Big Bear Father: BBW Werebear Surprise Baby Romance (Sweetwater Father Bears) Read online

  “I guess. It just means a lot to me that I find him.”

  “Can I ask why?”

  “It’s personal. I’d rather not talk about it.”

  Damn. No dice. It was worth a shot, though.

  Oliver wasn’t about to press her. First, it would be rude. Second, it might come off as suspicious. It didn’t evade his attention that this was probably the first time politeness stopped him from doing anything.

  Peeking over at the car-seat, he caught a glimpse of an adorable little face, sleeping soundly in a nest of pink blankets.

  “Alright. So your little girl there, what’s her name?”

  Deirdre immediately smiled, perking up and looking over at the baby next to her.

  “This is Hope.”

  The little girl had lighter skin than Deirdre did, but similar angelic features. He could look at the child all day and he’d never been one to like kids. This one definitely struck a chord with him, though.

  “She’s beautiful. Must get that from her momma.”

  Rolling her eyes at the compliment, Deirdre rested an elbow on the table, staring him down. Oliver had a feeling if he looked into those hazel pools long enough, he might tell her everything she wanted to know, whether he meant to or not.

  “So, Dean. What’s your deal?”

  “Straight to the point, huh?” Oliver grinned, appreciating the no-nonsense approach.

  “I don’t really feel like beating around the bush. You seem nice and all, but I’d rather know right now if you have some ulterior motives.”

  She could make pressing him for information look so damn sexy.

  “I came here to eat. Then, I saw an opportunity to share my meal with a beautiful, intriguing woman. That’s it.”

  Oliver spread his arms, feigning innocence. It was basically true, save for some omissions. Deirdre didn’t strike him as someone who was easily fooled or prone to trusting strangers, so he thought it best to stay as close to the truth as possible. Everyone had a bullshit meter, the trick was not to set it off.

  It wasn’t something he had a wealth of experience in, though.

  Deirdre gave him another assessing glance before relaxing into her seat. It seemed whatever her suspicions were, she was ready to put them on hold for the moment.

  Oliver couldn’t help but wonder what made her so cautious. Had she trusted someone she shouldn’t have before? Had it turned on her? She did have the tough exterior of someone who had gotten their heart broken.

  Oliver knew the look. Having drifted from one town to the next most his life, he had a good grasp on what made people tick. When you never put down roots, you’re always surrounded by strangers. Guessing at a person’s character becomes a valuable skill in a lifestyle like that.

  Something about Deirdre told him she had been hurt. He could almost feel it, a throbbing ache emanating from her chest. It was an odd sensation, feeling so connected to someone he barely knew. He hadn’t had that even with his best friend, let alone any woman he’d ever been with.

  “Sorry for the third degree,” she sighed, giving him a brief smile. “It’s been a long day.”

  “No problem. I know how that can get. Try and take your mind off this Atwater guy. If he’s here, he’ll probably still be here in the morning. You’re not going to get anything more done today. It’s getting late as it is.”

  “I suppose you’re right,” Deirdre ceded, letting her head fall back on the backrest of the booth.

  Oliver followed the line of her neck with his eyes, his gaze snaking down across the soft skin of her collarbones and the swell of her breasts. The urge to reach out and touch her was as irrational as it was irresistible.

  The other patrons were still shooting glances their way, probably because they were still half-expecting for a fight to break out, starring Oliver. This time, he couldn’t care less about the attention. All that mattered was that none of them had overheard he was who Deirdre was looking for.

  He would have to be careful if he wanted to make sure his identity remained a secret.

  A single sentence could turn everything upside down. Jenny mentioning his name when she brought them their food. The guys at the bar calling out to him. Someone walking in and saying ‘hi’.

  I have to play this just right if I want to get answers. And if I want to make sure I don’t scare her away in the process.

  Five

  Deirdre

  Deirdre tore her eyes away from Dean to see Jenny walk over, holding a tray stacked with burgers, fries and milkshakes. Before she could say something, Dean shot up from his seat and rushed over, saying something to the waitress before carrying the food to the table himself.

  Jenny quirked a brow at Dean when he returned the empty tray to her with a grin and then shook her head before walking away.

  “Quite the gentleman,” Deirdre commented, not knowing what to think of all of it.

  The man she had seen stirring up trouble when she first walked into the diner had now transformed into some knight in shining armor. She didn’t know if it was because he really wanted to get in her pants or what, but she could use someone in her corner right now.

  And who didn’t like a handsome man pulling out all the stops for her? Even she had to admit, it was nice to have someone work so hard for your attention. It had been a long time since she felt like she was receiving any positive attention and truth be told, she could get used to it.

  “Tell me about yourself,” Dean prompted, sliding a milkshake her way.

  “There’s not that much to tell, really,” she replied, working hard to keep her eyes on Dean’s face and not on his wide shoulders or bulging biceps as she wrapped her hands around the cool glass. “I’m from Atlanta, born and raised. I run a small interior design business there. It’s a good living and I like the work.”

