Firefighter Bear (Silvertip Shifters Book 6) Read online

  "I feel safer with you than anyone else in the world," she whispered, letting the smile finally drift away but knowing her face was as open and genuine as her heart felt. As her entire freaking body felt.

  The faintest hint of a smile still playing around his lips, Slade nodded. "Good. Because I'm about to do something to you I've wanted to do for a really long time."

  She started trembling with anticipation, the enormous heated flame centered right between her legs seeming to explode through her entire body.

  "Stay right there, beautiful." As he said that, Slade pulled his T-shirt off, pulling it up over his body slowly enough so she could see every washboard muscle of his abs, his taut stomach, the hard peaks of his nipples that she insanely longed to lean forward and bite. He blindly tossed his shirt somewhere behind his shoulder, still looking at her.

  "I'm not going anywhere," she promised, her breath panting now.

  Slade kicked off his shoes, yanked off his socks, and unsnapped the button fly of his jeans. Pulling them down in one swift move, he stepped out of them, revealing his completely naked self.

  Ever's brain about short-circuited. Slade was the sexiest, biggest, did she say biggest because she meant dang biggest, man she'd seen in her life. And he was all hers.

  Her eyes drank in his entire body, which was chiseled like that of one of those fitness models, except she knew he was one hundred percent natural. Between fighting on the shifter circuit and battling wildfires, she knew Slade kept himself in tip-top condition. And holy freaking melting girl parts, he looked good. Yummy, delicious good. Her gaze slipped over his broad shoulders, down the chest she still longed to lick, over the tight abs, right down to that freaking glorious hard dick nestled right between his legs. It was getting bigger even as she looked at it. She swallowed against her dry mouth, eyes fixed on him there.

  He laughed. "Will I be enough for you, little fox?" His voice was so low, so deep, it seemed to reverberate through her.

  Not sure she could speak, she nodded, dragging her eyes back up to his face. After swallowing a couple more times to moisten her mouth, she managed to choke out, "It's rude to stare and I hope you don't think I like you only for your body, but Slade, ohmigosh I'm not even…I don't know…holy wow," she finished her confused babble of a sentence in a reverent whisper.

  The lazy grin he sent her way was pure male pride. "Hmm. I like that. But right now, it's your turn." He knelt down to tug off her clothes with fingers that were gentle but rushed. She helped him as much as she could until she lay sprawled back on his king-size bed, just as naked as he was.

  Everly lay there, her entire body tense and ready, anticipation and excitement flooding through her. This was the moment she'd dreamed about for so long. Now that it was here, actually about to happen, she was so excited she wondered if she might pass out. Impatient, wanting, she panted, "Hurry, Slade. I want you inside me."

  "Ever, you're gonna kill me," he gritted out. As she watched, his heavy dick expanded even more. Her breath caught in her throat, and she opened her mouth again to say something. But he shook his head.

  "Hold on.” The light in his eyes was sheer longing. “This is something I've wanted to do for a really long time, little fox. You deserve all of this."

  With that, Slade gently pushed apart her knees, put his head down between her legs, and licked her sweetly aching sex.

  Ever shrieked, the sound echoing through the room. Arching halfway off the bed from that first touch of his mouth on her, she put her hands down on his head, gently pressing him to her as he licked up, down, and around. He swirled his tongue in little strokes on her sex. She felt him smile against her lips but he didn't stop he was doing. Licking, tasting, his tongue soft and huge against her. And his beard, oh yesss. The way it scratched against her softness, so delicious, made her head feel like it was about to explode.

  Completely nonsensical sounds fell out of her mouth. Her heart slammed in her chest, her breath gasped, her brain shattered into nonthinking as pure sensation took over her entire being. "Slade," she managed to whisper. “Please.”

  In answer, his tongue plunged deep inside her.

