Celebration Bear

  "And you're the best kisser I've ever met in my life," she giggled.

  He was about to tell her she was the best kisser he'd ever met too when a loud, violent explosion erupted from the tent behind him. The tent burst into flames as his leftover fireworks erupted in one gigantic burst.

  "What the hell?" he said, grabbing his fire extinguisher from the booth. "Stay here," he said to Cici as he ran toward the flames.

  He pointed his fire extinguisher at the inferno, but it was too hot and too violent to get very close. He had to back up and let it burn. The fire department arrived moments later, and put out the flames. Thorian gazed into his tent, profoundly confused that his fireworks had gone off. He was a professional. There was no reason for this to happen. He’d adhered to all standard safety protocol, and had never had an issue like this before. As he peered inside, he noticed what seemed to be a human body, strapped to a chair. The head was nearly eviscerated from flames.

  "What the hell is that?" he asked one of the firefighters.

  "That looks like a body," the firefighter said.

  "A body?"

  "Yes, a dead body. A woman’s dead body."

  "Who is it?" he asked, trying to get a better look.

  Something about the figure seemed familiar even though she had been burnt to a crisp. The police officers herded everyone back into the resort and began asking a whole host of questions. One of the officers pinned him in a corner and asked him what had happened, and a million other questions he couldn't answer. This went on for some time. The night was utterly ruined.

  "The coroner has already identified the body as one Victoria Talbot," the officer said to him later. “Did you know the victim?"

  "Not really. I did a job out at the Talbots’ house the other day, but that was the only time I'd ever met her.”

  "Well, Jake Martin seems to think that she was having an affair with you," he said.

  "She wasn't having an affair with me. She was having an affair with him," Thorian exclaimed. He was growing more irritated by the moment. His date with Cici and his New Year's Eve celebration had been ruined. Thorian was becoming more incensed by the moment. Two hours later, police finally let him go with a warning not to leave town. He met Cici with her friends. They were all worried and fretful.

  "What were they asking you?" Cici asked.

  "They were asking me about the victim. They've identified her as Victoria Talbot.”

  "Who would want to kill her?" Cici asked, bringing her delicate fingertips to her lips.

  "I don't know, but I intend to get to the bottom of it. No one ruins my celebration or my first date with my mate," he said.

  "I'm with you on that, Thorian," Cici said.

  Thorian walked Cici out to her car as her friends went off to their own vehicles. Thorian held her hands under the moonlight, their breaths puffing out in the cold.

  "I still feel really scared," she said, opening her car door.

  "Would you like me to take you home?" he asked. “It’s going to be madness out there.”

  "You would do that?"

  "Of course I would."

  "Come on and get in my truck," he said.

  Cici shut and locked her car and followed Thorian to his truck. They drove out of the crowded parking lot, through the chaos of the guests escaping the scene. People were beside themselves, pulling out in front of Thorian without looking. The crowd was an emotional mess at two in the morning. He avoided three near accidents just on the way out of the Fate Valley Resort parking lot.

  When they finally made it out onto the street, she breathed a sigh of relief, her fingers gripping the edge of the seat so hard her knuckles turned white. They continued down the road as she gave him directions to her house. He turned off onto her street and pulled in front of a tidy house a tidy yard and front porch. At the front door, she nervously stabbed her key at the lock, her hand still shaking. She missed several times.

  "Why don't I sit with you inside until you feel less shaken up," he said.

  "I'm usually not this nervous," she said. He steadied her hand and she was finally able to get the key into the lock.

  "It's understandable, Cici," he said. “You don't need to explain yourself.”

  They walked inside, and she flipped on the light. Her little house was tidy and nicely furnished. Everything had its proper place, from the flowers on the table to the curtains that matched the rug.

  "You have a nice home," he said.

  "I like it. It's just a rental, but I've made it a home."

