Page 54 of The Bear's Second Chance Mate
“I’ve been thinking about this all morning,” June breathed, her head falling back to give him better access. “About you.”
Stanley groaned against her skin, his hands sliding under her sweater to find warm, soft flesh. “Me, too. Couldn’t focus on anything else.”
Her hands found the button of his jeans, her fingers working it open before stroking him, his already hard length. The pressure made him see stars, his hips bucking instinctively against her palm.
“June,” he gasped, the sound half-warning, half-plea.
In answer, she captured his mouth again, her tongue sliding against his in a rhythm that mimicked what they both wanted. Stanley’s hands moved higher, grazing the underside of her breasts, feeling her shiver against him. He thumbed her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra, swallowing her moan with his kiss.
His other hand slid down, working open the button of her jeans. June shifted, helping him as he slipped his fingers beneath the denim, beneath the silk of her underwear, finding her hot and wet and ready. The evidence of her desire nearly undid him. His bear roared with primitive satisfaction as June whimpered, her hips rolling against his touch.
“Please,” she whispered against his mouth. “Don’t stop.”
Stanley had no intention of stopping. His fingers moved in slow, deliberate circles, building her pleasure as his teeth grazed the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. June’sbreathing grew ragged, her movements more urgent against his hand.
When she came, it was with a quiet cry that she muffled against his shoulder, her body shuddering in his arms. The sight of her—eyes closed, lips parted, completely abandoned to pleasure—pushed Stanley over the edge. His own release caught him by surprise, intense and overwhelming even through the barrier of his jeans.
They stood together afterward, breathless and stunned, foreheads touching as they came back to themselves. June’s soft laugh vibrated against his chest, where she was pressed against him.
“That was...” she began.
The bell over the shop door jingled loudly, cutting through their private moment. Their eyes met, startled, before they both burst into quiet, delighted laughter.
“Impeccable timing,” Stanley whispered, pressing a quick kiss to her lips before stepping back.
They scrambled to make themselves decent, straightening clothes and smoothing hair with hurried movements. June’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes bright with lingering pleasure and mischief.
“You go,” she whispered, nodding toward the door. “I’ll be out in a minute.”
Stanley stole one more kiss before slipping out of the storeroom, closing the door quietly behind him. His heart was still racing, his body humming with satisfaction, and he couldn’t have wiped the smile from his face if he’d tried as he headed for the restroom.
His bear purred contentedly.Ours,he said simply.Forever ours.
For once, Stanley didn’t argue. As he went to greet his customer, the taste of June still sweet on his lips.
Chapter Eighteen – June
June drove home from Oli’s school. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her racing heart, but Stanley’s touch lingered on her skin from their encounter in the storeroom this morning, hidden from curious eyes behind bags of pet food.
“Mom, do you think Herbert missed me today?” Oli asked from the backseat, his backpack clutched against his chest.
June caught his eye in the rearview mirror and smiled. “I bet he’s been waiting by the hutch door since breakfast.”
As she turned onto Barb’s street, June allowed her mind to drift back to Stanley—the desire in his eyes as he’d traced her collarbone with his fingertips, the gentle rumble in his chest when she’d pressed her ear against it. Being with him made her feel younger, carefree and wanted. As if she were the most important thing in his world.
“Can we give Herbert a strawberry when we get home?” Oli’s voice pulled her back to the present. “Stanley said they’re his favorite treat.”
“Of course we can,” June said, pulling into the driveway. “But remember, just one. Too many sweet things aren’t good for rabbits. Or little boys.”
The moment she cut the engine, Oli was unbuckling his seatbelt. “I made Herbert a drawing at school today. Ms. Wilson said it was fantastic!”
“I can’t wait to see it,” June said, collecting her purse as Oli scrambled out of the car and raced toward the backyard. As he opened the gate, he looked like any other boy his age, and she took a moment to enjoy it.
Coming to Bear Creek might have been out of desperation, but she was more thankful than words could say. It had been life-changing. And life-affirming.
She rounded the corner of the house to find Oli already kneeling by Herbert’s hutch, carefully unlatching the door. His movements were deliberate, measured, so different from the frantic energy that often overtook him when excited.
He understood that his actions might frighten Herbert. She was proud of his empathy for the small white bunny.
