The Bear's Spicy Mate: A Cozy Bear Shifter Romance (Bear Creek Forever:Thornberg Restaurant Book 3), page 15
Table of Contents
Copyright
Bear Creek Forever
Free Book Offer
The Bear’s Spicy Mate
Chapter One – Isla
Chapter Two – Kirk
Chapter Three – Isla
Chapter Four – Kirk
Chapter Five – Isla
Chapter Six – Kirk
Chapter Seven – Isla
Chapter Eight – Kirk
Chapter Nine – Isla
Chapter Ten – Kirk
Chapter Eleven – Isla
Chapter Twelve – Kirk
Chapter Thirteen – Isla
Chapter Fourteen – Kirk
Chapter Fifteen – Isla
Chapter Sixteen – Kirk
Chapter Seventeen – Isla
Chapter Eighteen – Kirk
Chapter Nineteen – Isla
Chapter Twenty – Kirk
Epilogue
Also By Harmony Raines
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The Bear’s Spicy Mate
Bear Creek Forever
Thornberg Restaurant
Book Three
***
All rights reserved. This book, or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner without the express written consent of the author or publisher.
This is a work of fiction and is intended for mature audiences only. All characters within are eighteen years of age or older. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, actual events or places is purely coincidental.
© 2026 Harmony Raines
Kindle Edition
Bear Creek Forever
Thornberg Ranch
Single Daddy Bear Next Door
Book One
The Bear’s Unlikely Mate
Book Two
Too Hot to Bear
Book Three
A Heart to Bear
Book Four
Bearly Ever After
Book Five
A Bear to Remember
Book Six
Thornberg Vineyard
The Bear’s Mail Order Mate
Book One
The Bear’s Blooming Mate
Book Two
The Bear’s Reluctant Mate
Book Three
The Bear’s Perfect Mate
Book Four
The Bear’s Second Chance Mate
Book Five
The Bear’s Matchmaking Mix-up Mate
Book Six
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The Bear’s Spicy Mate
Bear Creek Forever
Thornberg Restaurant
Book Three
She built her career on scorching reviews.
He grows the hottest chilies in Bear Creek.
And the moment Kirk Thornberg meets Isla… he knows the truth.
She’s his mate.
Isla is a food critic and influencer with a reputation for being brutally honest—sometimes too honest. Her “fiery” takedowns made her famous, paid the bills, and built an online persona she can’t seem to escape.
But now she has a son watching her.
Percy is growing up, and Isla doesn’t want him learning that love comes with barbed words and viral humiliation. She wants to soften her edges… except her agent, her audience, and her own fear of losing everything keep dragging her back into the role she created.
So when a two week working vacation with her son brings her to Bear Creek Isla plans to do what she always does: keep it professional, keep it sharp, and keep everyone happy.
Then she meets Kirk.
Kirk Thornberg is charming, grounded, and quietly intense—the kind of man who doesn’t flinch at Isla’s fire… he simply looks at her like he sees the woman underneath it. The kind of man Percy likes instantly. The kind of man who makes Isla’s chest tighten with a pull she can’t explain.
Kirk knows Isla is his mate, but he also knows she’s been living behind armor for a long time. Winning her trust comes first… even if his bear is ready to claim her and keep her close forever.
Between greenhouse heat, small-town nosiness, family dinners, and a slow-burn connection that turns scorching, Isla has to decide:
Keep performing the persona that made her…
Or risk becoming the woman she actually wants Percy to be proud of.
A cozy small-town bear shifter romance packed with fated mates (he knows first), a protective cinnamon-roll alpha, single mom vibes, found family warmth, redemption/softening arc, and a steamy happily-ever-after.
Chapter One – Isla
“Look at how big the mountains are!” Percy’s voice was low, filled with awe as he stared out of the car window. “Have you ever seen mountains that big, Mom?”
Isla looked from her son’s animated face back to the winding road ahead. The rental car felt small as it snaked between towering peaks shrouded in mist, giving them an almost ethereal quality.
“No, never this big,” she admitted, feeling the same sense of awe and wonder as her son. “They’re something else, aren’t they?”
“I can’t wait to explore them,” Percy pressed his hands to the window. “Do you think there’s bears and wolves up there?”
“I expect so.” Isla shivered. The last thing she wanted to do was encounter a wild beast on a mountain trail. But Percy was enthralled by nature and the wilderness. The mountains were a stark contrast to the concrete sprawl and manicured parks they were used to in the city.
“Can we go hiking?” Percy asked, his face still pressed against the window. “Like, real hiking? With backpacks and everything?”
Isla smiled. “We’ll see. I do have to work while we’re here, remember?”
“I remember…” Percy sighed.
“But,” she added quickly, seeing his face fall, “I promise we’ll make time for exploring. That’s part of why I brought you along this time.”
Percy’s smile returned. “Really?”
