Page 58 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
Michael’s free hand reached for hers, his thumb tracing small circles on her palm. “The mate bond forms instantly when shifters meet their true match. It’s rare, precious. Some go their whole lives without finding it.”
Sarah absorbed this information, thinking of all the relationships she’d had before. How none of them had ever felt like this immediate, undeniable connection.
“And Emmy?” she asked, thinking of her daughter. “What does this mean for her?”
Michael’s expression softened. “It means she’d have someone who would always protect her, care for her as his own.” He hesitated, then added, “If that’s what you want.”
Sarah thought of how Michael had rescued Emmy’s day when Liam had failed to show, how naturally he’d stepped in without making Emmy feel like a charity case. How her daughter’s eyes lit up whenever he was around.
“I think she’d like that,” Sarah whispered. “I know I would.”
Michael set his glass beside hers and turned to face her. His hand came up to cup her cheek, his touch achingly gentle. “There’s something else you should know about mate bonds,” he said, his voice husky. “They’re for life. For eternity.”
Sarah leaned into his touch, her eyes holding his. “That doesn’t scare me.”
“No?” A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“No,” she confirmed, sliding her hand up his arm to rest on his shoulder. “What scares me is how much I want to kiss you right now.”
Michael’s smile widened into a grin. “That’s not scary at all.”
Sarah moved closer, her heart pounding as she closed the distance between them. Their lips met in a kiss that started gently but quickly deepened, fueled by the knowledge of what they were to each other. Michael’s arms encircled her waist, drawing her against him as she wound her fingers through his hair.
When they finally broke apart, both breathless, Sarah rested her forehead against his. “So this is real,” she whispered. “All of it.”
“All of it,” Michael confirmed, his arms still holding her close. “And it’s just the beginning.”
Chapter Twenty-Three – Michael
Oh, yeah! This is just the beginning!Michael’s bear roared.Although I might have to pinch myself several times to check that I didn’t just dream of meeting our mate in the flesh.
Pinch away,Michael said as he held their mate in his arms. He could not have imagined breaking the news to her about shifters could have gone better.
Sarah ran her hands down Michael’s chest, her touch featherlight yet sending jolts of electricity through his entire body. She leaned in, her warm breath tickling his skin just before she nuzzled against his neck. The soft press of her lips against his pulse point made him shiver with desire.
“Sarah,” he murmured, his voice rough with need.
“Yes,” she whispered, trailing kisses down the column of his throat, each touch of her lips more intoxicating than the last.
His bear purred with contentment inside him, urging him forward. Michael swallowed hard, gathering his courage. “Is there anything else you want to ask me?” The question hung in the air between them, weighted with possibility.
Sarah leaned back, her eyes dark pools that reflected the dancing firelight. She held his gaze, a moment of vulnerability crossing her features before she spoke. “Will you make love to me?”
The request sent heat rushing through Michael’s veins. He slipped his hand under her sweater, finding the soft skin of herstomach before moving upward to stroke her nipple through the fabric of her bra. It hardened beneath his touch.
“I would like nothing more,” he answered truthfully.
Sarah reached for the hem of her sweater and pulled it over her head in one fluid motion. The firelight cast a golden glow across her skin, highlighting the curves Michael had imagined but never dared hope to see. He gazed at her breasts still contained in a simple lace bra, then leaned forward to press his lips against the swell of flesh above the fabric.
Her skin tasted faintly of vanilla, sweet and intoxicating. He reached around to unclasp her bra with steady fingers, drawing the garment away before cupping one breast in each hand. They fit perfectly, as if made for his touch. He rubbed his thumbs over her taut nipples, reveling in her sharp intake of breath.
When he lowered his head to take one taut bud into his mouth, Sarah’s hands flew to his hair, holding him against her. He swirled his tongue over the sensitive bud, then grazed it lightly with his teeth before turning his attention to her other breast. She writhed against him, whimpering softly, the sounds driving his desire higher.
His bear was unnaturally quiet, as if holding its breath, allowing Michael this moment of pure human connection with their mate. Michael slipped his hand between her thighs, stroking her mound through her slacks. Feeling her heat even through the layers of fabric.
Sarah parted her legs, giving him better access as he stroked lower, tracing the seam of her slacks along her entrance. The scent of her arousal reached him then, so sweet it made his mouth water and his control fray at the edges.
She tugged at his shirt, her movements growing more urgent. He reluctantly freed her breasts to pull his shirt over his head,tossing it aside without care for where it landed. Sarah’s hands were immediately on him, exploring the planes of his chest, her fingers finding his nipples and teasing them to hardness.
