Bear Essentials Read online

  Roslyn looked absolutely perfect in it. She was silly and charming wearing it, but the thing that struck him the most was the fact that he respected her. She wasn’t afraid of doing what she thought was best for a bunch of kids and didn’t much care if the collective designer world would condemn her for dressing like a hippie. It was a combination of sultry and sweet so intense, it almost struck him speechless. But a wave of anticipation interrupted his awe as he looked at the sweet lips that owed him a kiss.

  Sure, he’d kissed her already, but being kissed by someone like her was far more enticing than he’d ever imagined it might be. It was something he couldn’t take. There wasn’t a bullying, high-stress tactic in the business world that could pry a kiss out of Roslyn if she didn’t want to give it.

  He wanted it that exactly that way. A gift; one true kiss, offered up because she desired the touch of their mouths. Her eyelashes fluttered as she peeked at him. A swift glance from her eyes before she looked away when he caught her staring at him. A nervous little shiver moved down her back as she scooped up the bear head, keeping her gaze averted. Sweet desire flooded his body, flowing towards his cock as he watched the blush spread across her cheeks. Somehow, he’d never noticed just how much two people could communicate with each other without a single word.

  It was goddamn sexy on Roslyn.

  And just a tad humbling.

  His stomach rumbled, making her laugh. Her eyes sparkled as she lifted the bear head into her arms. She hugged the thing as she smiled at him.

  “I think your alarm just went off.”

  Well, something had, and all Granger seemed able to do was follow her sassy bottom back out to the truck. He dropped the bear body in the bed as he dragged his feet toward the driver’s seat. Coming on to her like a jerk had seemed like a good idea at the time, now it just might cost him the chance to discover exactly how those eyes of hers looked when desire mixed with satisfaction.

  His cock sprang to instant attention. The speed of that reaction made him smirk. He could deal with the urge for sex. It came and went. Today, there was something deeper. For the first time in too many years, he found himself choosing his words with care, actually worrying about being turned away from a woman.

  “I’ll get you your bear today.” Her words didn’t fit his mood. An excuse to come back was exactly what he wanted.

  Roslyn was out of the truck before he put it into park. Her body was pulsing with a surge of impulses. Sitting still was completely out of the question. She just needed to get away from him. Her mind kept reminding her about the second part of their deal. Her lips tingled with the burning memory of his mouth on hers.

  It was a ridiculous coil of sensation. So graphic and acute; every nerve ending in her body seemed to be linking together to shout loud enough to render her brain immobile while her body just took over. She’d never been at the mercy of her own lust before. It had somehow become her main theme for operating around Granger.

  She wanted to get hot and naked with him and that was the honest truth.

  She was going to die of shame.

  Or the heat burning in her passage.

  She made it to her boxing room before forcing a deep breath into her lungs. She was reaching for a boxed Wish Bear when she heard the slightest sound behind her.

  “Roslyn.” His voice was husky with demand. It was just so very male that she felt her belly tremble with need. Somewhere in that dark rumble was the essence of attractiveness. She turned around out of pure need. Right and wrong didn’t seem to have a place in her thoughts. There was only need and desire and the sound of his voice lured her toward the tempting possibility of being satisfied.

  He offered her his hand, palm up. “Come here, honey. I think it’s time to finish what we started this morning.”

  “That’s not a good idea, Mr. Webb.” Oh, but she wanted to do exactly what he asked and she was placing her hand into his without thinking.

  He caught her hand and pulled her into his embrace. She landed against his body and her hands latched on to those powerful shoulders, taking the chance to learn what they really felt like. Instinct drove her fingertips as they spread over the ridges that a thin cotton shirt separated her from. Each fingertip was suddenly alive and acutely aware. Her heart raced, thumping against her rib cage as her breathing sped up. She caught the warm scent of his skin and it triggered a response from her body that was nearly overwhelming. Desire, thick and sweet, surged through her, touching off a storm of need.

