Bear Prince: Shifter Paranormal Romance (Royal Bears Book 1) (5 page)

CHAPTER

6

Andrei pulled her hand until she turned to face him. He could scent the perfume of her arousal, and the Bear inside him struggled to break free. He clenched his jaw and used the sheer force of his will to push Bear deep down inside him. She wasn’t ready for that, might never be. And there were no guarantees he could stay with her, anyway.

He wanted to give her a guarantee, even after only a few days in her company. This woman was not like other women he’d met. Other women would throw themselves at him. He could have his choice of any of them. But this one was different. Not only was she beautiful in the physical sense, she had a beautiful soul. That was something he couldn’t recall seeing in a long time.

Cautiously, he pulled Hannah toward him. Her cheeks colored underneath the dusky skin, her eyes lowering. It was odd, surprising and not unwelcome that he could almost feel her mix of shy discomfort and desire. Almost as if... but that wasn’t possible. Was it? She was
human.

His hand lifted to her face, and he slid it across her neck and under her hair at the side, allowing his thumb to brush along the line of her jaw. She shivered.

“Andrew, I can’t…”

His finger silenced her. He lowered his head just inches from hers. He could hear her breath hitch in her throat, and he knew he could kiss her if he wanted to. Yet he held back. He wanted her, but he wanted all of her. And if he moved to fast she would slip from his grip.

“I won’t hurt you,” he said, sliding his hand up to caress her cheek. “I’ll wait until you’re ready. I… think you’re worth waiting for.”

Gritting his teeth, he retreated, fingers curling into a fist. Her shoulders slumped, and she exhaled. The play of relief and disappointment on her face told him he was right- he would pursue her, but slow and steady. Stealthy.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she said.

And with that she was gone, leaving Andrei to reflect on what had just happened. He could have kissed her. Of that, he was certain. But where would that have led? He knew his mother would never approve of him having any kind of serious relationship with a human, much less who she would consider a commoner. And Hannah was so much more than just a fling. He couldn’t treat her that way.

Inside him, Bear rumbled. Considered. And between one moment and the next, informed him of a decision that stole his breath and sealed his fate.

Ours
, Bear said.
Mate.

***

For the next few days, life settled into a regular routine. She would go to class, rehearsals for the showcase, and work. She wasn’t sure what Andrew did during the day, but when she returned there was always a meal waiting. Hannah also appreciated that he didn’t make a mess. Gradually little small toiletry items appeared in the bathroom. And somehow without discussing it, his clothing was in her closet. But he’d never entered her bedroom while she was home. He sat next to her on the couch, sometimes held her hand across the table while they ate, thumb caressing her skin.

And sometimes, he just watched her. A heaviness in his regard, the quality of his long silences… sharpening over time. Hannah felt he was waiting, but with the patience of a predator. Courting her, yes. Respectful, yes. But little touches turned into longer caresses. Gentle kisses on the forehead morphed into long, drugging assaults on her senses. Her body clamored, her heart not far behind. But she held back.

Each day she would ask him how he was feeling, and he’d tell her he was feeling better.

***

“Why do you stare at me?” she asked him one evening. Of all the questions she could have asked- why are you still here? Why do I let you stay here? What are we doing?- but, no, she’d asked him about his staring.

Blue eyes blinked, a slow nearly alien or at least inhuman motion. Sometimes the way he moved, the tilt of his head, the set of his shoulders. The fluidity of hips as he walked... she danced. She noticed movements. And she couldn’t quite pin down what was so unique about his.

“Why wouldn’t I stare at you? I’m a... man. You’re a lovely woman.”

Her eyes narrowed. It was an evasion. She huffed, shaking curls out of her face and began hunting for a tie. “
That’s
not the reason you stare.”

She glanced over at him. He smiled. “Well, there’s no television. So you’re the second best thing to watch.”

Hannah frowned at him, pulling her hair out of her face. She knew he was teasing- she could hear it in his otherwise grave voice.

“You know what I think?” he said.

“You always tell me what you think.” She could tease, too. Though her teasing was delivered in maybe a drier tone.

He regarded her, then rose. She looked up from her cross legged position on the floor. Whenever he stood over her, face impassive as if he were hiding dark thoughts, bright eyes staring at her with the unblinking intensity of a gladiator.

Andrew’s smile widened and for a moment he was overshadowed by... Hannah jerked back, startled. He held out a hand, head tilted.

“Let’s go grab something quick and take it to the lakefront,” he said. “Pizza? Cupcakes?”

