Bear and Bear Alike: A Blackwood Brothers Book Page 3

  “Damn right. And I can’t wait. You are doing to be so fucking beautiful.” He lowered his head and whispered in her ear. “Your stomach is going to swell with my children. And when it does, I’ll have to take you on your hands and knees. I’ll push in so slowly, baby. So slowly.” His hand left her baby bump and traveled up her side. There was no privacy in this booth, not like the one on their first date. It stopped him from pinching her nipples. “Your tits will be like melons. So firm and so ripe.”

  Quinn growled the earthy, dirty words into her ear and Paige thought she might come on the spot.

  “And when you’re nursing, after the babies are finished, I’ll suckle you and taste that sweet milk.” He licked the sensitive skin under her ear. “And then I’ll lick that sweet cream I smell coating your pussy.”

  “Quinn!” Paige’s whisper was urgent and filled with need.

  “Do you want me to make you come, baby?”

  “Yes!”

  “You’ll have to be quiet. Do you think you can do that for me?”

  “Yes. I need it, Quinn.” She grabbed the front of his shirt, her big brown eyes pleading with him.

  Quinn eased his hand under the hem of Paige’s dress. It was new, the first of the many maternity clothes he planned on buying her. The green color brought at the lightly tanned hue of her skin and the reddish hints of color in her hair. Her legs were bare and smooth. He could smell her pussy; knew it was wet and weeping for him. His fingers touched the elastic band of her panties. He’d insisted she buy the prettiest lingerie she could find and for once she hadn’t fought him as she usually did when he wanted to spend money on her. They were a dark red satin and it had just about killed him when she’d walked out of the bathroom this morning. Her breasts had been bare and he’d wanted to rip the panties off right then, same as he did now. They were in his way.

  He stroked the line where her thigh and body met. He eased his fingers across her mound. He’d taken over trimming her once a week. Just one more intimacy he’d had to ease her into. He loved taking care of his woman and he knew she loved the thorough licking he gave her afterwards. She’d become comfortable doing just about anything with him.

  “I wish I could put my tongue on you right now, baby. I want to taste you so damn bad.” He pushed his finger inside her as he spoke and she gasped. His thumb strummed along her clit, making her breathing deepen. “You like that, don’t you?” She didn’t answer and he didn’t expect her to. Her job was to enjoy his touch and keep from screaming. Another finger entered her and her body tensed. “Relax,” he ordered her, biting her earlobe.

  “That’s my good girl,” he whispered as he continued to pump in and out. “Just enjoy the touch of your mate.”

  Quinn thrust another finger inside her and Paige had to smoother her groan. The three digits were stretching her. She wasn’t so much in pain as in ecstasy. She spread her legs, giving him more room to thrust inside her. Any minute now she was going to slump down in her seat from the pleasure he was giving her.

  “Now, Paige. Come for me now.” He sank his fingers as deep as they would go while somehow pinching her clit between his thumb and pinky. He’d discovered early, a little pain got her to the finish line damn quick.

  Quinn withdrew his fingers, easing out of her gently. He wanted nothing more than to bring his fingers to his mouth and lick away her nectar. Instead, he grabbed a napkin and wiped his hand clean. If Paige wasn’t pregnant and in need of food, he’d take her outside and order her to her knees to blow him in the alley. “Better?” he asked when her eyes finally fluttered open.

  “Umm-umm.”

  He lowered his forehead to hers. “I love you, Paige.”

  Before she could answer, a shadow fell across them.

  Ryland strode into the restaurant, his heart beating faster than normal. Had his brother found their mate? They’d told Quinn and their family very little about the cat shifter they’d discovered on their building site, only that they needed to find her.

  Not for a minute did either twin think they had pulled the wool over anyone’s eyes. The family knew the cat shifter was one of the twin’s mates. He doubted if anyone suspected she was a mate for both of them.

  While the diner looked new, the decoration was retro, sporting a 1950s theme with a soda foundation and chrome and vinyl seating.

