Page 15 of Age Gap Bear's Enemies-to-Lovers Mate

My mind races. I had grown up with the vague knowledge that these things actually did exist, but they always seemed like stories. I mean, how crazy to think that anything like that could be real. Most people just talked about them like they were a joke.

But I look at this bear and I know it’s true. Simple as that.

I step closer. The bear doesn’t move. I feel like some cartoon character and the music is swelling right now, but I stretch my hand out and then, I touch its nose.

I wish I could say that this part was romantic and life-altering and beautiful, but only one of those things is truly descriptive of this moment. I touch the nose and I see its eyes and I know its Clint in there, and that part is beautiful, yes, all the relief and joy and understanding flooding me at once.

I heard about them, of course. “I didn’t think they were real.” They officially announced themselves and every now and then,there’s something on television but with CGI before and AI now, it’s just… “It’s not all fake.”

In an instant, I’m not touching a huge mind-bending example of a bear. The air shifts again and then, Clint is there, my hand pressed against his face. I pull it back, red-faced faced but he smiles. “I like it on my skin as much as I like it on my fur.”

The wave of relief floods me and I start laughing and crying all at once. “You’re a shifter! You’re a ...a bear! And you… Oh, Clint. You had to keep this land because if we built the development there would be kids all over these woods."

He nods and wraps me up in his arms, pulling me tightly to his still naked body.

I jabber as all my pent-up fear and worry and anger and, well every kind of emotion I guess, rushes the floodgates. “I never, I mean, I knew, I know that shifters have officially been declared real and all but, my… I ... I’m sorry.”

Clint just holds me as I babble. “It’s okay. You didn’t know. As far as you knew, I was a stubborn, backwards asshole who just didn’t want to sell.”

I shake my head. “No, it’s not okay. You were keeping this land as your safe place and I was such a horrible bitch about it and ...”

And then, he just kisses me.

It’s long and sweet and when we finally come up for air, my thoughts have settled.

“I love you.”

I say it like I’m declaring a very obvious fact, like saying the sky is blue.

Clint just smiles and kisses me again. “I love you, too, Livvy.”

“And you’re still naked.”

He laughs harder. “I am.”

I smile and kiss him back, and finally, I feel no restraint to it, no worry, no strings. This is the man I love.

I wrap my arms around him and press closer. “So, ever do it with a girl in these woods?”

He doesn’t really answer. Who knows if he ever does it with a girl in the woods before now, but I can promise you that he does it with a girl now.