On his first night renting a cottage on the Cornish coast, widower John Tennant comes face to face with, of all things, a grizzly bear. Fearing for his life, John tries to convince the animal he isn't worth eating, and is relieved when the bear ambles away. Maintenance man Mitch Benjamin is two hundred years old but doesn’t look a day over forty. As a werebear, he needs to stay under the radar. The new renter is making that difficult. Not only is John attractive, but his vulnerability triggers all of Mitch’s protective instincts. If that wasn’t trouble enough, Mitch is struggling with his inner bear’s desire to befriend John. He knows what his bear is up to, but Mitch doesn’t want another mate. His last one was murdered ninety years ago, and he’s still grieving. John is confused by Mitch’s mixed signals. Physically, Mitch -- with his bulging muscles and hulking frame -- is a gay man’s wet dream come true. But emotionally, he keeps closing down. John discovers more comfort with the magnificent grizzly bear he occasionally meets on his evening walks along the beach. In an effort to help, Morwenna, the owner of the cottages, uses her psychic gifts to give John a message from his dead lover, George. Far from helping, it adds another layer of strangeness to what’s already turning out to be the strangest summer John can remember. Can a well-meaning medium and a determined grizzly bring John and Mitch together? Will Mitch come clean about his werebear nature? If he does, can John accept that a man and bear exist in the same body?

Summer's Lease

“See, I knew you’d understand.” Swallowing, John asked, “Can I touch you? I promise I won’t hurt you.”


You should be more worried about the bear hurting you.


But John knew Teddy wouldn’t attack him. Despite that, he was careful not to make any sudden movements.


“Going to reach out and stroke you, that okay?”


The bear continued to breathe, but otherwise didn’t show any signs he would object.


The fur on Teddy’s shoulder was thick and surprisingly soft, but still damp from the rain.


“You’re so beautiful.” Had he said that already? It was true nonetheless. “You smell wonderful. Outdoorsy, woodsy, just…natural. I’m from London, that’s the capital city of Great Britain, by the way. I didn’t think I’d like the outdoors, but coming here to Cornwall makes me realise I do. Part of me thinks I could make a home here.”


Chapter 29