Page 24 of Falling for the Bear Dad

“I think I’m a believer now too. Tell me what that means, about being your mate. A mate to a bear shifter.”

“Is it okay if I move closer?” he asked. Again, him being vulnerable was such a turn-on. “My bear is begging me to get closer to you, especially now that you know he’s there.”

This was all so weird and exciting and new. “Sure. Get over here.” It wasn’t much of a move. Less than a foot but when he scooted closer, my body completely relaxed. He pulled me onto his lap and nuzzled his face into my hair. “You smell so damned good. You’re not on blockers.”

“No. I didn’t leave the house much before and then I planned on getting some.”

“Don’t,” he said, kissing the top of my head. My body responded as though he’d kissed me on the lips. “What I mean is, I would love for you not to go on blockers. Your scent drives me wild.”

“We can’t have a wild Greyson though.”

“We can. I can be tamed. I swear it.”

I turned in his arms. “You were about to tell me about being your mate.”

“Mating isn’t like a marriage. There’s no divorce. No breaking up. Nothing like that. Once we mate and I mark you, that’s it for me. I’ll never even look at another woman. We’d be bonded together, forever.”

“This morning, I was your nanny,” I laughed and leaned my head on his shoulder.

“No, this morning, you were my mate, Mya. I hadn’t told you about my bear or the fact that you’re my mate, but you’ve always been my mate; our timelines hadn’t crossed yet. I’m so grateful for the moment you crashed into my life.”

“What happens next?”

His arms tightened. “It’s all up to you, Mya. I know you’ve been hurt. You only just left your abuser. Those bruises are still fading on your face and neck. I won’t rush you. We can take as long as you like to get to know each other and learn. I’m not going anywhere.”

“And what if I decide not to be your mate.”

It was impossible, but I swore I heard his heart stop and then start up again after a few seconds. “It would break me, but if it was best for you and you chose that, then I would live with it. You can keep your job and not be my mate. I wouldn’t let what’s between us take you from my son. He already loves you so much.”

“You would do that? Keep me on as the nanny even if I didn’t want you as a mate?”

“Yes. That’s part of being a good mate. If you don’t choose me, I’ll always do what’s best for you, even if it means my absolute misery. Are you not even willing to think about it?”

Oh, shit. I’d clearly given him the wrong impression with my questions.

I moved around so that I was straddling him. My core pressed against his groin, and his cock throbbed in response. “I was asking questions, Greyson. My mind is already made up. I’m ready to start this new life with you.”

He splayed his hands out on my back. “You want to be my mate? You don’t care that we’re bears?”

“I want to be yours more than I’ve ever wanted anything.”

I leaned down and pressed my lips to his. He was shocked at first, his body freezing under mine, but that changed in a second. His hands roamed to my ass, and he pulled me forward. I felt how much he wanted me. “Tell me what you want, Mya.”

“I want you to bring me upstairs and make me your mate. I want to belong to you. I’ve never felt so loved and I never want to lose that.” I rocked my hips. “Now, alpha.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Greyson

Benji’s room lay a couple of doors away from the master bedroom. In fact, Mya’s was in between. Which meant we were going to mine because the boy slept soundly, but mating could be noisy.

“You have a baby monitor still?” she said. “In case he hears something. I wouldn’t want to scare him.”

“Yes, set to one-way to avoid startling him.” It had always been set that way even though there had been nobody in my bed since his mama and no passionate noises since shortly after she fell sick. But I wasn’t going to bring her in with us. I paused at her picture on the hall table and sent her a thought. Keeping my promise, finally. Always missing you, but ready to move on.

I could almost feel her arms around me, lips on my cheek before she faded back. A feeling left, one I hadn’t even thought about because it was always there. Jeanine. Had she been unable to reach the next level until her family was secure in a new and happy life?

It would be like her.