Bearing the Frostbite (Ice Bear Shifters Book 6) (6 page)

“Get inside me,” she ordered, and he happily obliged. He climbed back onto the couch, and hovered over Alexis for just a moment before thrusting his steel rod of a penis into her. She gasped as he filled her, hitting spots deep inside of her that she hadn’t even realized existed before this moment. It only took two or three thrusts for Alexis to once again feel like she was on fire. The heat and pressure in her body flared up again, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she let the energy of James’ passion fill her. He let out a roar as the pressure in his own body was undoubtedly building as well. For a few moments, they both teetered on the edge of ecstasy, panting, groaning, and seeking their release.

Alexis found hers first. With another loud groan and an arch of her back, she let the waves crash over her again. Her muscles clenched around James’ dick, trying to connect with him even more than they already were. She gave in to the euphoric feeling of her body becoming one with James. As soon as James saw Alexis coming, he gave in to the passion pent up in his own body. He stiffened, and then cried out her name as he came into her. He scrunched up his face and let out another roar before slowly lowering his body to lie on Alexis. He was solid, thick muscle, but he somehow managed to spread out his weight so that he wasn’t crushing her lungs. She loved the cozy feeling of having his body on top of hers, sticky and sweaty in the aftermath of the best sex she had ever experienced. A smile spread across her face as she imagined spending a week with James in a warm cabin in Montana.

This was going to be one hell of a vacation.

One week later, James showed up to the Glacier Point Airport, not for work, but for his flight to Montana. He couldn’t keep a stupid grin off of his face as he made his way through airport security with Alexis right beside him. Even wearing a pair of black yoga pants and a gray hoodie, she was stunning.

Everything about her was stunning. Her deep blue eyes looked heavenly against the smooth, dark olive skin of her face. Her hair hung in sleek waves around her shoulders, and he couldn’t look away from her sexy, curvy ass as she bent over to remove her shoes. He was the luckiest man alive.

He thanked his lucky stars every day that her grandmother had given him her seal of approval before she passed away. Alexis had told James in great detail over the last few weeks how strongly her Grams beliefs had been about the dangers of shifters and humans mixing. But old age, and the desire to see her granddaughter happy, had softened Grams’ stance before she died. James wasn’t sure if Alexis would have considered a serious relationship with him if not for her grandmother’s change of heart. Alexis spoke so fondly of her grandmother, and he knew Alexis would be extremely reluctant to do anything that she thought might be dishonoring to Grams’ memory.

Thankfully, James didn’t have to worry about that. As the days passed, he and Alexis grew closer, and he watched as she slowly healed from her grief and began to enjoy life again. He had tried to give her as much space as she needed. And despite how overwhelmingly sexy she was, he had been careful not to put pressure on her to do anything physically with him until she was ready. He wanted to be as respectful as possible of her as she navigated her way through a difficult time in her life. He’d figured she was worth the wait.

And, man, had he ever been right about that one. When they had finally made love last week, he had been blown away. Her body was perfect. Voluptuous curves, smooth skin, and the nipples of a goddess. James shook his head. He had to stop thinking about it right now, unless he wanted to show off an erection to everyone in the security line.

After sleeping with Alexis, James knew for sure that she was the one. Fate had somehow drawn them together, because they were meant for each other. They were lifemates. He had felt an unmistakable, magnetic warmth emanating through his body after he mated with her. He wasn’t sure if she had felt it too, or if her knowledge of shifters extended to the lifemate concept. But he knew with certainty himself that he would never be happy with any other woman again. Alexis was perfect for him, and he was going to spend this whole week of vacation showing her how special she was.

And he could hardly wait to introduce her to the clan. The rest of the Northern Lights bears had been teasing him about his new love interest every time they saw him—which hadn’t been all that often lately, since he spent most of his free time at Alexis’ townhome. If this vacation went as planned, however, that would all change. His mission was to convince Alexis to move in with him when they returned. He knew moving right into the middle of a group of shifters would be a big step for Alexis, but he had a feeling she would be open to the idea. The more time they spent together, the more interested she seemed to be with learning everything she possibly could about shifters. James had a feeling that she would be able to fit right in with the clan, especially since there were already several human mates living with their bears in the cabins.

