Everything about his body illustrated pure, unadulterated power waiting to be unleashed. Yet it was that constantly analyzing, rational brain that turned him into straight catnip for Gwen.

Taking the tip of her forefinger, she dragged her nail along the length of his cock. Hard and long, it jerked at her touch while Lock’s hands dug into the bedding beneath him. It already stood up straight, the thick head weeping fluid. Like the cat she was, Gwen took a quick swipe of it with her tongue. His reaction was so strong, the heavy bed frame moved beneath them, and Gwen decided a little cleaning was in order. The feline in her did like things tidy.

She started at the tip and worked her way down, alternating between short and quick licks to long, drawn-out ones that went from base to tip. She lost track of time as she focused all her attention on Lock. He groaned her name and she could smell his sweat as he fought his desire to grab her and fuck the hell out of her. She admired his restraint and yet had no problem using it against him while they were in bed. What could she say?

She enjoyed making him crazy, bringing out the grizzly inside.

By the time she took his cock in her mouth, relaxing her throat muscles so she could swallow the entire length of him, his claws were out, and he’d moved from groaning to a guttural grunting that should have made her nervous but didn’t.

Already on the edge, Lock barely lasted for another two minutes before he came, his initial roar of release ending on a steady hum.

Gwen sat up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand and staring at the humming male stretched out beside her. He had his face turned away, but his entire body was relaxed.

Still, she had to ask. “What is with the humming?”

Although she could only see part of his face, she did see the way the corner of his mouth curled into a smile even as his eyes stayed closed.

“Contentment, Gwen,” he said softly before he turned his head and opened his eyes to gaze at her. “It means contentment.”

She looked down at her hands, seemingly uncomfortable with his answer. He didn’t know why. A bear couldn’t pay a higher compliment. Contentment, like pure gold, was not easy to come by in this world.

Lock reached for her, taking her hand and tugging her close until he could slide his fingers into her hair, bringing her head down for a kiss. He tasted himself on her lips and in her mouth and he grew hard again knowing she’d taken all of him without backing off. Of course, Gwen never backed off. She might skirt around, climb over, or circle in, but she never backed off until she got what she wanted.

As they kissed, Lock used his free hand and slid it between her thighs. He needed to be inside her, but he didn’t want to take her too soon. Yet his fingers glided inside her pussy and he could feel how wet and ready she was for him. Touching him, sucking him had turned her on, and his fingers inside her had her writhing on his hand.

He pulled away, and Gwen mewled, her brows drawing down. But he wasn’t nearly done with her.

Pushing her back, Lock dragged himself up. She began to lie down, and he grunted at her, pulling her back up and moving her around until she was on all fours and facing away from him. He grabbed a condom and put it on before settling in behind her. He braced his arms in front of her, his forearms pressing into her shoulders to hold her in place as he positioned his hips behind her. With one hard thrust, he entered her, grunting hard as all that wet heat wrapped around his cock, her muscles flexing as she worked to take all of him in.

“Link your hands with mine,” he whispered against her neck.

Gwen nodded and wrapped her arms around his forearms, her hands clutching his, their fingers interlacing.

“I love you, Gwenie,” he said before he took her in long, hard strokes.

He wasn’t gentle with her, his arms keeping her trapped where she was while he fucked her with everything he had in him. But Gwen didn’t seem to mind. Her head rubbed against his arm while she begged him to go “harder, faster” and then “Don’t stop. Don’t ever stop.”

He wouldn’t. Even when they were too old to bother anymore, he’d still never stop showing her how much he loved her, needed her, wanted her in his life.

Claws dug into his arm and Lock nuzzled the back of her neck, dragging his mouth along her skin. It rippled where he touched her and she met each of his thrusts with her own, her breath choking as she cried out.

Her muscles tightened around him so much, nothing could have stopped him from coming, his body shuddering around hers.

Lock caught her in his arms and turned on his side as he crashed to the bed. They stayed like that for long minutes, too tired to move.

“At some point,” Gwen told him, her voice sounding moments from sleep, “we’re going to have to find a way to get honey in on this because I’m almost positive it’s like your ultimate fantasy, right?”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Mittens,” he laughed, kissing her neck and enjoying that her hair was currently so short he didn’t have to push it out of the way. “We have lots of time, and I have

lots of honey.”

CHAPTER 27

Blayne would admit she hadn’t had this much fun since she worked the Renaissance Faire one summer.

True, the circumstances surrounding this event were despicable, but the aftermath was way entertaining!

Of course, it didn’t turn into a free-for-all until Roxy O’Neill snatched that wig off Sharyn McNelly’s head, revealing what Blayne could only call a monk-cut. A look that was not good on a man, much less a woman. And once that wig came off, all bets were off. It probably would have lasted a lot longer if they weren’t in a hospital waiting room. A hospital run by shifters with orderlies who were bears. One bear roar and everyone backed up into their own corners, the O’Neills, Shaws, Kuznetsovs, and Smiths on one side and the McNellys on the other.