  She stopped, not knowing what else to say. It wasn’t easy, making yourself vulnerable enough to show someone else who you are. So she stayed in the perimeters of what was safe, like talking about her job instead of herself.

  It wasn’t like she was all that certain at this point if there even was anything other than her job to talk about. Well, except for Hope, of course.

  My little Hope, she thought wistfully, smiling as she spared a glance at the napping child.

  Biting down on her burger, Deirdre hoped a mouth full of food might save her from answering any follow-up questions. Aside from her work, she didn’t feel like getting into the mess her life had become.

  “Your turn,” she got out between bites.

  Dean was taking his sweet time before replying, busying himself with his meal.

  “I wasn’t raised anywhere particular. I’ve been moving around for as long as I can remember. Nowadays I put my skills to use where I can, mostly in auto shops or construction sites. I did an apprenticeship in welding a while back, that keeps me useful.”

  “A man who works with his hands. I respect that,” Deirdre nodded, dipping her fries in some ketchup. “But you’ve stopped moving around now, obviously.”

  “Yeah, I rented a cabin here a while back,” he replied, running a hand through his hair in that sexy way of his.

  Deirdre had always gone for the clean-cut guys, but she had to admit, all her preferences had gone out the door the moment she laid eyes on Dean. It went beyond his good looks. The vibe he gave off just drew her to him, no matter how hard she tried to reason her attraction away.

  Even if I wasn’t carrying a ton of baggage around, this is a waste of time, she reminded herself.

  Believing it was a whole other matter, though.

  She was only here to find Oliver, that was it. Once she did, she would get the information she needed and be on her way again. If Dean was after some sort of relationship, she wasn’t the one to give it to him.

  And if he just wanted a night of fun, she wasn’t going to give him that, either.

  Deirdre hadn’t dated anyone after Shawn, her former fiancé, and that hadn’t exactly ended well. She couldn’t he
lp as her fingers curled into fists when she thought about him.

  That immature coward.

  After everything that went down with him, she couldn’t bring herself to get back out there. Trusting men had become… difficult.

  She couldn’t say she didn’t miss a man’s hands on her body, even though Shawn had never been great in that department. Still, everyone craves intimacy in one form or another. At least she’d had someone to sleep next to and cuddle with on the couch.

  But I still have more self-respect than to climb into bed with a man I just met. No matter how tempting it may be.

  “A cabin? That sounds nice. You must be one of those one-with-nature types,” she remarked, trying not to get caught in his impossibly green eyes and failing.

  He didn’t look like the rugged roughneck type, but Deirdre knew full well that looks could be deceiving.

  “You could say that. I like to run, hike, all that. It helps me clear my head. What do you do to relax back in Atlanta?”

  The spotlight back on her, Deirdre fidgeted with the straw in her milkshake. He had answered all her questions, she couldn’t very well clam up now. She’d been raised better than that. And deny it as she might, she wanted to tell him about herself.

  The way his focus was on her and only her as he eyed her with that predatory grin of his was exciting. She felt herself loosening up.

  I probably won’t even see him again after tonight, might as well lay it out there.

  “I’m pretty boring. I like to garden and read cheesy detective novels, along with the latest editions of Architectural Digest and House Beautiful. I love horror movies, even though I hide behind my hands most of the time. I do yoga in my backyard when it’s nice out.

  “And I’ve been hanging out and getting drinks with my girlfriends a lot more often lately, ever since my asshole of a fiancé all but left me at the altar.”

  Whoa boy. Where did all that come from?

  It was like the floodgates suddenly opened and everything that came to mind just spilled out. Letting out a nervous laugh, she peeked up at Dean, who was studying her curiously. He leaned back in his seat, pushing his empty plate away as she fussed with Hope’s blanket, tucking it in.

  Deirdre’s heart started beating faster in her chest and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks. Whatever she had told herself, she still cared about what he thought about her. More than she was entirely comfortable with.

  “That doesn’t sound boring at all. And your fiancé must be the biggest idiot in the world, letting a woman like you go.”

  “Thanks for that, but you don’t really know me well enough to make judgments about what kind of a woman I am,” she said.

  The words didn’t sound half as stern as she would have liked them to.

  Dean shook his head.

  “You’re wrong. I can tell a lot about you. I see a strong woman who’s driven and passionate and doesn’t need a man to raise her baby girl. And we have one thing in common.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I also like to do yoga in my back yard.”

  The visual of this leather jacket wearing, tatted up giant of a man in a lotus pose was enough for Deirdre to burst out laughing. She clamped a hand over her mouth when she noticed Dean wasn’t laughing with her. Instead, he looked deadly serious.

  “Wait, for real?” she asked, fearing she had insulted him.

  His lips quivered before his face broke out into a grin.

  “Nah, I was just playing. Should have seen your face, though,” he chuckled. “Though I’ve been known to practice the downward facing dog with a willing partner now and then.”

  “You jerk,” she said, shaking her head, even as she couldn’t stop giggling.

  It felt good to laugh again. She hadn’t been doing much of it lately.

