by Paige Tyler
The log probably weighed about two hundred pounds and it hit the dumbass right in the chest. Fortunately for the man, the chainsaw went flying in a safe direction as the man fell backward. Although the fall must have hurt like hell, the guy immediately scrambled to his feet and started backing away from Gregory, his eyes registering equal parts pain and bewilderment. Gregory could just imagine the guy trying to convince his friend a grizzly bear had just hit him with a log. “I swear I’m telling you dudes the truth! The damn bear picked up a log and threw it at me like it weighed nothing!”
When Gregory let out one more mighty roar, the logger finally decided to call it quits. Swearing under his breath, he grabbed his coworker up off the ground and gave the man a shove toward the lone, remaining pickup truck already slowly moving down the access road.
Gregory bounded after the men, his big paws kicking up dirt behind him as he ran. He was actually a little surprised the other loggers hadn’t simply left these last two. Gregory expected the truck to stop so the two men could get in the cab, but instead the driver kept going, making the two men jump in the back. Orson caught up with the truck just in time to swipe the rear side panel with his claws before the vehicle picked up speed.
Gregory gave his brother a loud woof. The equivalent of saying, “You show ’em,” in werebear. Orson woofed in reply, then followed Gregory over to where Barrett was surveying the damage the loggers had done. Fortunately, the three of them had gotten there before the men had been able to cut down more than a few trees. It still pissed him off, though.
Barrett made a gruff sound and jerked his head toward the wood line, his way of asking if Gregory and Orson were ready to head back to where they’d left their truck and change into their human forms. Gregory was all for that idea. While he loved shapeshifting into his bear form, he had already spent the better part of the day roaming the woods with his brothers before they had heard the loggers. That had been on top of a double shift they had already worked at the station. He was tired, hungry, and more than ready to go back to their cabin and relax for a while.
Chapter Two
Goldie felt another little twinge of guilt as she stepped into the cabin and quietly closed the door behind her. It quickly disappeared when she considered the alternative, though. Breaking and entering was definitely preferable to wandering around the woods for the rest of the night. Hiking in the forest during the day was one thing, but doing it at night was completely different.
Even though she’d made enough noise to alert anyone to her presence when she’d broken the glass, she decided it might be a good idea to check and make sure the cabin really was empty before she went looking for a phone or raiding the fridge.
“Hello!” she called. “Is anyone here?”
No answer, just like before.
She sighed with relief. While she was planning on reimbursing the cabin’s owner, it would have been really awkward to have to explain herself if he’d walked out of the back room right then.
Goldie looked around the cabin. In addition to the comfortable looking couch and matching chairs in the living room, there was also a coffee table and a bookcase filled with a mix of paperback and hardcover books. Though the room had definite masculine overtones, it still managed to pull off a warm and cozy vibe.
Her gaze went to the kitchen next. It was small, but the stovetop and microwave looked serviceable enough. She was more interested in the refrigerator, though. She only hoped there was something in it.
Considering how hungry she was, Goldie wanted check it out right then, but figured she should probably look for a phone first. Unfortunately, she didn’t see one in the kitchen or the adjoining living room. Praying there was one in the back room, she hurried over to look inside, but all she found were three beds with matching nightstands and a dresser, as well as another bookcase. There was a small, adjoining bathroom, too.
So much for using the phone. Not that it would have done much good anyway. She could just imagine talking to the 911 operator. Yes, I’m in a cabin in the middle of the woods. Can you send someone to come get me? No, I don’t know where the cabin is. It’s the one in the middle of the woods. Don’t you have a listing for that address?
Letting out a sigh, she walked back into the kitchen and over to the fridge. She held her breath as she pulled open the door, afraid she’d find nothing but a box of baking soda. While it wasn’t what she’d call well-stocked, it wasn’t completely bare. Along with a six-pack of beer and half a dozen bottles of water, there were several plastic containers of what had to be leftovers. Her stomach growled ferociously at the sight. She’d known she was hungry, but now that she was within arm’s reach of food, she realized she was starving.
Goldie took out one of the containers and pulled off the lid. Inside was a reddish brown mixture of meat and beans that looked like it might be chili. She put it up to her nose and sniffed. Yup, it was definitely chili. Her stomach growling again, she opened the drawer closest to the fridge, looking for a spoon. It was full of various mismatched utensils and she had to rummage around until she found a spoon. Grabbing it, she dipped it in the chili and eagerly tasted it. The moment it touched her tongue, her whole mouth was engulfed in flames. Yikes! She liked spicy food, but that was stupid hot.
Putting the lid on the container, she placed it back in the fridge, then reached for the next one. She took off the top and peeked inside, then frowned. While the chili had been easy to identify, she couldn’t say the same about whatever was inside the second container. It looked a little like oatmeal, but she’d never heard of anyone putting leftover oatmeal in the fridge. Deciding there was only one way to find out, she dipped her spoon in the thick, gooey mixture and took a taste, then immediately made a face. Whereas the chili was so spicy she could barely eat it, this had absolutely no flavor at all. She’d never tasted anything so bland in her life. It could have been wallpaper paste.
