The Playboy Bear's Baby: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Read online

  Mara wasn’t sure what was worse—the ear-splitting country music or the rednecks who kept accidentally grabbing her ass. She kept moving to the music, maneuvered away from the latest set of grabby hands, and bumped shoulders with Sara. “Remind me why I let you talk me into this?”

  Sara leaned in closer. “Because you love me. And because you needed to get out of that house, even if you are too pigheaded to admit it.”

  Sara had a point. There was no way Mara would’ve come to a place like Buds Suds without peer pressure from someone she liked and trusted. “If you say so,” she hollered back to Sara over the music. “I need another drink. You want one?”

  Sara nodded and shook her groove thing. “Thanks! I love this song.”

  Mara gave a thumbs up and headed toward the bar. She didn’t make it a dozen steps before someone pinched her ass. “Hey!” She whirled around, looking for the culprit, and realized it could have been any one of the dozen people behind her. None of them looked guilty. Damn it. She spun back around and continued toward her destination. If she was going to stay at the bar much longer, then she was going to need a lot more liquid courage.

  She sidled up to the bar, waited until her turn, and shouted her order to bartender. The words had barely left her mouth when a large, hot body pressed up against her back. “Put it on my tab,” a deep voice said from behind her.

  “Thanks, but I can pay for my own drinks.” She glanced over her shoulder to see who was hitting on her and felt the moisture in her mouth evaporate. The man was fine with a capital F. He stood head and shoulders above her own five feet, five inches, had a square jaw sharp enough to cut glass, full lips, and dark, soulful eyes that were currently trained on her.

  “You sure?” hot stuff asked. “It’s just a drink. No strings attached.”

  “All right. Thanks.” She turned sideways to get a better look at him and the view from his chest down was even better. Through his fitted gray shirt, she could make out firm pecs and a flat stomach. Faded blue jeans clung to his narrow hips and highlighted the huge bulge behind his fly. She wondered if he’d stuffed socks in there or if he was just really happy to see her.

  “You’re welcome.”

  She jerked her gaze back up to meet his and found him grinning at her.

  He smirked. “See something you like?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged, trying to play it cool, and picked her shot up off the counter and chugged back the contents. She set the empty glass down and met his gaze head on. “You aren’t drinking?”

  “Alcohol doesn’t have much effect on me.”

  Oh. Oh hell. He was one of them. A shifter. She appraised him with new eyes and wondered which breed of animal spirit he was hiding beneath his human skin. No way was he something docile like a deer or a llama. He had predator written all over him. Curiosity crackled through her mind, but she didn’t dare ask such a personal question. Her grandma raised her with better manners than that.

  The reminder of what she was trying to forget smacked her upside the head. She didn’t know what she’d been thinking to come out tonight. She picked up the shot she’d ordered for Sara, swallowed it down too, and waved at the bartender for another.

  “Thirsty?” hot stuff asked.

  “It’s warm in here,” she answered. The bartender delivered two more shots. She passed cash across the counter and picked up the glasses. “Well, thanks for the other drinks. I have a friend waiting for me on the dance floor.”

  “You’re going to walk away without even telling me your name? That’s cold.”

  What the hell. “I’m Mara.”

  “Pleased to meet you, Mara. My name’s Gray.”

  “Well, Gray… I guess I’ll see you around.”

  “Yes, you will,” he said as she headed off to find Sara.

  She could feel his gaze on her as she moved across the room. Instead of creeping her out, his attention warmed something deep inside her. It had been a long time since someone had flirted with her and made her feel good about herself. She’d forgotten what that felt like and how much she liked it.

  Once she reached the dance floor, she risked a glance back. Sure enough, he was leaning against the bar and staring her way. The instant he caught her looking, the arrogant bastard winked. Heat blossomed across her face. She spun back around, careful not to spill the liquor, and made her way through the crowd.

  It only took her a minute to spot Sara with some dude wearing a huge cowboy hat and sparkly boots. Between the ten gallon hat and Sara’s long red hair, the duo stood out amongst the crowd.

