Page 28 of Bearly Taken

How was I supposed to hold back any more than I already did?

“I’ve never violated your privacy or your body before, Wren, and I’m not going to. I was a bastard before, but I never have and never would’ve stooped to that. I thought you knew that.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she protested.

“You want us to be friends? That’s fine. We’ll be friends. Use your vibrator all you want. I’ll pretend not to hear it,” I said. “What other boundaries do you want?”

“Reed…” She turned off the shower.

“I don’t know how to be any more friendly than I already am. Do I need to stop helping you at the register, or let you go to the bookstore alone? Or?—“

The words died in my throat when my mate sat down on my lap, dripping wet.

I couldn’t stop my hands from finding the curve of her waist, and swore in response to the automatic touch. “I’m not trying to?—“

She put her hands on my face, effectively silencing me again. “I didn’t mean it the way it came out. You’ve never made me uncomfortable, and I trust you with my body. But Reed…” she bit her lip, pausing a moment before she freed it and said, “I’mhorny every day. I want you every morning, and every night. I think about you so much, I can barely function.”

“Then why didn’t you use the vibrator?” I’d promised her that I would listen for it, and find her if she did.

“Because I’m scared,” she whispered. “With you here, I have more to lose than ever, and I’m fucking terrified of what will happen to me if I lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere, Beautiful.” I slid my hand up her back, relishing the feel of her slick skin against my palm. “I love you. I won’t leave you again.”

“Bears aren’t supposed to stay.”

“Then fuck bears. I’ll be human.”

Her lips curved upward, just slightly. “You couldn’t pass for a human if you tried.”

I couldn’t hide my grin.

She was right.

“I don’t know how to convince myself that you won’t leave,” Wren admitted. “I’m not sure it’s even possible at this point. Even if you stay for a year, or two, or three, who’s to say you won’t suddenly long for the road and slip away again?”

“Some of the older bears have moved in with their mates for the first time.” I ran my hand over her back again, and she blinked.

“Who?”

I listed off a few names. “Hudson told me about it a few days ago. He said they all got together and realized they were miserable forcing themselves to stay away. So they went back to them, andapologized. Most of them are married now. They’ve been hiding it for years, but none of them have left. None of them have evenwantedto leave. And they were all miserable when they did leave, years earlier.”

Wren’s forehead furrowed. “Your mom and dad aren’t together.”

“My dad is a piece of shit,” I said bluntly. “If my mom tried to get back with him, I’d rip his fucking throat out.”

“She actually told me something similar to that when I asked her if she ever missed him.”

“There are cruel assholes in every group of people. Don’t hold it against all of the bears.”

“I don’t.” She leaned closer, and I nearly groaned at the feel of her breasts against my chest.

Why had I put on a shirt?

Wrapping her arms around my neck, she said, “It’s still going to take me a long time to believe that you’re here to stay.”

I fought the urge to clench my jaw. “I know.”

“You didn’t even text me once while we were apart.”

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