The Bear Comes Home For Christmas: BBW Paranormal Romance Read online

  Go on, Del. You know I can handle things here, she’d told him. You’re here when I leave at night. You’re here when I get in in the mornings. If I didn’t know better, I’d think you lived in your office.

  Del had tried to laugh a little at that, but the truth was, he was starting to feel that way too.

  And he’d started to realize it was a problem.

  It had been so long since he’d gotten in touch with his bear that it no longer even tried to rouse him to shift and go out into its preferred habitats now.

  He’d kept it locked away in the corner of his mind. His shifter ability wouldn’t help him run his business. And so, he’d simply stopped thinking about it.

  But it wasn’t healthy. Not for him, and not for the bear. Eventually, he hadn’t been able to deny it anymore: he needed a break.

  Good, Jackie had said when he told her about his decision. Take a week. Take two or even three weeks. God knows you’ve earned it.

  For a while, Del had contemplated where he might go, or what he might do. He’d made money – more money than he’d ever thought he’d earn in a lifetime. He wasn’t exactly a billionaire, but he had more than he needed to live on. He’d always had simple tastes.

  The thought of escaping the winter cold and going to a tropical resort just hadn’t appealed to him. Nor had a cruise, or anything else extravagant like that.

  After a time, it came to him: the only thing he really wanted to do was to go home.

  Back to the cabin his family had owned, before his father had died, and it had been revealed he’d left them nothing but debts.

  His mother had sold it in order to cover some of them, but it had been one of the first things Del had bought back as soon as he’d signed his first big contract. It had been the only thing he’d done that he really considered an extravagance – especially since he never really spent time there. But it had been a way of reclaiming the life that he’d lost.

  He’d always meant to go back there. But, just like everything else, he’d never quite found the time.

  The more he’d thought about it, the more he’d realized how perfect it would be: it was somewhere that had always held good memories for him. And it was isolated enough that he could let his bear roam free at last.

  He could get back in touch with the animal side of him that he’d kept hidden for so long.

  He’d shifted almost as soon as he’d arrived. He’d spent all night as a bear, doing nothing but simply smelling, snoozing, and eating the scraps of whatever he could find in the middle of winter.

  Del could feel his stress melting away.

  It was… it was like learning to breathe all over again.

  And it was amazing.

  It was only now, reluctantly, that he was starting to head back toward the cabin.

  The bear’s big body needed fuel, and without a hunt, he just wouldn’t get any out here. He’d need to go back and make himself something to eat.

  And besides – the blizzard was getting worse and worse by the minute. Here amongst the thick trees it wasn’t so bad, and he knew he could rely on his bear’s nose to guide him, and its thick fur to keep him warm.

  But still, he knew it was time to go back.

  As he made his lumbering way through the forest, however, a new scent hit his nose. One he’d never smelled before, and which was entirely out of place here in the middle of nowhere. And in the middle of winter.

  It smelled like… summer rain. Like peaches and cream. Like something sweet and indefinable, and infinitely pure.

  Del paused, raising his head to sniff the air.

  He didn’t know what the scent was, but he did know that it was calling to him. He had to find the source.

  Starting to hurry a little, he made his way over fallen logs and thick drifts of snow with an agility that was surprising, given his large size.

  Del wasn’t sure why or how, but he knew he was being drawn on, following the scent almost without his conscious will. The bear’s instincts had taken over – everything but the delicious scent was wiped from his mind.

  He sped up, almost running at the bear’s full speed now. In the distance, the lights of the cabin became visible.

  Is it… here? At the cabin?

  In the part of his mind that was still human, Del had time to be puzzled. He’d been at the cabin only yesterday, and there’d been no scent like this here then.

  At this speed, it wasn’t long until his massive paws were padding against the cabin’s back decking. There was no mistaking it: whatever the scent was, it was coming from inside his cabin.

  Go to it, the bear urged him. Go. Go now.

