sir."
The old man sniffed the air. "Oh, and save me some of that pie, would you? It smells divine."
"I wish I could," Mina told him. "But I plan to feed this whole pie to that wonderful man, naked, after he mates me." The heat flew into her cheeks and down into her belly. She'd meant it as a joke, but it wasn't. She was going to do everything to that big man that she could, then stuff him full of pie and do it all over again.
The old man laughed like a barking seal. "Oh you've lucked out here, Matthew. She's got spirit!" He winked at her again, then said in a whisper, "A word of advice, feed him a piece before the mating. It'll do wonders for his resolve." Pop-pop smiled benignly at the room, completely unfazed by his employees wrapping the bodies up in black plastic and hauling the away.
# # #
Pop-pop's cleaners were done before the pie was. They worked fast. The men usually cleaned the Lodge or the motels or the B&B. But Matt knew they did other jobs when the time called for it. He'd owe Pop-pop big for this one, that was sure. There'd be a price to pay, but not today.
When the last of the cleaners left, Matt surveyed the room. Apart from half his furniture being gone and one of the windows being completely gone, you couldn't even tell the room had been host to such violence. It felt like a home again, like a den.
The oven creaked open as Mina removed the pie and slid it onto the metal cooling rack Matt hadn't even known he'd owned. The smell of fresh baked apples, of flaky pie crust, of cinnamon and sugar and above all else, honey, grabbed him by the bear and shook him.
"If you eat a pie fresh from the oven, will it burn your tongue? Or is forged by man ?" Mina asked with a wry smile. And then she caught his eyes. The bear was in charge now, Matt the man had fallen away. Sure he still looked like a man, walked like a man, but he was moving on instinct.
Mina slid the chef's knife from the block and sliced a generous piece of pie then used the flat of the knife to lever it seamlessly onto a plate.
"It'll be better once it cools. You should let it set before eating it."
The bear in him looked at her like she'd asked him to keep the sun from setting, like she'd asked him to juggle the moon. Then he scooped up the slice in one hand, mindless of the heat, and ate it in four slow, snuffling mouthfuls. When it was done, Matt fell back onto the floor with a thump.
"You've done it now, woman. My bear is thoroughly in love with you. He's always had a wicked sweet tooth, and that was the most delicious thing he's ever eaten. You feed him that two more times, and he'll do whatever you ask."
Mina laughed then, and sat down on top of him, her strong thighs gripping his waist. She reached up and lifted her dress over her head then undid her bra, letting her flesh spill free. Matt watched her, transfixed. He never knew how so many men could put down curvy women when they looked so amazing naked. Mina stood for a moment, scooped a finger of hot apple pie out of the dish then smeared it thickly across her nipples.
"Oh no," she said, her voice breathy with mock alarm. "I seem to have spilled some pie on myself. I wonder who could help me clean it off?" Then, meeting his eye and grinning at him, she turned and ran giggling, up the stairs to the bedroom.
The bear and the man felt the thrill of the hunt in their blood. The taste of the apples and honey was thick on their tongue. And the scent of Mina's overpowering arousal swam in their heads. The chase was on. It was time. Matt let a rumbling growl ease out of his chest, shaking the walls and windows. From above, in the bedroom, he heard Mina squeal in surprise. In soft lopes, Matt crossed the living room, went up the stairs and burst into the bedroom, where he found Mina naked and stretched out languorously in his bed. She looked so small in the giant bed, so delicious.
"Someone's been sleeping in my bed." Matt's eyes burned with the need to mate. He could
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