  “Sorry it took so long,” she yelled and held out the shot.

  “Don’t worry about it,” Sara hollered back. The song changed and Sara shifted gears, moving away from the cowboy. She threw back the shot and grinned. “I would have stopped to flirt with Grayson Wells too.”

  “You saw that, huh?” That name sounded familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it.

  “Oh yeah. Me and everyone else in here. Grayson’s a hot commodity when he’s in town.”

  “I bet.” The man was hella hot. It wasn’t any wonder women would line up to climb him like a tree. She wouldn’t mind a turn with him herself and that was coming from someone who didn’t do one night stands. There was just something about him that called to her baser instincts and reminded her she was a woman who hadn’t been touched in months. Gray looked like the kind of man who knew his way around a woman’s body and wasn’t afraid to let loose.

  Sara nudged her. “You should go for it.”

  “Go for what?”

  “Him.” Sara nodded toward the bar. “You know what they say. The fastest way to get over one man is to get under another.”

  Mara smiled and shook her head. “That’s a terrible saying.”

  “True though.” Sara wiped her hair out of her face. “You want to find a seat somewhere?”

  “Yes to the seat. I don’t know about the guy.” She’d only ever slept with Richard.

  Sara winded through the crowd. “What’s to know? He’s smoking hot and you’re newly single. Grayson is the perfect rebound guy. He’s not interested in anything more than a little fun.”

  Mara followed along until she spotted a couple vacating a table by the wall. She hurried over to claim it before someone else did. “Over here, Sara.”

  She pulled out a chair and took a seat. Sara sat across from her. “Nice find.”

  “I got lucky. This place is packed.” Mara looked around the room. “I had no idea this place was so popular.”

  “It’s popular by default since it’s the only bar in town. Mama said Moonshiners closed down last fall.”

  “That explains it.”

  “So,” Sara leaned across the table. “Are you having fun?”

  Mara shrugged. “I guess.”

  “Better than being home drowning in cheese dip?”

  “Definitely.” At the very least, her hips would thank her for putting down the junk food.

  “Good. My work here is done.” Sara sat back. “I don’t go back to school for a couple of weeks. It would be really nice if we could hang out some until then.”

  Mara liked the sound of that. It had been way too long since they’d spent any real girls’ time together. “Sounds good to me.”

  “Me too. Hmm… I’m in the mood for something fruity. I think I’m going to go get a mixed drink. You want something?”

  “Sure. Bring me back a Blue Motorcycle, please.” Three shots in and she barely had a buzz. A strong mixed drink was just the ticket to forgetting her problems for a few hours. Not to mention the liquor would loosen her up a little.

  “Cool. Be back in a minute.”

  Mara twisted her chair around until the back was pressed against the wall. She sat back, watched everyone partying around her, and tried to relax. Her mind drifted back to Gray. He was really hot and apparently had a reputation as a ladies man. Normally that would be a turn off, but she wasn’t interested in something serious anyway. After everything sh
e’d been through with Richard, it would be a long time before she was ready to trust another man. However, that didn’t mean she wanted to spend all her time alone and celibate.

  She turned her attention to the bar, searching through the crowd for the man who’d caught her attention. Her spirits dropped when she didn’t immediately spot him among the masses. It figured he would be gone. The man had probably already moved on to picking up someone else, a woman who knew how to flirt back and wouldn’t blow him off in favor of spending time with a friend. Someone that hot wouldn’t stay alone for long.

  The very thought of him choosing someone else gutted her—which was ridiculous since she’d just met the man. He’d bought her a drink—or two, technically—and they’d exchanged a few words. No big deal, right? So why was she still thinking about him?

  She looked down at her hands and fiddled with the overgrown cuticle on her thumb. Her social life wasn’t the only thing she’d let go since learning about her Grandma’s illness. She hadn’t had a manicure or a hair cut for months. It was a wonder any man would look twice at her.

