The Maverick Pride Tales - Chapter 170: Chapter 170

“Oh, come on! Not again, you big, dumb, blockhead!”
Pierce woke with a start to the sound of grunting, growling, and raised voices. Okay, one raised voice. He blinked his eyes, shaking his head before jumping out of bed.
“That’s mine!” the voice said again,
What the heck was going on? Still stuck in that place between dream and sleep—and it had been a very good dream about a certain dark-haired temptress with glowing golden eyes and a body that made a man want to drop to his knees and beg at her feet for any crumb she’d be willing to give.
Fuck. One day with her, and he was losing his mind. His dick was so hard, the head was already peeking out of his boxer briefs. He stalked over to the window and just about lost his mind.
“Let go!” another shout sounded, this one closer to his window.
Pierce shook his head and walked to the window, and his jaw just dropped. Outside, in the tiniest pair of shorts he’d ever seen with a matching racer-back sports bra, was Toni. The sun was barely up, but the woman looked as though she was coming back from a hike or a run, or something.
When had she gone out? Why didn’t she wake him? Why didn’t his Tiger wake him? Pierce growled, annoyed at himself.
Worse than the fact she had gone traipsing through the damn forest in the dark hours before dawn was, despite leaving the cabin by herself, Toni was no longer alone. She had company. Big, furry, snarly, capable of maiming, if not killing, company.
“You dumb bear, I said let go!” she yelled.
Pierce’s eyes bugged out of his head at the bear that was trailing behind her. Oh, he was not just any bear. It was the same fucker from yesterday. The stupidly big animal was hot on her heels. He nudged her camel backpack, catching it between his teeth.
Dammit.
The fucking bear was pulling on it, and Toni was still strapped in.
“Knock it off, you dolt!” she yelled, but the beast was having too much fun shaking her like a rag doll.
Pierce didn’t even think. He opened the window roaring as he jumped down, shifting on the way. His Tiger burst forth, shredding his underwear, and forcing the shift faster than ever.
His animal was angry beyond reason. The bear released her backpack and pushed her out of the way, as if he was the one coming to Toni’s defense and not Pierce.
What. The. Fuck.
The Tiger roared, swiping at the bear with his sharp claws. The bear growled back. The animal pawed at the ground and charged him. Good, he could finish the beast and have a snack. His Tiger snarled hungrily.
“Hey, stop! Pierce, no! And you, back off! STOP!” Toni shouted, jumping between them.
Pierce could not believe it. Was the woman insane? She just jumped between his big ass Tiger and a freaking bear.
Not a tiny baby bear, but a full-grown adult male. And he was huge! Completely wild, too. The bear wasn’t some little house pet. Pierce could not believe it.
He was angry and scared. Didn’t she care about her safety? He sure fucking did. And he was about to shift to tell her so when the damndest thing happened. Toni turned her back on his Tiger and faced the bear.
“What did I say? Huh? I told you, you could only join me if you behaved. Only if you behaved! Now, back off. Go on. Shoo,” she said, pointing to the woods.
The black bear let out a mournful bellow, pawing the ground before backing away. One more sad look at Toni, who was beautiful if unrelenting if the fact she still pointed at the woods said anything, and the animal lumbered away.
“What the hell was that?” Pierce shouted, chest heaving as he shook off the remnants of his shift.
Fuck.
He hated switching forms so quickly. All Shifters did. It hurt like hell and then there was the aftermath. Tender skin, chills wracking his body, aching bones, and sore muscles—unpleasant, to say the least. Shifting wasn’t for the faint of heart, that was for sure.
“What the hell was what?” she answered with a question.
“The bear, Toni! The big bear trying to eat you! Again!” he pointed to where the lumbering monster had gone off.
“Who? Yogi? He was not trying to eat me,” she retorted, shrugging out of her backpack.
“Toni, that bear is a wild animal,” he said, willing himself to be patient.
He was trembling still, with leftover adrenaline. Part of him wanted to shake her, the other part wanted to kiss her silly, run his hands over her body and make sure she was whole. The woman was trying to give him a goddamned heart attack.
“I know he is an animal, Pierce. We’re animals, too,” she said, leaving out the no duh, but he could still hear it in her voice.
“We’re more than that, pretty girl,” he replied, shaking his head in awe of her.
“Dang it, he tore my camel back,” Toni muttered, shaking water out of the little plastic bladder inside the thing.
“What time did you leave? I thought you didn’t go in for all this outdoorsy stuff,” he said, rubbing his head.
“I don’t know. It was still dark, besides I told you I don’t normally do vacations. My sisters got me this camel back thingy for hiking so I thought I would try it,” she explained, walking past Pierce to get inside the cabin.
She was blushing, a pretty pink color he wasn’t sure came from embarrassment or exertion. Either way, damn, she was cute, standing there in that outfit and guzzling water straight from a liter bottle she took out of the fridge.
“What’s the matter with you?” she asked, one eyebrow raised.
Christ, he was so fucked.
“Toni, you could have been hurt, or worse,” he explained, hands on his hips.
“Pierce, I’m a freaking Lioness. Besides, that bear loves me. He was waiting in the tree line for me and followed me all over the mountain like a puppy. Oh my gods, were you worried?” she asked, and her face lit up like a Roman candle.
