Bearly Dated (The Enigma Shifters) Read online

  It was his turn to laugh. He didn't have a clue what any of that involved. "My mother uses a lot of essential oils and swears by them. We don't get sick or anything like that, but having an inner animal that you often feel like you are fighting does cause a lot of stress and anxiety, and apparently having six kids going through puberty at the same time made her look for something so she didn't kill us."

  She nodded, laughing right along with him. "My mother too! Apparently, raising triplets is hard, and we stressed her out a lot. She was always mixing up oil concoctions and rubbing them on our feet or our stomachs. It was crazy. But then it would work, and after a while, I wanted to learn more about it."

  "Considering my mother had a hell of a time raising one daughter, I can only imagine what it would be like to raise three at the same time. Don't take that as some kind of insult because I have no idea what you and your sisters were like growing up, but my sister is and always has been hell on wheels."

  "Oh, we were definitely a handful. Savi was always getting into trouble. She has a certain knack for getting into places she doesn't belong, and Jami was always in everyone's business, whether they wanted her there or not."

  "And you? What kind of hellion were you?"

  "I wasn't much of a hellion, but that made me no less frustrating. My attention span is short, so I moved from one thing to the next, often without finishing what I started. I've always been a bit of a dreamer, so I'm easily drawn to the next, shiny thing. Hence, why I'm enjoying the house flipping market so much. Attainable projects in a short-ish timeframe work perfect for me."

  "It's smart to work with your strengths."

  She nodded. "To be honest, it kind of just worked out that way. I actually thought I wanted my own crystal store, since they work so well for me. I really got into it pretty hard after high school and into college. But when I dropped out of college to pursue my dream, it didn't exactly go according to plan. I couldn't get the funding I needed to get anything off the ground. All my plans for the store crumbled, and on yet another whim, I took a job with a home stager who worked with real estate agents to help sell houses, and next thing I knew, we were assembling a team for our first home renovation. Good thing I like it. Maybe it will stick. I'm sure my family would like that, but I think they have their doubts."

  "That sounds like a lot of unnecessary pressure. Not everyone knows what they want to do for the rest of their life when they are in college. People should be more flexible."

  "It's not bad. I didn't mean to imply that it was. A lot of the pressure I feel comes from me. I feel like I should be able to make up my mind, but on the other hand I like the idea of keeping my options open for new adventures. I told you it was kind of complicated."

  He hadn't meant to sound harsh. Between the man and the bear they had a pretty big protective streak. And that was only going to be bigger with her. A mate had to be protected from everything.

  "I just think you should be free to explore what you want, is all. If house flipping sticks, that's great. But if it doesn't, then you should keep searching. Life is too harsh on its own, sometimes, without forcing yourself to stick with a career that doesn't make you happy."

  "Does your work make you happy?"

  "I like fixing things. I'm good at it, and I like helping other people. Home repairs are stressful for people who lack the skills to do it themselves. If I can do the job, and do it well, then I'm happy to ease their fears. But this is really just a--

  Suddenly a loud popping sound from somewhere in the cabin sounded and they both whirled in the direction.

  "What was that?" she asked, frozen in place.

  He had a damn good idea, and it wasn't a good one. Instead of answering her, he ran for the bathroom down the hall. Searching through the room for the source of the sound, he opened and closed cabinet doors and swept aside the shower curtain to find everything as neat and orderly as he'd left it.

  He headed to the kitchen next only to find it as he did the bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. He would have bet his paycheck on a burst pipe, but so far, he'd found nothing.

  "What is it?" She ran into the kitchen after him, her gaze darting to every corner of the room.

  "I thought a pipe burst, but I don't see any problems."

  She stood in front of him, chewing on her lips as she thought about what he'd said. "Wait. What about the laundry? It's in the second bedroom closet." She raced off and he followed close behind.

  The minute she opened the door to the room, he knew they'd found the problem. This hissing noise increased, and water spewed in all directions from the same wall as the closet. "Do you know where the water shut off valve is?"

  She shook her head. "Outside maybe?"

  Most likely. But this damn thing was making a mess. "Grab some towels and put some pressure on that pipe. I'll start searching for the shut-off.”

  They both ran in opposite directions as he went out the back door and started the hunt. There had to be a water meter nearby, and then he would find it. But when a squeal from inside caught his attention, he ran back inside to ensure his mate was okay.

  He found her soaked through from head to toe holding a massive bundle of wet towels wrapped around the burst pipe. The expression on her face looked as frustrated as it did amused. She may have resembled a drowned rat, but in his eyes it was the sexiest damned thing he’d seen in a long time.

  “What happened?” He asked, biting back a smile.

  “Just got a little wet is all. Any luck finding that shut-off valve? This isn’t going to work for long.”

  “Not yet. But let me grab some tools and some duct tape. Nothing is going to hold it, but it might save some flooding until we find the valve.”

  “I know what you’re thinking.”

  “What’s that?”