  Fire exploded over her as she gave in to the sensations, practically setting her hair on fire as an orgasm ten times better than any of the ones she'd dreamed about with him exploded over her spasming body. Shaking, gasping, his name a babble on her tongue, she shook and jerked as his mouth and tongue still played with her, drawing out the orgasm to the very end and then building her up again until he teased out another one.

  She saw stars, exploding universes, heard her voice crying out again and again as she clutched his head and he didn't stop. Oh, yes, he didn't stop. Her fingers gripped him so tightly she knew her nails had to be digging into his head, but he didn't seem to notice. She screamed again as she shattered and shook under his amazing mouth and tongue for a third time, wondering if her brain might actually explode.

  "Been dreaming about that, little fox," he said in a hoarse voice when he finally pulled away.

  Then he pulled himself up over her, her legs still spread apart beneath him. She gazed up at him, her entire body still in sweetly delirious euphoria. Her mouth was still hanging open in a really unsexy way, but she didn't care.

  "Now, Ever," he growled, reaching down to position himself in front of her completely wet, still desperately welcoming entrance. "Now, beautiful sweet woman," he whispered.

  He thrust into her, ramming in so hard they slid halfway up his bed. Ever gasped as he rammed into her again and again, his dick so huge it seemed like he should break her small body in half. But that wasn't going to happen, no way. She wanted every delicious, incredible inch of him inside her, filling her completely full, like he needed her more than anything in the world. Just like she needed him.

  His rhythm was fast and intense from the very beginning, their eyes locked on one another as he slammed into her and she met him stroke for stroke, her arms wrapped around his back, her legs pressed against the mattress by the weight of his thighs as he loved her senseless on his bed. Reaching up, he pulled her arm above her head, winding his fingers into hers, then caught her other hand to pull it up too. Wrapping one of his huge hands around both her wrists to hold her arms up there, he put his other hand on the bed for support as his strokes became faster, ever more intense.

  She felt so safe as he held her like that, so secure. So loved. "Yes," she cried out as she felt yet another explosion building inside her.

  Slade roared out his release as he bucked against her, throbbing into her, his bellow mingling with her cries in the room as she came yet again, the searingly powerful orgasm making her lady muscles twitch and wrap tightly around him, making him gasp as he poured himself into her. He chanted her name like it was the most important thing he'd ever said, both of them locked together in shattering joy.

  They slid together on the bed, fused as one, as the throbbing slowly faded away. Sweat poured off of Slade in the heat of the summer night, mingling with the slick moisture that covered Ever's entire body. When their movements finally slowed and then stopped altogether, he stayed inside her, gently releasing her hands, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling his face into her neck, saying her name in between kisses like it was the holiest thing he knew.

  She stroked his back with arms that were almost boneless from all the orgasms she'd had, her entire body completely, gorgeously spent. Very gently, he pulled out of her, moving slightly onto his side so she was still on her back next to him, curled up beside him. Then he gently pushed his free hand back down between her legs.

  Oh, wow.

  "Slade, I don't know if…" she began, just before his fingers dipped inside her again. Then she shut right up. Because as it turned out, she could, and she did.

  His fingers stroked against her sex, slipping into and caressing her folds. He touched her with a sweet precision that whirled her up again into a release so fierce and sudden yet wild and luscious she knew she must look like a flounder, her mout
h open and gasping as she came for the freaking fifth time. But she didn't care. This was Slade, he was finally with her, and she was so happy that nothing else mattered in the world.

  The room was quiet for long moments as her breathing finally slowed back to normal. Slade gently pushed her sweat-slicked hair off her face, watching the whole time with a small smile that said his heart was bursting as wide open as hers.

  Finally curling into his chest, facing him so he could hold her tight while she nestled her head in the crook between his chin and his neck, Ever squeezed her arms around as much of him as she could.

  "You're mine, Slade," she whispered into his skin, knowing he could feel the vibrations of her words, knowing he could hear her. "You're mine."

  His breath warmed her as he kissed her head, whispering back, "And you're mine, little fox. Now and forever."

