Free Shiftr: Swipe Left for Love (Jessica) BBW Bear Shifter Menage Romance (Hope Valley BBW Dating App Romance Book 8) by Ariana Hawkes Page A
Authors: Ariana Hawkes
sparkling blue eyes and a kind smile. In his profile he said that he had a new business, which had been his dream for so long. He was an outgoing guy and he loved to be a part of the shifter community.
“Why not?” she muttered to herself, lingering on his shirtless photos. She hadn’t paid much attention to him in the bar because she’d been flustered that he initially seemed unwelcoming, and she’d been so excited to see the guys. But nothing about him had given her the impression that he wasn’t a good guy. He seemed sexy, and nice and fun. She clicked on the little icon beside his profile that would enable her to send him a message. But, just as she was figuring out what to write, a message alert popped up on her screen. She tapped it.
Hey there, I think we’ve already met in my bar. Did you have a good time?
She grinned, and started typing.
J: Hey, yourself. Yes, I had a great night! It’s a really nice place, and I’m so glad there’s a bar for the shifter community to hang out together. Are you Rusty himself?
R: Sure am! I always dreamed of running a bar for bears and other shifters, where everyone can just be themselves, and not have to watch what they’re saying in public. I hope I didn’t offend you by giving you the third degree. I just need to be careful who I let in.
J: No, I understand totally. Full disclosure: I work as a developer on the Shiftr app, so I well appreciate the need for secrecy.
There was a short pause.
R: So you’re not looking for a mate? You’re just here to work on the app?
J: No, I’m here as a participant right now. I thought it was about time I got myself a profile :-)
R: :-) in that case, would it be too forward for me to ask if you’d like to have a drink with me in my bar one night? It’s just, I’m not too good at expressing myself online. I think I come across much better in person.
Jessica’s heart leapt. And then she forced herself to wait a moment before replying, so she didn’t seem too eager.
J: That would be lovely. When can you take an evening off?
R: How does Thursday sound? I’m not on the schedule that night.
J: Thursday’s perfect!
R: Great :-) we can have dinner too if you want. Our Buffalo wings are starting to get a reputation for themselves ;-)
J: In that case, I’ll make sure I come with an appetite.
She hit ‘send’ too soon, and stared at her phone in horror. Oh my God, what did I just say? Her cheeks burned. He could totally take that the wrong way.
R: Make sure you do. I can get the chef to put together a special menu for us.
She breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he was a straightforward bear, and not a cunning fox or tiger.
J: I’d love that. Oh, I’m Jessica, by the way.
R: I look forward to seeing you on Thursday, Jessica.
Rusty XX
Jessica signed off the app and pressed her phone against her chest. His unpretentious ways had charmed her. She found that she was looking forward to Thursday’s date a lot. She picked up the phone again and sent a group message to Christian and Lucas:
Guess who’s got a date? she wrote.
She waited for a while, hoping they’d reply so she could have a gossip with them. They didn’t get back to her within ten minutes, and, with a flicker of disappointment, she put her phone down and went to find Tamika.
Chapter Six
Lucas’ stomach plummeted when he received Jessica’s text message. Seeing her the day before had been hard. His feelings hadn’t changed, except that, along with the tenderness and fascination he’d always had for her, he now had the adult desires of a full-grown bear. Jessica had become impossibly beautiful and lovely. And her body – it had been all he could do to keep his bear inside him when he took in her full, womanly curves, displayed perfectly in the low-cut shirt she’d been wearing. She’s yours , his bear had told him all night, while it pawed and scratched at his insides. And it hadn’t let up when he went to bed either, working
“Why not?” she muttered to herself, lingering on his shirtless photos. She hadn’t paid much attention to him in the bar because she’d been flustered that he initially seemed unwelcoming, and she’d been so excited to see the guys. But nothing about him had given her the impression that he wasn’t a good guy. He seemed sexy, and nice and fun. She clicked on the little icon beside his profile that would enable her to send him a message. But, just as she was figuring out what to write, a message alert popped up on her screen. She tapped it.
Hey there, I think we’ve already met in my bar. Did you have a good time?
She grinned, and started typing.
J: Hey, yourself. Yes, I had a great night! It’s a really nice place, and I’m so glad there’s a bar for the shifter community to hang out together. Are you Rusty himself?
R: Sure am! I always dreamed of running a bar for bears and other shifters, where everyone can just be themselves, and not have to watch what they’re saying in public. I hope I didn’t offend you by giving you the third degree. I just need to be careful who I let in.
J: No, I understand totally. Full disclosure: I work as a developer on the Shiftr app, so I well appreciate the need for secrecy.
There was a short pause.
R: So you’re not looking for a mate? You’re just here to work on the app?
J: No, I’m here as a participant right now. I thought it was about time I got myself a profile :-)
R: :-) in that case, would it be too forward for me to ask if you’d like to have a drink with me in my bar one night? It’s just, I’m not too good at expressing myself online. I think I come across much better in person.
Jessica’s heart leapt. And then she forced herself to wait a moment before replying, so she didn’t seem too eager.
J: That would be lovely. When can you take an evening off?
R: How does Thursday sound? I’m not on the schedule that night.
J: Thursday’s perfect!
R: Great :-) we can have dinner too if you want. Our Buffalo wings are starting to get a reputation for themselves ;-)
J: In that case, I’ll make sure I come with an appetite.
She hit ‘send’ too soon, and stared at her phone in horror. Oh my God, what did I just say? Her cheeks burned. He could totally take that the wrong way.
R: Make sure you do. I can get the chef to put together a special menu for us.
She breathed out a sigh of relief. Thank goodness he was a straightforward bear, and not a cunning fox or tiger.
J: I’d love that. Oh, I’m Jessica, by the way.
R: I look forward to seeing you on Thursday, Jessica.
Rusty XX
Jessica signed off the app and pressed her phone against her chest. His unpretentious ways had charmed her. She found that she was looking forward to Thursday’s date a lot. She picked up the phone again and sent a group message to Christian and Lucas:
Guess who’s got a date? she wrote.
She waited for a while, hoping they’d reply so she could have a gossip with them. They didn’t get back to her within ten minutes, and, with a flicker of disappointment, she put her phone down and went to find Tamika.
Chapter Six
Lucas’ stomach plummeted when he received Jessica’s text message. Seeing her the day before had been hard. His feelings hadn’t changed, except that, along with the tenderness and fascination he’d always had for her, he now had the adult desires of a full-grown bear. Jessica had become impossibly beautiful and lovely. And her body – it had been all he could do to keep his bear inside him when he took in her full, womanly curves, displayed perfectly in the low-cut shirt she’d been wearing. She’s yours , his bear had told him all night, while it pawed and scratched at his insides. And it hadn’t let up when he went to bed either, working
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