Page 39 of Bear's Midlife Bridesmaid
“Oh, no.” Erin had a folded shirt in her hands, and now she put it over her face. “You know, I’d almost forgotten about that entire incident.”
“I won’t forget about it anytime soon.” He moved around the bed to be behind his mate and wrapped his arms around her. Jace nuzzled her neck. “From what I can tell, though, you haven’t had to use that vibrator since you’ve met me.”
Her laugh was muffled by the shirt. “No, I haven’t! But I’m still embarrassed as hell about it!”
“Speaking of things you like to pack when you take a long trip, we’re going to have to talk about this suitcase,” he mumbled into her neck.
“What?” She pulled the shirt away from her face and looked down at the socks and pants she’d already tucked in there. “What do you mean?”
“Well, just look.” He reached around her, still holding on with one arm, and traced the available room with his finger. “There’s no room in there for a bear.”
Erin put the shirt down and turned around in his embrace. “A bear?” Her bright green eyes searched his.
“Yeah.” All joking aside, he pulledher close. “Thisbear, because I’m going with you if you’ll have me.”
“What? Of course I will,” she said breathlessly. She hopped up on her toes to kiss him. “But how? I mean, just yesterday we talked about how much we each have that’s anchoring us in place.”
“We did, but I’ve got it all sorted out. I’ll come with you to Salem. We’ll raise the baby together andbetogether, just like we should be. My friend Rodney hooked me up with a job at a great touring company, so I can start working as soon as I want to.”
Her breath was coming in quick gasps. “But what about Ian?”
“He’s ready to start life without his dad looking over his shoulder, but he’s also having a hard time finding a place to rent that’s within his budget. All that gets taken care of in one fell swoop when he and Bailey move into this house together. He won’t have to pay rent, and he’ll still be surrounded by friends and family when he needs them. He’s pretty excited about it, and I think it might help him on the way to starting up that business of his.” Jace was proud to know that he could do so much to help his son.
Erin gaped at him, incredulous as she listened to his plans. “But Jace, I told you I would never ask you to leave your home and family behind.”
“You didn’t ask me,” he reminded her. “I’m offering. I figure this makes a lot of sense for both of us. You’re making a new life inside you. You should be comfortable during that time, not trying to settle into a new place. Your shop is already established, but I can work from anywhere that’s on the water. I’ve been sailing around this part of the Cape for so long, I’m excited to explore someplace new.”
“Oh, Jace.” Tears sprang to her eyes, but she couldn’t control them as easily as he could. “You really think we can work it all out like that? That you’ll be happy? Because that means so much to me.”
“I will,” he promised. “I’ll have my mate with me while we raise our child together. There’s nothing I want more than that.”
“You’re incredible,” she breathed.
“No. I just love you.” He pulled her close and kissed her. His mate was there in his arms, and now he knew she’d be there forever.
Erin’s mouth opened under the pressure of his lips. He felt the velvet of her tongue as it slid along the length of his, and a whole new thrill moved through his body. He’d faced so much uncertainty over the past week. They both had, and it’d kept them from truly diving into the future fate had setup for them. Now, all that worry and wondering were gone, and Jace basked in the certainty of it all. There was one other thing he was certain of, too.
Erin’s arms were around his neck, her fingertips gently brushing his skin and sending shivers down his spine. Her soft breasts pressed against him, and her hips were pleasant curves under his hands. Her tongue roved over and around, twining with his own. This was his mate, his partner, and she was the sexiest woman he’d ever met. He couldn’t feel any difference in her body yet, but he knew she carried his child. That knowledge made even more blood rush away from his head as he felt the press of her tummy against him. She already turned him on, and he couldn’t wait to see how attractive she’d be as the life inside her continued to grow.
She pulled back from their kiss and smiled up at him. “This seems like a good time to celebrate.”
“I don’t have any champagne.” Jace kissed her neck and ran his hands through her hair, enjoying the way the choppy locks simply ran out at the end. “Not that you could have it, anyway.”
“No,” she agreed, tilting her head to give him better access. “There are lots of ways to celebrate, though.”
Jace’s hands slipped under her shirt, rovingupward along her delicious curves as he let the material bunch against the backs of his wrists. “You want to have a party?”
“Sounds perfect,” she purred as he cupped her breasts, running his thumbs in slow circles over her nipples until they grew hard. Erin was working his shirt over his head. “It won’t take long to make the guest list.”
“No?” Jace let go of her regretfully, but only long enough to jerk his shirt over his head and toss it aside.
“Not when it’s just the two of us.” Erin’s hands rippled over his abs and down to his belt buckle, which she flicked open with ease. Her nimble fingers unfastened his button and fly, and she palmed the hardness in his boxers. “In fact, I think I found myself a party favor.”
Jace swallowed as she released him from the rest of his clothes. “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
She’d sunk to her knees in front of him, and when she looked up, there was no denying the catlike quality of her gaze. “I have a good idea. It’s what you do to me, and if I can, I’ll keep doing it to you over and over again.”
She took him in her mouth, andany further words disappeared from his thoughts as he melted into the heat of her. Erin’s hands skimmed along his thighs and ass. Her breasts rubbed against him every now and then as she ran her tongue along his shaft. From this angle, he could see the length of her back and the roundness of her backside sticking out behind her. His knees grew weak, and he put out a hand to steady himself against the wall. His body buzzed and hummed, the inward line between his human and bear blurred.
