The Cowbear's Christmas Shotgun Wedding (Curvy Bear Ranch 3) by Liv Brywood

the far wall, then moved the recliner out of the way.
    “Do you trust me?” he asked.
    “Yes.”
    “Then let my bear hold you.”
    She swallowed. For the second that she hesitated, his heart seemed to stop. But then she pulled him close and kissed him. Unlike the fervent kisses from just a few minutes ago, these held an intimate quality beyond simple seduction. In offering up her trust, she was giving him more than he ever wanted.
    He reluctantly released her and stepped back. As he summoned his bear, the cracking, popping, gnarled scrape of bone against bone sounded through the room. His paws returned as his nose lengthened. He grew larger and stronger until his grizzly loomed over her. To her credit, she didn’t shrink back or display any fear. Trust. He had every bit of hers.
    After turning in a circle, he lay on the carpet in front of the fire. He reached a paw out, hoping that she’d be comfortable enough to lie next to him.
    When she dropped to her knees and crawled into his arms, his bear chuffed with happiness. He carefully pulled her into an embrace, wrapping her in a genuine bear hug. She nestled into his arms and pet his fur for several minutes.
    “You’re so cuddly… and warm… I could get used to this,” she murmured.
    As her breathing slowed, he inhaled her scent. He couldn’t get enough of her smell—it was better than honey. He wanted to lick her to get the taste of her on his tongue again, but he didn’t want to wake her. As much as he needed to claim her as his own, he couldn’t. Not yet.
     

 
    Chapter 9
     
    The next morning, Kate woke with a kink in her neck. Something warm and heavy lay across her hip. As she opened her eyes, she looked down to find a huge bear paw resting on her thigh. She smiled as she listened to Logan’s bear snore. She had no idea bears could snore.
    The bear huffed a breath and shifted to pull her closer. She could have lain in his arms all day, but she needed to go to the bathroom.
    “Logan,” she whispered.
    She’d never woken up a bear before, so she wasn’t sure how to do it without getting a face full of claws. As she eased out from under his paw, a low growl came from deep within his throat. She turned to find him looking at her.
    “I have to get up,” she said.
    Growl.
    “I need to go to the bathroom.”
    Chuff.
    “Logan, let me up.”
    He relented, sliding his paw off her hip and rolling onto all fours. She gave his head a pat before hurrying down the hall.
    When she returned, Logan had shifted and was standing at the end of the hall. He smiled.
    “Sleep well?” he asked.
    “Pretty good considering I had a thousand-pound grizzly’s paw on me.”
    “It wasn’t like that all night,” he said.
    “Where else did you stick your paws?” she asked with an arched brow.
    He threw back his head and laughed. “You think I let my bear take advantage of you? Trust me, if that had happened, there would be no doubt.”
    “I’m sure there wouldn’t be.”
    “So are you ready to shift and go running around the forest with me today?” he asked.
    “I don’t know.” Her belly churned. Turning into a thousand-pound uncontrollable beast had seemed plausible last night. But now it didn’t seem like such a good idea. “Maybe we should wait.”
    “Are you scared?”
    “A little.”
    “You’ll be fine. I’ll make sure you stay safe.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward the door. She dragged her heels until he turned and gave her another tug.
    Outside, fresh powder blanketed the land, covering the remains of the barn in pristine snow. She looked at the road. Not a trace of their footsteps remained. It was as if they were the only two people left in the world. She raised her face to the sun, welcoming its warmth.
    “Do you remember how to shift?” Logan asked.
    “I could only do it when I was really mad.”
    “There are other ways to do it.”
    “How?” she asked.
    “When I want to shift, I think about the things I need most in life—food,