  “That this cabin isn’t worth the trouble. But I think you’re wrong.”

  “We may have to agree to disagree. I’ll be right back.” He ran outside, grabbed a few supplies, and headed back inside. “Go ahead and let go.”

  “Are you sure?”

  He nodded and she dropped the towels and ran with a squeal when the spray resumed, hitting him directly in the face. Sputtering, he attempted to move from the direct line of fire to no avail. The leak had gotten worse, and nothing short of turning the water off was going to work.

  Of course, by the time he assessed the situation he was soaked through and he turned to find Violet standing in the far corner of the room giggling.

  “You think it’s funny,” he said, smirking. He’d show her funny. He ran for her and before she could make a break for it, he grabbed her around the waist and dragged them both back into the water.

  “Stop!” She screeched, but it was too late. She wriggled for freedom, and he dragged them to the floor and rolled her under him.

  “Never!” He laughed, pressing his mouth to her neck and sucking hard.

  “Carter,” she moaned, bucking her hips up against his. He responded by grinding his now hard dick against her pussy. Despite the shorts and the water, her heat scalded him.

  “Jesus, Violet. You are amazing.” He left her neck and traveled downward until he found the wet, hard nipple he sought. He sucked it into his mouth, tank top and all, before biting down a bit more aggressively than he’d meant.

  Her entire body jerked and his responded in kind. This woman slayed him in more ways than one. Although right now, he couldn’t think of much more than getting inside of her.

  “I need you,” she whispered in his ear as she clung tightly to him.

  He growled, lifting off of her enough to free his cock, which he shoved between her legs.

  "That's not going to work," she giggled and he and his bear reveled in that. Never in his life had he felt so bewitched by a female. But the most surprising part, was that he really liked it and wanted more. In hindsight, he should have removed her shorts, but fuck, she made it so he couldn’t think straight.

  "You want to show me how it's done?" Befo
re she could answer, he rolled to his back and settled her on top of him. She didn't hesitate, she stood while still straddling his legs. From this vantage point he had the perfect view as she stripped her wet tank off and tossed it to the side and then did the same with her shorts. It took quite a bit of effort for him not to take control, but it was her show this time, and he was bound and determined to enjoy it.

  9

  Standing naked and towering over Carter's prone body gave her a surprising sense of power that she didn't quite understand. It was no big deal, and yet somehow, it was. She sank back down to her knees, until she had the perfect angle to put her mouth on his cock. And what a damned thing of glory it was. Dark, hard, and crazy big. She wanted to taste him, but found it really hard not to go straight to the screwing part. Just the memory of him stretching her earlier was enough to make her squirm.

  "Baby, if you don't do something soon, I might go crazy."

  She grinned. The idea of driving him crazy seriously appealed to her. But he was right. They were both going to implode if she didn't do something. Leaning forward, she sucked the tip between her lips, eliciting a strong hiss from him. That was enough to keep her going as she tongued the silky flesh while pulling him deeper into her mouth.

  His hands grabbed at the back of her head, and with gentle pressure he encouraged her to go further.

  "Oh my God." His words were tight and breathless, and everything inside her tightened. Her pulse raced with excitement as fierce need flooded her mind and body. "I don't know how much of this I can take."

  She wasn't sure what he intended, but those words made her more determined to drive him to the brink. She sucked him as deep as she could and then pulled almost free. After she repeated that move a few more times, he grabbed her under the arms and pulled her up his body.

  "I need to be inside you," he said, before claiming her mouth in the most possessive kiss she could have imagined. His tongue dove deep, his hands held tight, and his cock found its way to her eager opening. She wiggled on him until the tip slipped inside, giving her the perfect opportunity to slide down and take all of him. By the time her pelvis met his, she had lost control. That single slow stroke and the stretch of him filling her sparked the orgasm she hadn't seen coming.

  "Carter," she moaned as her body bucked and pulsed around him.

  He must have sensed or felt what was happening, because one minute she was riding him, and the next she was flat on her back with him pumping furiously into her. And either all that friction extended her orgasm, or it threw her into another. The room brightened and darkened all at the same time as the sensations rocketed through her, all while Carter stared down at her with the most intense look in his now golden eyes that she didn't know how to decipher. All she knew was that it felt powerful and exciting to be with him. And she had this overwhelming urge for him to bite her.

  Was that how shifters mated? She should have asked her sister more questions.

  "Mine." The word growled from Carter's mouth, all but discernible as he buried himself one last time and spilled his release into her. It was only then that she thought about the fact they'd not used a condom, either time. And she wasn't on birth control...

  That thought should have scared the hell out of her, but for some reason, it didn't. This moment in time, the two of them alone in the world, it felt too right to worry about anything. He buried his face in her neck, and she felt the slight scrape of his teeth on her skin as the aftershocks of her release continued to rock her body. Her mind screamed for him to bite her, but thankfully she kept from blurting it out.