  He thought of what her touch could do to his grandfather's house and let out a long sigh. They had only just met, and his mind was already racing forward to when he could bring her home and let her loose on decorating his house.

  "I have some beers in the fridge if you'd like one," she said.

  She went to the fridge and pulled out two bottles of beer, and they sat together on the couch. She flipped on the TV and set it to some chattering talking heads on the news. There was a breaking report about the murder at the celebration, and she quickly turned it off. Cici took a long swig of her beer. Thorian could tell that she was still agitated and upset from the day’s events. She set the bottle on the table, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

  "I don't know what's gotten into me," she said.

  He reached out and enveloped her hand in his, looking deeply into her eyes.

  "You had a shock. I saw it plenty of times while in the military. You'll be okay. You just need to rest and give yourself a break."

  "My blood is pumping through my veins like a freight train," she said.

  "That's the adrenaline. Would it help if I stayed here while you slept?"

  She looked at him skeptically for a moment and then nodded her head.

  "I can sleep on the couch, so I'm here for you while you rest.”

  "Would you really do that?" she said.

  "I want to be here for you when you need me."

  "The couch pulls out. I can grab you a pillow and some blankets.”

  Cici disappeared into the hallway and brought the blankets and pillows out for him while he pulled back the coffee table and arranged the pull-out couch. The mattress was already fitted with a sheet and she slung the comforter over the bed and plopped a pillow on it for him. She stood there, blinking her eyes and looking confused for a moment. He placed his hand on her shoulder, and she looked up at him.

  "You go on to bed now," he said.

  "Are you sure you'll be comfortable?"

  "This is a more comfortable bed than I've spent many a night in, don't you worry about me. Let me worry about you.”

  Her shoulders relaxed, and she let out a long sigh. She reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

  "Thank you so much for this, Thorian. I really am shaken up," she said.

  She turned down the hall and disappeared behind the door in her bedroom. Thorian drank his beer, feeling nervous and agitated himself. He couldn't believe that Mrs. Talbot was dead, especially the way it had happened. He’d gotten a good look at the body. Cici had only had a glimpse, but he had looked at it dead on in the face.

  Firecrackers had been shoved in her mouth and in her ears. It had been a gruesome, horrible sight. Who would do such a thing? The list of suspects rolled through his mind as he climbed under the comforter and lay down on the pull-out couch. He didn't want to believe that it had really happened. But it had, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

  Chapter 5

  Cici woke early the next morning, still agitated from the night before. She paced her bedroom for fifteen minutes before walking out into the hallway and finding Thorian still sleeping soundly on the couch. The morning sunlight had not yet broken over the eastern hills and it was dark outside her windows. She bit her lip and stood up above him, wanting to shake him awake. He turned over and rumbled, opening his eyes to look up at her.

  "What time is it?" he asked sleepily. "Are you okay?"

  "It's about 6 a.m
. And I'm trying to be okay."

  He set up in bed and took her hand. Drawing her closer to sit down beside him on the foldout couch.

  "I'm sorry I woke you up," she said with a laugh.

  "Don't worry,” he said, “that's what I'm here for."

  "You want to go get some coffee and pastries at the Fate Valley Café and Bakery?" she asked.

  "I'd love that. Just let me get dressed and I can drive us there."

  She let out a pleased sigh and stood, walking back to her bedroom. She glanced back down the hallway as she watched him climb out of bed in his boxer shorts. She bit her lip and suppressed a squeal as she disappeared into her bedroom and closed the door.

  Thorian was so sexy with his tattoos, broad shoulders, shaggy black hair. And that smile. She'd never seen a cuter, sexier smile in her life. She quickly put on her clothes, dressing in a fuzzy sweat suit that she wore on her days off. She needed to feel comfortable this morning after last night. She emerged from her room a few moments later, after putting on her Ugg boots and grabbing her jacket. Thorian was dressed and holding his car keys when she walked down the hall.

  "Are you ready?" he asked her protectively.

