Read Online Laid Bear 2: The Kodiak Clan by Marina Maddix - Free Book Online
Authors: Marina Maddix
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need to say something. I’m sorry for what I said back home.”
He turned to face her, reaching for her hand. The anxiety lines were back. “I was trying to explain what the Brotherhood assholes think, not what I think. This is a stronghold for them, and they’re not going to be as friendly as the jerks back home who were harassing us. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
The ember of fear that Bethany had felt back home started to glow. “Okay, I’ll be careful. Won’t go out at night, make sure no one is following me, and so on.”
Max shook his head. “No, babe. As in, you don’t leave this room. We can’t take any chances.”
She barked a loud laugh. “If you think I’m going to be a prisoner here, you’re wrong, buster. I have work to do, too, you know.”
His brow furrowed. “What work?”
“Veronica! She’s here in Kodiak. Don’t you remember the business we started together? While you’re working, I can help her figure out how to navigate the joys of a shifter-human relationship.”
She tried to launch herself from the bed in a huff, but her huge tummy made that impossible. She had to settle for scooching to the foot of the bed and easing herself upright, slapping away Max’s hand as he tried to help her. How humiliating! She couldn’t even storm off by herself anymore.
“Bethany, c’mon,” he said in a conciliatory tone. “I’m sorry I forgot, but it’s been a pretty crazy 24 hours.”
Sighing, Bethany went to the bathroom and got a glass of water. She made the mistake of looking in the mirror. Damn, if she thought she’d been fat before she’d gotten pregnant…
Stop it! she told her inner critic, the one who was always trying to break her spirit. But rather than risk looking at her reflection again, she stepped back out into the room and leaned against the doorjamb.
“How about this: You drop me off at Veronica’s on your way to work in the morning. I’ll work with her, see if I can help, then I’ll have her bring me straight back here. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.”
The look on his face said Max wasn’t entirely convinced.
“Max, I’ll either be with you or with her. I mean, how much trouble could I get into?”
It was his turn to laugh, but his was good-natured, not angry. “Plenty,” he said, giving her a wry smile and a wink.
His smile melted her heart, as it always did, bringing one to her own lips. He stood and crossed over to her, taking her face in his hands, gazing into her soul.
“Promise you won’t go out on your own, not even to the lobby. Promise.”
Max’s cinnamon-flecked eyes still never failed to leave her speechless, and this moment was no exception. She struggled to even nod, a choked sigh serving as agreement. He pulled her body to his, burying his face in her hair, her own tucked into his neck, breathing him in. Their baby was pressed between them, between their love.
~ * ~ * ~
Max’s reaction to Bethany’s body was always the same: Instant yearning. He knew she was feeling insecure about her growing belly but he found her more attractive than ever. She was carrying his cub, after all, and nothing was more exciting than that kind of commitment and devotion.
He’d told her a thousand times, but she didn’t really believe him. So he did everything he could to show her, and nothing would show more than the bulge that was pressed against her.
The tension between them had been building over the past few months, and now it was manifesting itself in lust. Crazy, mind-bending lust. His bear wanted to hoist his mate’s deliciously round ass up onto the bathroom counter and fuck her senseless. As tempting as that thought was, Max wasn’t about to handle her roughly right now. He’d allowed his bear a little too much freedom today already.
His lips found hers, his palms cradling her face. He moaned into her mouth when she wound her arms around his neck and melted into him. To him, there was nothing sexier
He turned to face her, reaching for her hand. The anxiety lines were back. “I was trying to explain what the Brotherhood assholes think, not what I think. This is a stronghold for them, and they’re not going to be as friendly as the jerks back home who were harassing us. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
The ember of fear that Bethany had felt back home started to glow. “Okay, I’ll be careful. Won’t go out at night, make sure no one is following me, and so on.”
Max shook his head. “No, babe. As in, you don’t leave this room. We can’t take any chances.”
She barked a loud laugh. “If you think I’m going to be a prisoner here, you’re wrong, buster. I have work to do, too, you know.”
His brow furrowed. “What work?”
“Veronica! She’s here in Kodiak. Don’t you remember the business we started together? While you’re working, I can help her figure out how to navigate the joys of a shifter-human relationship.”
She tried to launch herself from the bed in a huff, but her huge tummy made that impossible. She had to settle for scooching to the foot of the bed and easing herself upright, slapping away Max’s hand as he tried to help her. How humiliating! She couldn’t even storm off by herself anymore.
“Bethany, c’mon,” he said in a conciliatory tone. “I’m sorry I forgot, but it’s been a pretty crazy 24 hours.”
Sighing, Bethany went to the bathroom and got a glass of water. She made the mistake of looking in the mirror. Damn, if she thought she’d been fat before she’d gotten pregnant…
Stop it! she told her inner critic, the one who was always trying to break her spirit. But rather than risk looking at her reflection again, she stepped back out into the room and leaned against the doorjamb.
“How about this: You drop me off at Veronica’s on your way to work in the morning. I’ll work with her, see if I can help, then I’ll have her bring me straight back here. Do not pass go, do not collect $200.”
The look on his face said Max wasn’t entirely convinced.
“Max, I’ll either be with you or with her. I mean, how much trouble could I get into?”
It was his turn to laugh, but his was good-natured, not angry. “Plenty,” he said, giving her a wry smile and a wink.
His smile melted her heart, as it always did, bringing one to her own lips. He stood and crossed over to her, taking her face in his hands, gazing into her soul.
“Promise you won’t go out on your own, not even to the lobby. Promise.”
Max’s cinnamon-flecked eyes still never failed to leave her speechless, and this moment was no exception. She struggled to even nod, a choked sigh serving as agreement. He pulled her body to his, burying his face in her hair, her own tucked into his neck, breathing him in. Their baby was pressed between them, between their love.
~ * ~ * ~
Max’s reaction to Bethany’s body was always the same: Instant yearning. He knew she was feeling insecure about her growing belly but he found her more attractive than ever. She was carrying his cub, after all, and nothing was more exciting than that kind of commitment and devotion.
He’d told her a thousand times, but she didn’t really believe him. So he did everything he could to show her, and nothing would show more than the bulge that was pressed against her.
The tension between them had been building over the past few months, and now it was manifesting itself in lust. Crazy, mind-bending lust. His bear wanted to hoist his mate’s deliciously round ass up onto the bathroom counter and fuck her senseless. As tempting as that thought was, Max wasn’t about to handle her roughly right now. He’d allowed his bear a little too much freedom today already.
His lips found hers, his palms cradling her face. He moaned into her mouth when she wound her arms around his neck and melted into him. To him, there was nothing sexier
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