Free Bearly Hanging On (A Werebear Shifter BBW Romance) (Laid Bear Book 3) by Marina Maddix Page A

subdued his bear somewhat, giving him full control of his body again. More than anything, he wanted to come clean with her, to tell her what he really was, but he was terrified of her response.  
    For the moment, he reveled in the feel of her luscious body. Slowly, deliberately, he unbuttoned her shirt until she burst free and lay bare beneath him. His hands burned trails of fire down her soft curves and wondrous mounds of flesh, his mouth never far behind. His whispered name floated around them like so much vapor, dissipating in the roar of the current below.
    “Oh, Chet,” she moaned as one ripe berry of a nipple disappeared into his hungry mouth, her fingers fisting in his hair. “I love you so much!’
    He choked back a sob of joy…and despair. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t make love to his fated mate without her knowing what he was. She would find out sooner or later, and he couldn’t bear to have her think he’d deceived her just to get her in the sack.  
    Inside him, the struggle for dominance resumed, but his bear’s heart wasn’t in the fight. Even it knew this was the right thing to do.
    Shivers rippled through Crystal’s body as he kissed his way back up to her neck. Pulling her shirt closed, or kind of closed, he cuddled her into his body, breathing in her scent, as if it might be the last time he would have the chance. And that’s what he was really afraid of.
    “Crystal, there’s something I need to—“
    “Get off her, you freak!”
    Chet spun his body so Crystal was hidden behind his back, protecting her from this new threat. It was Derek, the stalker redneck from the swings. He was standing between them and the Caddy, slowly thumping a baseball bat into one giant hand. Thwap!
    “I told you to get off her,” he growled. Thwap!
    This was bad. This was very, very bad.  
    “Derek!” Crystal screeched, clutching her shirt to her chest and popping out from behind Chet. “What the fuck are you doing here?!”
    “I’m here to save you, Crystal. You don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. This guy is bad news.” Thwap!
    “What are you talk—“
    “Why don’t we all just calm down, whaddya say, Derek?” Chet interrupted. This asshole knew about him and the last thing he wanted was for him to spill his secret to Crystal before he could.
    He smiled broadly and held up his hands to show how defenseless he was, moving his body to once again shield Crystal. Derek’s eyes narrowed and his lip tipped into a sneer. Thwap!
    “I’ll calm down when you get away from my girl, douchebag.” Thwap! Thwap!
    Before Chet could stop her, Crystal was on her feet. “I’m not your girl, motherfucker!”
    Time slowed to a crawl but it all happened in between heartbeats.
    “Crystal, no!” he cried out as she stormed toward Derek, but it was too late.  
    Derek snatched at her wrist and yanked her into the prison of his arms. Staring hard into Chet’s eyes as she struggled against him, the lunatic said, “Shh, baby. I won’t hurt you…much.”
    “Get your disgusting stalker hands off me, Derek!”
    Good lord, the girl had a mouth on her. Chet loved her spunk and strong will, but right now she needed to shut up. This guy was one card short of a full deck and it was anyone’s guess what could set him off.  
    Chet carefully positioned himself so he could launch directly at the brute, if necessary, but he still had hope he could diffuse the situation. “You don’t want to hurt her, Derek. You love her, remember?”
    Derek’s crazy eyes practically glowed with hate. “You don’t tell me, freak! I love her more than your kind ever could. But she needs to be punished for cheating on me. Bitch is trippin’ if she thinks she can do me like that!”
    Chet could smell the desperation and hate and insanity rolling off Derek in stomach-curdling waves. At first he thought the stupid hick was trying to trick him into shifting in front of Crystal but now he knew the dude was a real-life nutjob.