Billionaire Bear’s Human Mate by Alicia Banks
Chapter 14
Shane
It was about a week after Shane left before he was able to come back home. His father had taken some further mending from witches before he was able to be transported away from the Montauks and even then, they had to go slow. They had to drive, and Shane was itching to get home. He had left Devin and Vivica alone to take care of the businesses. He wasn’t worried about what happened to his bottom line when he was gone, that didn’t matter. What mattered to Shane was how the two of them got on. He wanted to believe that Vivica was somehow destined to be his, thus there was no reason to think that she was going anywhere, but Shane knew that it wasn’t necessarily the case.
He’d talked to Vivica every day and she hadn’t said anything about it. Devin had though. He was showing frustration that Vivica wasn’t falling all over him. She was supposed to. They were shifters and Vivica was human. She was weaker in all ways, and their sheer magnetism should have been enough. It wasn’t and Shane was thankful, but worried at the same time. He knew that Devin was a good-looking guy and did pretty good with the ladies. If Devin didn’t turn her head, would he?
Shane scoffed at his own musings. When had he ever worried about any of that before?
He got into the office around nine and everyone had cleared out. He took a look at some of the accounts and notes. He should have stayed there and returned calls, emails, all of the things that had been neglected while he was gone. He didn’t though. Shane wasn’t worried about business and making money for the first time in a long time. He finally had something that was far more important to him.
When he got home, Maria came to the door like she always did, but he dismissed her, telling her that she wouldn’t be needed anymore that night. Shane didn’t want her underfoot, asking about sandwiches, when he had something very important to do. He had his mind made up that he was going to go to bed and not be tempted to go see his new charge. He’d been gone almost a week and it felt like forever. He wanted to see her, physically see her, but Shane imagined that he wouldn’t be able to stop there.
So, he went right up to his bedroom, and he would even lock the door if he had to. Shane was sure that there was something wrong with him and his loss of control, but the longer he was away from her, the stronger the pullback was to go to her. He didn’t understand but was lost in the pull of it all.
He was past her room, feeling pretty good about everything and then he stopped dead when he got to his door. It was partially ajar, and he knew that he didn’t leave it that way. He also knew that Maria never went in there, unless he asked her to clean up. That was his sanctuary, so everyone stayed away.
His senses told him who it was and a part of him didn’t want to push the door in. Then, he would see Vivica there, though he didn’t know why she was there. What was she doing in his room in the middle of the night? Was she snooping, trying to find something to steal? He had no idea, and Shane was sure that the only way that he was going to find out was to go in.
Steeling himself to the torrent of emotions that came over him, it did no good. Seeing her in his bed, asleep, innocent as hell, he couldn’t stop the wave of pleasure that he felt.
She was right where she was supposed to be.
The thought popped into his head the moment he saw her there. Vivica was snuggled into his bed and as he got closer, he saw that she was wearing clothes. That wasn’t how she slept before, and Shane liked the idea of her naked body in his sheets. It was still nice either way, whether she was wearing pajamas or not.
He sat down on the bed next to her, letting his weight settle, before moving closer and brushing some of the long strands of blonde hair out of her face. He wanted to see her like that, relaxed, and not worried about a thing. She had the most serene look, as long as she wasn’t awake, overthinking and analyzing everything and everyone. Shane knew that it was mandatory because of her upbringing, but he didn’t have to like it. He wanted her to be safe and not have to worry about anything.
Shane stopped himself, though he couldn’t still the hand that outlined her face. She moved toward his touch, murmuring and letting her body turn toward him as well. Shane took it as a sign, needed it to be one. He was touching a forbidden woman and it was all he could think about, how he wasn’t supposed to be touching her. He continued though, touching her and rubbing his finger down her arm. Then her heaving breasts were getting all of his attention.
“Stop, Devin, I don’t want that.”
Shane frowned and pulled his hand away like it was going to be burned. Why was she saying Devin’s name?
He got up from the bed and tried to pull himself together. He was semi-hard and would have been only minutes away from sliding deep. What the hell was wrong with him? Shane looked down at Vivica, her nipples hard from his caress and her lips puckered, like she was looking for another kiss. Shane groaned inwardly, not believing how close he had come.
“Why is it that I keep finding you in places where you are not supposed to be?”
Vivica jerked with the sound of his voice, and Shane smiled. She blinked a few times and then smiled in this dopey way that really got to Shane. She was all ripe for the taking, but she’d said Devin’s name, not his. Vivica wasn’t dreaming about him anymore. In a week’s time, could her feelings have really changed that much? His sure the hell hadn’t.
“What are you doing in here, Shane?”
“This is my bedroom.”
Vivica’s eyes widened, and she looked at him, smiling.
“Sorry. I can’t sleep in my bed. It’s too soft. I accidentally came in here and I don’t know, this is the best place to be.”
Shane would have thought so minutes ago, but now he wasn’t sure. He didn’t want to be rude, but she had to leave. Vivica wasn’t budging either. She apologized and all, but she didn’t make any move to actually get out of the bed. That worried him. She actually snuggled down into it and closed her eyes again. Shane was at a loss for words, which didn’t happen very often.
“Aren’t you going to get out?”
“Do I really have to leave? It’s so warm and comfortable…”
He was chagrined that he was finding this all so hard. Shane was usually so good with women, he could have anyone he wanted. So why was this one making a fool of him at every turn?
“Are you kicking me out of my own bed?!”
Vivica just smiled, not even bothering with his tone.
“No, of course not. Come lay down with me. I will be back to sleep in two seconds, and you won’t even know that I’m here.”
Shane scoffed. There was no way that he was not going to know that she was there. He was very aware of every inch of her and laying down next to her wasn’t going to make any of it easier. Just seeing her was enough to make him cross the line already. Lying next to her would be too much.
He started to tell her that, but Vivica really was already asleep, and he groaned inwardly. There was no way that he was going to get any sleep. He laid down next to her, more as a show to himself that he could. Shane liked to believe that he was in control. As soon as he took his shirt and boots off and laid down next to her, Shane knew that it was a lie. He had no control and his inner bear wanted to come out. He could feel it and it was unlike anything that he’d ever felt before.
It was stunning in how strong it was and impossible to ignore. This was going to be painful, he thought to himself. Very, very painful.
Shane forced himself to lay there with her for a while, but he was ready to leave the bed a few minutes after that. When he tried to escape, Vivica’s small hand came out and pulled him back to her and she whimpered, like she knew what he was trying to do.
Shane knew he was damned. He couldn’t leave her, and he couldn’t have her. What a conundrum he found himself in. All Shane wanted to do was delve deep in the human next to him, but she was off-limits, and he was going crazy.
