Bear's Baby (Bear Heat Book 4) by Natalie Kristen Page A

Prisha possessively as he leaned down
to whisper in her ear and nuzzle her neck.
    Baxter leaned against the
wall and watched the newly-weds for a while.
    “Congrats, guys,”
he said under his breath. He raised a wine glass in a silent toast
to them and downed the vintage wine in one gulp.
    Swiping his hand over his
mouth, he loosened his bow tie and winced. He wished he could get
out of this monkey suit, but this was a special day for Caleb and
Thor and their mates. He would walk through the fires of hell for
his clan, so what was donning a tux for a few hours?
    He stuffed his hands in his
pockets and looked around the swanky ballroom. Everyone was enjoying
themselves, and some were still helping themselves to the food at the
buffet table. Baxter let out a loud burp and rubbed his tummy. God,
those bears could really eat. He thought he had a hearty bear-sized
appetite, but his clan members were proving to him that when it came
to good food and good wine, they could outeat and outdrink him any
time.
    Baxter exhaled a long, slow
sigh as he watched the happy, dreamy couples on the dance floor. The
flash of white lace and satin drew his eyes back to the beaming,
blushing brides. Aubrey and Prisha looked so beautiful, he could
just see the fierce pride and joy on Thor and Caleb's faces.
    They were lucky, so lucky to
have found their true mates.
    Baxter was happy for them,
but beneath that happiness was a slight twinge of envy.
    The mate bond was a rare,
precious thing, and not every bear was lucky enough to find his or
her true mate. Some searched their whole lives. Some just gave up
the search and settled. Settled, not settled down. Personally,
Baxter felt that those bears weren't being fair to their partners,
but who was he to judge? They seemed happy enough, and many of them
had built strong, stable families with their partners.
    Baxter grabbed a slice of
wedding cake off the tray of a passing waiter and absently crammed
the whole piece into his mouth. He made a face as the saccharine
sweetness coated his tongue, but he managed to swallow the whole
mouthful.
    He was just reaching for a
mug of beer when two female bear cubs barreled up to him and tugged
at his trousers. They wanted him to dance with them, the way he'd
done with the brides. The two little girls were dressed in identical
puffy-sleeved dresses and had a mind-boggling assortment of
glittering ribbons in their hair. They were the youngest twin
daughters of Karen, a Black Bears lieutenant. He looked up and saw
Karen watching her baby girls with an indulgent smile.
    “Ladies.” He
crouched so he could talk to them at eye level. “Can I have
this dance?” The twins squealed and bounced on the balls of
their feet. Gallantly, he took their little hands and led them out
to the dance floor.
    As he danced enthusiastically
with the bright-eyed, giggling young she-bears, Baxter stole a glance
at Thor and Caleb and quirked a wistful smile. They were so damn
lucky.
    For a fleeting moment, he let
himself wonder if he would ever find his true mate. He frowned and
shrugged away the thought.
    He wasn't one to kid himself.
    He might be full of energetic
fun and wisecracks, but he wasn't lucky. Still, even though he
wasn't a lucky bear, he would never settle. He would just party and
have fun till he was old, creaky and cranky.
    Baxter blew out a breath and
sternly told himself to stop all this navel-gazing. And from the way
those two cubs were yanking at his shirt, his navel would be exposed
to all and sundry in no time.
    He had to keep up. He had a
reputation to maintain.
    “Come on, baby dolls!”
He winked at the twins. “Let's show 'em some smooth moves!
What do you say to that?”
    The little girls jumped up
and down, squealing in excitement, “We say yay!”

CHAPTER
TWO

    Baxter pulled up in front of
the brightly lit diner and hopped out of his car. He had meant to
drive straight home but along the way, his stomach had let out an
insistent growl and his bear had woken