She placed her hand in his, allowing him to draw her to her feet. She didn’t need the help, of course. “I can’t have cupcakes. The showcase-”

He glared. “You need calories. You’ll waste away to nothing.”

Hannah snorted. “You’re funny.”

He caught her around the waist, yanking her against his body in an uncharacteristically aggressive movement. She clutched his shoulders.

“Andrew!”

“You’re beautiful,” he said, kissing her nose. “Eat whatever you want.” His fingers branded her, the touch searing the skin at her waist, and then he pushed her away. “Come on. The chef wants an evening off.”

***

Andrei struggled with himself. Watching her warm to him reminded him of the wildflowers in the forests behind his castle. Enough sunlight and they would bloom- but slowly, and quick to furl back in with the least amount of shade. He worked hard to earn her trust, to not just… push her onto her bed and prove she was his. That would be wrong. He closed his eyes, containing a shudder. Bear wanted her. Bear railed at him to claim their mate. He was certain now, as certain as he could be. In tune with her moods, aware of every shift and sigh of her body. Drawn inexplicably to her…

He swore. His mother would never allow it. If he were smart he would leave now, cut the embryonic bond. Hannah didn’t understand what was happening between them, but he now did. Sometimes the matebonds formed instantly, sometimes they took time. With the Sahakian line, the bonds nearly always took time. Their Bears were not trusting. But once recognized, there would be no going back.

And with Hannah, things were different. He could be himself. He felt like he belonged somewhere for the first time in his life- not because of his bloodline or nationality. But because of
himself.

One morning Andrei was lying awake on Hannah’s couch thinking about just these very things, brooding over the amount of time that had passed since he’d gone... AWOL. He heard her bedroom door open, watching through slitted eyes as she stumbled into the kitchen and began making coffee. She was humming softly, and he felt something stir inside him. Such a simple, domestic act, and yet Andrei yearned for this.

“Good morning,” he said.

She turned toward him and smiled, saying, “Good morning, Andrew.”

Andrei cringed inwardly. He hated hearing her call him by that name. He might tell her his real name, but he was afraid she’d be upset with him for giving her a false name, and what if she discovered who he really was?

Rolling off the couch, he tugged his sweatpants higher on his hips where they’d slid precariously low as he stood. He noticed her eyes slip over his bare torso, and he subconsciously flexed for her.

“Here, let me help you,” he said.

At first, she’d resisted his help. He guessed it was because she was an independent woman, and she wasn’t accustomed to having help. But as the days went on, he was making more and more progress.

He leaned against her as he reached above her head to retrieve the coffee filters from the cabinet. He could feel the soft plumpness of her bottom pressing against him, and his body responded with a rapid swell in his pants. Hannah squirmed against him, turning her body to face him. Her cheeks were lightly flushed, full mouth a natural rose brown.

“Andrew… um…”

A rumble through his chest, reacting to the rapid beat of her heart. Inhaling, he drew the scent of her desire into his lungs. The scent of flustered woman, warm and tousled from bed. Soft in his arms. His. Andrei’s arms tightened as his head dipped, nose burying in her neck, the place right over her collar bone. His fangs itched for release, the way his cock itched for release. Bite her, mark her, make her his. Mornings were hell. Not that his body didn’t always want her anyway, but in the morning the pump was especially... primed.

“I’m fighting this,” he said into her neck, voice rough. “I'm trying to go slow. This whole situation is like a dream, a moment outside of time. I’m fighting.”

She stilled, then her chest rose and fell with one breath. “Don’t,” she said. “Don’t fight anymore.”

Andrei froze. Raising his head, pale eyes clashed with liquid dark. What he saw in her face… their lips collided in an instant. Andrei wasn’t even certain whether he’d initiated the kiss. All he knew was her hands were sliding along the ridges of his biceps, doing little to quell the passion that raged inside him. He gripped the edge of the kitchen counter, willing himself to resist the desperate desire to explore her body. He pressed against her, hard length pulsing against her body.

Hannah gasped and pulled away from him. She ducked under his arm and dashed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

“Damn,” he muttered.

***

Okay. That was a bad idea.

Hannah leaned against her door, trying to catch her breath. She snorted. She felt like the bravest girl in the world. For a moment she’d gone from wanting just a kiss to wanting… the whole shebang. And with a ferocity that had her nail digging into his biceps before her rational mind realized what she was doing.

