut, whatever it was, Lexi knew it was real. Oh, she’d never resort to anything crazy like speaking with the dead, but she truly believed in other dimensions. Probably not alien creatures, but then again, who knew if life existed beyond Earth? Maybe that was why working in Alaska called to her.

  When her mentor told her about the job as a counselor at Denali Crossings, she was stunned, because just the night before she’d had a dream about Alaska. It made no sense at all, but her soul recognized it as a sign. She wasted no time in applying for the counseling job, and even turned down a prestigious position at Detroit’s Mercy Hospital for this post in Alaska. Her best friend, Violet, declared her nuts.

  Evan jumped up and spiked the ball hard to the other side, missing a girl’s head my mere inches. “Evan,” Lexi called. “Can I have a word with you?”

  “It’s not my turn to rotate out yet, Miss Lexi.”

  “Lance,” she said, “take Evan’s place.”

  Evan’s shoulders slumped. He threw sand behind him with each step as he stalked toward her.

  “Will you walk with me a second?” Lexi asked.

  “Do I have a choice?” Those gold flecks in his eyes called to her and she couldn’t help but stare.

  “Not really.” She turned and he followed. “Is everything okay?”

  “Yeah, why?” he said sarcastically.

  “Maybe you’d prefer a less competitive sport, like canoeing maybe.”

  He grunted.

  She’d pulled him aside, so she’d better say something meaningful. “I’m not sure the rest of the kids are at your skill level when it comes to volleyball.”

  “So what are you saying?” The volume of his voice raised a decibel. “I’m not allowed to play volleyball?”

  Before she could reject his theory, Silas appeared by her side. “That isn’t what she’s saying. She’s saying you can’t spike the ball at someone’s head like you want to kill them. You’ll hurt someone.”

  Evan’s stance straightened the minute Silas showed up on the scene. “Hey, Silas.”

  The camp attendees were on a first name basis with the kitchen staff? Interesting. This place wasn’t anything like Lexi
imagined it would be.

  “Let’s me and you take a hike.” Silas clapped him on the shoulder.

  Lexi had been trained to never touch a teen, but Silas did it so naturally.

  Evan didn’t seem bothered by it at all. In fact, he leaned into Silas before punching him in the upper arm, and said, “Beat you to the top.”

  Evan ran between two spruce trees and into the woods.

  If Evan had punched any of his fellow campers the way he did Silas, they would’ve fallen over or at least be bruised.

  “You most definitely will not beat me,” Silas called after him.

  “He didn’t even use the trail,” Lexi said, appalled.

  Silas shrugged. “No trail needed.”

  “You’re just going to go chasing after him up the mountain.” She glanced around, wondering why no one stopped Evan. “Take some rain gear, or a water bottle at the very least.”

  “I got this.” Silas puffed up his already large shoulders making him appear bigger.

  Lexi rolled her eyes. “Yeah, whatever. If you lose a child in the woods, you’ll have a serious lawsuit on your hands.”

  “Blue, you’re going to have to understand we do things a little differently here at Denali Crossings.”

  “Yeah, I’m starting to see that.” Some awfully lax rules when it came to a child’s safety was all she could see.

  “Want to know what I’m looking forward to seeing?” He stepped in closer to her and sniffed her shoulder.

  What was it with him and sniffing? She pushed on his chest, but that was a mistake, because the heat of his body shot up her arm and her legs buckled. “What?”

  “You. Naked.”

  Why did she take the bait? She’d been so confident—at least outwardly—when she made the deal with the devil, but now she had serious second thoughts.

  “Not having second thoughts, are you?” He practically purred.

  Could he read minds too? “No, are you?”

  “Hell, no. I’m counting the hours until eleven. You’ve got me all hot and bothered. I can’t wait to hear what kind of dirty words you’ve got for me to hear. Would you like to hear some of mine?”