By the time they were at Hunter’s hotel room, Kelly’s nerves were thankfully starting to calm down.

But the memory of Hunter running outside with his gun, disappearing into the darkness, leaving her to wonder if she’d ever see him again, still burned into the back of her brain like a waking nightmare.

Then, miraculously, he’d come back. Like he always had. Not running from danger for his own sake, but running into danger for her sake.

It was no wonder she’d fallen for him so quickly.

As they came into the modest lodgings that smelled of old wood and reminded her more of a bunk from some aged summer camp than a modern hotel, Hunter cast off his hat, locking the door behind him and turning on the light. And even in spite of her still-waning adrenaline, Kelly felt warmth bubbling within her at the sheer proximity of the place.

What they’d done the other night had been fun, mind-blowing, wonderful. But she wanted more.

“Sorry the place isn’t very nice. Silver Lake’s finest lodgings, though that’s not saying much,” Hunter said in dismay. In reality, aside from a few tools propped up in a corner and a few takeout boxes that hadn’t been thrown away, Kelly had seen, had lived in, much worse.

“It’s cozy,” she said, stretching, feeling Hunter’s gaze on her as she did.

“That there is a stretch. But I’ll take it,” he said with that grin of hers that always made Kelly’s heart flutter.

There was a pause as Hunter turned on the lights in his room and she heard rustling. Probably him fixing the bed.

He reemerged from the room, running a hand through his thick, blond hair and making Kelly wish she could do likewise.

“So ready to turn in? It’s been a long day.” He put his hands on those trim hips of his, the corner of his shirt rising just enough to tease her with a hint of Ken doll line down the side of his abdomen.

“Do you think it’s safe here?”

“Definitely. As long as I’m here with you, I won’t let anything happen.” He reassured her, coming forward and pulling her into his arms. Thick, muscular arms and chest enveloped her. And aside from making her feel safe again, her libido was starting to kick into full drive.

What was wrong with her?

Though, perhaps, something was in fact right with her for the first time in a very long time, being able to feel this way about someone. It didn’t hurt that the someone happened to be the sexiest, kindest man on the planet.

“I know,” she murmured into his chest, feeling her cheeks flush. Her hands, wrapped around his lower back, crept mischievously lower over the thick curve of his perfect ass. And when Kelly squeezed it, enjoying the feel of the muscles twitching and going hard beneath her fingertips, Hunter smirked down at her.

“Enjoying ourselves back there?”

“So much,” she replied eagerly. Hunter had a body she wished she could put on display for only her to enjoy.

But she supposed the things her tall, tanned cowboy adjacent hero did were even better than just the things she could observe with her eyes.

Kelly’s knees wobbled, and Hunter’s hands were on her ass now, sweeping her up off the ground as she straddled him midair. He squeezed her in delightful retribution, and sensual heat shot up her thighs as he carried her toward the bedroom.

“Well, if you’re going to be a troublemaker, what do you say we take care of you right now?” As he looked down at her, his blue eyes glinted in the dim yellow light of the hotel room.

“I think that sounds… perfect.” She gasped as he set her down on the bed and crawled over her, a feral gleam in his gaze.

“That’s my thought every time I see you, Kelly.” He kissed her for a moment, then broke away. “Every time I touch you.” Another kiss. “Every second I get to share with you.”

The last kiss crashed over her in a wave of emotion and sensation, burning her lips as his tongue thrust inside her mouth with wet heat. She groaned in pleasure, feeling her entire body respond to the slightest movement as he swept over her tongue, making her need for him soar to unbearable heights.

Kelly pressed her hands into his chest, feeling his strength as he didn’t stop, didn’t let up, didn’t give her time to overthink things as she gave herself over to the wonderful things no other person before Hunter had been able to make her feel.

He moved from her lips to her ear, and Kelly took in a sharp breath just as he kissed the sensitive spot where ear met neck. Little shocks buzzed down her spine, and she could feel herself already getting wet for him.

How did he have this effect on her?

Hunter’s hands were at her chest now, undoing her shirt and bra and pulling them off, Kelly desperate to feel his touch everywhere, anywhere. And when his palms pressed her breasts, squeezing them, the brush of his rough skin over her hardened nipples was like ecstasy, drawing a long moan from her throat that she could tell made Hunter go even faster.

Nothing was simple with this man. Nothing was lukewarm. Everything was a raging fire, quenchable by only him.

And when his mouth closed over one nipple, then the other, suckling gently, she felt she could orgasm just from this.

“Hunter?” She spoke in between his fevered kisses.

“Yes?” He paused momentarily, blue eyes brighter than ever, watching her intently

“I want to go all the way with you. Don’t hold back. Show me everything.” She was hungry for him, wanted to feel him deep inside her while they came together.

“I will.” He nodded, a stray lock of golden blond hanging rakishly over his face. “But, Kelly?”

“Uh-huh?” It was hard to focus through the haze of lust he cast over her.

“From here, I’m only going to fall harder for you. So you better believe I’m going to be following you to the ends of the earth.”

A lovesick part of her ached at the thought of the two of them together. If only a world could exist where a monster hadn’t ripped all normalcy, all safety from her grasp, then she could fully agree with his words.

But for now, tonight was enough. This moment with Hunter was all she wanted, all she needed.

Before she could respond, Hunter’s finger stroked up over her clit, his hand beneath her jeans, and Kelly came.

* * *

Mate. Mate. Mate.

Hunter’s cat couldn’t seem to shut up about Kelly lately. Especially in moments like this, watching her come on the creaky hotel bed, hands pressing into his thighs as she wriggled in release beneath him.

And he didn’t want it to shut up, either.