“Really.” Isla nodded, easing the car around another bend. “The restaurants here aren’t like those in the city. They’re more spread out, so we’ll have time between visits. And I only have to review about eight places over two weeks.”
“How much longer till we get there?” Percy pressed his nose against the window.
“About fifteen minutes.” Isla checked her GPS.
“Fifteen minutes.” Percy had that tone. The one that said he would not last another fifteen minutes without a bathroom break.
Isla glanced at Percy, who was now shifting uncomfortably in his seat. The mountains were beautiful, but they were also wild and remote. She hadn’t seen a rest stop for miles.
“Percy, do you think you can hold it until we get to the cabin?” she asked, already knowing the answer.
“Maybe,” he mumbled, but the way he squirmed told her everything.
She wasn’t about to have her son relieve himself by the roadside with who knew what wildlife lurking in the trees. Bears and wolves. The thought made her shudder.
“Oh!” Isla slowed the car as they rounded another bend. A rustic-looking shack appeared, nestled against the edge of the forest. Smoke curled from a small chimney, and colorful strings of dried chilies hung from the eaves. It wasn’t exactly a rest stop, but it was a sign of life.
Which meant people. And people usually meant a bathroom.
Decision made, she pulled into the small gravel parking lot and stopped the car, tires crunching on the loose stones. A hand-painted sign propped against a barrel read “Restrooms for Customers.”
“Here,” Isla said, unbuckling her seatbelt. “There’s a bathroom, and we can grab some snacks for later.” She pointed to another sign listing their offerings. “Look, they sell chili chocolate.”
“Bleh!” Percy wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Why would anyone ruin chocolate by mixing it with chili?”
“Hey, don’t knock it until you try it.” Isla opened her car door and got out, inhaling the fresh mountain air. She circled around to her son’s side of the car and opened his door. “Some of the best flavor combinations are unexpected ones.”
“I don’t want to try it,” Percy insisted as he slid out of the car. The moment his feet hit the gravel, he began hopping from one foot to the other. “I really need to go.”
“Okay, come on.” Isla held out her hand and, out of habit, checked for traffic. The mountain road was empty in both directions, so she guided Percy across the small parking area toward the shack.
As they approached, she became aware of someone watching them. A man stood next to a display of potted plants, each one vibrant green with healthy leaves. Was
he another customer? Isla met his gaze with a challenging stare, the protective instinct she always felt around Percy flaring automatically.
For a moment, the man didn’t react. Then he blinked, opened his mouth as if to speak, but seemed to think better of it. He turned away, his fingers trailing almost reverently over the leaves of the nearest plant.
“Mom,” Percy wailed urgently, tugging at her hand.
Isla switched her attention back to her son and hurried toward the shack. She pulled open the wooden door and went inside with Percy. After the bright afternoon sunlight, the interior seemed dark, and she had to blink several times before her eyes adjusted.
“Hi,” Isla called out, glancing around the small store. It looked as though it had once been a room where someone might have sat by the fire on a winter’s evening.
“Hello there.” An older woman with wavy gray hair smiled from behind a rustic wooden counter. Her face was weathered but kind, deep laugh lines framing her eyes. “Welcome to the Spice & Honey Shack. Feel free to look around.”
“Hi,” Isla replied, taking in the colorful displays of goods. “You have a lovely store... Could my son use the bathroom while I browse, please?”
“Sure. When you need to go, you need to go,” the woman said with an understanding nod. “Just through there.” She pointed toward a door to the right.
“Thank you so much.” Isla guided Percy to the door and pushed it open.
“I can do it,” Percy said, straightening his shoulders with the independence of a child determined to prove his maturity.
“I know,” Isla said, releasing his hand. As the door closed behind him, she took a deep breath. It was hard to let go. But he was growing up fast.
Isla turned away from the bathroom door and scanned the interior now that her eyes had fully adjusted to the dim light. The shop was warm and fragrant, filled with the complex scent of dried chilies, herbs, and something sweet—honey, probably. Wooden shelves lined the walls, packed with jars of spices, bottles of sauce, and packages of dried goods. In the center of the room stood a display table with samples and tasting cups.
“First time in Bear Creek?” the woman asked, arranging a stack of small boxes behind the counter. “I’m Win, by the way.”
“Isla. And yes, first time,” Isla replied, wandering closer to examine a row of colorful jars. “We’re staying in a cabin at Bear’s Rest for a couple of weeks.”
The bathroom door opened, and Percy emerged, looking relieved.
“Better?” Isla asked, and he nodded.
“Can I look around?” he asked, already eyeing the colorful displays.
“Sure, just don’t touch anything without asking first,” Isla reminded him, watching as he gravitated toward a display of honey sticks in rainbow colors.
The door to the shop opened again, bringing with it a gust of cool mountain air and the man from outside. Up close, Isla could see he was tall, broad-shouldered, with dark brown hair tied back at the nape of his neck. There was something solid and grounded about him that made the small shop feel even smaller. More intimate.