  He found his brother’s booth, but didn’t sit down. He stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes closed as he breathed deeply through his nose trying to find his mate in the sea of smells. It was hard for shifters to discern scents in certain places, especially restaurants, where the scent of food mingled with the odors of the patrons. It was one big blur that he was having a hard sorting though.

  But he’d known the minute he’d walked into the restaurant that his brother was right and his mate was near. Just the hint of her scent was driving him wild. His bear growled wanting to pounce on the delicious smell. The man was in total agreement. But where was she? Who was she? Ryland needed to hone in on that sweet smell.

  “Hey, Ryland.”

  Paige’s soft voice broke through his concentration. Besides the food smells, he’d been trying to block out the scent of her orgasm. He didn’t think Paige would be happy to know he could smell what they’d been doing. But the sight of her rosy cheeks and obvious happiness set something off inside him. “Good going, Quinn. All I smell now is Paige. Did you do her under the table?”

  He got a chuff from Quinn as a warning he was about to step over a line.

  He opened his mouth and breathed in. Above the smell of grease and onions he found it. That sweet scent of orange blossoms and honey that set his bear on edge. It wasn’t strong. It was weak just like on the job site. But, it was there. He snarled. Yeah, the big, bad bear snarled like a dog.

  Shit. If she’d already left, there was no way he could track her through the city. “Call Ryker and tell him to get his sorry ass over here. Now. If he doesn’t answer, call the site and have one of the men go get him.” He strode across the room, stopping at the counter to take in another breath. She hadn’t been gone long. He followed her trail through the kitchen and out back, ignoring the calls for him to stop. He was sure he wasn’t the first man to make a quick exit through the kitchen.

  The trail was faint and fading quickly. Her enticing aroma led him through a small alleyway and onto the street. “Shit. Shit. Shit,” he cursed as the smells of the traffic grew and he lost the scent completely. They’d come so close to finding her during the past two weeks. It was always the same. She eluded them. She eluded him.

  He jogged back to the restaurant, ignoring the stares and muttered grumblings as he strode back through the kitchen. He slid into the opposite side of Quinn and Paige’s booth. The waitress had delivered their food while he’d been gone. “Did Ryker answer?”

  “Yeah, he said he’d be here as soon as he could.”

  “We were in the middle of another pour.” He fisted his hands on the table. Damn it, why hadn’t Ryker answered his phone instead of him? If he’d answered, he might have been able to follow her. He knew he couldn’t blame his twin. She was mate to both of them and Ryland should have been able to find her as easily as Ryker.

  He took a deep, calming breath, realizing he had to do that a lot more lately. He was the happy-go-lucky twin, but since the cat had appeared he’d gotten a glimpse of Ryker’s life.

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  “Now, you want to tell me what’s going on with you two and the cat shifter?” Quinn asked.

  Ryland hesitated. Should he wait for Ryker? This wasn’t just his news to share. Share. There was that damn word again. “Better wait until Ryker gets here.”

  Paige reached over and grasped one of his clenched fists. “You know you can tell Quinn anything, Ryland. And your parents. And me. None of us will love you any less.”

  Ryland turned his hand over and gripped her hand, bringing it to his mouth. “I know, sweetheart.” He looked into her eyes and saw her worry. Fuck. Now he was upsetting his brother’s mate. His pregnant mate. He was relieved to see the same concern in his brother’s eyes. An angry male grizzly chewing on his ass would have made a fucking great ending to this shitty week. To this shitty month.

  He leaned back in the booth trying to soothe his bear and distract Paige and his brother until Ryker arrived. “So, have you decided to leave this grumpy butt yet?”

  “Hey, I’m not the one that’s been like a lion with a sore paw lately,” Quinn protested. He waited until Paige picked up her burger before picking up one of his.

  Ryland reached over and took Quinn’s other burger, ignoring the growl for stealing the food.

  “What?” he said after taking a big bite of the cheeseburger. “You can’t afford to buy me lunch?”

  Quinn just shook his head and pushed the plate of fries to the middle of the table. Ryland lifted some to his mouth more out of habit than hunger.