  “So don’t think.” His hand settled onto the back of her neck, shooting sensation down her spine. He captured her mouth and the whimper that tried to escape her lips. His arm bound her to his length as he licked the sensitive skin of her lower lip before sealing his mouth over hers in a kiss that obliterated every thought. There wasn’t anything but sensation swirling through her brain, blanketing her thinking as she was wrapped in its thick folds. It was a tempest that swirled around her, exciting her with the raw energy of nature at its most powerful.

  Her breasts were more sensitive, feeling heavy. The nipples drew into tight little buttons that screamed for freedom from lace cups that were suddenly horribly uncomfortable. She wanted to shred the shirt that kept her from touching the warm male skin that she could smell. His scent filled her senses as a hand twisted in her hair and held her in place for his kiss. The hard grip should have bothered her, but it drove the excitement up another notch because he demanded compliance. It wasn’t civilized, but it touched something deep inside her that enjoyed knowing he could hold her without hurting her; keep his strength on enough of a leash to not cross that barrier while still being firm.

  It was too sexy for her liberated mindset. Her pride hated it, but her body enjoyed it.

  It wasn’t a kind kiss. He took and tolerated not even a hint of denial. His tongue speared towards her own, invading her mouth in a hard thrust that sent a wave of need through her passages. His other arm bound her to his length as the hand brushed over her bottom and cupped one cheek. But she was arching toward him, thrusting her hips against his, seeking what she craved. Fluid eased down her deepest core as the walls of her sex suddenly felt too empty. The rigid length of his erection pressed into her belly, making her groan as her passage sent even more fluid down its sensitive walls in invitation.

  “Have dinner with me, Roslyn.” He wasn’t asking. His tone was hard and demanding.

  He trailed kisses along her cheek and onto her neck.

  “Your skin smells so good.” He inhaled deeply, the grip on her bottom tightening.

  His cell phone chimed, making him cuss. Roslyn wiggled out of his distracted hold. Jerking the piece of technology off his waist, he glared at the incoming call information.

  “I guess it’s good something in the universe is interrupting us before we end up against the wall.”

  Her jaw dropped. “We weren’t going to—” She shut her mouth so fast her teeth clicked because his eyes narrowed with the challenge she was tossing at him.

  “You were just as hot as I was.”

  She turned back around and picked up the boxed Wish Bear. She thought having him out of sight would give her a moment to recover at least some of her wits, instead she felt as if she’d just turned her back on a lion.

  She turned around and pushed the toy straight into his chest. She took a deep breath before twisting her hands together.

  “You’re cute when you try to ignore your passion.”

  At least the presumptuous tone of his voice was something she recalled too well. It slapped her back into reality. Reminding her that sex for him wasn’t nearly as much of an event as it was to her. It would be blistering hot but there wouldn’t be anything else.

  She needed more.

  “Thank you for being Wish Bear today, Mr. Webb. I hope your girlfriend enjoys the bear.”

  That wasn’t the right thing to say. Roslyn watched his face flush with frustration as his knuckles turned white around the edges of the box. His eyes flashed a warni
ng at her before he drew a stiff breath.

  “Let’s get one thing clear, Roslyn. I wouldn’t have kissed you if I had a girlfriend.” The box went sailing onto another table as he captured her wrist and pulled her back into his embrace. “And my name is Granger. I’m going to enjoy listening to it on your lips.”

  “You don’t have a girlfriend?” Her question sounded stupid, even desperate, but it sailed out of her mouth before her common sense filtered it. She just couldn’t picture a man like him without a trim blonde keeping him happy. He cupped her bottom, pressing her against him from breast to knees, and there was no missing the hard erection hiding behind his fly. She shivered as her clit throbbed with need. Sex had never been very important in her life, but right then, it felt like a necessity.

  His lips curled back to show her his teeth. Mere inches from her face, he whispered his next words as his hand cupped her bottom again.

  “No, I don’t.” He smoothed his hand over her bottom, watching her expression as he did it. “I might be a hard-ass in the boardroom but I’m not a cheat.”

