“I must tell you, Lola. You must know all of me.”
I turn in his arms, the huge tub giving us ample room. I look in his eyes and see a small bit of concern, and it makes me place my hand on his heart.
“What is it, Bleu?” My fingers dig into his chest hair.
“The shifters you spoke of earlier, they’re real.”
I smile at his words, thinking how incredible that is. It sounds magical and makes me feel like happily-ever-afters are out there. It was what I was looking for deep down when I hopped in my car and headed this way. Straight to Bleu, it would seem. I think that’s what I was looking for when I hopped in my car. Something pulled me this way. “That’s really cool. Do you know one?” I wiggle in his lap, trying to get a little closer, not liking any space between us. I’ve never been this intimate or close with someone before, and I’m savoring every moment of it like it could be snatched away from me at any moment.
He nods his head and looks deep into my eyes. The gold swirls around his pupils, and I feel almost like he’s pulling me into a trance.
“I am one.”
With his words, his arms tighten around me, but I don’t understand why.
“You are one? You’re a shifter?” I try to lean back to get a better look at him, like I might have missed something, but he holds me closer.
“I will not let you leave, Lola. You are mine. We are mated.” His words come out in a half growl. Looking at him, I feel completely confused. So I just shake my head.
“Bleu. Stop. I’m not going anywhere. Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
I bite my lip, not wanting to offend him but really needing to know more.
“What kind are you?” I whisper it like someone might hear us, even though I know we’re alone.
My eyes run up and down his big body, and I wonder if there are Bigfoot shifters. He’s flipping huge.
“A brown bear.”
I smack myself on the forehead and let out a laugh. Duh, Lola. Of course he’s a bear.
“I can’t believe you’re real.” Reaching out, I touch his face and look him over like I’ve never fully seen him before. As if I’m trying to look for the magic.
He pulls me closer and suddenly he’s standing up in the tub and carrying me with him again. We leave a trail of water behind us as we enter the bedroom. He stands me up in front of the fireplace and dries me off with a towel I didn’t see him grab.
“You are not leaving,” he says, and I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Bleu, I have nothing out there waiting for me but a busted car and deadbeat mom. Meeting you has been the single greatest thing of my life. Why would I leave this?” He looks at me, but still I see a hint of doubt there. “Even if I had a family that wanted me, or somewhere else I needed to be, I would never leave you. You said it, we’re mated now. You just need to tell me what a mated shifter wife does so I can be the best damn shifter wife there ever was.”
“Wife?” he asks, smiling and raising an eyebrow.
Oh, shit. I hadn’t realized I let that just slip out.
“Or whatever. I mean, mate.” I stumble over my words, but he picks me up and pulls me to him, carrying me to the bed.
“You are mine. In every way.”
“Do I get to see you as a bear?”
I blurt the question out, and I feel so silly for asking it. He just smiles and puts me on the bed, climbing on top of me and snuggling into my neck.
“Yes, he would very much like to meet you.”
“Is he the same as you, or will he try to hurt me?”
He sits up fast, and a serious look takes the place of the smile that was there just a second ago. It makes me sad that I took the smile away, and I want to put it back on his face.
“He would never hurt you. We are one, my bear and I. We both want you, we are both mated to you, and we both love you.”
“Love?”
How is this possible? This is some insane crazy shit. We met, like, thirty seconds ago. How are we in love?
“Yes. It is the way. I know you are my fated, true mate. I live out here away from the big clan of Gray Ridge. We have runs once a month and sometimes I go to them to check in with Stone. He’s our leader. I drop some things off and pick up any supplies I might need.”
“So is he my leader now, too?”
“In a way, yes. But with how I live, it will be as if it is just you and me.”