  12

  Slade took a deep breath. A hint of smoke scoured its way into his lungs, but he didn't even care. Hell, he could get asthma just from being out here and he wouldn't mind at all. Nothing but nothing could ruin his memories of the other night with Ever.

  An enormous grin slid onto his face just thinking about her. An enormous, awed grin. Oh, that sexy little fox shifter. Remembering the way she responded to his touch, the way she'd shown that side of herself, so eager for him, had kept his spirits completely upbeat in Montana. It didn't even bother him that he was in the middle of nowhere with the crew, hundreds of miles away from Ever and not sure when he'd be able to get home and see her again. Just thinking of that little dimple when she smiled at him in his bed, the way she tasted when he licked her into three screaming orgasms—and damn straight that made him the cockiest guy in the world right now—was enough to keep him flying high for weeks.

  He called and texted her every single time he had a free moment, even when he knew she might be working at The Tank. If she didn't answer the phone, he left a message, knowing she'd listen to it as soon as she could. He texted her about the size of the fire up here, the way Montana smelled different than Colorado, how well the crew was working together, dirty jokes, and a couple of bouts of sexy talk back and forth with her that kept them both up way too late one night, though he didn't regret that one single bit. Just hearing the notification on his phone was enough to make him smile. He'd set a ringtone just for her so he knew it was her texting or calling.

  His phone made the sound a lot. That made him even happier.

  Hell, yeah, he was the happiest freaking bear who'd ever been sent out to fight a fire. Speaking of that, he thought again as he took another glance at the sky above the camp where the crew had their tents set up, he tried not to get too excited at the thought they might actually be out of here a lot sooner than they'd originally anticipated. The crew had been called up because the fire was starting to get out of control and the state was calling up crews from all over the country to come help, but the winds that had been stoking it had abruptly died down yesterday. The forecast today was extremely promising that a really big rainstorm was about to come through. None of the crew members dared voice the thought that they might be able to go home soon, not even Mahon. Fighting wildland fires was in all of their blood, and they all liked money, but hey. If they got to go home a little early at this point in what had already been a long season and enjoy more time with their loved ones, no one was going to complain about that.

  "Penny for your thoughts, you big lug?" said Nita, who was sitting on the ground in front of her tent going through her pack making sure everything was in order. The way she cocked her head, a sly smile on her face, made him narrow his eyes at her.

  "Why do you want to know about my thoughts, badger?" he asked, the way he'd always playfully called her since high school.

  Her grin got bigger. "Oh, I don't know. I thought they might be filled with," she paused, looked around to see how close the others were, and lowered her voice. "With one cute little fox shifter back home. Am I right?"

  Slade gave her a stern look. "What do you know?" Even so, he couldn't help but smile at Nita's words. He was a goner for one cute little fox shifter, that was for sure.

  Nita shrugged, but that sly expression stayed on her face. "I know nothing, bear. I've just known you," she poked a finger at him, "and Ever way too long and way too well by now. I mean, almost every time you get a text, you also get the goofiest-ass smile on your face. Well." Her sly look turned positively roguish. “There's also the little fact that Ever asked me to keep an eye on you and make sure you didn't do anything dumb like get yourself killed out here. That was an unusual thing for her to say. Sooo, I'm just kind of suspecting something good happened between the two of you. Finally," she added in an exasperated tone.

  "Hmm." Slade gave her a look, then walked over and crouched beside her, pretending to look at her pack so anyone who glanced at them would think they were just talking about that and not something way more important. Like him and Ever. "You sound like you might approve."

  Nita shrugged again, but her smile turned genuine. "I've approved of the thought of the two of you together ever since senior year in high school when you guys finally kissed."

  He rocked back on his heels, forgetting to pretend he was looking through her pack. He stared right at her. "Ever told you about that?"