  Someone wearing black leather motorcycle boots stopped in front of her and cleared their throat. “Alone again, I see.”

  She looked up, recognized Gray, and smiled. “Not for long. It was my friend’s turn to fetch the drinks. She’ll be back in a minute, but you’re welcome to join me.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but I think you should dance with me instead.”

  Butterflies swarmed inside Mara’s stomach at the thought of getting up close and personal with him. “All right.”

  He held out his hand to help her up like some old world gentleman, charming her, and she took it without a second’s hesitation. A shock jolted through her the second their palms slid together. “Whoa,” she said, rising to her feet.

  He twined their fingers together. “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. The shock just surprised me.” She squeezed his hand to reassure him she was all right and noticed how his hand dwarfed her own and how much warmer his skin was than her own.

  “I liked it. It means we have chemistry.”

  She laughed at the cheesy line. “That was bad.”

  “Maybe, but it made you laugh. You’re beautiful when you smile.”

  “Thank you.” She fidgeted, switching her weight from one foot to the other.

  “Come on,” he said. “Let’s dance.”

  Hand in hand, he led her toward the dance floor. Before they reached it, she spotted Sara on her way back from the bar with their drinks. Sara’s gaze moved from Mara to Gray and back again before she gave a big grin and congratulatory nod. Mara smiled back at her, amused and happier than she’d been in months, and then returned her attention to the man leading her forward.

  He stopped once they reached the center of the crowd and pulled her in close. They moved together, dancing to the music, while gazing at each other. Gray’s gaze was intense, almost too powerful to maintain eye contact, but she managed. The big, bad shifter didn’t scare her. If anything, his gruff countenance attracted her more. She wasn’t in the mood for fun and games. She didn’t need a jester or a leech. She wanted a strong man who would make her forget her troubles, if only for a little while. Gray seemed to fit that roll to a T. He was tall, handsome, and muscular. The shifter angle lent him a mysterious air that intrigued her.

  The DJ fired up a twangy country song and Gray guided her through a simple two step across the floor. “This okay?” he asked.

  “Sure.” She smiled at him and tried to keep up. For such a big man, he was surprisingly light on his feet and graceful. She wondered if that meant he was some sort of cat, like a panther or a jaguar. For whatever reason, she couldn’t see him as a feline.

  “So,” he said. “What brings you out tonight?”

  “My friend,” she answered. “She wanted to come out and dragged me along with her.”

  “Are you enjoying yourself?”

  “I am now.” She flushed and looked away.

  “Me too.”

  She glanced back up at him. “Why did you come out tonight?”

  “I got lonely. Wanted to find a little company.”

  “I see.” That seemed straightforward enough. He was out on the prowl and she was willing prey. “Well, it looks like you found what you were after.”

  “Did I?” He quirked a brow.

  “If you play your cards right.” She didn’t see any point in being coy. Playing hard to get was only for people who didn’t want to get caught.

  The song changed to something slower, more intimate. Gray pulled her in close and wrapped his arms around her lower back. She wound her arms around his neck and jumped on the opportunity to press up against him. He smelled so good and felt even better, all firm muscle to her soft curves.

  She gazed up at him, their faces only inches apart, and felt her mouth go dry. She moistened her lips and his attention dropped to follow the progress of her tongue across her lips. His head lowered a fraction of an inch and her pulse skyrocketed in anticipation. She lifted up on her toes to meet him halfway and their lips collided in a soft, teasing caress. She stretched up, seeking more, and he didn’t disappoint. He tilted his head and kissed her harder, sliding his mouth back and forth over hers. The hot, slick glide of his tongue over the sensitive rim of her bottom lip made her gasp and part her mouth. When his tongue breached her lips, she met him head-on. Their tongues touched, retreated, and touched again with more confidence. The kiss grew deeper, wetter, and the world shrank to just the two of them and the magnetic pull growing between them.

  Someone bumped into her side. “Get a room.”