  “Oh good.” She bit her lip as the response slipped past her better judgment. His eyes flickered with appreciation for a moment as his lips settled into a relaxed grin.

  “It’s Valentine’s Day.” His eyes narrowed as he spoke. “Do you have plans?”

  “Um…well…” She squirmed, but he didn’t release her. A neat row of teeth flashed at her as she chewed on her lip instead of admitting that she was dateless on the lovers’ holiday. “I don’t have a lot of free time to devote to dating.”

  “You’ve built an impressive business with that devotion, one that looks amazing on a spreadsheet.”

  “Really?” She beamed. There was no hiding it and she couldn’t stop, even if some might label it pathetic.

  He stroked her back. The touch slow and tender. Hinting at a side of him she really wanted to get to know. Something buried beneath his business tycoon exterior.

  “I’m giving this bear to a very important lady tonight. We spend every Valentine’s Day together. I’ll be back to pick you up at seven, wear something pretty, honey.”

  “But I didn’t agree to go out with you.”

  She might as well have saved her breath. Granger had spun her loose and picked up his bear before she got the first word past her frozen lips. He was halfway across the warehouse before she finished her sentence. He turned in the doorway and aimed his sharp gaze at her.

  “Fine with me. We’ll stay in tonight. Sounds delightful.” His teeth flashed through a grin at her. “Wear something lacy.”

  “Seven sounds great.”

  He chuckled at her and flashed her a boyish look. “I had fun today. Thank you.”

  Her jaw dropped an inch as his gratitude echoed in her ears. It was pure temptation, thinking that he liked coming along with her. Sure, she dreamed of finding someone that might share her love of giving to the community, but she really wasn’t expecting reality to deliver a hunk like Granger. The guy wore designer casual clothing and his sunglasses were worth more than her jeans. Casting a look around her warehouse with its rough edges, she shook her head at the contrast.

  But that didn’t stop the flood of excitement racing through her.

  All right, she was jumping to conclusions. Hearing more in his “thank you” than there likely was.

  But she still felt a warm glow for the rest of the afternoon. Concentration was hard to come by as she struggled to be productive. Instead, she looked at the clock in her office at least a hundred times. The hours crawled by, tormenting her and giving her plenty of time to chicken out.

  He didn’t even have her cell phone number. All she had to do was refuse to open the door.

  Chicken.

  But more importantly, she was wasting a golden opportunity.

  For what? Hot sex?

  You betcha…

  Doing the right thing to stay on the moral high ground had never felt so wrong. Her upbringing seemed to melt in the heat still radiating from their kiss. She didn’t want to be logical and make a smart choice. In fact, any sort of behaving properly made her mad. She wanted to be wild and naughty and honestly, Granger was exactly the sort of man to partner her. Unless she was just too chicken.

  Well, that settled it.

  She turned off her computer and stood up. She wasn’t a little girl anymore. A man had asked her to dinner and she was going to accept his invitation.

  She moved down the hallway toward her apartment, trying to decide just when her hormones had taken control of her life. Wasn’t it just yesterday that she was a solid-thinking woman in control of her life? Her mirror showed her a much different vision. Her face was flushed and her eyes sparkled. The points of her hard nipples pushed her top out, making her stare in astonishment at her own reflection. She’d never looked so wanton in her entire life. Maybe she’d toyed with the idea a few times, but today she felt need flowing through her like a living force. Desire tingled along her nerve endings as her skin registered every little sensation, as if a switch had been flipped inside her.

  She scoffed at herself. Well, at least she’d chosen a prime specimen to go into heat over. Granger Webb was drool-worthy, even if her common sense was ringing a warning bell loud enough to deafen her.

  She didn’t have to go out with him.

  Roslyn looked at her reflection and reached for an eyeliner pencil. No, she didn’t, but she was acting like some shrieking maiden. An amazing hunk of a man had asked her to dinner, why on earth was that so scary? She knew a few woman who would consider being along on Valentine’s Day terrifying. Dinner with the office geek was better than sitting in front of the television drowning your self-pity with double fudge ice cream.