She was it for him. The person that destiny had brought him to Silver Lake for him to meet, to fall in love with. He was already so head over heels that it felt like his heart was going to burst. Every second was like heaven with her, every smile his treasure that he wanted to keep forever.

He just needed to get that damn bear out of his way, and Kelly could finally be happy.

Kelly slowly relaxed from her orgasm, curled hair splayed all over the bed in random patterns like a halo around her face. Her brown eyes were glossy, waiting eagerly for the next thing, and he loved that about her.

Wasting no time, Hunter unzipped her pants and peeled them off her body, along with her panties. On her face, a slight flush crept up her cheeks, but she was as bold as she was adventurous, not shying away as he spread her legs and lowered himself to her center.

He’d wanted to do this the other night, but time and circumstance hadn’t allowed. So he was going to take his fill before they finally came together.

Her moist center was so delightfully warm as he stroked up her slit with his tongue, letting his tongue linger over her clit before flicking against it. She mewled in pleasure, legs trembling from arousal, and he held her thighs with his hands, reveling in the softness beneath his palms.

Hunter took his time, though, lazily drawing circles around her sex, exploring and tasting her fully before he finally started to stroke her with an intentional rhythm. Each kiss, each quick motion with his mouth made Kelly tense more beneath him, drove her closer to the edge of ecstasy that he loved taking her to. Her vanilla and wildflower scent permeated the air, making the animal in him crazy to own her, to make her his forever, right here and now.

Then, finally, with one last tiny flick, she orgasmed, entire body clenching as she screamed loudly to the wooden ceiling above her.

He’d never tire of hearing his name on her lips. Especially in this context.

Hunter held her close, letting Kelly ride out her release until she finally slumped in his arms.

“You’re driving me crazy, here.” Her full lips were swollen from kisses, her body practically glowing beneath him.

“I’ll assume it’s in the very best of ways.” He wiggled one eyebrow at her, making her smile.

“Yes, but I think there’s one more way…”

He did, too.

Hunter quickly hopped off the bed, throwing off his clothes and pulling out a condom from his jeans before coming back. But as he went to tear the small packet, Kelly motioned for him to hand it to her, so he handed it over, hopeful she didn’t plan on throwing it away.

Because as much as he wanted to feel her with nothing between them, he couldn’t mate her without telling her like some shifters did. Both he and his cat just didn’t roll that way.

He’d tell her everything, make sure she knew exactly what she was getting into, before he finally sealed the deal.

Hopefully that was soon.

She tore the foil and unrolled the condom over his length, her fingers both arousing and ticklish.

“So thick.”

“I honestly hadn’t noticed.” He scratched the back of his head, getting even more turned on just by the way she was devouring him with her eyes right now.

But she didn’t respond, instead pulling herself closer to him and positioning his cock at her entrance with her hands. Then, just as she released, he slowly thrust into her.

Hunter’s vision blurred from arousal as tight wetness enveloped him. The sounds of pleasure coming from Kelly didn’t help either, music designed for the sole purpose of making him go wild with want for her.

“Oh God,” she gasped out, eyes rolling back as he gradually withdrew, then thrust back into her. Their fit was somehow just right, slick friction intensifying each additional push as they came together over and over.

His cougar was somewhere between purring and growling possessively right now, and Hunter ignored the noise it made in the back of his mind as he went quicker and quicker. The old bed rocked back and forth on wobbly legs, creaking from effort as he sheathed himself into Kelly with rapidly building succession.

She pled with him to not stop, and he didn’t, feeling her body tighten. Her hands grasped two of the vertical wooden posts above her on the headboard, knuckles tight as she pressed her hips down to meet him, further intensifying their pace.

Moments drew out in long, sustained notes of pleasure. Every second counted, every twitch of a muscle, every bated breath desperately waiting for release as it got closer and closer.

Then, with one last thrust, deeper and faster than all the others, he brought them together as one person, and Kelly came around him.

Her nails dug into his back like pleasurable spikes as Hunter fell into the abyss of release with her, his entire body on fire with want and need and white-hot sensation splitting him into a thousand pieces. Kelly came harder than ever before, getting louder and more extreme in her motions as his member jerked rapidly inside.

Hunter had no clue how long it lasted for either of them. All he knew was, slowly, the black spots behind his eyes began to fade. And his muscles, taut and exhausted from orgasm, relaxed into heady numbness.

He gave Kelly one more kiss on the lips, not wanting to come out of her, but also wanting to cuddle her closely, then withdrew and cleaned up before coming back to the bed.

They exchanged no more than simple words like “good night” and “sleep well,” but Hunter knew that what they’d done had been powerful. From here on out, all that remained was to ask her to be his mate and tell her about his animal.

Now he just had to hope she would choose him, too.

Gradually, she fell into a cute, quiet slumber, an old quilt half wrapped around her, one arm hanging off the side of the bed limply.

But he was still awake, mind buzzing, heart full, thoughts focused.

Using his catlike stealth, he got up from the bed and roamed around the hotel room, his steps virtually noiseless as he checked the windows, making sure the locks were down on anything and everything that could possibly be locked.

For a while, he checked out the windows, looking for motion in the night. Then, when nothing showed, he pulled up a chair in the bedroom, facing Kelly in the bed and the dusty window that looked outside, keeping a silent vigil as minutes melted into hours.

Somewhere out there, an evil bastard of a bear was the only thing that stood between him and destiny. And if it would only show its ugly face again, he could end this and start things with Kelly, give her the kind of peace and love she truly deserved.

He relaxed back in the wooden chair, tenting his fingers in front of him, keeping a silent vigil.

He almost couldn’t wait to take the stupid bear out.