Page 30 of Stout Bear

His casual acceptance immediately calmed her embarrassment. She watched as his gaze moved over a box clearly labeled “Books” and another marked “Lab Equipment,” reminders of how much of herself she poured into her work.

“Can I get you something to drink?” she asked, tossing aside a sweater that had been draped over a chair.

“I’m good,” Max replied, still standing near the door. “Had plenty at the festival.”

Laney nodded, then moved to clear more space on the small sofa, scooping up stray notebooks and a few pieces of clothing. Her heart fluttered as she patted the cushion beside her, inviting him to sit.

Max settled beside her. Laney felt hyperaware of his proximity, and the heat radiating from his body. She turned the television on to a local news segment about the beer festival. Footage of the fun run from that morning appeared on screen, capturing Max as he crossed the finish line.

“Look at you,” Laney said, nudging him playfully. “Local celebrity.”

Max laughed, shaking his head. “Hardly.”

The segment continued, transitioning to the evening events that showed a clip of Max accepting his award for Timberline Sunrise.

“I’m really proud of you,” Laney said, turning slightly to face him.

He shrugged, but she could tell he appreciated her words. She found herself leaning toward him, her hand coming to rest on his knee. The background noise of the television seemed to fade as she focused entirely on Max’s face.

Laney’s heart pounded like a drum as she closed the distance between her and Max, her fox clawing at her insides, screaming for her to claim him. Her lips hovered just a breath away from his, her body trembling with anticipation. She could smell his scent, musky and raw, like pine and sweat. It made her corethrob with desperation. Her fox growled inside her, its need for her mate, a feral, unrelenting force that made her knees weak.

Then her lips crashed into his, and it was like being struck by lightning. The second their lips met, Laney felt like she’d been set on fire. His big hands cupped her face, holding her with a tenderness that made her whimper.

Max groaned into her mouth, the sound low and guttural. It vibrated through her entire body. His tongue was thick and demanding as it tangled with hers, dominating her mouth. She could taste the faint tang of beer and barbecue sauce, and it just made her hungrier. Her hands clawed at his shirt, desperate to feel the hard plane of his chest beneath her fingers.

Her fox was howling now, its instincts screaming at her to mark him, to claim him as her own. She broke the kiss, panting against his lips, her body trembling with desire. “Max,” she gasped, her voice raspy.

Laney’s body was a furnace, every nerve ending on fire as Max’s lips crashed into hers with a hunger that threatened to consume them both. His tongue delved deep into her mouth, hot and demanding, as if he could taste the wild, feral part of her that was clawing to the surface. Her hands roamed his broad shoulders, fingertips digging into the hard muscle beneath his shirt.

Max’s hands slid up her sides, rough palms skimming over the curve of her waist before they cupped her breasts through the thin fabric of her shirt. Laney arched into his touch, her nipples hardening into tight peaks that begged for his attention. She gasped as he squeezed them, rolling the sensitive buds between his fingers until she was squirming. Her fox purred with approval, begging for more.

Max didn’t need words. He tugged her shirt up, his fingers fumbling with the clasp of her bra until it fell away, exposing her breasts to the cool air. Laney’s breath hitched as his head dipped down, his mouth closing over one taut nipple. His tongue flicked and swirled, sending jolts of pleasure straight to her core.

“Max,” she moaned, her fingers tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. He growled against her skin, the vibration making her thighs clamp together.

His free hand slid down her stomach, under the waistband of her pants, until his fingers brushed the soaked fabric of her panties. Laney’s hips jerked at the contact, a needy sound escaping her throat.

“Please,” she whispered, her voice trembling with desperation. Max looked up at her, his eyes dark with lust. She could see the predator in him. His fingers slipped under the edge of her panties, finding her slick, swollen folds. Laney’s head fell back against the couch as he stroked her, circling her clit with a precision that made her toes curl.

“Oh, yes,” she panted, her thighs trembling as he added a second finger, stretching her just enough to make her gasp. He worked her with a rhythm that had her climbing higher and higher, teetering on the edge of release.

He pulled his hand away, leaving her aching and empty, and Laney nearly sobbed in frustration. “I need to taste you,” he said in a low growl.

Laney’s mouth watered as he yanked off her pants and panties in one swift motion, leaving her bare and trembling before him. She reached for him, but he dropped between her legs, his hands gripping her thighs and spreading them wide.

The first lick of his tongue nearly made her scream. He dragged it through her folds slowly, savoring the taste of her like she was the sweetest thing he’d ever had. Laney’s hands flew to his hair, clutching at the strands as he licked and sucked at her sensitive clit, driving her wild. He added a finger, then two, curling them inside her.

“Oh God, Max!” she cried, her hips bucking against his face as the pleasure built to a fever pitch. She could feel it coming—an explosion of ecstasy that would shatter her into a million pieces. Max fucked her with his fingers and sucked her clit like it was his life purpose, his tongue working magic on her until she couldn’t take it anymore.

Laney came with a scream, her body convulsing as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her. She was barely aware of Max holding her hips down, keeping her in place as he drank every last drop of her release. When it finally ended, she collapsed back against the couch, boneless and gasping for air.

Max leaned back on his heels, his lips glistening with her arousal, and he grinned up at her. As she gradually returned to herself, she tugged at his shoulders, wanting to continue what they’d started. “I want you,” she whispered.

Max caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. “Laney,” he said softly, “I want you, too. So much. But I think we should wait.”

Confusion cut through her pleasure-haze. “Why?” she asked, unable to hide her disappointment.

“Because I want us both to be sure,” he said, moving back to sit beside her on the couch. He draped a throw blanket over her and held her in his massive arms “We have the lodge trip next weekend. I want it to be special.”

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