  Well, she wasn’t frightened of Granger, just of her current need to do something completely irresponsible with his incredible body. Her nipples actually beaded with just the idea of letting herself go with the man. They peeked over the edge of her bra as she applied her makeup.

  Sex wasn’t a completely foreign subject, but it was a rather unpracticed sport for her lately. She’d just become tired of the need to go out and funnel energy into a relationship.

  Her bears weren’t just a job she left at the end of the day. They were her creations. Each one was born out of her imagination. Creativity struck at all hours and hung on.

  Dropping her eyeliner, she stood back to consider her reflection in the full-length closet-door mirror. There was nothing wrong with her body! In fact, she didn’t want to look like a runway model. She was curvy and maybe even buxom, but Granger Webb had seemed to enjoy her bottom.

  Maybe the big problem was her own lack of confidence. If she failed to believe in herself, she couldn’t expect anyone else to either. She decided one thing right then. She was going to dinner with Granger. Period. Her feminine pride demanded it. There had to be a law in the cosmos that said no woman gave up on herself. She’d just been a little distracted lately, that was all.

  The plain cotton panties she’d put on made her frown. If she was stepping out with a man like Granger, it was time to open up the top drawer of her dresser.

  A naughty smile curved her lips as she marched into her bedroom and did exactly that. Neatly folded next to her plain cotton underwear was a selection of satin and lace sets that she’d bought just to indulge her feminine fantasies. Tags still hung from them.

  They’d never seen the light of day. A giggle shook her as she stepped into the high-cut bottoms. Things like these were made for moonlight, not sunshine!

  Her nipples tightened again as she looked at her reflection. Heat flared up in her belly again as she stared at the ultra-feminine creature looking back at her. Dressing to be undressed by a man brought a new level to the need surging through her bloodstream. There was a part of her that quivered with the idea of ending up beneath that strong male body.

  But there was another part of her that rose to the challenge of attracting such a prime male into her embrace. Both emotions were a primitiv
e expression of her gender. A female who wanted to be just what she was, not conforming to any image her society attempted to foster on her.

  Right or wrong didn’t enter into the equation. Instead, it was a clash of needs that fused her cells into one common purpose.

  * * * * *

  Roslyn was waiting for him. Granger frowned at the sight of her standing outside her warehouse. It seemed unsafe and it rubbed his temper. But the courage she displayed by not hiding behind her door made his cock itch.

  One side of his mouth twisted up. Women often chased him. In fact, he’d become so accustomed to having a woman whenever he wanted one that he hadn’t even considered stopping to pick up some flowers for her.

  A woman like Roslyn deserved fresh flowers. Granger had no idea where that thought came from, but he was completely certain of it as he stepped out of his car.

  Her dress flowed to just below her knees and had just enough fabric to tease him about the curves hidden under it. His stomach actually knotted as he noticed her hair. Every time he’d seen her, it had been pulled into twin tails on her head, sort of like dog ears. Tonight, it cascaded over her shoulders in tiny curls. She had two little combs keeping it out of her face.

  His fingers itched to pull those pieces of plastic out. He was suddenly mad that he’d promised to take her out. An urge to keep her hidden away ate at him as he pictured those ringlets spread out on the surface of his bed. He didn’t want to share her, not even for a few hours.

  But he grinned as he opened the passenger door for her.

  “I forgot the flowers, but I’ll try to remember the rest of the gentlemanly code.”

  His words hit her as funny, but also sweet. She could almost picture him in a bow tie, standing there with his hands on the door, waiting for her to sit down. The sports car was low and she was grateful for the longer length of her dress as she swung her legs into the vehicle.

  He shut the door the second she tucked her heels under the dashboard, almost like he was closing a trap around her. A look of boyish glee decorated his face when he swung into the driver’s seat and cast a glance at her.