Free Her Bah Humbug Bear (A BBW Paranormal Holiday Romance) by Marie Mason

gave up the battle to stay conscious and allowed sleep to overtake her.

CHAPTER SIX
     
    “YOU NEED TO leave.”
    “What?” Mercy and Dirk sat in his living room, side by side on the couch, watching the roaring fire he’d made not an hour before. He had woken her at sunrise, his face between her legs, his tongue caressing her in long, loving licks as he aroused her for his taking.
    “You need to leave. Before this storm gets any worse.” He got up and went to the bank of windows.
    “But…” Granted she had absolutely no experienced when it came to morning afters, but she was pretty sure it shouldn’t be quite so abrupt. She sat up straight, holding the cover they’d use to ward off the morning chill as the fireplace had slowly heated the space against her chest. He’d given her a large, oversized t-shirt to wear as they’d eaten breakfast. Yes, he’d become distant as soon as they’d left his bedroom, but she’d chalked that up to his personality. Not a morning person, she got that. She wasn’t either, so the companionable silence they shared as they’d eaten the pancakes he’d fixed had been fine with her.
    “I’m sure you need to be able to get to work tomorrow.” The sky had been clear when they’d gotten up, now, she saw the heavy fall of snow. If she listened closely she could even hear the tiny crystals of ice pinging against the thick glass of the windows. Not the best of conditions to be out in.
    But to be snowed in with a bear. Not such a bad proposition. Unless, the bear didn’t want her.
    Which was apparently the case with Dirk.
    She felt the back of her eyes well with tears. What had happened? Where had the loving, almost happy man, she’d had in her bed last night disappear to? Touching the place on her neck where he’d bit, she wondered what that had been about. Kinky bedroom play? For a moment, seeing the pinkened skin in the bathroom mirror this morning she’d had a brief moment of hope that he’d claimed her. But mate marks were scars that never faded. Not a hickey given in the heat of the moment.
    “You’re right. I should be going.” With as much dignity and grace as she could muster, she gathered the quilt around her and padded down the hallway toward his bedroom. He didn’t try to stop her. At least she’d had a shower this morning she thought as she pulled on her clothes from the day before. Zipping up her boots, she found her coat neatly folded over the back of a chair at the side of the room.
    As she walked back out into the living room, he was still standing where she’d left him, his back to her. Shutting her out.
    He must have heard her return and turned around, his gaze searching hers. She knew what he saw—confusion, hurt, and disillusionment even though she was a big girl and knew how the world worked. She’d thought… she’d hoped… She mentally shook her head, forcing away the tears. Time enough for those later. She’d had her Christmas wish come true. She’d been held in the arms of a man who wanted her, truly wanted her, however briefly. Some of the things they’d shared last night couldn’t have been faked, not even by the best player around.
    If, she’d expected more, she couldn’t fault fate. Fate was, well, fate.
    “I’ll get dressed and follow you down.” He stood with his arms to his sides, the expression on his face impossible to read except for a brief moment when he’d first turned around and saw her standing there, her coat and shoes on, ready to leave. Whatever the emotion had been, he’d quickly shut it down.
    Gathering her feelings for him like a cloak of protection, she walked toward him, stopping when she was only inches away, unable to leave until she said one more thing. “No one will judge you, Dirk. You’re allowed to move on.” They both knew she was talking about his family. He’d shared some of that awful time with her. The death of his parents and sisters. The hunt for the wolves. Oh, she’d realized quickly he