She hadn’t meant for the kiss to happen, but as she’d felt the heat of his body pressing against hers, and felt his hot breath on her neck, she’d lost all thoughts of survival. Because that what it was. When he left, he would take her heart with him. Already she found it hard to focus on dance, sometimes hard to even eat, thinking of when he would go. Already she had to clench words behind her teeth, keep from begging him to stay. This couldn't go on forever. What had he called it? A moment outside of time? Maybe they were both fooling themselves. She wished she knew why he was with her. If it was just sex, just a passing amusement… why go to all the trouble?

She
knew
he had money. He let things slip in conversation when he wasn’t carefully picking through his words. She knew he was someone important. The way he walked, his careless disregard of money- as if nothing was too expensive. He bought her a bottle of twenty dollar shampoo when he realized what scent she liked. Twenty dollar shampoo, and the conditioner, too.

Just a few weeks earlier, she’d been on track to have the career of her dreams. She hadn’t needed a man, or even really wanted one. Oh, sure, she’d wondered what it would be like to kiss a man, to feel his touch… but those thoughts were fleeting and quickly pushed into the deepest recesses of her heart.

Now, they were front and center. These feelings were raw and deep, and they were causing her heart to pound against her ribcage. Her stomach lurched, and the world began to sway. She stumbled backward and flopped onto her bed, rolling over and burying her face in her pillow, tears pricking.

Five minutes,
she thought.
I’ll allow myself five minutes, and then I’m getting up and going about my day as if nothing happened.

Because nothing
could
happen. He might want her, might even like her- a lot. But that didn’t mean he was willing to make a commitment. And a commitment for marriage was the only relationship she would accept- ever. So for five minutes, she allowed herself to sorrow for what might have been. Rail against her own ingrained values that held her back from just letting loose and enjoying something other women took so for granted.  And once that time had passed, she wiped her eyes and headed to the bathroom to wash her face.

Still sniffling, she found him making breakfast. He’d learned how much she loved strawberries, and he’d made fresh pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream.

“Are you alright?” he asked.

He didn’t sound upset. His back was to her. Hannah studied his movements. She was a dancer- she saw no tension. She relaxed. “I’m fine. I’m sorry.”

He turned. Hannah sucked in a breath. Glowing, half- lidded eyes met hers. She’d been way wrong. All the tension was on his face.

“Your eyes are glowing,” she said, each word distinct. “Why are your eyes glowing?”

There was only one reason she could think of- and she didn’t want to think of it. She’d seen hints before, but he’d always managed to veil himself so she might think she was imagining things. But now he didn’t bother. He stared at her full in the face with eyes that couldn’t in any way belong to a human man. Silently daring her to back away, or to deny him.

“Don’t worry about it, Hannah,” he replied, voice gentle. Lashes lowered and the something… moved… under the bones of his face, making him look savage. Dangerous.

Predatory.

But the he lifted his lashes again, and his eyes were normal.

“You didn’t do anything wrong,” he continued, setting out plates. “I told you I would wait.”

And that was the problem. Wait for what? Sex? An incredible night or two of sex and then he would leave? That wasn’t anything to wait for.

She sat down at the place he’d set for her with her favorite coffee cup and he filled it with fresh coffee and passed her the sugar bowl. Before her, he set a place of pancakes heaped with fresh macerated strawberries and whipped cream. He got himself a massive portion and sat next to her.

“Where are you from?” she asked, stuffing a bite of the fruity pancakes into her mouth.
What
are you from?

He didn’t answer right away, watching her thoughtfully. “I travel often.” The unspoken question received an unspoken response. What do
you
think I’m from?

“That’s- that’s nice. And… do you have family?” Was she allowed to ask these questions? What were the rules? And weren’t the rules a little obsolete by now, considering they’d
been living together?
They’d talked about art, about life, about music. Places around the world, the people they watched walking by when they just took walks together. Talked so much, but never about their personal lives.

“Yes, I have family.” He smiled. “Not a mate.”

He’d said mate, not wife. “I have to run soon,” Hannah said. “Class starts in less than an hour.”

“Would you like me to escort you?”

“No.”

“Leave it,” he said as she attempted to pick up her plate.

She set it back on the table and said, “Thank you.”

As she passed him to go get ready for class, her hand brushed along his shoulder, and she nearly stumbled at the surge of electricity that pulsed through her.

This is getting dangerous,
she thought.
If I don’t ask him to leave, I’m going to make a terrible mistake.

She turned back, steeling herself against the pain. “I can’t sleep with you, Andrew. I'm not- I can’t do it.” Her hands clenched, jaw clenched. “I think… if you stay any longer we’ll do something I would regret.”

He stared at her, face impassive.

“Please,” she whispered, looking away. “I think I could fall in love with you, and that’s not what you want, is it?”