  "I sure am," she said. "I need coffee like nobody's business."

  He opened the front door for her, and they walked out to his truck where he opened the passenger side door and helped her in. She watched him drive as they made their way across town and parked in front of the Fate Valley Café and Bakery.

  "I would have made you breakfast, but I don't really have any groceries at the house," she said.

  "No worries," he said. "I'll cook for you next time."

  "You like to cook?" she asked as he helped her climb out of the truck.

  "I love to cook. I haven't had a lot of chances to cook for anyone since I joined the military. I didn't have many chances to do any cooking on the road. But it's one of my favorite hobbies, truth be told."

  She gazed up at her tall hunk of man as they held hands and walked into the bakery. Her heart fluttered in her chest at the thought of him cooking for her. How could someone so gorgeous, so protective and so sweet also be a good cook? She couldn't believe her luck.

  They walked inside and approached the counter where they ordered breakfast bagels and large coffees. Thorian got a large black coffee and she ordered a large mocha with whipped cream. They sat down near the window and he grabbed their things when the barista called their names.

  Sitting the tray down onto the table, he sat across from her with a twinkle in his eyes. The way he looked at her made her whole body shiver with desire. She had never had a man gaze at her that way before. She was wearing yesterday's makeup and a frumpy sweat suit. But he looked at her like she was the most beautiful woman, dressed in a ball gown with professional stylists. It made her heart leap.

  "You are so beautiful with the sunlight shining in your eyes," he said.

  His words made her blush and she looked down at her bagel, picking it up and taking a bite. She groaned at the flavor as she chewed.

  "This was exactly what I needed," she said. "And thank you for saying I'm beautiful. I've never really had anyone tell me that before, except maybe my mom and my dad."

  "You're kidding, right?" he said sincerely.

  "I'm not kidding. Men don't really like short curvy girls like me, if you know what I mean."

  "I don't understand." he said.

  "You know, most men like fashion model types."

  "You are a fashion model type."

  "You don't have to say things like that, Thorian."

  "What are you talking about? You’re the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. My bear won't stop growling inside my mind. If you had any idea how hard it was for me to sleep on the couch last night," he said, shaking his head. "I shouldn't say any more."

  He took a long careful sip of his coffee, and then set it down, smacking his lips and grabbing his bagel.

  Cici had had plenty of boyfriends, and some of them had appreciated her curves. But she knew that at the back of their minds they all wanted her to be different. Less enthusiastic, less clumsy, less curvy, better at stocking the refrigerator. But Thorian seemed to like her exactly the way she was. It was a bit of a shock to the system.

  "Are you feeling any better?" he said after they had finished their breakfast and drank their coffee.

  "A little bit. It certainly was terrible to see that woman burned up like that. Who do you think killed her?" she asked.

  "I've been going over that all night in my head. I even dreamed about it if you can believe that.”

  "It certainly was a horrific way to die."

  "I have my suspicions about who did it," Thorian started. "Everybody at their house was acting really suspicious the day that I went over there. I couldn't understand the dynamic. All their scents were just off. There was a lot of anger and aggression and jealousy. Her friend kept hanging on her husband. Who does that? She didn’t seem to really be Mrs. Talbot’s friend, if you know what I mean. Sometimes, I swear, humans are so confusing."

  "I'm a human. Am I confusing?" She giggled.

  "No, not you. Did I offend you?”

  "I'm just teasing," she said. "I do that a lot. I hope you don't mind."

  "I love a good laugh. That's why they call me Celebration Bear," he said, pointing his thumb at his chest.

  "Well, Celebration Bear, I hope we have a lot of good laughs together."

  “Me too. I hate that our first date was ruined like that.”

  “It wasn’t ruined.”

  “Well, I want to make it up to you. Take you on a proper date.”

  “I’d love that,” Cici said.

  “Good. We’ll do something special. No interruptions this time,” he said. He took a sip of coffee, a distant look in his eyes. “I’m still so upset that someone messed with my fireworks.”