  I’m getting a lot more than I bargained for with this guy.

  They were both done with their meal by that point, yet Deirdre didn’t feel like rushing off. Talking to a stranger really was easier than opening up to friends. It was only when Hope started to fuss in her car-seat that she snapped out of the bubble she and Dean were in.

  “I have to get going. Hope needs to eat, too, and I need to check in to the bed & breakfast I booked for us.”

  She reached into her purse for her wallet, but Dean motioned for her to stop, putting his hand gently on her arm. It felt just as electric as the first time he’d touched her.

  “You took a chance on having dinner with a cranky grouch like me. The least I can do is pay for your burger.”

  “I had a nice time. Maybe you’re not as cranky as you’d like to think,” she smiled, getting out of the booth with obvious reluctance.

  “Tell you what. You haven’t had nearly enough time to make that assessment. And you don’t know your way around town. I’ll help you find this Oliver character, kill two birds with one stone.”

  She looked at him with surprise, considering the big, self-confident man before her.

  “You really want to waste your time trying to help me track down some guy I’ve never even laid eyes on?”

  The prospect was thrilling yet scary. She wouldn’t mind spending more time with him, not one bit. Yet she wasn’t ready to throw herself into something that could get her hurt.

  Again.

  “I wouldn’t call anything involving you a waste of time,” he replied seriously, his green eyes glowing as he stared at her.

  Just like that, her mind was made up.

  “Okay. I’d love to have your help,” she heard herself say, despite her better judgment.

  What’s the harm in saying yes to a chance, right?

  Six

  Oliver

  Oliver practically jumped out of bed, way before he had to meet Deirdre at the bed & breakfast, with anticipation buzzing in his veins. His bear was bristling inside him, floating close to the surface with a pleased growl. He’d barely slept all night but this time, it didn’t matter one bit.

  Feet padding on the hardwood floors of his cabin, he stretched his arms behind him as he strolled into the kitchen.

  The sun streamed in painted patterns on the walls and he propped open a window to let the fresh air in. Meeting Deirdre had done something to him he couldn’t explain. It was like she was a shot in the arm, that something he needed to start healing from Dray’s death and to start dealing with everything he’d messed up over the last couple of years.

  And maybe even reach beyond that.

  Maybe she could be the one.

  I’m getting ahead of myself.

  But then again, he wasn’t so sure he was.

  There was more to being a shifter than heightened senses, impressive physicality and being able to turn into an animal whenever one wanted. Relationships were more complicated, for starters.

  The bond between shifters of the same kind was undeniable. Those who belonged to the same clan or pack were basically brothers. They fought for each other and they also drew power from each other. They made one another better, or they could make each other worse.

  Loyalty and unity were big among shifters. Hell, his father had given his life defending his clan.

  Only one bond could be even stronger than that brotherhood. The bond between a shifter and their mate.

  Soul mates might be the stuff of overly sappy romantic comedies for regular humans, but for shifters, it was all too real. The connection was said to be immediate and completely irresistible, both physically and mentally. And damn if Oliver wasn’t feeling like a lovesick puppy for the first time in his life, with the hand he’d touched Deirdre with still pleasantly abuzz.

  Too bad he still had no idea why she was here looking for him. Her just falling into his lap seemed like a hell of a coincidence, and he didn’t trust it. Life had never gifted him anything good, why would his tides turn now?

  Yet despite these doubts, he couldn’t help but feel optimistic about the day ahead. Reasons for being there aside, Deirdre was a one of a kind and he was going to get to spend t
he day with her and little Hope. He sure wasn’t going to waste that opportunity by looking for a man Deirdre had already found.

  No, I have something much better in mind.

  Even the shitty coffee tasted a hell of a lot better that morning.

  Oliver pulled up to the bed & breakfast with a smile on his face. Deirdre was already waiting outside, rocking a stroller back and forth in front of her. Dressed in dark jeans and a tight turtleneck, she was the picture of understated yet sexy, and he felt his gut twist just looking at her.

  Absolutely beautiful.

  He didn’t need to see any skin to know that she was a gorgeous woman. She was far too classy to resort to cheap tricks. Just her presence was enough to make Oliver’s head spin.

  Grabbing a backpack from the passenger seat, he jumped out to greet her. Forgetting for a moment they barely knew each other and that he was lying to her about who he was, he almost hugged her before thinking better of it.

  Cool it.

  At least she smiled back at him, her eyes running along his tall frame. From the way her heart beat faster when he came to a stop in front of her, the chemistry he felt between them was definitely not one-sided.

  Could she be as interested in me as I am in her?

  “Hey. You look great enough to make me jealous of that guy you’re trying to find,” he said, throwing her his most disarming smile.

  From the way the corners of her mouth twitched upward, he was off to a good start. He could tell she had been hesitant in accepting his help, and he was going to do his best not to make her regret the decision.

  Web of lies aside, there was something real going on between them, and he wanted to explore and see what it was. Not that he didn’t have a pretty good idea of what was going on already.