Free How Not To Date a Bear by Stephanie Burke Page B

naked Declan stepped in. “It means that I would never hurt you. That I will always protect you, with my life if need be. It means that you are the one to carry my children, the one to be a balm to my soul while I uplift and protect yours. It means you are the perfect match for me physically, mentally, and spiritually.” He moved in and took her into his arms, ignoring the water that plastered his black hair to his head and ran into those intense green eyes. “It means that you are mine, Gillian. Mine, a gift to me from the heavens, and I will do anything to keep you.”
    Suddenly, she realized, her heart pounding, her blood racing, her soul soaring with his words, suddenly being a mate didn’t sound too bad.
    His mouth slammed into hers, forcing his way inside as he tasted her, demanded her compliance.
    And something deep inside her submitted.
    She gave into the kiss, leaning against his solid mass, pressing herself to him fully.
    “You are mine,” he repeated, his hands going to her waist, lifting her high.
    Her legs wrapped around his body as his hands dropped to her ass, holding her in place. Gillian shuddered at the feel of his hard cock rising to press hot and hard against her stomach.
    She buried her hands in his hair and hung on. This was where she wanted to be. This was perfect. Declan had driven away all the shadows. The fidelity he offered was almost too good to be true. But somehow she knew he was a man of honor, that he would keep his word.
    Her instincts were driving at her, her mind and body yearned for this. She had to keep this man. She did the only thing she could do.
    “Yes,” she breathed, breaking away from the kiss to bury her face in his neck. “Yes, I am yours as you are mine.”
    “Gillian,” he moaned, leaning back against the wall of the shower, allowing the hot water to rush over both of them as he nuzzled her until she lifted her face to his once more. “My own. I am yours.”
    And then he was devouring her again, his tongue dancing in her mouth, caressing hers, playing a game until she chased it back between his teeth.
    Then she found herself melting into his arms as the flavor of him overwhelmed her. This was pure Declan, hot and sweet, and she relished the taste.
    “I hate to interrupt,” Theo called out, making Gillian break from Declan and his hypnotic mouth as she flushed prettily. “But there are some people outside waiting to talk to you, Boss. And they won’t take no for an answer.”
    “The Brown Bears?” Declan snapped.
    “Yes.”
    “Damn them,” Declan snarled, suddenly no longer the demanding lover who held her in his arms moments ago. This Declan, this snarling, glaring man, was a warrior.
    And when he stepped from the shower after giving her one final, incomprehensible look, she knew blood would be shed.

Chapter Seven
     
    “I’m going out there.”
    “You will not.”
    Declan glared at his second, wanting nothing more than to break his friend and toss him aside for trying to prevent him from doing what must be done.
    “Boss, you go out there smelling of frustration and Grizzly, they are going to rally the troops and attack if you even twitch. Let me go and explain that this is not a good time.”
    “I am the one responsible for this situation,” Declan gritted out, adjusting his clothing as he tried to move around his second, “and I will be the one to end it.”
    “If you go out there like that, war is assured,” Theo snapped back, his black eyes glinting.
    “And if I stay here, war will start on my mate’s doorstep. And no one wants that.”
    “No one wants more war, Declan. None of us here. That is why all three hundred of us brought our families out here. That is why we follow you. It has nothing to do with your Great Bear status. We willingly lay our lives in your hands because we are as sick of the bloodshed as you are. And that is why I cannot allow this treaty to be destroyed.”
    “It is my responsibility to protect the people!” Declan