Grin and Bear It Read online

  She couldn’t help but smile at the clear fact he was uncomfortable right now. “It’s okay, Mason.”

  He stopped running his hand on his nape and looked at her.

  “It is strange, and I don’t know if I should be worried you got my address.” She smiled after she said that, not feeling anything but this pleasure that he was standing right in front of her. “But the truth is I like weird.” She felt a little stupid for saying that, but she couldn’t filter her thoughts or words. It was like they just came out, like she couldn’t at least act like she didn’t want him fiercely, which she did.

  Before he could say anything, and before she could put her foot in her mouth, she stepped aside. “Come on in.” Her appearance and the fact her house was probably a wreck faded, and all she thought about was how she felt for him.

  He stopped inside, and she noticed that although he was up and walking around, a miracle all in itself because of the injuries he’d sustained, he did limp on the side he’d been shot. She shouldn’t be checking him out, because he might just be here on a friend level.

  Don’t be a fool. He looked you up, found out where you live, and is now standing in your foyer.

  His body was so much bigger than hers. She felt feminine, like a woman around this beast of a man. His arm brushed against hers, having her flesh tightening, her heart beating faster, if possible, and her breath stalling in her lungs. She slowly shut the door, leaned against it, and for a second just stared at the back of his cut. That patch showing the motorcycle and claw marks, showing her was a member of one of the most feared clubs in the state, slammed into her. She was here alone with Mason, and he could crush her like a twig if he wanted to.

  But he won’t, and I know that with everything in me.

  Chapter Seven

  Mason stood there for several seconds, inhaling the scent of Ryeissa, taking in the feeling of being in her home, of being near her, and had to force his bear down. As it was his claws were trying to push out, his canines, too. He felt his eyes shifting in color: black to blue and once again to black as his bear tried to get dominance.

  Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes for a second, focused, and found his center. He turned and saw her standing by the door, her palms flat against it as she looked at him. She wore her hair up. It was wild, strands falling from the messy knot on her head, brushing along her cheeks, and having his dick twitching in arousal. He wanted to touch her hair, smell it, run it along his lips, and then wrap it in his fist as he fucked her.

  Her shirt, goddamn it, her shirt was loose, barely showing him her figure, but the fact that it fell off of one of her shoulders, exposing her creamy peach colored skin had him forcing himself to rein in his desires. His cock was hardening, his hands tight fists at his sides. He shouldn’t be glaring at her, checking her out like some kind of lewd bastard, but damn he couldn’t help himself, not when it concerned Ryeissa.

  He looked down at the floor, trying to rein himself in, but he saw her toes, ones that were painted this vibrant red and were so damn small. Everything about her was small compared to him.

  “No, it’s really fucking weird and stalkerish that I just showed up,” he said, knowing it was, but she’d come to realize that when a Grizzly wanted something he went after it no matter what.

  “Weird? A little. Stalkerish? Most definitely.”

  He looked at her face, saw the twitch on her lips, and scented that she wasn’t feeling like he was the biggest fucking psycho. She wasn’t afraid, which was good, because he’d never hurt her, even if showing up unannounced was probably crossing a line.

  “So,” she said, her hands in front of her, her fingers twisted together. “You’re here, in my house.”

  He scented her nervousness, and although he didn’t want her to feel like that around him, the aroma was arousing, sweet, and feminine.

  “I’m here.” Mason moved a step closer, his bear pushing forward, wanting to be with this woman in every way. But he needed to go slow, because if he went the speed he really wanted she’d be on her back right now with his mark on her neck.

  He curled his fingers tight into his palms, felt his claws that had started to emerge prick his flesh, and scented the faint aroma of blood in the air. He should just spit it out, tell her what he wanted from her, why he’d just shown up at her house, and then whatever her response was he’d take it from there.

  “I want to take you out, Ryeissa,” he blurted out, feeling like a teenager instead of the fact he was in his twenties and a full-grown bear shifting male. He wanted to show her who he was before they went further, before he finally claimed her. Because he would claim her, every part of her, but only if she understood the kind of male he was, the kind of man that she would be agreeing to be with. He knew she wanted him, knew she desired him, but did she really know the type of guy he was?

  He was a bear shifter, had hurt people, and would kill anyone that crossed him, who went against his club. He would do everything in his power to make sure the ones under his protection, the people he cared about, were always safe, even if that meant he was covered in blood at the end of it all.

  “You want to take me out, like on a … date?” She was still pressed to the door, and he could hear the rate of her heart beating, the frantic thumping of it in her chest. She might appear, if only for right now, that she was calm, but he sensed she was far from it. The pleasure that came from her was this citrusy scent in the air, and it was all for him.

  “Yeah, like a date.” He ran the back of his hand over the nape of his neck. “I’ve never taken a female out on a date before, and clearly never asked one out, as you can see by me stumbling around like a fool.”

  She smiled. “You’re not stumbling around.”

