Holiday Bear by Scarlett Grove
“Well, it's really a shame that it took something like the death of a vendor to bring us all this business. But I'm not going to complain.”
“I hear a lot of people really hated Martin Green.”
“He was obnoxious,” Layla said, sitting back down in her chair.
People began bustling over to her, asking to buy her wares. She had to turn her attention to her customers and away from him. He was happy to see her selling out her stall. She really was a fine craftsperson, and he wanted to help her thrive. Liam went over to the Fate Valley Café and Bakery stall and got a couple of coffees and brought them back to Layla. When he returned, she wasn't as busy, and he handed her the tall mocha latte that he knew she loved.
“You're such a sweetheart, Liam,” she said, accepting the drink.
“Have you talked to Sunshine any more about redesigning your website?” he asked.
“Oh yes, she sent over the most beautiful mockups. I just can't believe how good that girl is. My website will be a thousand times better with her help. I’m embarrassed it took me so long to hire someone.”
“You've been focused on your work. There's nothing wrong with that. But when you hire a team you can expand much more. That's one of the things I learned as a real estate investor. I loved buying the houses and fixing them up. But I needed help with administrative stuff. My assistant Bethann has been indispensable.”
“You're so smart,” she said. “Definitely worth having around.”
“I’m glad you think so,” he said with a wink. “I wanted to invite you to the holiday party I give at my house on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. It is just some of my friends from the Shifter Association and their families. We hire a caterer. I even cook a pie and help with the turkey. Would you like to come?”
“Of course I would,” she said. “That sounds amazing. My parents are vacationing in Florida this year, and I was going to spend the day alone since I broke up with my ex.”
“Well, now you can spend the day with me,” he said.
In his mind, he was thinking of how they could spend the rest of their days together.
Chapter 9
Layla hurried home after the market to change for her date with Liam that night. After their date the night before, she was eager to be alone with him again. There was unfinished business to attend to, she thought to herself with a giggle and a smile in her heart. She put on a pair of skinny jeans and a long green sweater with her knee-high boots. She left her long braided hair flowing down her back and applied dusty pink lipstick, assessed herself in the mirror and smiled.
The voice of her grandmother whispered in her mind. “See how beautiful you are?”
“I'm beginning to agree with you, Granny,” she said.
Now that Liam was in her life, she was beginning to believe all the good things her late grandmother had told her and so much more. Layla had never been what anyone would consider insecure, but her last boyfriend cheating on her combined with being alone in a new town, and she’d felt like her life was falling apart.
She’d left Kansas and her parents for a new life in Fate Valley, and her disappointment in her boyfriend had made her feel like there was no hope. She had questioned her decision to come here and was considering going back to Kansas. But with Liam, everything was different.
It wasn't that he completed her or made her a different person. But he brought a new sense of purpose to her life. He had already helped her so much by introducing her to Sunshine. The website designs that Sunshine had sent over were so inspiring. Layla believed that her business was going to take off and double or triple in the next few years, from that change alone.
Sunshine had built a whole SEO marketing system, a shopping cart, and everything. The new site would enable people to buy products directly from her website automatically, without Layla having to do a bunch of back-and-forth emailing. It would save her so much time and streamline her entire process.
She had been so focused on her craft that building and implementing those kinds of systems were the last thing on her mind. Now, with just a little help from Liam and a lot of help from Sunshine, everything was coming together in a new and exciting way. Life in Fate Valley really had taken her by the hand and led her down a new and wonderful path in her life.
When Liam knocked on the door, she opened it with a big grin to find him on the other side. He held a bouquet of white lilies in his hands. The smell of the flowers wafted through her house and brought a smile to her lips. She accepted the bouquet and brought it inside, putting it in a vase on the table in the living room.
The roses he'd brought the day before were already beginning to bloom on her dining room table. It was lovely to have the scent of flowers greeting her in the morning when she woke up. He put his arm around her shoulders as she looked at the flowers on her coffee table. Layla gazed up at him and smiled, kissing him on the cheek. Her kiss left a lipstick mark that she wiped off with her fingertips. Liam moved in to embrace her, holding her close and resting his forehead against hers.
“Thank you for the flowers,” she said. “They really fill my life with beauty.”
“A beautiful woman should have beautiful things. I want to fill your life with beauty every single day.”
“Liam, you say the sweetest things. You're going to spoil me.”
“That's exactly what I'm here for.”
He took her hand and led her outside as she blushed and giggled at his words. It was all too good to be true, and she felt as if at any moment she was going to wake up and it would disappear. But she told herself to stop thinking like that. She deserved a beautiful life and a beautiful man who treated her the way she should be treated.
Liam’s house was a huge, three-story colonial with tall pillars, reaching up to the third floor. The exterior was eggshell white with Christmas lights wrapped around the pillars and all the windows. The trees that lined the front drive were wrapped in multicolored lights and the dock down on the water was draped with Christmas lights as well. Liam opened the door of the car for her and Layla stepped out into the cool night air, her breath blowing out in front of her in puffs.