  There was wild, spur-of-the-moment, unprotected sex stupidity, and then there was asking for something she didn't fully understand. There were still too many unanswered questions.

  Still. With her legs locked around his waist and her arms wrapped around his back, she couldn't let go. Didn't want to let go.

  However, it wasn't too long before the reality of the situation set in. The water still sprayed, likely ruining the entire room. And the combination of the cool air through the window and the water made her skin prickle with goose bumps and a shiver work down her spine.

  "I should probably go find that shut-off valve."

  She nodded, reluctantly unwinding her limbs from around him. Something told her she didn't want this moment to end. That same instinct told her it had to. She'd gotten in over her head, really fast, with a man she barely knew. And aura or not, she had jumped into the deep end of the pool with no life preserver in sight.

  He pulled from her arms, his reluctance as visible as her own. She immediately regretted the loss of his heat as she sat up and got a renewed look at the mess of the room. It was a definite goner. The carpet would have to be pulled and everything in here trashed. Not that she'd planned to keep any of it anyways, but still.

  "What a freaking mess." She started to reach for her clothes and gave up when she discovered them sopping wet on the ground.

  "I think it was worth it. And don't worry, I can get this fixed."

  She smiled as he exited the room. She wasn't worried about that. It was more the strange feeling in her chest she couldn't shake.

  Picking up her clothes, she contemplated trying to staunch the flow of water and decided it wasn't worth the effort. Instead, she'd get some dry clothes on, and she'd help Carter find the valve to turn it off. They weren't going to be able to fix it until the road opened back up, and without any cell phone reception she couldn't call anyone about the repair anyway. No power, no internet, no cell phone, and now no water. This cabin renovation was definitely not off to a great start.

  She needed to dig through her bag for some sage and try a little smudging. Maybe there were some bad vibes here that needed to be cleansed before she continued. In fact, that sounded like a great idea. As did the peanut butter and jelly she'd picked up from the store on her way out. Her stomach growled in agreement. They were going to need more food supplies if they kept this up. If she'd worked up an appetite, she could only imagine how hungry Carter might be.

  By the time she grabbed a change of clothes and got her shoes back on, the water leak had stopped. Carter must have found the valve. Thank God. Now, she could start cleaning up the mess. She trudged through the cabin and began the arduous task of removing all of the soaked items out of the second bedroom.

  All of the bedding, curtains and pillows could probably be salvaged, but they were not the style or quality she was going for when it came to resale. This place may be small, but the luxury touches she wanted to include in the place were going to really set it apart. She couldn’t wait to get to that. Design was definitely her favorite part of renovations.

  “Violet.”

  She jerked at the unfamiliar voice behind her and whirled to come face to face with the Enigma sheriff she’d met through Jami. She racked her brain to come up with his name. It was something unusual, but she couldn’t remember it for the life of her.

  “Sheriff? What are you doing here?”

  Jax! It finally hit her. That was his name.

  “Looking for you and my brother. Sent him out here two days ago to bring you back to town and haven’t heard a word from him since. You seen him? I saw his SUV on the way in.”

  "Excuse me?" The seemingly simple question made her eye twitch. "Did you say your brother?" And was he talking about Carter her handyman? Why in the world would Jax send him out here to get her? She’d done nothing beyond telling her family she needed some space, and the last time she checked, alone time was not illegal in any state.

  "Yeah. Carter is my deputy, and after I found out you left the safety of Drago's place, I assigned him to you for security reasons. And good thing too, because the psy clan in Tennessee has finally made contact, and the demands they've made don't bode well."

  She grabbed at her head and struggled to understand even a word he just said. Her handyman was his Deputy? But...

  "What's a psy clan? And my new handyman is also a deputy?"

  The perplexed
expression that crossed his face mirrored exactly how she felt. Nothing made any sense.

  "Handyman? I don't think we're talking about the same person. My deputy should have arrived just before the storm hit."

  "Yeah. Carter. The man who responded to my handyman inquiry from the hardware store."

  The Sheriff snorted. "Okaaaaay. So where is this handyman? I'd like to speak to him."

  "Right here."

  They both turned to see Carter coming through the door, still soaking wet from their ordeal with the water leak, which now included mud up to his knees. From the corner of her eye she saw the Sheriff try to stifle a laugh. For her the picture was starting to clear.

  "You're not a handyman are you?" she asked.

  "I've been known to take on jobs. But it's not my full-time gig, no. Most of the time I work with this asshole." He glared at the Sheriff—his brother.

  Embarrassment flamed hot up her neck and into her cheeks. She couldn't believe . Her plan had been to get away from the drama that surrounded her family in Enigma, not for it to follow her all the way out here. Or for her to get involved with someone in the thick of it.

  “So you were sent here to be what? My babysitter?”

  Both men just stared without answering the question. She could feel the anxiety and anger from before raise its ugly head and grab her by the throat. So much for her supposed intuition, or the true life psychic crap Jami had spouted at her.