  Yeah, he was, but it was cool she was trying to make it seem like he wasn’t this pubescent teenager trying to get a girl for the first time.

  But it is kind of like that. You’ve never given a shit about taking a female out, not until you met Ryeissa.

  She was silent for a moment, and for the first time in his life he started to feel awkward, like she might actually tell him to leave. She might want him physically, but that didn’t mean she’d want to do anything else with him, even a harmless dinner.

  “I’d love to go on a date, although I have a feeling what I think of as a date and what you consider one are probably pretty different.” She smiled, and this dimple popped out on her cheek. It made her look innocent. But he had a feeling she could be just as dirty as he was.

  He gave a sharp nod, moved toward the door, and just as he got to her she moved out of the way.

  “I’ll give you a call and we can figure out when you’re free.” He was looking at her, but he felt out of his element. His skin was too tight, and his bear felt a little wild right now. This whole scene was not something he’d done, not something he’d ever done. Here he had just shown up at her place, burst out that he wanted to take her out, and expected her to be okay with all of this. But she didn’t seem nervous, and in fact seemed anxious, despite the smile on her face and the cool composure coming from her.

  He gave one more nod, opened the door, and before he stepped outside he looked at her over his shoulder.

  “I guess you’ll be able to get my number the same way you got my address?” She was teasing again, and her smile grew. “It is kind of weird, but hey.” She shrugged and started chuckling.

  “Shit, yeah, that was a creep move. I’m sorry about that.”

  She placed her hand on his forearm, and his whole body tightened. “I’m glad you came, Mason. I’ve been thinking about you.”

  “Yeah?” His throat tightened at her words.

  She nodded. “Yeah. I knew I could have gone to the clubhouse in town and seen you, spoken to you about how I felt—”

  “A connection.” He finished her sentence.

  She licked her lips and nodded. “Yeah, exactly.”

  They didn’t speak for a second, but the connection and the electricity were fie
rce. His bear was clawing at him, but no way was he going to allow his animal to control the situation, to be the dominant one right now. He was here, with her, and there wasn’t any chance that he’d submit to his beast.

  “I’ll be looking forward to your call, Mason.”

  Her hand was still on his arm, and the heat he felt from that touch had this need, this proprietary feeling, and all the possessiveness he felt for Ryeissa rising up like a tsunami.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” she said softly.

  “Yeah.” Mason looked into her eyes for another second, and then turned and left, feeling like something in his life had clicked right into place.

  ****

  A week later

  Ryeissa finished getting ready, had left her hair down, and smoothed her hands over her leggings. Mason had called earlier in the week, but with her schedule they hadn’t been able to plan anything until now. She was nervous, and she hated that, but she was also excited.

  Staring at her reflection in the glass of the front door, she looked at the blurry figure of herself. She liked Mason, felt something real for him, but that also scared her because she’d never felt anything like that before. The sound of a vehicle approaching broke through her thoughts, and she opened the front door and stepped onto the porch. Maybe she should have waited inside, waited for Mason to come to the door, but neither of them was into the traditional route, or at least she wasn’t.

  Neither is he. He just showed up at your place. Remember?

  That had her smiling. Some might think that had been crossing a line, but Ryeissa like that slight intensity from him.

  Slight? That had her laughing to herself. There was nothing “slight” about the intensity that came from Mason that was for damn sure.

  He pulled his massive black SUV into the driveway, and although there was a flash of disappointment at the fact he hadn’t brought his Harley—because truth was she’d never been on one—she didn’t care what vehicle he drove as long as they were together.

  God, she’d really just thought that.

  Smoothing her hands over her tank blouse, she smiled as she stared at Mason through the windshield. The SUV was shiny, the chrome detailing looking tricked out. Of course there was nothing novelty about this man. He was a masculine bear shifter, and even his “toys” were hardcore.

  Yeah, she might be getting in over her head being with Mason, but she’d be more than happy to suffocate on the feeling she called forth in her.

  Chapter Eight

  They’d finished having drinks and dinner at the local bar and grille. The night had gone so smoothly, so comfortably, that Mason knew without a doubt she was the right female for him, even if his bear hadn’t already beaten that into his head. They’d left the bar after being there for a couple of hours. Although they’d talked about a lot of shit, and he’d gotten to know more about her, there were things he hadn’t told her, hadn’t shown her.

  She might have been his nurse, knew that he’d gotten into the accident, but she didn’t know that he was going to go after those fuckers, didn’t know he was going to hurt them. He also wanted to show her who he really was, and that’s what they were going to do now, what he was going to show her.

  Mason pulled his SUV to a stop off to the side of the road. He’d taken Ryeissa on the outskirts of town. After asking her if she wanted to be taken home or to see what he really was, she’d just shaken her head and said she didn’t want the night to end.

  He’d wanted to take her on his Harley for this date, to have his woman on the back of his bike, but with the fact he still limped, was still healing, even if he was almost back to how he felt before the accident, he didn’t want to take any chances with her safety. Although this was the area that the club usually partied when they wanted to be alone and not have the Originals around, he knew no one would be out here right now.

