Stone Bear: Sentinel (A BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance) (Stone Bears Book 1) by Amelia Jade Page A

bare it all in front of him, she thought nervously. He would see her every flaw, all the ones her carefully chosen clothing hid. The scars from the incident that had effectively run her out of the police force. The extra weight she had put on since her “retirement” as well. All of it was disguised as best she could on a normal basis, but here he was, about to see it in all its glory.
    Caia was terrified that he would see it and freak out. That was her biggest fear—that he might lose his desire once he saw the real her. It was a much stronger feeling than normal, too. She hadn’t been celibate since she quit the force, though she hadn’t been with a lot of men either. She didn’t care what the ones she slept with had thought of her, as long they got the job done in the end.
    But with Gabriel, she had realized she did care. She was afraid of how he might react. There was a basic desire within her to please him, to want him to be happy with what he had, and her brain traumatized her with various scenes of how he might react while she waited.
    Finally, after an eternity, she heard his truck pull into the driveway. The engine had barely died before she heard the door open and close. The pounding in her chest amplified as she saw an outline at her door. The handle twisted, and it pushed inward slightly, revealing the outline to be Gabriel.
    The intensity in his eyes shocked her. She knew he was interested in her, but even earlier he had been guarded somewhat. But now she could tell the walls were gone. She was seeing who and what he truly was, and how deeply he was interested in her. The glowing sapphires in his eyes promised her pleasure, to the best of his ability. She knew that, because her eyes were giving him the same look.
    “You called?” he asked, closing the door behind him, never taking his eyes off of her.
    “Yes,” she said with whispery trepidation.
    This was it. There was no going back now.
    His jacket hit the floor, and he stepped out of his boots, coming closer to her.
    Her hands trembled. She clenched them into fists, ordering herself to maintain calm.
    The façade of control she had over the situation crumbled as he took another step forward.
    “Aren’t you supposed to be the one with the plan?” he teased gently. “Not rushing headfirst into a situation without thinking it through?”
    “I’ve thought it through,” she said defiantly.
    “Is that so?”
    She nodded.
    “So what happens next then?” he asked deliberately.
    Her voice caught in her throat, leaving her unable to respond as he took another step closer.
    “First, you take your coat off,” she said, indicating the double-buttoned suit jacket.
    “I do?” he asked.
    She nodded, and he obeyed, slowly undoing the buttons and removing the jacket until it hung from one hand. A flick of her eyes told him to drape it over the couch to his left.
    “Now the bowtie,” she ordered, a faint hint of strength returning to her voice as he allowed her to dictate what was happening at first.
    “Undo the cuffs,” she told him, “And roll them up.”
    He grinned but didn’t say anything, and simply followed her commands.
    “Now what?” he whispered into the silence as he stood there. She was looking him up and down, admiring him. Especially the way his rolled-up sleeves emphasized his forearms. It was such a sexy look. She wanted to drool over him. That, however, would not do for what she next had in mind.
    “Come closer.” She had barely finished speaking before he stepped up right in front of her.
    Putting a finger on his chest, she held him just inside of arm’s length, preventing him from getting any closer.
    “Now, stand still.” He didn’t move as she dragged her finger up to his neck, where her other hand joined it.
    Her deft fingers worked quickly, and the first button fell victim to her. She could sense him shaking as she worked, peeling the shirt off one button at a time. He wasn’t wearing an undershirt, and efforts