  They all looked up when the outside door slammed open and Ryker strode inside. As soon as he took his first full breath inside the restaurant, Ryland knew the man had picked up their mate’s scent. “Where is she?” His eyes were a little wild looking as he marched toward the booth. “Where is our mate?”

  Well, so much for subtlety Ryland thought when Paige gasped. Quinn on the other hand didn’t look that surprised.

  “She’s not here anymore.”

  When Ryker’s shoulders slumped and he continued to tower over the booth, Ryland shot him a sympathetic look. He felt the same way. As if all the life had drained out of him. “Sit down, Ryk. We’ll find her.”

  The waitress came over to see if the twins wanted anything to eat. The men ordered the same as Quinn—two of everything. Picking up the used dishes, she stacked them along her arms. The skill told Paige she’d b
een a waitress for a long time. Paige’s heart broke at the glum expressions on the twins’ faces. She was a human and couldn’t help track the female shifter, but maybe she could help some other way. She smiled up at the woman. “Was there another waitress on duty just now? One that might have, um, left early?”

  The waitress popped her gum, her attention focused on the twins. Paige couldn’t blame her. They were quite handsome. Not as handsome as her bear, but she could see where they could turn a woman’s head if she were so inclined. She laughed at herself. The twins were drop-dead gorgeous.

  “Yeah, Abby. She said something about a family emergency.”

  “I just bet,” Ryker mumbled under his breath, his large fists clenched on the tabletop.

  The woman picked up the empty water glasses. “Are you friends of hers?”

  “Yes, we are.” Ryland smiled at the woman, turning on the charm.

  “Well, I don’t think she’s scheduled back in for a couple of days.”

  Well, damn it to hell. Ryland thought as he shared a frustrated look with Ryker. He didn’t know if they could wait another hour, much less another few days before they could hunt for their mate again. They wanted to know why the hell the little cat wasn’t trying to find them. He knew they’d take turns spanking her ass for that behavior when they finally did manage to catch her.

  And they would. Of that, Ryland had no doubt.

  “But I have seen her working at O’Henry’s, about two blocks down. It’s a bar and grill.” The woman gave them a shred of hope.

  Thank the heavens.

  “When does she work there?”

  She popped another bubble. “The weekends, I think. There’s better tips on Friday and Saturday.”

  Ryland’s heart pounded with anticipation. Today was Thursday. They wouldn’t have long to wait, even though each hour would seem like an eternity. His bear wanted to go hunting now.

  Still holding the dishes, she said, “Look, I don’t know what you want with the girl, but you seem like nice enough guys.” She gave Quinn and Paige a quick smile. “A nice family.”

  “Thank you,” Paige said, giving both Ryland and Ryker a stern look when they started to speak. “We just want to find her. Make sure she’s alright. I think we kind of spooked her.” She laughed quietly. “She hasn’t seen us in awhile, and these boys can be intimidating.” She pointed to the twins with a sweep of her hand.

  “Yeah,” the waitress smiled. “Real intimidating.” She sighed, looking like a kid who’d just had her candy stolen. “If I were a few years younger, I’d be giving her a run for her money.”

  Ryker rose and took the dishes from her with a wide smile, proving he could be just as charming as Ryland when he wanted. Ryland kissed the woman on the cheek. “Thank you, darling.”

  Paige laughed when the woman looked like she was about to swoon. The twins, in a coordinated move that amazed Paige, turned her toward the counter. As they moved away, she knew the woman would give them every last shred of information she had on the mysterious waitress.

  “They are incorrigible,” she laughed, leaning against Quinn’s broad chest.

  “And obviously have a mate.”

  “Um, how does that work exactly?”

  Quinn grinned down at her and she wanted him all over again. “Why don’t I take you home and explain it to you.” He pressed a soft kiss on her lips. “Detail. By detail.”

  Paige couldn’t wait until they got home.

