Bearllionaire(16)

She took a few more deep breaths and waited for her mind to come back to Earth, for reality to settle in. But as she held him and savored the way her body felt after a good loving, she couldn’t bring herself to regret what they’d just shared together.

It didn’t matter what came after. That was wonderful and always would be.

Ryder snuggled into her and murmured something against her neck. It sounded like, “My mate.”

Did she hear that right? That seemed a little odd. But as she stroked his head and felt herself grow sleepy from the orgasms, she decided she must have misheard him.

She’d ask him later. Right now, she needed to sleep and hopefully not have to face the consequences of this for a little while.





5





Ryder let her fall asleep beneath him, pleased she was sated and seemed happy for the moment. But as his pleasure receded, guilt twisted his stomach. He picked Janna up and carried her to the bedroom they’d be sharing together. He hadn’t planned to bring her to his cabin in particular, but he could keep an eye on her better here, in case rival bears got any ideas. He also found himself too jealous at the thought of potentially sharing her company with his brothers or their rowdy friends.

No, for now, Janna was his. And at least for those few moments in his arms, she hadn’t seemed to mind. He’d seen the doubt and fear in her melt away, leaving her a supple, beautiful woman open to loving and being loved.

And it had left him breathless.

The bear in him had gone into full-on seduction mode, and he knew no woman could easily resist. At the same time, he’d carefully watched her, not wanting to rush her, not wanting to scare her.

After having her, he was surer than ever.

This was it, his mate. And when he’d blurted that out, she’d given him a weird look. How to explain? Look, I’m a bear, and we mate for life, usually instinctively when we find our mate, and I want to make you happy forever. Even though I barely know you.

No. That didn’t sound good. He tucked her in and looked at the clock by the bedside. Maybe he should let her sleep while he called Riley. Perhaps Riley had more experience with these things. Ryder had been with women before, sure, but he’d never had this kind of response. This need to claim. He found himself shaken to the core by his reaction to her.

He stepped out of her room and shut the door behind him. Then he pulled on his clothes and got out his cell phone, staring at it pensively.

Cursing himself for not having anyone better to ask, he dialed Riley’s number.

No answer. After a few rings, Ryder cursed and hung up. Then he dialed Ryan. It was humiliating to ask this of the youngest brother, but since they were so close in age, it shouldn’t be. That’s what he told himself. He put a hand to his forehead. He hadn’t been planning for things to go this fast.

He’d wanted to have a nice dinner. Maybe make out a little. See where things went. And then his bear had come roaring to life, demanding to take his mate, and she’d been so warm and willing and… well.

But he didn’t yet know how she’d react to him being a bear.

Unlike Riley, Ryan picked up promptly.

“Hey.” His voice was rough and serious as usual.

Ryder sighed. “Hey.”

“Ryder? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he said quietly, eyeing the bedroom, wondering if Janna could hear him if she woke up. He decided not to take any chances and walked outside the cabin and shut the door behind him. “I may have screwed up.”

“Screwed up how? Did you pick up the chick you were interested in?”

“Sort of,” he said, ashamed at how nervous, how unsure he sounded. He had ownership in some of the biggest companies in the world, yet he was here, floored because of a beautiful, giving woman that had taken him to heaven when she made love to him.

“What happened? Wait, Riley wants to talk to you. Hold on.”

“Bro!” Riley’s voice echoed into the mic, and Ryder shook his head and put the earpiece a little ways from his ear.

“Yes.”

“Sorry I missed your call. We’re having an awesome party in the penthouse up here. You should bring your lady and join.”

Ryder gritted his teeth at the thought of her being around that kind of company. “No thanks.”

“So what’s up? You need my advice with some lady issue?”

Ryder hated that Riley was right with his guess. Ryder liked being in control, being the one who knew what was happening. But how did a responsible person deal with what looked like a one-night stand? What if Janna felt disrespected or pressured? What if she hated him and wanted to go home? How could he explain that he hadn’t intended what happened. It had just felt so right. For once, he felt like things had gone very far out of his control. He itched to transform into his bear and run it off, but he knew he couldn’t leave his mate here without him to watch out for her.