“I had no idea you had such a beautiful home.”
“I bought it for a steal and fixed it up. It was nearly condemned when I got it, but now it's a showpiece of Fate Valley.”
They walked to the wraparound porch, and a big wreath hung on the front door. Inside the front hall, a Christmas tree stretched from the first floor up to the ceiling. It must have been twenty-feet tall. A grand staircase swept up to the second floor. Through the open doorway she could see the living room.
Another Christmas tree stood opposite a fireplace in his traditionally furnished living room. Big, handsome, brown leather couches and dark stained oak dominated the large space. The tree in this room was only about fourteen feet tall, and the star on top brushed the ceiling. A brick fireplace held a raging fire that filled the room with the pleasant smell of wood. Liam helped Layla out of her jacket and took it to hang in the hallway before returning to sit with her. He poured eggnog while they sat by the fire.
“I have a chicken roasting in the oven for dinner.”
“That sounds delicious,” she said as she sipped her eggnog.
They snuggled on the couch, chatting and watching snow flurry over the lake. There was a ding from the kitchen and he stood. Layla followed Liam through the house into the big, open kitchen with stainless steel appliances, white marble countertops and dark stained cabinetry. A bay window looked out onto the lake. She climbed into the breakfast nook with her eggnog to gaze out at the view.
“You have an awfully nice life,” she said.
“I want to share it with you,” he said, pulling the roasted chicken out of the oven.
Layla blushed, knowing that this was all going so fast. He was a shifter and he knew immediately that they belonged together. As a human, things weren’t that simple. Her biggest hurdle was believing that she could have a man like Liam without some di
She had come to know Liam as a sweet and caring man. She didn't want to suspect him of using her or of being disingenuous. But she was old enough and wise enough not to rush headlong into accepting his love. Despite all the outward appearances, his gorgeous looks, his beautiful home, his successful business, she knew she had to be smart about falling for him.
As he cut the roasted chicken, put it on a platter, stirred the mashed potatoes, and cooked the gravy, she suddenly wondered why anybody would want to be cautious about falling in love with Liam. He put everything on a big tray and cocked his chin toward the doors leading into the dining room.
“I’ve got the table set in there.”
She walked with him into the dining room, carrying a basket of warm biscuits. He set his tray full of dishes on a long oak table next to a fireplace in the big beautiful dining room. A chandelier hung over the table, casting golden light on the dark wood. He unloaded the food from the tray and placed it on the table. Liam offered Layla the head of the table and sat beside her. He then dished up her plate with chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic green beans and biscuits. She took a bite of his food and groaned.
“You're a really good cook,” she said.
They ate their dinner while laughing and joking and talking about their pasts. Layla learned more about Liam's service in the military, his childhood in Fate Valley, and his love of cooking, fishing and being outdoors. He had come to real estate investing by chance, and it had quickly turned into a love affair.
After dinner, she helped him carry everything back into the kitchen. They rinsed all the dishes and tucked them into the dishwasher. When they were done tiding up, they returned to the living room. Liam threw another few logs on the fire. Sitting together by the fireplace, they drank another spiked eggnog. Liam used the remote to flip through songs on his surround sound music system. He smiled as the Christmas songs played, and Layla giggled at his holiday obsession.
“You really do love Christmas, don't you?” she said.
“That's why they call me Holiday Bear,” he laughed.
He leaned in and kissed her, the taste of eggnog on his lips. Their tongues danced, and she groaned as a deep desire welled inside her. Liam pulled her to him, lifting her up to sit on his lap. He gripped her hips and held her close. She could feel his desire rise between her legs. He cupped her face, kissing her deeper and harder with each breath. All at once, he picked her up, cradling her in his arms as he carried her through the house and up the stairs. She couldn't believe how strong he was. It was like she weighed nothing in his arms.
“I need to taste you, Layla,” he whispered in her ear.
“Yes.”
He carried her into his bedroom and laid her across his dark oak bed with the big fluffy white bedspread. She gazed into his eyes as he stood above her, yanking his shirt off.
Chapter 10
Liam undressed Layla, slipping her out of her clothes with frenzied abandon. His eyes glowed with desire, and she could see his manhood pushing hard against his slacks. He slid his pants off and stood over her in nothing but his underwear. His hard-muscled chest glistened in the dim light of the bedside lamp as he climbed over her onto the king-sized bed. A tingle of anxiety rose inside her. Her body pricked with goosebumps, even though the room was warm. He ran his hands up her arms and gazed into her eyes.
“Are you okay?” he asked, a low rumble in his voice.
“Uh huh,” she said, kissing him on the lips.
He sank between her legs, resting his hardness against her core. He kissed her mouth, her forehead, and her cheeks.
“I want to make sure this is right for you,” he said.
“I'm here. I want this,” she said, kissing him on the chin and cheeks, and whatever part of him she could reach. “It’s just hard to trust after my ex.”
“Do you trust me?” he asked with such sincerity, it hurt her heart.