  "What are you going to do?" she asked.

  "I dunno.”

  “I can help you find out who did it.”

  “I don't want to get you all mixed up in this. You've already had a terrible shock."

  "Don't worry about me. I’m more resilient than I seem."

  "I know you are, babe. But it’s important to me to protect you from the terrible things in life.”

  "That's what makes me such a lucky girl. I've never dated a guy who wanted to protect me as much as you do."

  "Most men are idiots," he said, throwing his napkin on the table.

  She giggled as they stood to leave. Out in the parking lot, Thorian helped her into his truck and drove her home. He walked her inside and she turned on the light in the dining room. The chandelier blinked strangely, and he began to scratch his chin.

  "It shouldn’t do that," he said.

  "It's been doing that for a while now. I think there's something wrong with the wiring. I asked my landlord about it, but he told me they couldn't do anything until after the holidays."

  "I can fix it for you," he said.

  "Would you?" she asked hopefully.

  "My tools are in the truck. I'll be right back.”

  He disappeared outside and came back a few moments later with his toolkit, setting it on the dining room table.

  "I'm going to go take a shower while you work on that," she said, as he reached up to unscrew the chandelier.

  He stopped and stood like a statue, blinking at her. He gulped and lowered his arms. "Okay," he said in a gravelly voice.

  She bit her lip and batted her eyes before turning on her heel down the hall to her bedroom. She closed the door and leaned against it on the other side, taking a deep breath as her heart fluttered her chest. Thorian was obviously attracted to her, and she could tell he wanted her. It was written all over his face.

  Cici knew enough about shifters to understand what it meant to be one's fated mate. She’d waited a long time to find someone like him. Although they had just met yesterday, she wanted him too. She wanted to throw caution to the wind and let nature take its course. But what would
her mother say? She'd never slept with a man so quickly after meeting him. Usually she didn't go there until the third or fourth date if she ever did at all. But with Thorian? If she hadn't been so traumatized the night before, she might have invited him into her bed.

  She let out a long sigh and went to the master bathroom where she started her shower. She slipped out of her clothes and under the warm stream. As she washed her hair and her skin with the scented bodywash her mom had given her for Christmas, all she could think about was what Thorian had looked like in his boxer shorts that morning.

  She rubbed the soap all over her curves, her eyes fluttering closed at the thought of him. When she rinsed herself off, she growled at herself, and told herself to cool her jets. She got out of the shower, wrapped her hair in a towel and her body in a bathrobe. As she stepped into her bedroom, she heard a tentative knock at her bedroom door. She padded over to the door and opened it to find Thorian on the other side, looking so delicious that her mouth started to water.

  "I fixed the wiring. It's all good now," he said haltingly. He looked her up and down and sucked a breath through his teeth. "I should be going now.”

  She could see the bulge in his pants and the desire sparking in his eyes. She didn't want him to go. That was the last thing she wanted. He moved back and started to take a step down the hall.

  "Wait," she said.

  He turned back to her, his eyes bright with his inner grizzly.

  "What is it?" he said, the rumble of his animal close to the surface.

  "I don't want you to go," she said, holding the belt on her robe.

  Thorian growled loudly and stepped toward her, wrapping his hand around the back of her head and his arm around her waist. He pulled her to him, pressing hard against her as his mouth claimed hers, devouring her in a mind-shattering kiss.

  "I'm not going anywhere," he said, kicking the door closed with a slam.

  "Oh," she said. "Good," was the last word she got out before he picked her up and carried her across the room, laying her wet body across her bed.

  Chapter 6

  Cici gasped as Thorian stood above her. He flicked open the belt on her bathrobe, exposing her damp naked body to his hungry eyes. She shivered with excitement as he climbed over her and pulled off his shirt. A quiver of desire ran down her spine as he leaned above her and kissed her greedily on the mouth.