  Shifting, Del walked to the door of the cabin, opening it almost cautiously.

  The cabin was small – it had a living room with a tiny kitchen tacked onto the side. The couch folded out to form a bed.

  So Del saw her as soon as he stepped inside.

  A woman, lying on the couch, her long honey-blonde hair spread over the pillows like a shining river. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept, her cheeks flushed pink. She had a thick parka draped over her body, and she was curled up underneath it so only the tips of her toes peeked out at the lower edge.

  For a long moment, Del just stared.

  And then his bear reared up in his chest, roaring.

  Mine!

  Del blinked, not understanding at first. But the bear was insistent.

  Mine! My mate! She’s our mate!

  Comprehension crashed over him like a wave. She was the source of this amazing scent he’d been following. It was her.

  He’d been drawn to her as if she was a siren, calling to the very fiber of his being.

  Del had often wondered about whether he’d ever find his mate. Between his workaholic tendencies and the fact he rarely had a chance to go out and meet new people, it had always seemed like just one more thing that got pushed further down his list of priorities.

  But now, she had come to him.

  He didn’t know how or why, only that she was here.

  Curled up on his couch, looking as sweet as a Christmas angel.

  The woman stirred in her sleep, and it suddenly occurred to Del that he was still naked after his shift. Mate or not, that definitely wouldn’t be a good first impression to make!

  Hurrying to where he’d left his clothes in a pile on the floor, Del slipped on his boxers, track pants and shirt. Shifters were naturally much warmer than humans, and he’d let the fire in the little stove burn down before he left. Opening the stove door, he carefully fed it with fresh kindling, building it slowly, until heat filled the small space of the cabin once more. The woman, whoever she was, had obviously been cold when she arrived, and had pulled her parka up over herself to try to stay warm.

  She stirred again, muttering something softly under her breath.

  Perhaps she was dreaming, Del thought. As he looked down at her face, her forehead creased, her eyebrows drawing together.

  Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be a pleasant dream. At all.

  Wake her, the bear insisted. Tell her you’re here for her. That there’s nothing to be frightened of.

  The idea was tempting. And more than anything, Del wanted to look into her eyes, and see if she too understood that they were mates. The last thing he wanted to do was startle her, though.

  Swallowing, Del crouched down next to the couch. He reached out, gently putting his hand on her shoulder.

  “Hey,” he whispered, trying to keep his voice as soft as possible. “You’re only dreaming – you should wake up.”

  The woman’s expression became pinched, her lower lip drawn back between her teeth. It was clear she was having some kind of terrible nightmare.

  “Wake up,” Del said. “You’re safe. There’s no need to be frightened.”

  The woman’s eyelashes swept up, revealing a pair of deep brown eyes that contrasted with the honey blonde of her hair.

  Del inhaled sharply. They were as beautiful as the rest of her – a
nd in that moment, they seemed to be looking straight through him, directly into his soul.

  Then she blinked in confusion, letting out a quick gasp before sitting up abruptly, her hand going to her lips.

  “Oh – oh, I – I’m sorry, I –”

  “It’s okay,” Del said quickly, raising his hands. “I didn’t mean to startle you. You just seemed like you were having a bad dream, that’s all.”

  She looked at him warily, her hand still raised to her lips. Her eyes fluttered down over his body, taking him in, and seemingly trying to decide if she should be frightened or not.

  Del stayed still. He tried to project an air of calm and safety – something he knew that, as his mate, she would be able to pick up on. He could see it happening already: the tension was leaving her shoulders, and the look in her eyes was growing calmer. He had no intention of hurting her. There was nothing further from his mind.

  “I… I’m sorry,” she said, after a long pause. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep, and… well, I didn’t mean to break into your cabin.”

  “As I recall, I never locked the door to begin with, so you hardly broke in,” Del said, smiling. He wanted to put her at her ease as quickly as possible.