“I do trust you, Liam. You’ve given me every reason to trust you.”
“I want you for my own, sweetness. To cherish and spoil forever. Will you let me do that, Layla?”
“I will, Liam. I can accept it. I truly believe I can.”
He kissed her softly, his tongue slipping between her lips. Layla groaned at the feeling of him against her core. He was huge. Bigger than any man she'd ever been with.
Growling, he ran kisses down her neck and chest. Liam flicked the hook of her bra and pulled it away. He gazed at her breasts, and then lapped at the dark chocolate nipples that peaked in hard mounds, pointing toward his hungry mouth.
Liam sucked in devastatingly slow movements. Nibbling and biting ever so slightly, he sent a jolt of electricity through her core. She slid her fingers through his hair as he kissed down her belly and licked her bellybutton. Running his tongue in circles around her navel, he hooked his fingers into her panties and tugged them down her thighs. He flung them off, and they landed on a chair in the corner.
Layla gasped as Liam looked down at her naked body. This was the second time in two days she'd been spread open by Liam Nash. It was a habit she could definitely get used to. He knelt between her legs, gazing at her pussy as if he was a starving man staring at a delicious meal. He growled and bent low, taking a long breath through his nose. She giggled as his breath swept over her sensitive flesh.
“You are so fucking hot,” he said, diving in to lick her from ass to clit in one swift motion.
He sucked her clit like a suction cup, his lips holding her sensitive flesh in his mouth as his tongue bounced up and down on the swollen nub.
“Oh my God!” she said, arching her back and tilting her head toward the upholstered headboard.
Her nails scratched the fabric as he consumed her. She was instantly mindless and raving, lost in the pleasure of his touch. Liam’s strong arms held her thighs open wide as he sucked, licked, and pressed against her swollen, hungry core. He slipped two fingers inside her, gliding ever so slowly into her wet opening. As his tongue bounced and twirled on her clit he angled his fingers up against her G-spot. Layla erupted in an intense orgasm, her pussy clenching around his fingers and throbbing against his tongue.
“Oh Liam,” she moaned.
He pulled away and leaned up to kiss her lips, leaving a sweet, salty flavor on her tongue. She reached out to him and caressed his thick, long cock. Liam ripped his underwear off, revealing his manhood for the first time. Layla’s eyes grew wide at the sight of him. He was so beautiful, so hard. His shaft pointed rigidly toward the ceiling, reaching nearly to his bellybutton. His thickness throbbed with desire as he approached her. Liam reached for the bedside table and pulled out a condom, ripping it open and sliding it over his shaft in one swift motion. Gazing into her eyes, he angled the head of his cock toward her wet, throbbing channel.
“Oh Liam,” she said, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He pressed against her core, sliding only slightly inside her.
He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear. “You want me?”
“Please,” she moaned.
He growled and thrust, splitting her open as he drove deep into her core. He didn't stop until he'd sunk balls deep inside her. He cupped her cheek and slid his hands up her thigh, angling her body to move deeper. Groaning at his size, her body throbbed around him. Her mouth hung open as he kissed her, moving in long, pounding waves into her body.
“You feel so fucking good, Layla,” he growled, taking her harder and harder.
He didn’t hold back anymore. Layla watched him, touching his cheek as he let loose his ravenous bear in her sopping wet pussy. She didn't know were one orgasm started and the next began. It was as if he led her on a long bullet train ride to orgasm that never stopped and never slowed down. She could see the light of his bear in his eyes. His sharp canine teeth descended in his mouth. It scared her a little bit as he gazed at her with that animalistic look in his eyes, but that just made her come harder.
“I'm going to come,” he growled as his swollen dick throbbed and expanded inside her, sending her into another cascading orgasm.
Liam erupted inside her. Even through the condom, she could feel his seed hot and powerful, bursting from deep inside and shooting against the walls of his protection.
In that instant, she realized she loved him. She loved him so damn much. He let out a long sigh and groaned. She put her hands on either side of his face, thinking of how dear and handsome and lovely he was. He kissed her as they rested together before he slid away and threw the condom in the wastebasket by the bed.
Drawing her into his arms, he pulled the comforter over their bodies. She still throbbed as he caressed her cheek and hair. Kissing her forehead, they rested in the dim glow of the bedside lamp. Layla felt his heart beating against her cheek and knew that this was the most beautiful experience of her life. She had never had sex so raw and passionate, yet connected and loving. It was a whole new level of experience she hadn't anticipated. Not knowing what to think, her mind was awash with all kinds of thoughts, running and clashing against each other. He kissed her forehead and let out a long, satisfied breath.
“That was perfect,” he said.
“Oh yeah,” she said with a sigh. “Definitely.”
He ran his fingertip over her cheek and smiled down at her.
“Giving you pleasure is my deepest wish. I hope I didn't hurt you. My bear was out of control.”
“You definitely didn't hurt me,” she said, grazing her fingertips around his nipple. He grasped her fingers in his hand and smiled.
“Really,” he said. “Are you ready for round two?”