  “Ready?” he asked Ryeissa and smiled at her. She was already staring at him, and although it had been a short time since they’d actually started this … whatever this was, he’d never felt more connected or close to a woman than he did with her.

  She nodded.

  Mason had never been one for romancing a female, never even wanted to do anything but fuck them. But Ryeissa was different. She was different on every level, and it was such an incredible feeling.

  He climbed out of the SUV and went over to the passenger’s side door to help her out. He would have never been called a gentleman, never even saw himself as the kind of male that did anything chivalrous, but with Ryeissa he felt so damn different, and only in the best kind of way.

  Opening the door and grabbing onto her waist before she could say anything, Mason helped her out of the car. But before he set her on the ground he held her close to his body, felt the beating of her heart as her chest pressed to his. He stared at her, looked into her blue eyes, at the fact she’d left her hair down and with the wind blowing it created this hot fucking scene. Her blonde hair moving along her shoulders and cheeks, the scent of her fruity shampoo filling his nose … all of it had his cock hardening. But he didn’t bring her here to fuck, although that was certainly on his mind. No, he’d brought her here to show Ryeissa that he wasn’t just a man, but an animal with every part of him.

  “I really want to kiss you,” he said in a deep, but low voice.

  She was breathing harder after he spoke, and he noticed that she looked down at his lips. They hadn’t done more than brush along each other, despite how much he’d wanted to kiss her, touch her, and do a hell of a lot of things to her that were far from being gentlemanly, but that’s who he was.

  “Then why don’t you?” she asked just as softly.

  “Because I want to take things slow with you, do this right.”

  She lifted her gaze to his, and they stared at each other for several long seconds. “Maybe I don’t want slow, Mason.”

  He groaned, his bear pushing forward, wanting to agree with her. The beast didn’t want slow either, but the man wanted to make this last, didn’t want to scare her away with how rough he could be.

  “I want to do this right because I’m not just a man, Ryeissa, but an animal, too. I want you to fully know who and what I am before things—” And before he could finish speaking she had her mouth on his.

  With her lips pressed to his, their breath mingling together, all Mason wanted to do was … do everything with her. He pressed her back to the side of the SUV, opened his mouth and took control of the kiss. He couldn’t help it, and neither could his bear. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, securing her to his body as he probed her mouth with his tongue. They stayed locked in that embrace for several seconds, both panting, moaning, and getting lost in this kiss. He was hard, so damn hard his cock ached, and his balls were drawn up tight. He knew if he didn’t stop he’d lose all control. He finally pulled away, looking at her, breathing hard, intense.

  “Why’d you stop?” she asked breathlessly.

  “Because if I didn’t I’d be liable to tear your clothes off and do things that you’re probably not ready for.”

  Her eyes widened for a second, but the scent of her rising lust slammed into him.

  “Believe me, I want this, want you more than I’ve ever wanted a female, but I want to do this right, Ryeissa.” He looked down at her chest, his cock hard, throbbing. “I want to have my dick in you so fucking badly, but if I don’t have control now I’m afraid I’ll screw things up with you in the long run. I’m a bastard, but I don’t want to be one with you.”

  She swallowed, her throat working from the act, and then nodded.

  He set her on the ground, and pulling away from her was really hard, but he took her hand and led her up the path that was a few feet from where he’d parked. It wasn’t one that was used unless someone knew it was there, and the only people that knew about it were the club, and of course those fuckers that had crashed their party. Thinking about those assholes, knowing it was them that had him laid up, had rage filling Mason, but he pushed
it back. Right now was about him and Ryeissa.

  They walked for several minutes, and when he cut through the trees and stepped into the clearing where the ashes and stone of the bonfires they’d lit on more than one occasion lay in ruins, he stopped and faced her.

  She looked around, the sun setting above them, sinking behind the trees, and casting this golden glow along her hair.

  “What is this place? For parties?” she asked and turned to face him.

  He stared at her for a few seconds, but finally nodded. God, she was gorgeous.

  “You wanted to show me where you party? Did you bring any beer?” She smiled after she said that, the teasing in her voice clear.

  Mason walked toward her, knowing he should go slow, but he needed her close to him. He pulled her toward him and grew harder. “I’m a monster, Ryeissa, an animal, and I want you to see exactly what you’ll get if you decide to stay with me.”

  I need you to stay with me, because God help me if you walk away. I’ll destroy everything in my path to get you back.

  “I want to show you my bear, Ryeissa.”

  She didn’t speak for several seconds, but he finally stepped back after she nodded. His animal rose up, needing to come free, anticipating the time when he’d finally come out. Ryeissa was his mate, he knew that, felt it in his body, in his very cells, and it was time she saw him for the male he truly was. “Are you sure you want to see this?”

  She nodded. “But can I admit I’m a little scared?”