Page 53 of The Bear's Second Chance Mate
Two hours later, freshly showered and humming under his breath, he unlocked the door to Bear Creek Pets. The familiar scents of cedar shavings, pet food, and the animals themselves greeted him. He flipped on the lights and moved through the store, his footsteps echoing in the quiet morning. Did they also sound lighter?
They do. Because everything is different now,his bear observed.
Stanley couldn’t argue with that. He swept the floors with careful attention, topped up water bowls, and checked on each animal with the reverence of a man performing sacred rites.
After finishing his rounds of feeding and cleaning, Stanley headed to the small kitchen in the back. He made a fresh pot of coffee and then cracked open the tin of triple chocolate cookies that he’d made for Oli and June’s visit on Tuesday.
As he waited for his coffee, he bit into the cookie, recalling the afternoon’s visit and wishing they were both here.
We’ll see them later,his bear reminded him.
We will.Stanley did not usually want to wish the days away, but today he did. He wished the hours would fly by so he could go and check on Herbert and see his mate and her son.
But he also knew wishes did not work that way.
So he kept himself busy, and the morning passed in a blur of customers and routine tasks, but beneath it all ran a current of longing. How he wished June would pop in for some rabbit food, or some fresh hay for Herbert.
What he would not give to see her.
The lunchtime lull came around, and he headed out to make another pot of coffee and to grab a bite. But then the bell chimed again, and this time, before he even turned around, Stanley knew his wish had come true. His skin prickled with awareness, his bear suddenly alert and vibrating with joy. He turned slowly, savoring the moment.
June stood in the doorway, hair still damp from the shower, cheeks flushed from the morning air. She wore a simple green sweater that brought out the gold flecks in her eyes, and her smile, tentative but hopeful, made his heart stutter in his chest.
“Hey,” she said, as she hesitated by the door.
“Hey yourself,” Stanley replied, unable to keep the grin from his face as he crossed the store toward her.
June glanced around the store, her eyes landing on the rabbit enclosure. “How is Clive?”
“Clive is doing just fine.” Stanley chuckled, stepping closer than strictly necessary. “Is that why you are here?”
“It might be. Although I heard the guy who owns the store is kind of cute.” June’s laugh sent warmth cascading through him. She moved past him toward the counter, her arm brushing his as she went. The brief contact sparked like electricitybetween them. Stanley followed, breathing in the scent of her, so intoxicating it made his bear rumble with pleasure.
“Is that right?” he asked as he followed her.
“Yes,” she said, leaning against the counter. “Is that coffee I smell?”
“It is,” he replied. “Want one?”
“Yes, please. For some reason, I did not get much sleep last night.” Did she have any idea what she was doing to him?
Stanley poured the coffee, stepping closer as he handed it to her. Their fingers brushed, lingered. “Maybe you had something on your mind.”
“Or maybe it was a dream,” June replied, her eyes meeting his over the rim of her mug. “How about you?”
Heat flared between them at the memory of their lovemaking. Stanley’s gaze dropped to her lips, remembering how they’d felt against his own, how she’d tasted, how she’d sighed his name in the darkness of his cabin.
June set her coffee down slowly, her eyes never leaving his. The playful banter faded, replaced by something heavier, more urgent. Stanley could hear her breathing quicken, could see the pulse fluttering at the base of her throat.
One breath. Another. Neither of them stepped back.
His bear growled low.Now. Take her now.
Stanley moved first, or maybe June did. He couldn’t tell and didn’t care. They crashed together like waves meeting shore, inevitable and powerful. His mouth found hers with unerring precision, drinking in her soft gasp of pleasure. Her hands fisted in his shirt, pulling him closer as his arms wrapped around her waist.
“Storeroom,” he managed between kisses, already guiding her backward. “Now.”
They stumbled through the door, Stanley kicking it shut behind them. June’s back hit the shelving unit, sending a box of pet treats tumbling to the floor. Neither of them noticed. Her hands were in his hair, her body arching against his as his mouth traced a hungry path down her neck.