“Mom, look at these!” Percy called, pointing to the honey sticks. “They’re flavored!”
Isla moved toward Percy, focusing on his excitement over the honey sticks even when she was drawn to the broad-shouldered man. “Which flavor looks best to you?”
“Raspberry!” Percy pointed to a bright red stick. “Or maybe blueberry?”
“Hi there, Kirk,” the shop owner called out, her voice warm with familiarity.
“Hi, Win,” the man—Kirk—replied. “I’ve brought you some more chili plants since I was passing by.”
Win chuckled. “I’m glad you did. A tourist bus came through a couple of days ago and all but cleared me out. I meant to call you, but I got sidetracked by some darn weevils in my greenhouse.”
“Did you get rid of them?” Kirk asked, setting a small crate of potted plants on the counter.
Isla turned to look at him and found herself caught red-handed as their eyes met. Something in his hazel gaze—shifting between deep brown and muted green—made her pulse quicken. She glanced back at Percy, pretending to be absorbed in his honey stick selection.
“Hey, here’s the chili chocolate!” Percy suddenly said, pointing to a display of elegantly wrapped bars.
“Oh, that’s good stuff,” Win said, leaning over the counter. “Kirk grows the chilies and makes the chocolate himself.”
“He does?” Isla couldn’t help but look up again.
“Artisanal small-batch chocolate,” Kirk said quietly, his voice deeper than she’d expected, with a hint of roughness around the edges.
She picked up one of the chocolate bars, admiring the simple but elegant packaging, and stepped toward Win and Kirk. The wrapper featured a stylized chili plant in gold against deep burgundy paper.
“Yes, try it,” Win encouraged, reaching for a glass jar that contained broken pieces of chocolate for sampling. “First taste’s always free.”
“Thanks,” Isla said, heat creeping into her cheeks as she felt Kirk’s eyes on her. She took a piece and bit into it.
The chocolate melted immediately on her tongue, rich and velvety with the perfect balance of bitter and sweet. As she savored the depth of the cocoa, a gentle warmth bloomed at the back of her throat—not the harsh burn of novelty chili chocolate, but a complex, fruity heat that enhanced the chocolate’s natural flavor instead of overwhelming it.
“Wow,” she breathed, genuinely surprised. “The heat doesn’t hit you right away. It builds so gradually, and it’s almost... fruity? Not just hot for the sake of being hot. That is incredible.”
“Thanks.” Kirk’s smile transformed his face completely, softening the intensity of his features. “I use a blend of three different chilies. The chocolate is seventy percent cocoa from a small cooperative in Ecuador. I toast the chilies first to bring out their sweetness, then infuse them in the cocoa butter before incorporating it back into the chocolate.” He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “Sorry, I get carried away.”
Win chuckled. “Kirk is very passionate.”
Kirk shot her a look. “About chilies.”
“Maybe I could try some,” Percy said, appearing at Isla’s side and looking up at the adults with curious eyes.
Isla watched as Kirk’s entire demeanor shifted, his shoulders relaxing as he hunkered down to Percy’s level. Without talking down to him or using that false, high-pitched voice some adults adopted with children, Kirk broke off a smaller piece of chocolate.
“This one’s milder,” he explained, offering it to Percy. “The heat builds really slowly, so if you don’t like it, just have a sip of water.”
Percy took the chocolate cautiously, studying it before popping it into his mouth. His eyes widened slightly as he let it melt on his tongue.
“It’s... not bad,” he finally declared, which from Percy was high praise indeed.
Kirk’s mouth twitched with amusement. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
He remained crouched at Percy’s level, patient and attentive as the boy considered the chocolate’s aftertaste. There was something so gentle in the way he spoke to Percy, not condescending, but respectful, as if Percy’s opinion genuinely mattered to him.
Isla found herself oddly touched by the unexpected gentleness in such a physically imposing man. It wasn’t that she’d expected rudeness, exactly, but there was something disarming about watching a man who looked like he could fell trees with his bare hands carefully explaining flavor profiles to her eight-year-old.
“Do you put chili in other stuff, too?” Percy asked, wiping a smudge of chocolate from his lip.
“I do,” Kirk nodded. “I make chili honey, chili jam, even chili ice cream.”
“Ice cream?” Percy’s eyebrows shot up. “Does it burn your mouth?”
“Not if it’s made right,” Kirk said with a small smile. “The cream actually helps balance the heat.”“I like chocolate chip,” Percy declared.
“Me too,” Kirk said. “But it’s also good to try new things, because you never know which one might become your next favorite.”
“That’s what Mom says,” Percy replied, but he did not sound convinced.“Sounds like she’s a wise woman,” Kirk said with a tone that made Isla blush.
“We should probably get going,” Isla said, glancing at her watch to hide her face. “We still need to check in at our cabin.”