“Who me? Worried. Nah,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Pierce? Did you think that old bear was gonna get me?” she teased some more, stalking him across the room.
Her grin was wide, and she was preening. Dammit. She was right. He was worried. Might as well admit it, he figured.
“Dammit. Of course, I was worried, Toni. He’s a wild animal, not a Shifter. You can’t predict his actions. I was asleep. What if he attacked when you were too far for me to hear?” he muttered.
Fuck. Was he crazy? Or was she?
He felt foolish, irritable, and horny all at the same time—and now it was showing, dammit.
“You know, I think it’s cute you worried about me,” she told him, leaning up to drop a sweet, sexy as fuck kiss on his lips.
Pierce just fucking melted. Toni’s body was so warm, and she smelled fantastic as she pressed herself against him and pushed her tongue into his mouth. He growled, taking her offered kiss and giving it back to her.
There was something deeply erotic about standing there, only their mouths locked together. He was too afraid to touch her at the moment. He was so wound up, Pierce was liable to take her against the counter. Toni sighed, stepping back too damn soon. His brows furrowed as his gaze followed her, and Toni, pretty girl that she was, was still grinning.
“Boner,” she pointed out in a singsong voice, and Pierce closed his eyes, unable to stop a chuckle from escaping.
“It’s not polite to notice,” he mock-scolded her.
Pierce shook his head, eyes still shut tight. If he looked at her now, it would all be over.
“Um, that thing is like a yardstick. How could I miss it?” Toni asked, her throaty laugh making his dick even harder.
Dammit, she had the perfect little mouth. All plump lips and pouty. He could just imagine those things wrapped around his cock—ohmyfuckinggod, his dick was never going down.
Pierce groaned. He flashed his eyes at hers once, then went back to reciting multiplication tables.
“Aww, come here, baby,” she whispered, and he liked the nickname on her lips.
Toni put the water bottle down on the counter and ambled back over to him. This little dance of hers, within reach then not, was driving him mad. Her cheeks were still pink and those gold eyes of hers sparkled with mischief.
Pierce had never seen anything so dang pretty in his entire life. His heart thudded in his chest, speeding like a runaway train. He swallowed audibly as she ran her fingernails up his arms and over his shoulders, leaning up to place soft kisses on his cheeks and chin, then finally, one more on his tense lips.
Peaches, she always tasted like peaches to him, and sunshine, and honey.
Fuck, he loved honey. Loved it all. Loved her?
No. It was too soon for that, but his Tiger did not give a fuck. The animal was purring inside of him, dammit, and all because of her.
Mine.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” she whispered.
“You don’t need anyone to do that, pretty girl,” he said, trying so damn hard to stop himself from grabbing her.
It was the wrong time for that. Pierce wanted her to trust him. To trust them. And whatever her past dealings with men, he could tell she’d gotten the wrong end of it. Yeah, she was brainy and beautiful and should be walking around like the queen of Sheba, but whenever she thought no one was looking, Pierce saw vulnerability.
It was the shy, tender part of her she kept so close, hidden from others, that he craved. Oh, he wouldn’t coax it out of her. Wouldn’t steal it. No, he wanted her to want to give it to him.
So, yeah, he could be patient. Her brows furrowed as she stepped back, head cocked as she watched him with curiosity in her Lioness’ stare.
Ooooh, this kitty was so very pretty.
He wrestled with his own beast for control, reminding himself he was in this for the long haul. Toni was going to be so damn surprised when he stuck to her like glue after this getaway. He knew she wasn’t there yet.
Toni didn’t realize what she’d done with her big eyes and sexy kisses, but she’d won him over. Hell, she didn’t even have to try.
Maybe that’s what love was. Maybe it was falling with no effort at all, knowing someone was waiting to catch you in the end. But not just catch you. Maybe it was trusting that someone to catch you and let go when you needed to stand on your own.
To be there to listen to your problems, but not always try to fix them. That was gonna be hard on him. He was a fixer by nature. But Toni didn’t need that from him. She was strong and tough, so damn smart. And fun. He never laughed so much as he did with her.
Oh yes, he knew she was it for him. Pierce was going to work so hard to get her to love him. He was gonna be there when she fell. He was gonna catch her and hold her up, let her go when she wanted to stand on her own. He was going to cheer her on and encourage her.
He just wanted to be there for all of it. Because he wanted to be. Not just needed to. Maybe that was the real test of true love. The wanting to be there part.
“I am taking a shower,” he mumbled. “Mind your manners, pretty girl, and no bears while I am gone.”
His thoughts were getting too heavy, and he was still pre-coffee this morning. Toni was watching him, and he winked, wanting to lighten the mood. He used two hands to cover his still hard as stone dick as he walked past.
“Hey, Pierce, what are we doing today so I know how to dress?” she asked as he walked off.
He could feel her eyes on him, and he paused, but only turned his head.
“I’m taking you someplace fun. Wear a bathing suit,” he told her and winked.
“A surprise?” she asked.
“A surprise,” he told her, having just decided where to bring her.
“Alright! I have got the perfect bikini I brought with me just in case there was swimming. Oh, and Pierce?” she continued when he started walking again.
“Yeah?”
“You have really nice assets.”
Toni smirked, eyebrows wagging, while she checked out his butt. Pierce went cross-eyed. Trying to be a gentleman around this female was gonna kill him, for sure.
But what a way to go!