Read Online Bear Mine for Christmas: BBW Holiday Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Christmas Bear Shifter Romance Book 2) by Ariana Hawkes - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Ariana Hawkes
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I should’ve brought mom’s crutches up,” Madison said.
“It’s ok, I’ve got it,” Grayson replied, jumping down the last couple of steps, snatching the crutches up from where they were propped against the bannisters, and heading back up the stairs again. Relief and panic mingled in Madison’s veins. She stepped away from Brock.
“I’ll just get some blankets for the couch,” she said, and regretted it instantly.
“Sure,” he said slowly, as if in a trance.
She went to the airing cupboard and pulled out a couple of brightly-colored wool blankets.
“I bought these in Nepal when I was travelling there a few years ago,” she said as she brought them over to the couch and laid them out. “They were handmade in this little family workshop.” She was babbling, but she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted him. And he’d been about to kiss her. At least, I think he was? Why else would he be standing there looking at me so intently, his pupils dilated in those gorgeous eyes?
“Madison,” he said.
“Yes?” she replied, straightening up and turning around at the same time. He was right in front of her. He bent his head and his lovely, full lips came up close, and suddenly they were on hers. His mouth was soft, yet insistent, and she tingled all over, her lips instinctively parting, welcoming his kiss. He touched the tips of her shoulders with his fingertips, then ran them along her upper arms. And then Grayson called, “knock, knock!” Brock pulled away, but regarded her steadily, as if communicating his pent-up desire to her.
“It’s ok!” he called back, and Grayson came downstairs, grinning mischievously.
“Just checking,” he said. “Madison, your mom is a very charming lady. You’re lucky to have a mother like her.”
“I know,” she replied with a smile.
“Well, I’m about ready for sleep. I was thinking we should flip a coin for the bed,” he said.
“Oh, I’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight,” Madison said. Brock gave a shocked laugh.
“Uh, I’m afraid you won’t. There’s no way we’re going to intrude on you, and steal your bed for the night!” he said.
“No, I insist,” she said, equally firmly. “You wouldn’t even have to sleep here if it wasn’t for the fact that you heroically rescued my niece today. I’d happily sleep on the floor as a mark of my gratitude.”
“Madison, we’re bears. When we’re in our bear form, we can sleep on a hard floor comfortably. And in our human form, we can still crash on a pretty hard bed with no issues at all,” Brock said. “It would be completely against our nature to agree to sleep on a bed while you slept on your own couch. We appreciate the thought, we really do, but I’ll be spending the night here. No arguments.” And with that, he plopped himself down on the couch.
“Ok,” she faltered. “In that case, I’ll just tell you that there’s a bathroom over there, with towels, and there are a bunch of new toothbrushes in the cupboard under the sink. Please make yourself at home, and feel free to eat anything in the kitchen.”
“Thank you. Good night, Madison, Uncle Grayson.”
“Goodnight, Brock. Grayson, I’ll show you the room and check that the sheets are on the bed,” she said, and led him upstairs.
A few minutes later, Madison went into her room, shut the door behind her and took a deep breath. Her mind was whirling, and her lips were still tingling from their kiss. She ran a finger across her lower lip. Is that even possible? It seemed kind of crazy, but at the moment their lips met, it was as if an electric charge was running through her body.
When she lay down in bed, she tossed and turned for a while, unable to get thoughts of Brock out of her mind. He was the hottest, most protective and sexiest guy she’d ever met in her life. And he made her feel so vulnerable.
She’d spent more than a decade being a steely-natured lawyer, who never let her guard down, even with her ex-husband, but Brock
“It’s ok, I’ve got it,” Grayson replied, jumping down the last couple of steps, snatching the crutches up from where they were propped against the bannisters, and heading back up the stairs again. Relief and panic mingled in Madison’s veins. She stepped away from Brock.
“I’ll just get some blankets for the couch,” she said, and regretted it instantly.
“Sure,” he said slowly, as if in a trance.
She went to the airing cupboard and pulled out a couple of brightly-colored wool blankets.
“I bought these in Nepal when I was travelling there a few years ago,” she said as she brought them over to the couch and laid them out. “They were handmade in this little family workshop.” She was babbling, but she couldn’t stop herself. She wanted him. And he’d been about to kiss her. At least, I think he was? Why else would he be standing there looking at me so intently, his pupils dilated in those gorgeous eyes?
“Madison,” he said.
“Yes?” she replied, straightening up and turning around at the same time. He was right in front of her. He bent his head and his lovely, full lips came up close, and suddenly they were on hers. His mouth was soft, yet insistent, and she tingled all over, her lips instinctively parting, welcoming his kiss. He touched the tips of her shoulders with his fingertips, then ran them along her upper arms. And then Grayson called, “knock, knock!” Brock pulled away, but regarded her steadily, as if communicating his pent-up desire to her.
“It’s ok!” he called back, and Grayson came downstairs, grinning mischievously.
“Just checking,” he said. “Madison, your mom is a very charming lady. You’re lucky to have a mother like her.”
“I know,” she replied with a smile.
“Well, I’m about ready for sleep. I was thinking we should flip a coin for the bed,” he said.
“Oh, I’ll be sleeping on the couch tonight,” Madison said. Brock gave a shocked laugh.
“Uh, I’m afraid you won’t. There’s no way we’re going to intrude on you, and steal your bed for the night!” he said.
“No, I insist,” she said, equally firmly. “You wouldn’t even have to sleep here if it wasn’t for the fact that you heroically rescued my niece today. I’d happily sleep on the floor as a mark of my gratitude.”
“Madison, we’re bears. When we’re in our bear form, we can sleep on a hard floor comfortably. And in our human form, we can still crash on a pretty hard bed with no issues at all,” Brock said. “It would be completely against our nature to agree to sleep on a bed while you slept on your own couch. We appreciate the thought, we really do, but I’ll be spending the night here. No arguments.” And with that, he plopped himself down on the couch.
“Ok,” she faltered. “In that case, I’ll just tell you that there’s a bathroom over there, with towels, and there are a bunch of new toothbrushes in the cupboard under the sink. Please make yourself at home, and feel free to eat anything in the kitchen.”
“Thank you. Good night, Madison, Uncle Grayson.”
“Goodnight, Brock. Grayson, I’ll show you the room and check that the sheets are on the bed,” she said, and led him upstairs.
A few minutes later, Madison went into her room, shut the door behind her and took a deep breath. Her mind was whirling, and her lips were still tingling from their kiss. She ran a finger across her lower lip. Is that even possible? It seemed kind of crazy, but at the moment their lips met, it was as if an electric charge was running through her body.
When she lay down in bed, she tossed and turned for a while, unable to get thoughts of Brock out of her mind. He was the hottest, most protective and sexiest guy she’d ever met in her life. And he made her feel so vulnerable.
She’d spent more than a decade being a steely-natured lawyer, who never let her guard down, even with her ex-husband, but Brock
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