The Steel Bear: A BBW Bear Shifter Romance (Highland Brothers) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers Page B

flash of realization when he met the she-bear destined for him. Maybe it would have been like that with Mila if he had slowed down for a second and given her a chance. None of that mattered now. After kissing her and holding her in his arms his knew. She was the one.
    “I want it too. But I want you to know everything about me.”
    She giggled. “I think I might already know everything. The hunting cabin was new information, but I know you, Crawford. I’ve spent every day next to you.”
    “I know you have. And all that time we could have been together. We could have been us. I could have claimed you every day.”
    He felt her heart quicken under his touch. “Don’t worry,” he whispered. “I will.”
    She brushed her lips over his. “Then what are you waiting for?”
    It was incredible. Freeing. He was going to claim the woman meant for him. And if he were lucky, his shifter magic would be stronger than her birth control. He would fill her with his cubs, and claim her all over again. His bear growled with want.
    “I’m not like other men, Mila.” He sucked her bottom lip between his teeth. “Once you’re with me, it’s forever. I’ve been looking for you my whole life. I can finally be with you the way we were always meant to be together.”
    She moaned as he pulled her onto his lap. She straddled his hips. “I want that.”
    He took her face between his hands, pressing his mouth hard to her lips. “You’re the woman who loves me. You’re the woman meant to love my bear.”
    “I do love you, Crawford,” she whispered between breaths.
    “And my bear? Do you love him?” He pulled her face in front of his so he could read her eyes.
    “I love all of you. I always have.” She didn’t get it.
    “Mila, I’m trying to tell you something.” He kissed her once more. “I’m a bear shifter.”

12

Mila
    S he looked at him . The man she was in love with. The man she was ready to give her body. The man whose kisses turned her blood to liquid cinnamon.
    “Bear? What do you mean? Like your spirit animal?” she asked.
    He laughed, his broad shoulders shaking. “No. I’m talking me. I’m a bear. Always have been.” He released her face from his palms.
    She shook her head. “What? No.”
    “And there has never been a woman I wanted to tell. There was never any woman I thought was my mate.”
    She sat back on her heels. She didn’t care they were both naked and she was about to give herself to him. Her world was suddenly tilting off its axis.
    “No sense. This is…no.” She looked at him, praying she had misunderstood.
    “It might be a little confusing at first, but—”
    “Confusing? What in the hell are you talking about?” She didn’t mean to get mad. “This has bypassed confusing.”
    “Maybe I should start over?”
    She nodded. “Yes. Please.”
    “I’m still the person you see. I’m still the person you’ve worked with all year. Still the architect. Still the man. But there’s another side of me. I’m a bear shifter.”
    “You turn into a bear?” She couldn’t believe she had asked the question.
    He nodded. “I can turn whenever I want. It’s taken me most of my life to get it completely under control, but I have it mastered. I only change when I want to. It’s not a spontaneous thing.”
    “Are you going to do it now?”
    “No. No. I wouldn’t do that.” He took her hands in his. She felt the warmth and strength in his palms.
    She was quiet.
    “Tell me what you’re thinking right now.” His brow furrowed, and his eyes locked on hers.
    “I’m your mate?”
    “God, yes. You are the one, Mila. The attraction you’ve felt for me all year. Have you ever felt anything like that before?”
    She shook her head. “No.” She hadn’t compared her feelings to past relationships, but she knew there was nothing like it. There couldn’t be. Her love for Crawford was a force buried in her soul.
    “It’s because you’re my mate, Mila. You knew before I did.” He gripped