  Nita nodded. "Course she did. We were super close back then.” Her face dropped. "We were close until Jacob disappeared.” She suddenly shoved her sunglasses up on her head and looked Slade dead in the eyes and said in a voice so low now that no one would be able to hear over the random bustling noises in the camp, "Slade, I know about the secret you've been keeping. And I know why, too, but that doesn't make it right. Because if you ever want to have a real thing with Ever, something forever and always, you need to tell her. And I know you haven't, because she would've told me."

  Shock drenched him. Dumbstruck, he forced out, "How do you know?"

  He was testing her, wondering if she really knew his secret. But her answer exploded his truth all over the place.

  "Because my cousin is in the same damn place, for the same damn reason." Her eyes bored into his. "He's in there because he was fighting back against the bullshit injustice of our community, but of course he had injustice slammed down on him, because of who he is. Because he's a badger. You know we can be shunned the same way foxes are."

  Still stunned, Slade nodded. "Yeah. I know. But you were never shunned in Deep Hollow. You or your family," he added fiercely. Nita had grown up there, and Slade knew full well there weren't any shunning assholes that lived in their small community. Shifters who lived there were for the most part good folks who didn't believe in being bigoted asshats like the ones who'd made Everly's life a living hell in the place she'd grown up.

  Nita's fingers drummed on her pack, though she still looked at Slade. “No, we weren't. I can't imagine having gone through what the Vos family did." Her voice faltered. Slade understood.

  As Ever slowly opened up to him and Nita in high school, she would share bits and pieces of her childhood with them. They'd both been utterly horrified. But, he thought, feeling a lick of shame, he knew he never would have been able to relate to it the way Nita possibly could have. He knew she'd gotten some shit over the years, from occasional asshole tourists visiting Deep Hollow to random jerks she encountered when she traveled outside their protective little town.

  Being a grizzly bear shifter, one of the most feared predators in the shifter world, Slade never had to worry about being hated simply for the type of shifter he was. That knowledge shamed him, and had for years now. The reminder that he could have done so much more for shifters like Ever, like Jacob, like Nita and her cousin, tanked his cloud nine mood.

  Then Nita spoke again, startling him with her words. It was like she'd read his mind. "Slade Walker, I know you're good through and through. So is your whole clan, and so are most of the shifters and humans in Deep Hollow. But being who you are? More importantly, being what you are? Well. You could do a lot more. I've never been su
re why you haven't."

  With a kindness that kicked his ego in the nuts, she added, "I never did peg you for a coward, Slade. I'd like to peg you for a hero instead. But the one person in this entire world who'd most like to see you be a hero? That's Ever. Do the biggest thing you can for her. Not just for her, not just for Jacob, not just for their family. Do it because you are a good man. I know you are. Now go live up to it."

  She scrambled to her feet, dusting off her pants as she stood. Looking down at him now, where he sat on the ground, staring up at her as his thoughts clanked together, she nodded her head toward the mess tent. "It's dinnertime, bear. See you in there."

  With that, she turned and walked off, Slade staring after her.

  Well, hell. What Nita had said both added to his confusion yet clarified everything at once. Scrunching his eyes shut and squeezing the top of his nose with his fingers, he wondered how elusive he would find sleep that night.

  Because if Nita knew the secret he kept, the one that was not his to share, it would be that much harder for him to continue keeping it from Ever.

  His head snapped up the truth drop-kicked him again. "Fuckin' idiot," he swore at himself, his bear grumbling morosely inside him.

  Well, hell no. He didn't want to keep anything from Ever, not anymore. Even secrets he'd been told to keep from her, secrets that weren't his to keep—nope. He couldn't do it anymore.

  It wasn't his place to keep anything from Ever. It was his place, his damned duty, to always tell her the truth from now on, to stand up for her, and to stand up for everything in their world that should be right and just.

  His head popped up as Mahon suddenly whooped from the far edge of the clearing, drawing the attention of the crew members who hadn't yet straggled into the mess tent. Mahon waved a paper in his hand, one of the incident command leaders walking away from him.