Page 26 of Goldie's Grumpy Grizzly
He grins at me and suddenly, my mind flashes to an image of me, splayed out on the bed, twisting in the sheets and moaning with his face between my legs. I jump, clap my thighs together and gape at him in shock when the vision clears.
“You can send mental images, too?”
His laugh bounces off the walls of the kitchen as he pulls me into his lap. “It works both ways, you know. You send me telepathic messages, too.”
He nips at the sensitive skin on my neck and presses a wet kiss to the mark he’d given me in the forest.
“I do? When?”
“All the time. Especially when you’re writing about Bruno.”
“No… Is that what happened last night?”
He nods. “For the record, I won’t stop you if you wake me up with your lips wrapped around my cock. And if you really want to mark me when I’m thrusting deep into that sweet pussy of yours, you can. With your nails, your teeth, your kiss. Just know I will give as good as I get, and I already know you liked it when I spanked your ass.”
I shove at his shoulder, spluttering.
“Is nothing secret? My first drafts are sacred! No one sees my raw work, not even Janelle.” Jumping off his lap, I fan my overheated face. “How could you?”
“Sorry, the mating bond isn’t something any of us have control over,” he shrugs. “I promise I’ll teach you how to shield your thoughts if you really want to keep Bruno’s bedroom activities to yourself.”
The timer sounds and I plate up a healthy portion for each of us. “So, after this, I’ll make the cookies and head over to your mom’s to discuss the convention. But other than that, I have no plans, and I wondered if you maybe wanted to show me around the forest? I’d love to see all those places on the brochure–the fairy houses, vampire caves, pagan altars, and shifter dens. Or maybe a place that has special meaning for you. And you did promise to take me.”
“That I did,” he says, nodding. “Let’s finish with these cookies and then get going. Don’t want it to get too hot before we get up the mountain.”
Hours later, halfway up the mountain, I now understand why Cole’s body is chiseled and toned. He scales the mountain easily while I huff behind him, trying hard not to fall too far behind as we wind our way through the steep, narrow trails.
Exercise has been one of those things I’ve never been able to consistently do in my life, not like my gym-obsessed siblings who all live in fear of having an unflattering photo plastered all over the internet. I always preferred to spend my time cozied up in a warm blanket with a good book instead.
Already, Cole’s taken me past awe-inducing views of the surrounding forest, pointing out pockets of the town laid out at its feet and a number of the sights outlined in the brochure. The land here is stunning. Lush and calming, totally opposite what it is back in the city, and it’s easy to see how I could settle into a life here with my mate.
With every step further into the forest, I feel more alive and grounded in myself. Easy to see why, considering I’m enveloped by the vibrant, lively reverberation of insects buzzing, the scurrying of quick-footed animals, the relaxing sound of rushing water as it makes its way down a stream. Even the thinner, clean mountain air, purified by the untouched greenery surrounding us makes me feel utterly connected with nature and with my own spirit in a way I’ve never felt before.
“You doing okay?” Cole asks, casting a dubious look in my direction. He’s grown more solemn the further up we’ve climbed, and I’ve marveled at the strength of his calves. His firm ass has been bent before me several times, and his strong arms have had to lift me up and around spaces where my footing was sketchy.
“Yes,” I pant, wishing I was less sweaty, more athletic, and somehow more… sexy.
Cole scowls at me as he reaches for my hand and helps me navigate the steep, rocky path. “That’s enough, Goldie.”
“Enough walking? Oh, thank God.” I grip his arms and offer up a bright smile. “I could do with a break.”
“Enough wishing you were anything other than what you are right now, in this moment.” He grips my chin in his fingers and tips my head up, forcing me to meet his intent gaze. “You’re perfect just as you are. I wouldn’t change a single thing about your body, your athleticism, or your sweet scent.”
I choke on a laugh and side-eye him. “You probably have to say that. Due to the whole mate thing.”
“It’s not lip service, it’s the truth. You’re so much more than I could’ve ever hoped for in a mate.”
“You mean it?”
“Yes,” he says simply, lacing his fingers with mine and tugging me along. “Come on, it’s not far now.”
“Where are we going?”
“To my sacred space. The place my family made our den, spent our best summer evenings bonding and playing and training.”
He leads me through, periodically sniffing at the air and switching direction. But my legs feel heavy and leaden with every step. The energy here is different, and the shade created by the canopy of tree boughs shivers through me a degree or two cooler than it was a minute ago.
The clearing comes into view like a summit, with the white-gray rocky face jutting up above me. My breath catches as my hand flies to my throat. Tipping my head back, my gaze is drawn up and up and up, to the place where water rushes over the edge and cascades down into a serene pool at our feet.