  She let out a short, quiet laugh, looking at him a little sheepishly. “Well, that’s true. But still, it must’ve been a bit strange to come back and find me here. Maybe I should’ve written a note to explain, but like I said, I really didn’t mean to fall asleep. I must’ve been more tired than I thought.”

  “It’s fine, honestly,” Del assured her. “It’s quite a blizzard out there – and I figure you wouldn’t have fallen asleep on a total stranger’s couch if you absolutely didn’t need to.”

  His bear bristled at the words total stranger.

  We’re not strangers! She’s our mate, it insisted. Now that it was finally unleashed after its long confinement, it seemed like the bear was eager to assert itself. Del swallowed and pushed it aside. He had no idea if the woman even knew what shifters were, let alone fated mates and the bonds they shared. He had to take things slowly.

  “Look, why don’t you tell me what happened – starting with your name,” Del said. “And maybe I can make you a warm drink. Eggnog sound okay?”

  “Oh, that would be amazing,” she said warmly. “And… well, thank you for not being freaked out or angry. I imagine it must’ve been a surprise, coming home and finding me here.”

  You have no idea, Del thought as he made his way into the small kitchenette. The last thing he had ever expected on coming out here to the cabin was that he’d find his fated mate all curled up on his couch.

  “Well, I’d rather you were in here than out there,” he said, gesturing to the window, where the snow was still pelting against the glass.

  She nodded. “Thank you.” She glanced across at him. “Sorry, you asked my name. It’s Hazel. Hazel Granger.”

  Hazel.

  The name suited her. It was warm and soft, and reminded him of smoke and fire. Even his bear seemed to approve, half-closing its eyes contentedly and settling down to listen to her story.

  “It’s a bit of a long story, I’m afraid,” Hazel said. “You see… I had booked a holiday with my boyfriend.”

  Del glanced at her, his bear’s head shooting up from where it had been resting against its forepaws. She has a boyfriend?

  Hazel laughed, waving her hand. “Ex-boyfriend, I should say. But he stood me up at the last minute, saying he’d missed his plane and he didn’t think it was worthwhile for him to come out anymore. I don’t even know if I believe that, or if he just chickened out at any sign of commitment.” She shook her head, looking at him ruefully. “Sorry, you don’t need to know any of that. The important thing is that like an idiot, I decided to drive out to the cabin by myself, in the middle of this blizzard. It… didn’t go exactly as I planned. I drove off the road and ended up at the bottom of a slope.”

  Del frowned. His heart was still beating wildly from the moment when it had seemed she was already spoken for. But the danger she’d been in took precedence. “You had an accident?”

  The thought of her in danger sent a ripple of desperate unease through his chest. The idea that his mate might have been injured so close to him, and he might never have known, pushed a bright shard of fear into his heart.

  “Not a bad one,” Hazel said quickly. “I ran off the road, but I’m okay. No permanent damage.” She held up her hands, wiggling her fingers as if to demonstrate. “But I knew I didn’t like the idea of staying in the car to get buried in snow. When I saw the light from your cabin, I thought… well, I hoped you might not mind me taking shelter here.”

  Del silently thanked the higher powers that he hadn’t turned the porch lights off before he’d gone for his ramble as the bear.

  Perhaps… well, it might’ve seemed silly, but Del couldn’t help but think that perhaps things had worked out this way for a reason. That he’d been meant to leave the lights on for her to follow.

  It was almost Christmas, after all.

  “Of course I don’t mind,” Del said, going to the fridge for some milk, eggs and cream. “Like I said, this isn’t weather to be out in. I’d much rather you were in here than out there.”

  “Thanks,” Hazel said. “I really mean it. It’s nice to be reminded of the Christmas spirit at a time like this.”

  Del nodded. “It sounds like you’ve had a rough time lately. But don’t worry. I promise I’m not going to kick you out or anything like that. You’re more than welcome to stay here until the weather dies down.”

