Free Mine To Bear (A Paranormal Shifter Romance) (Atonement Book 2) by Terra Wolf, Alannah Blacke

her.
    "My bear," he ground out, fighting down the desires surging within him. He had already pushed it by kissing her, there was no way he wanted to risk even more right now.
    "Oh," she said, not completely understanding. He didn't acknowledge it, for he was busy beating his bear into submission once again. Once he had it under control, Edward gently pried her off of him, and they got up. Giving her the keys, he told her to lock the doors and drive away if she felt uncomfortable.
    He hated to leave her alone again so soon, but there was something he had to do. Running back across the parking lot to the patio, he ignored the looks of bystanders. Instead, he gathered up all the dropped bags of Melissa's new clothing, trying to manage it all in one trip. With the help of a stranger, he got himself loaded for bear.
    The look on her face as he arrived back at the car was all the thanks he needed. Every time her face lit up with that smile, he felt his world shrink until everything was focused on her. He wondered to himself if this was how Derek felt around Keri. He sure hoped so, because nothing in his life compared to how he felt around her.
    As he loaded up the trunk, she shifted back into the passenger's seat, content to let him drive home. They were well out of the city before she spoke, but it didn't matter to him. He knew she would be okay in the end, and that was enough for him. So when she did speak, he was not prepared for what she had to say.
    "Edward, is there, umm, perhaps an empty room in the main house that I could stay in? I'm starting to get a little lonely being the only one in the guest house."

Melissa
    The move to be closer to Edward had gone smoother than she had expected. He had been such a gentleman about it, showing her rooms that were both close to his, and far. In the end, she chose the one across the hall from him. She couldn't kid herself about the connection between them, and she knew it would only be time before they took the next step.
    That moment came almost a week later, when she caught him looking very relaxed, reading a book on the couch when she walked into the room. There was something about his pose, the way the sun caught his face, she wasn't really sure. All she did know, was that her body reacted in a way she wasn't expecting.
    Warmth began to pour out from between her legs as blood rushed through her body. Her heart sped up until it was beating far faster than she thought could be healthy. Her nipples hardened to attention, showing clearly through the thin tank top she was wearing.
    Not giving herself another minute to think, Melissa approached him slowly, her mouth slightly open with nervousness. As he sensed her approach, he put down the book, his piercing green eyes staring directly into her. She was sure he could sense her mood, for he didn't say a word, only setting his glass of water back down on the side table.
    Licking her lips in anticipation, she straddled him on the couch, feeling his firm, muscular legs accept her weight without complaint. His hands wrapped around her waist, gripping her curves tightly. Her hands pressed into the cushions on either side of his head as she lowered herself to him, pressing her lips firmly against his.
    A shock of static leapt between them at the last moment, but neither of them pulled back, too intent on each other. It felt so good to her, to finally be close with him. As their kiss deepened, his hands slid up her back and through the masses of hair, pulling her in tight to him. She didn't fight it, pressing her breasts up against his chest, feeling the heat pouring off of him.
    At first he seemed tentative to continue with her, but she put that fear to rest by grinding her hips against the bulge in his pants, doing her best to silently indicate to him that it was okay, she wanted this and was okay with it. He got the hint quickly, his hands finding the bottom of her shirt and lifting it up over her outstretched arms. She hadn't been wearing a