The Bear’s Nanny by Erin Havoc

11

ASTRID

HIS TOUCH IS something I have never felt. It’s fire. It’s beautiful. It’s ecstasy. Kieran’s hands run through my hair, tangle in my strands, then scrape down the length of my body. He sinks his fingertips into my waist, my hips, my thighs. Every touch of his is demanding.

I open my mouth wider, and our tongues dance. It isn’t pretty; it's not supposed to be a pretty, soap-opera-fake kiss. He devours me. I suck at his lower lip, and our teeth clink, and with every stroke of his tongue, I get more and more drenched.

These days working for him, I kept a respectful distance. Even with finding him the most handsome man I have ever seen, I kept my hands away, and only stole glances at his muscular butt when he wasn’t looking.

I didn’t know if it was because I hadn’t had a proper lay in... Well, forever. But as Kieran’s lips singe into my skin, I know there’s more.

Rough palms find the hem of my shirt and skirt along my stomach. I shiver, releasing a sigh against his face as I rub myself against his hardness. Kieran is all defined muscles and hard angles. And the hard stuff in his pants is just screaming for me.

My body is on fire. His presence warms me in ways I never expected. I grip onto his shoulders, dig my fingers into the dark strands of his hair, and move against his thick cock until my pussy throbs. It’s almost painful, this need. Like I’ve held it back for ages, pushing it off as unimportant. It’s biting back at me with a vengeance. My body is out of my control, and it begs and begs for Kieran.

“Astrid...” He breathes against my mouth, and the way his voice forms my name is lust incarnate. It’s hoarse with need, with desperate lust, and I answer him with a sharp circle of my hips. Kieran’s hands dig into my ass, and he pulls me even closer. My breasts press against his chest, my nipples so hard and sensitive they ache.

A small voice in my head tells me I’m his nanny. I should be professional. Take my hands off him and apologize. The same voice is telling me this is all because of hormones. I’m approaching menopause, so there’s a reason for this unstoppable lust.

Kieran groans, a primal sound that sends shivers rolling all over my body. I shut off the small voice in my head really quick. We move against one another and devour each other’s sounds. Kieran kisses me like he wants me to never forget this moment. As if I could. But his hands, oh, his hands. They’re behaving too well.

I’ve always been self-conscious of my body. Though I like to act like I’m confident, I’m always unsure about my weight, my full curves, and the marks that come with it. The stretch marks on my thighs could make a map. And I’m not as young as I used to be. But as Kieran sinks his fingertips into my flesh, with so much strength I’ll be bruised, even that worry is in the back of my head. This connection is real. The heat arcing between us is out of this world.

Kieran picks me up with an arm around my waist. I sling my legs around his hips, unwilling to let him go so soon. My clit pulses and the friction against my pants is the only thing separating me from madness. But instead of putting me down, he turns me and presses me against the wall. I purr in excitement. Good, he's taking this seriously. I want this hunk of a man to take me.

His lips never break away from mine. Kieran takes his place between my legs as if we’ve done this a thousand times. He loops my hair around his knuckles and tugs my head sideways until his lips meet my neck. Fuck, if I thought I was aroused before, I did not know what was coming.

I arch my back, moaning. The nibbles and bites make me clench my pussy, the emptiness an unbelievable bother. I race my hands up and down his thick arms, touching the hairs that cover his skin. He’s so big and so hairy. With the long dark hair, he makes me think of a mountain man or something more primal. He actually makes me think of a bear with the way he breathes me in and roars with lust.

But I can feel how tense his shoulders are. The muscles of his back are knotted as if he’s holding back. As if his body and his brain aren’t working together. I know what that feels like. But I don’t care. The way he grinds his cock against me is too good. I shove my chest into his, begging for his touch. My nipples could do with some twisting.

Kieran pulls back, and our eyes lock. And I see something other than unabashed lust in his orbs. The affection, the admiration there... It takes my breath away. It makes time stop for a second.

A cry pierces the night, and I blink several times before I remember, with shame, that Owen’s been left in his pen by himself. My cheeks warm as I squirm, a bitter taste filling my mouth.

“I’ll check him out,” I tell Kieran. He puts me down gently, and I leave the laundry. I stride to Owen and pick him up. Tears stream down his puffy cheeks and his tiny fingers immediately fist around my shirt when I bring him to my chest.