  Mara reluctantly pulled away from his luscious lips and opened her eyes. She sighed and shook her head. “Stupid people.”

  Gray grinned down at her. “They have a point. Too much more of that and all the rednecks in here might spontaneously combust just from watching us.”

  She laughed. “I highly doubt that.”

  “I don’t think you realize just how beautiful you really are.”

  Mara bit into her bottom lip and looked away.

  Gray caught her chin between two fingers and guided her face back around so she was gazing up at him again. “I don’t know who hurt you or convinced you not to believe you’re beautiful, but they were a fool.”

  Mara melted under his attention. She lifted up on her toes and kissed him, not caring who might be watching or what they’d think. She buried her fingers in the short hair at his nape and poured every ounce of the passion she felt into the melding of their mouths. The kiss went on and on until her head spun and her pulse raced. Her body heated like she was standing next to an open flame.

  Gray eased back. “You want to find somewhere more private?”

  She blinked up at him and licked her lips, still tasting him there. “Okay.”

  He grabbed her hand and hurried her through the throng of partygoers toward the back of the bar. They rushed down a dim hallway and through an unmarked door that lead outside. She glanced left and right, looking over the dark alley behind the bar to assure they were by themselves. They were alone with a massive quantity of empty crates and a big ugly dumpster.

  Before she could question the sanity of hooking up out in the open, Gray was right up against her, ushering her backward against the brick exterior of the building. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted her face up, anxious for more. He didn’t disappoint. He claimed her mouth, caressing her lips with his own, and licked inside to explore the recess beyond her teeth. She closed her eyes and kissed him back, relishing the taste and feel of him against her.

  Passion ignited between them and made her blood rush hot. She’d never felt so attracted to someone she’d just met. It was like their bodies were somehow already attuned and desperate to reconnect. Whatever was happening between them, she wanted to explore it. She wanted to explore him.

  Gray kissed across her cheek and up her jaw. He nipped her earlobe and soothed away the sting with his
tongue. She shivered at the hot contact with his mouth and the cool sensation of his breath wafting over her damp flesh.

  She let go of his shoulders and ran her hands down his broad chest, feeling his firm pecs through the thin material of his shirt. Beneath her palms, his heart beat fast and true. She trailed her fingers lower and rubbed over his hard stomach. The heel of her palms brushed up against his belt. Was he hard? How much did he really want her? Unable to resist, she pressed her palm over the hefty bulge behind his fly. Her fingers automatically curved inward, wrapping around his swollen cock. It seemed to grow longer, harder, beneath her touch.

  He rocked into her touch and moaned against her throat. That was all the incentive she needed to continue. Without waiting or asking for permission, she unbuckled his belt and undid his pants. She reached inside and wrapped her fingers around him and stroked his heavy length as best she could while trapped inside the confines of his jeans. His cock pulsed under her fingertips, making her yearn to do more than touch him.

  Gray growled and claimed her mouth again. While they kissed, his large hands moved over her body, caressing her shoulders and arms, her midsection, and finally her breasts through her blouse. She pushed into his touch, wanting more.

  She kept stroking him, running her fingers up and down his hard shaft. At that moment, she desperately wished she could transport them to the nearest bedroom and make their clothes vanish with a snap of her fingers.

  He tore open her pants and worked her jeans and panties over her hips and down her legs. Mara gasped, suddenly naked from the waist down. That fact took second fiddle because Gray squatted in front of her, slipped off one of her shoes, and tossed it aside. He tugged her panties and pant leg over her right foot.

  Once he was finished, he leaned back on his heels and regarded her with hot eyes. “Perfect.”

  Exposed and vulnerable, she stared down at Gray and wondered what he would do next. The cool night air outside washed over her bare skin, causing goose bumps to rise all over her body. Her nipples drew up into tight beads and pressed against her bra, aching to be freed.

  Gray brushed his knuckles over the strip of trimmed hair covering her mons, and then caressed lower, over the bare lips of her sex. His thumb slipped between her lips and teased the bud of her clit.