  You’re more than welcome to stay forever, the bear added slyly, almost making Del roll his eyes, before he remembered that Hazel was hardly privy to the internal conversation he was having. He busied himself breaking eggs into a glass bowl and whipping them, trying to take his mind off the bear.

  “You never told me your name, by the way,” Hazel said, smiling.

  “Of course – it’s Del. Del Richardson.”

  “Del?” Hazel asked. “That’s unusual.”

  “Short for Delaney.” He laughed. “It was my grandmother’s maiden name. My father thought it sounded distinguished, but I never really liked it. Everyone calls me Del.” He turned on the stove, pouring the milk into the pan and heating it slowly. “How sweet do you like your nog?”

  “Sweet as can be,” Hazel said. “I admit it – I have a sweet tooth.”

  Del laughed. “A woman after my own heart.”

  He knew he was good at whipping up a killer eggnog. At the Christmas parties his company was legendary for, he’d often stand at a portable gas stove for hours, making nog after nog, until finally he had to cut people off.

  He hoped Hazel would like the way he made them.

  He stirred the warming milk and eggs, adding sugar slowly.

  “You look like you know what you’re doing.”

  Hazel had come across the small living room to lean against the breakfast bar, watching him as he made the eggnog.

  “It’s kind of my specialty,” Del admitted. “But don’t go getting any ideas, I’m a terrible cook, usually. This is pretty much it.”

  Hazel laughed. “All right. I’ll keep that in mind. But I hope you realize my expectations for this nog are pretty high right now.”

  Del smiled. “You’ll love it. I promise.”

  Chapter Three

  The eggnog, when she lifted it to her lips and took a sip, was absolutely perfect.

  Just like him.

  The thought floated into her mind unbidden, and almost made her choke on the warm, delicious liquid.

  What the hell?

  She swore she hadn’t meant to think that.

  She’d only just met him, for goodness’ sake, and she’d only just broken up with Charlie. Hazel felt like she should be in mourning for eighteen wasted months with him, but instead, all she could feel was relief that he was out of her life.

  And that she could now, truthfully, tell Del that things were over with him. For good.


  Hazel thought she ought to feel a little ashamed of herself for the thoughts she was having about Del… but she simply couldn’t.

  He was, without a doubt, the handsomest man she had ever seen. Thick, dark brown hair cascaded in waves over his forehead and the back of his neck. His eyes were a rich chestnut color, warm and soft, and framed by thick, dark lashes.

  While his clothes were casual and a little baggy, they couldn’t hide the broadness of his shoulders, or the bunch of his biceps as he moved expertly around the kitchen, tidying up after making the eggnog. His thighs beneath his sweats were thick and muscular. Hazel licked her lips as he turned away, running the faucet.

  And his ass… wow.

  Hazel shook her head.

  A man invites you into his home, and this is how you repay him? Ogling him while he’s minding his own business, in his own kitchen?

  But Hazel knew it was more than that. It wasn’t just that Del was amazing to look at. He was kind and gentle. He hadn’t minded her walking into his cabin, falling asleep on his couch, and rambling at him about an accident that was one hundred per cent her own fault.

  She wasn’t sure if it was just in her imagination, but she’d never felt such an instant connection with anyone else before in her life.

  And he makes the best eggnog I’ve ever tasted.

  Gratefully, Hazel sipped it again. Warmth spread through her, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

  “This is really amazing,” she said. “How do you make it so… well, rich?”

  Del grinned. “That’s my secret, I’m afraid. Maybe one day I’ll let you in on it.”

  One day…?

  Hazel glanced at him, eyes wide. Was it really not just in her head, then? Had Del noticed their connection too?

  Del coughed, turning away to where he’d placed his own cup of nog by the stove. Before he did, however, Hazel could have sworn she saw a blush creeping up his neck.

  It was oddly charming. Del was such a big, strong man, and clearly confident in himself. To see him blush was… cute.

  Hazel smiled as she raised the mug to her lips again. And was he blushing because he realized he’d let slip that he’d like to get to know her better?