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Chapter 11

Mabel

“Thank you so much, Momma Bear.” Bethany smiles at Thorne’s mother before taking a sip of her iced tea.

“You’re welcome, sweetpea.”

We’ve been here for the last hour, watching Thorne wash each car. There’s a line of black SUVs and trucks stretching all the way down Clay’s driveway, and I’m not sure who owns all these vehicles. I’m betting my mate’s brothers decided to volunteer his car washing services to every single person in town.

Every now and then, Momma Bear comes out to bring us drinks or snacks, but she doesn’t stay to watch the action happening in the driveway. I figure seeing her oldest boy wearing a pink and white polka dot bikini is more than she can handle. Papa Bear greeted all of us when we arrived then went down to stand next to Clay and Wilder in the yard. He seems to take great pleasure in watching his sons torture each other.

“My boys definitely love to give each other hell.” Momma Bear sighs as her husband calls for her to come and help him. “Men are so helpless. I’ll be right back,” she tells us and rushes down the deck stairs to talk to her husband.

“I can’t believe Thorne agreed to wear that.” Bethany snorts and reaches for a tea cake.

“I don’t know.” I glance up at my sister. “I think he looks pretty hot with the pink and white polka dot bikini stretched across his muscular chest.”

Cora makes a gagging noise while Bethany shakes her head. “You really are head over heels for the bear shifter.”

“I thought we’d already established that.” I shrug and turn back to watch Thorne rinse off Clay’s humongous black SUV. When my mate nonchalantly sprays his youngest brother with the hose, the third fight of the day breaks out.

Wilder and Clay have been tripping over each other, taking pictures of their older brother in a bikini top and blue jeans. I’m proud of the way Bossy Bear handles the situation. Each time one of the brothers steps close, he stops and strikes a pose for them, which royally ticks them off.

“I’m not going to lie.” Cora blows out her breath. “Wet, muscular men, rolling around on the ground, trying to punch each other’s lights out definitely revs my engine.”

“You’re just happy to see Wilder get his ass kicked.” Bethany looks over at me and raises her eyebrows as a silent message passes between us. We know something happened between Cora and Wilder, but my youngest sister refuses to tell us what.

“That’s true, too.” Cora holds up her lemonade glass. “To watching the Bearly Brothers act like idiots.” Oof. Thorne reassured me that shifter matings can be difficult, but the universe doesn’t make mistakes when it chooses eternal mates. I only hope my Bossy Bear is right.

Cora stands at the railing and points to the SUV. “I think you missed a spot on the left side.” I shake my head as she takes out her anger on Thorne.

Wilder roars, “Fuck no,” before storming over to us. “I can show my brother what he’s missing.” When he growls at my sister, I wince, waiting for the fallout. “I don’t need your help, princess.” Oh, man. The fur is about to fly.

Luckily, Thorne rushes over to step between the two combatants before Cora can get her hands on Wilder. “Why don’t we go to our separate corners for a little breather?” He tells his youngest brother. After Wilder storms off grumbling under his breath, Bossy Bear turns to wink at me. “I’m almost done. I’m looking forward to that back rub you promised me.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and Cora repeats her gagging sound while Bethany growls something about neutering all bear shifters.

My mate is so freaking cruel. He knows I never promised him a back rub, but I’m pretty sure he’s playing up our mating to torture his brothers while they take their sweet time making moves on my sisters.

Later that night, I step out of the bathroom to find Thorne stretched across the bed, completely bare naked. “I love your new tan line.” I trace the slightly lighter patch of skin on his muscular chest. Only my handsome bear shifter could pull off such a thing without looking silly.

“It’s definitely a look.” Thorne glances down and smirks. “I might keep the bikini top and wear it every now and then to keep the tan thing going.”

“Uh.” I drop my robe and kneel over his body. “Can we discuss this later? I remember promising you a back massage and thought you might be ready to collect it.”

“I’m not too sure I want to turn around and miss this.” Thorne reaches up and lightly grasps both of my boobs and runs his thumbs over my extra sensitive nipples. “There’s no way I want to miss this,” he growls and leans up to close his lips over one of my nipples. When his sharp teeth nip it gently, I feel wetness dripping from my center.

“I like the way you think,” I whimper as he kisses his way over to the other side and gives it the same treatment. His erection jerks and grows harder against the inside of my thigh as if begging for attention. It takes a little maneuvering, but I manage to line my opening up with his shaft and slowly sink down. Thorne’s fingers dig into my hips as he sucks harder on my nipple.

He lifts his hips to meet my downward movements while using his hold on my hips to help me keep up with his rapid thrusts. My bear shifter isn’t satisfied until he makes me come three times. On the third time, I make sure to clench my inner walls tightly around his cock, dragging his overachieving rear with me.

I wake up the next morning with the sunrise and decide to make Thorne breakfast in bed. I roll over and almost laugh out loud when I see my mate sleeping with Angel Baby draped across his neck.

The little Chihuahua has been acting out lately to demonstrate his unhappiness over sharing Thorne since I moved in. When we attempted to put the spoiled pooch in his bed the first few nights, he spent most of the night sighing and whimpering pitifully. It didn’t take me long to realize this little dog has unlimited patience when it comes to getting his way.

While Thorne was determined to outlast the stubborn animal, I completely caved on the third night and let Angel Baby sleep with us. Since then, the Chihuahua won’t let us even consider putting him back in the baby bed.

Angel Baby opens one eye to glare at me as I slip out of bed. I breathe a sigh of relief when I manage to get out of bed without waking up my Bossy Bear. The dog settles back in and falls asleep as I leave the room with my toothbrush and outfit. I hurry up and get ready in the guest bedroom across the hall, so I don’t wake up anyone up.

I tiptoe down the stairs and head to the kitchen. As I search our refrigerator for ideas, I hear a slight whimpering outside. Without thinking, I rush out the back patio door and find a tiny bear cub running around near the pool.

Not knowing if bear cubs can swim this young, I take off running after it. The little animal’s distressed cry echoes off the trees around us for a few seconds before I hear a loud roar.

I spin around and gasp, realizing I’m in so much trouble here. Oh, man. I really hope the tiny bear cub and the giant momma bear prowling toward me are shifters.

Swallowing, I glance over at the patio door, gauging whether I can outrun the ticked-off animal and make it inside before it tears me to shreds.

The fierce bear growls and takes a step closer, telling me I need to do something soon or I’m going to be bear chow.