An hour later, as their plane took off over the tundra of Glacier Point, James leaned back in his seat and watched Alaska disappearing far below him. He crossed his fingers that this trip was going to end the way he hoped it would. And he smiled in anticipation of the good times that lay ahead. He realized as he drifted off to sleep that for the first time since he had lost his clan members, he felt truly happy.

* * *

Glacier National Park in the fall could only truly be described as magical. Just like in Alaska, the crowds here in Montana had thinned and nearly disappeared as the summer disappeared. A quiet feeling of peaceful solitude marked the atmosphere of the park, and James and Alexis were free to take in the fiery beauty of the autumn leaves at their leisure. The landscape boasted a rich mixture of reds, golds, and greens, as the turning leaves of the deciduous trees joined the vibrant greens of the evergreens. The weather was bright and sunny during the first few days that the pair spent at the park. Although many might have found the temperatures crisp and cold, James and Alexis weren’t bothered by the falling temperatures at all. The air was still warmer here than it was in Alaska. The brilliant sun resulted in several magnificent sunsets against a backdrop of fall foliage and snowy mountain peaks.

Their days were filled with a flurry of activity. From fishing, to rafting, to backpacking along the extensive trails, James and Alexis found plenty of ways to fill their days. In the evenings, they returned to their cabin, which was located just outside the entrance of the park and was decorated with an adorable black bear theme. James found the bear theme annoying, but Alexis seemed to enjoy it so he bit his tongue. The cabin they were staying in was one of a group of several cabins that surrounded a large, central lodge. Inside the central lodge, there was a restaurant that served an extensive menu of hearty comfort food. The restaurant also boasted a full bar and several beer and wine options, and James and Alexis took advantage of the fact that the prices here were much cheaper than in Alaska.

The lodge also had a pool and hot tub attached. Although the pool had been closed and covered with a tarp for the winter, the hot tub was still going strong. James and Alexis spent time enjoying its warmth every evening. When they got tired of roasting in the hot tub, they would dry off and change into warm sweats, then go back to the restaurant one last time to enjoy a mug of hot chocolate—sometimes with Bailey’s, sometimes without. James felt like he was living a fairytale. After all of the hard, lonely times he had endured, he had to pinch himself to believe that he had really found such a sweet, simple happiness with such a beautiful woman.

On the last full day of their vacation, the temperatures took a significant drop, and the sun disappeared behind a thick layer of clouds. But neither James nor Alexis were the type to let a little bit of cold and a few clouds get in their way. They both bundled up and set out for a final day of hiking.

James nervously double-checked his backpack and gear before they took off. Despite the amazing week he and Alexis had been having, he still hadn’t worked up the courage to bring up meeting the clan and moving in with him. Today was the day, though. It was now or never.

The hike they had planned went through a thick forested area before leading out to an open glacial meadow. The meadow boasted a magnificent view of the mountains, and the trail followed a glacial stream to a large rocky area. James and Alexis took their time hiking, noticing every small detail of the forest and meadow. After eating lunch near the rocks, James and Alexis turned around and started the return hike. When they were halfway back, James looked all around him to make sure there were no other hikers around. Then he gave Alexis a huge grin.

“Watch this,” he said, and then quickly stripped naked. While Alexis looked on, shaking her head in amusement and fully aware of what he was about to do, James let out a loud roar. A whoosh of powerful energy shot across the meadow, pushing Alexis backward a bit but not knocking her over. She had been prepared for the blast.

James skin turned into the thick white fur of a polar bear, and his hands and feet became paws. His head changed into the giant head of a large bear, and he swung it back and forth to work out the kinks, the same way he did every time he shifted. Then, he took off running. He stretched his legs and raced across the meadow, enjoying the feeling of the cool earth beneath his paws. From behind him, he heard Alexis’ laugh ringing across the meadow. The sound spurred him on even more, and he roared as he sprinted forward. He loved the feeling of the cool air filling his lungs, and the blood pumping through his body. He must have gone a mile before he turned around, huffed for a moment, and then started running back. He could see Alexis in the distance, a little speck on the horizon waiting for him to finish his romp. He let out another joyful roar, and then started running back toward her.

When he reached her, he stopped for a moment to catch his breath, panting and happy. Then he nuzzled her hand with his cold, wet bear nose, and she stroked the fur on top of his head.

“Have fun?” she asked.