“What’s wrong, love?” I ask him, bouncing him in my arms. Is he upset because he’s just found out I’m a terrible nanny? God, I left the baby by himself so I could rub against his father. I can’t believe I was about to fuck Kieran. Even though embarrassment makes my cheeks warm, I’d do it all over again. Kieran approaches with a crease between his brows, and his eyes take me in. Please, stop looking at me like this; it doesn’t help.

“Is he all right?” Kieran’s voice is still hoarse. The bulge in his pants tells me he hasn’t gotten over our make-out session just yet. He also put a shirt on. Pity.

I look away. “He was lonely. That’s all.” Owen goes on bawling, and I try my best to soothe him. For the first time, it doesn’t work.

Kieran shifts in place. “I think something’s wrong.”

I frown, taking another look at the baby. He seems fine. No wounds. He hasn’t eaten anything strange. “Maybe we should drive him downtown?”

My stomach roils with sudden worry. Is he sick? Is he sick because of me? My shoulders tense, and I glance around us, wondering what happened. Maybe he’s allergic to something here. Maybe I fed him something he shouldn’t have eaten. But what? I’m always so careful about that. And if he was allergic, he would have symptoms, no?

I gaze up at Kieran, trying to read if there’s worry or annoyance on his face. Will he put the blame on me? But he’s not looking at us. His eyes are on the window, his spine pillaring. I gaze down at his hands, balled into fists, his biceps bulging.

“What’s wrong?” I whisper, afraid I’ll say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

My heart skitters in my chest. Owen cries and cries, but it’s Kieran’s tense pose that has me alert. I strain my ears but can’t hear anything. What is he listening to? Kieran shoots a glance at me. His face has changed. His sharp jaw is locked, and his eyes are wide. Something’s off; I can feel it all over him.

“Do not leave the house,” he says and strides off.

I clutch Owen closer and follow him into the living room. “Shouldn’t we... take him to the hospital?”

Kieran stops, his hand on the doorknob. He looks at me from over his shoulder. “He’s all right. But I need you to stay inside.”

I stride to him, my heart beating in my ears. “What’s wrong, Kieran?” My voice comes out strangled. Thin. There’s an alarm going off inside my head, and I’m sure there’s danger outside. I reach out and grasp his wrist. “There’s something in the woods, isn’t there?”

He shuffles and turns to face me. “Yeah. So remember to lock the door once the others are out.”

I tug on his wrist, ignoring his orders. “Don’t leave. If there’s danger out there, let’s call the cops.” Would the cops even come up here? I mean, my phone signal works on and off. Would they be able to find the place? Does Shadow Falls even have a police station? I don’t think I’ve ever seen it.

Kieran’s face softens for a moment. He cups my cheek, and though it’s supposed to be a sweet gesture, I get hot all over again.

There’s a glint in his eyes telling me he wants to say something else. There is something strange going on around here, something more than meets the eye. I remember searching for Shadow Falls online and finding no trace of the small town. Does he want to tell me why this place is so full of secrets?

“This land is ours to defend,” Kieran says, and I’m hypnotized by the way his breath touches my lips. “And we’ll keep it safe. I’ll keep you safe. Remember that.”

His warmth seeps into me, and there’s more than lust to it. I nod, leaning into his hand. “Okay.”

Kieran leans over and pecks me on the lips. It would make me giddy if it didn’t taste like goodbye. He exits and closes the door behind him.

Before long, just as Kieran promised, the others pour down the stairs and out of the house. Wyatt isn’t here. Asher is the last to leave, and he stops and looks at me. “Lock the door,” he says before disappearing into the dark outside.

My heart sets off again. Owen still cries, his head touching my shoulder as he gasps for air. The poor kid is so scared he can’t even breathe properly.

I do as I was told and amble to my purse. My fingers dig into it for the pepper spray I carry with me. Thought I’d never need it. I press my lips to Owen’s temple and keep him close.

There’s something off. Owen felt the danger first, and then Kieran. I don’t know what’s out there, but whatever it is, it won’t touch this child. I grip the pepper spray and grind my jaw. They won’t touch him, not even over my dead body. Whoever they are.