Stripped Bear Read Free Page B

her own damned feet in her haste to be gone. She caught the banister for support and took several gulps of air as she tried to slow her pulse as it pushed the blood in a wild rush through her veins. Even now, she felt the weight of Cade’s intense turquoise stare rake over every inch of her body.
    When her legs finally felt like they could carry her the rest of the way down the stairs, Leah continued her descent. She rushed through the foyer in a fast walk, looked both ways for Geoffrey who was nowhere in sight, and made a beeline for the front door. Her hand gripped the door knob, and for the briefest moment, something deep inside Leah urged her not to go. A thought scratched at the back of her mind, and it told her that she was exactly where she needed to be.
    She was obviously losing her damned mind.
    Leah pulled open the door. A strong arm shot out from behind her and a wide palm slapped down on the wooden planks, slamming the door closed. Leah’s body came suddenly awake; awareness of the man who stood behind her tingled over every inch of her skin. Cade’s warm breath brushed the back of her neck and a rush of heat and wetness spread between her thighs.
    A shuddering breath escaped from between her parted lips. She refused to turn around. To look into those endless eyes that made everything else melt away. “Please, Cade.” She forced her voice not to quaver. “Let me go.”
    “I can’t do that, Leah.” The warm tenor of his voice rippled over her and the low thrum in her belly migrated lower to her clit. She squeezed her legs together but all it managed to do was intensify the sensation. She bit down hard on her lower lip. It was either that or give in to the moan that worked its way up her throat.
    “Cade, I’m engaged.” The words burst from her mouth before she could stop them. It was true, though. Shame flared over her cheeks at the thought of Adam spending his night off at work while she was here, lusting after another man.
    Cade answered her with a bark of arrogant laughter that did nothing to slow her racing pulse. “No wonder she was so desperate to get me home. Do you think I give a shit if you’re engaged, Leah?” He leaned over her, his big body boxing her in. Leah swallowed hard and squeezed her eyes shut. Cade buried his face in her hair and murmured, “It doesn’t matter who you belonged to before tonight. You’re mine now.”
    His .
    Despite her confusion, a thrill chased through Leah’s system that only intensified her guilt. His? What in the hell was he talking about? She hadn’t seen him in sixteen years. A bold proclamation from a guy who’d been gone for almost two decades. As a girl, she’d wanted nothing more than to belong to Cade. It hadn’t mattered to her that she’d been fourteen and he’d been twenty-one. She’d told him as much, bared her heart and confessed her love to him. He’d left, though. Called her an ignorant, spoiled child and walked away. It was too late for those fantasies now. She belonged to him? Not a chance.

Three
    Engaged? Cade swallowed down an amused snort. Not for long.
    He stepped closer to Leah, so close that his erection brushed against her ass. She gasped, her entire body jerking from the contact. Leah was human. She didn’t feel their binding the way he did. But somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew .
    “Maybe you didn’t hear me, Cade.” She could infuse her tone with venom, try to scare him away, but it was too late for that. “I’m engaged . To be married.”
    “Then you’ll break it off,” he growled. The Sortiari expected him in L.A. Cade didn’t have time for a long and laborious courtship, and really, there wasn’t any need for one. Leah had claimed him, period. Through her simple touch, their mate bond had been established. It was a connection that couldn’t be severed. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me . You’re mine, Leah.”
    “Yours,” she deadpanned.
    Cade brought up his other arm and braced it against the