  Abigail rounded the end of the counter, a pot of hot coffee in one hand and a plate of bacon and eggs in the other even though it was lunchtime. The diner served breakfast all day long. It had been a busy morning and didn’t look as if it would slow down anytime soon. Striding to the back booths, she delivered the food and refilled coffee cups on the way back. Most customers this time of day were regulars at the Downtown Café and greeted her by name. She winced at the familiarity. They last thing she needed was for someone being able to identify her.

  She heard the door jangle and from the corner of her eye, she saw the customers who had just come in head to the back of the restaurant to one of her tables. She finished giving out refills and turned back around to take their order.

  Crap on a cracker.

  The big guy was a bear shifter. And not just any bear shifter—a Blackwood. Her mates’ brother. And someone to avoid at all costs.

  She walked backwards.

  “Hey, watch where you’re going, sweetie.” The waitress working the shift with her stopped her before she walked into the counter.

  Abigail thrust the almost empty pot of coffee at her. “I’ve got to leave Doris. Family emergency. Tell Roger I’m sorry.” She didn’t give the other woman a chance to say no, just turned and hurried to the kitchen. Her instincts were telling her she needed to get out of here as fast as possible. Her cat was begging her to stay. Spying the walk-in cooler she glanced around to make sure no one was looking and stepped inside. There was no way a bear could scent her in here. She just wished it wasn’t so damn cold. Cats did not do cold.

  As soon as she pulled the door closed, she grabbed her cell phone from her apron pocket and prayed she’d get a signal. One bar. Thank you. Her fingers shook as she dialed the number and waited for her sister to answer. “Come on, Emma, answer the phone.”

  After the sixth ring she heard her sister’s voice. “You better have just won the lottery to call me at this Godforsaken hour.”

  While Abigail worked the day shift at the Downtown Café, Emma worked nights at a bar just a couple of blocks down the street. Even though it was almost noon, to Emma it was the middle of the night. “One of them is here.”

  “What?”

  Abigail thrust the phone away when her sister’s voice screeched in her ear. That had certainly woken her sister up. She could hear rustling in the background. No doubt her sister was trying to get out from under a tangled mess of the covers. Emma was a restless sleeper and Abby had always hated sharing a bed with her. Luckily, with the different shifts they worked, each of them could usually enjoy a good night’s sleep. Well, as good a night’s sleep as one could expect on a lumpy old mattress.

  But beggars couldn’t be choosy. They weren’t destitute, but sometimes it was close. Much too close for comfort. They had gone to bed hungry more than once while they’d been on the run. Looking down at her ample hips and thighs she sighed. The lack of steady meals hadn’t done anything to trim her figure. Obviously, she was destined to be a big girl.

  “Which one is it?”

  Abigail smiled at the note of excitement in Emma’s voice. Her twin was the gregarious, outgoing one who made life fun. The smile turned to a frown. She’d seen her twin grow quiet and subdued over the past year and hated that almost as much as she hated to burst her bubble now.

  “Neither.”

  “Is it the big brother?”

  “Yep. And boy is he big.” She opened the cooler and cautiously stepped outside. Making her way to the doorway, she stopped just short, praying the smell of frying meat and onions would mess with the bear’s sense of smell. She had an almost unobstructed view of the shifter and his mate. Dang, if he wasn’t one of the prettiest men she’d ever seen. There was nothing wrong with the Blackwood genes, that was for sure. The woman by his side must have thought the same because she was practically sitting on the man’s lap. Wait. Was he…? She looked closer. Holy hell. The man’s hand was underneath the table and if she wasn’t mistaken, he was getting his mate off.

  Would her mates be as outrageous in their loving?

  “Where are you?”

  “Hiding in the back.”

  “Abigail Sorenson. Go out there and see if you can learn anything.”

  Abigail backed away from the doorway. “And how would you suggest I do that without him knowing who I am? He probably knows my scent, too.”

  Emma wanted the man to recognize Abigail. “Covertly, Abby. We learned plenty of tricks this last year.”

  “Emma, we’ve been over this before. We, I…I can’t let him…them…know I’m near. And, they might not even be mine anyway.”

  Emma snorted. “Your cat went wild the first night we camped out at the construction site.”