James let out a happy huff, and then backed away from her several feet before shifting back into human form with a large rush of power.

“Tons of fun,” he said, as he quickly began putting his clothes back on. The temperature had dropped even further, and without his fur he quickly began shivering. “I love letting my bear run free. For a long time, it was the only thing that made me happy. Now, I have you. You make me happier than anything.”

James leaned over and gave Alexis a quick kiss. She shoved him playfully.

“Sweet talker,” she said.

James just smiled and shrugged. “It’s true,” he said.

They started walking back toward the forest, and right before they left the meadow, James turned to point at the view behind them.

“This is incredible,” he said. “Nothing can beat the feeling of awe that standing near a giant mountain gives you. Add in the fall foliage, and it’s simply breathtaking.”

Alexis turned to look with him, and nodded her head in agreement. “It’s magnificent,” she said.

“So are you,” James said, leaning over to kiss her on the cheek.

“There you go, sweet-talking again,” she said, giving him a playful smile.

James smiled back at her, and slid his backpack off his shoulders. “Well, now that I’ve got you all buttered up, there’s something I want to ask you.”

“Oh?” Alexis said, looking at him curiously.

“I’ve waited all week to ask this, because I’m so nervous what your response will be. But I told myself I would ask you before the vacation was over. Since this is our last day, it looks like I’m running out of time.”

Alexis waited patiently, saying nothing while James took a deep breath before continuing.

“Look, I know you’ve been really worried about where to move when the lease on the townhome is up. And I think I have a really good solution. Why don’t you move in with me, to my cabin? I know you haven’t even seen the place yet, since you’ve been so wrapped up in taking care of your grandmother’s affairs. It’s a really nice, cozy home, I promise. And you’ll be near my clan. Once you meet them, you’ll see how awesome it would be to be able to spend time near them. They’re all amazing individuals, and it’s especially nice being near the cubs. They bring so much joy and laughter to my life. I know you’ve been feeling alone since your grandma passed away, but you don’t have to feel that way. You have a whole family of people just waiting to meet you. They’re going to love you, I know it.”

Alexis shivered as a gust of wind passed over the meadow. “I don’t know, James. It just seems like a big commitment to make. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy spending time with you, and I think our relationship is really going somewhere. But what if it stalls out? What if you decide that you’re through with me and I all of a sudden have to find a new place to live? I don’t think I could take that kind of instability right now.”

“That’s not going to happen, Alexis,” James said.

“How do you know, though? You say that now, but those are easy words to say when we’re on vacation and everything is great and happy. But what about when we’re back in the routine of everyday life, and you’re dealing with all of life’s normal hassles and inconveniences. What then?”

James took a deep breath. He had been going back and forth in his mind on how much to say to Alexis during this vacation. He didn’t want to scare her off, but he also wanted to make sure she knew his feelings were genuine. As he looked at her now, her face glowing in the soft, cloudy light of the Montana sky, he couldn’t imagine ever wanting to live life without her. The words of his alpha, admonishing him to take chances, ran across his mind. James knelt down next to his backpack and started unzipping the front pocket. He was going to take a chance.

He fished a small black box out of his backpack, and then zipped the pocket back up. He didn’t stand up, though. He stayed on one knee and looked up at Alexis.

“James?” she asked, a trace of suspicion filling her voice. “What are you doing?”

“You asked me how I know things won’t change, once we’re back in the swing of everyday life,” James said. “I know because I love you. I know because you
are
my life. You are my everything, Alexis. I mean it. I love you.”

Alexis' eyes softened, and crinkled slightly around the edges as she smiled. “I love you, too, James.”

“Are you familiar with the shifter concept of lifemates?” James asked. “It’s the idea that every bear has one person who is fated to be bonded to them as their lifemate. It’s like a soul mate connection, except even deeper than that.”

Alexis nodded. “I’m familiar. My grandmother talked a lot about the role lifemates and destiny play in the shifter belief systems.”

“Alexis, I believe that you’re my lifemate. I’m telling you I love you, and I’m asking you to come live with me, because I don’t want to live another day of my life without you. I’ve debated how much to say to you, because I didn’t want to freak you out or scare you. But I don’t want to hold back anymore. I want you to know how I feel. I’m bonded to you, Alexis. I know without any doubt that you are my lifemate.”