Closing the container, she put it in the fridge beside the chili and grabbed another from the fridge. After the first two, she was almost afraid to wonder what was inside this one. Praying it was something edible, she took off the lid and looked inside. From the chunks of beef and mix of vegetables, she decided it must be stew. She dipped the tip of her spoon in the brown liquid, then cautiously lifted it to her mouth. It wasn’t too spicy or too bland, but just right, and she let out a moan of pleasure. In fact, it was so delicious she wanted to eat the rest of it standing right there in front of the fridge, but she suspected it would taste even better if she heated it up. With that thought in mind, she stuck the container in the microwave and turned it on.
While she waited for it to cook, Goldie grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and took a long swallow as she looked around. She wondered who owned the cabin and when he might be back. The leftovers were obviously fresh, which implied he would probably be coming back soon. He might even be able to help her find her way out of the woods. If he wasn’t too angry about her breaking into the cabin, of course. She wasn’t too worried about that, though. She knew how to work a guy when she had to.
When the microwave dinged, she eagerly yanked open the door and took out the container, then sat down at the kitchen table to eat. She was right. The stew tasted even more delicious hot and she finished every bit of it.
Telling herself she’d wash out the container later, Goldie went into the living room and perused the bookshelf. Since it seemed like she was going to be spending the night, she might as well see if there was anything interesting to read. To her dismay, however, there was nothing but science fiction, spy thrillers, and mysteries, none of which were her thing. Crap, she’d been hoping to find a romance. Maybe there would be something better in the bookcase in the bedroom.
Goldie turned and headed toward the bedroom when the wood carvings on the mantel caught her eye. Curious, she walked over to take a closer look.
Three bears, each depicted doing something different. In the first one, the bear was standing in a river, fishing for salmon. She picked it up to take a clo
ser look. While it was nice, the carving was a little too crudely done for her taste. Setting it down, she picked up the second wood carving. The bear in this one had his paw stuck in a beehive looking for honey. Although the carving wasn’t as unsophisticated as the first bear, it didn’t have enough detail for her. She put it back and picked up the third bear, admiring it first from one direction, then another. Unlike the other bears, which were shown in their natural habitat, this bear was sitting in a chair, carving another little bear out of wood. She smiled. Finely carved and richly detailed right down to the look of concentration on the bear’s face, this one was just right. Whoever had carved it had obviously taken his time.
Still smiling, Goldie reached out to set it down on the mantle. She must have put it too close to the edge, though, because it fell off and hit the stone hearth before she could stop it. Chiding herself for being so clumsy, she bent down to pick it up and was horrified to see she’d broken one of the legs on the chair. She cringed as she carefully placed the carving back on the mantle, along with the chair leg. Something else she’d have to reimburse the owner of the cabin for, she supposed.
She stifled a yawn. Telling herself she should probably go to bed before she did any more damage, Goldie went into the bedroom and closed the door. She surveyed the three beds for a moment, wondering which one she should sleep in. Shrugging, she chose the one closest to the door, pulled down the blanket, then sat down on the edge to take off her boots and socks. When she was done, she climbed into bed, only to discover it was so soft she sank into the middle of it. Good heavens, she’d probably smother to death if she tried to sleep in the darn thing.
Thinking there was no way the other beds could be as mushy as the one she was currently in, Goldie got up and went to the one on the other side of the room. She pulled back the blanket and sat down on that one, then groaned. Where the other bed was too soft, this one was so hard she thought it might actually be made of concrete. She was tempted to check under the sheet to see if she was right, but changed her mind. She was way too tired to care.
Yawning, Goldie got up and walked around to the third bed. Hoping it was more comfortable than the first two, she threw back the blanket and sat down. Not too hard or too soft, this one was just right.
Letting out a sigh of contentment, she pulled up the blanket and snuggled into the pillow. As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped the owner of the cabin didn’t come back and find her sleeping in his bed. That would be really hard to explain.
* * * * *
Gregory shrugged into his shirt and buttoned it. If he’d been tired after chasing off those loggers, that was nothing compared to how exhausted he was now. Changing from a werebear into his human form took a lot out of him. He knew it did the same thing to Orson and Barrett. They probably shouldn’t have shapeshifted after working that double shift, but the urge to run through the forest was always too powerful to resist. A little exhaustion was a small price to pay for the high they experienced from channeling their inner grizzly bear, though.
As he got into his SUV, he couldn’t help but think back to when he’d first discovered he and his brothers were werebears. His mouth quirked at the memory as he started the engine.
He’d been fourteen when his father had sat him and his older brothers down for the talk. Figuring his father had been going to launch into the whole birds-and-bees routine, Gregory had been about to tell him Orson and Barrett had already filled him in, but to his surprise, his dad had told them a story about their great-great-great-grandfather Osborn Bauer.
According to Gregory’s father, Osborn had been one of the early settlers in what was now Oregon. While out hunting one day, he rescued a young Indian woman from a grizzly bear. She was so impressed with his bravery that to show her gratitude, she bestowed a gift on him, giving him the ability to shapeshift into the same animal he just courageously confronted. Since then, every male in the Bauer family had had the ability to shapeshift into a grizzly bear.
Gregory, Orson, and Barrett had thought their dad was full of it, of course. So, to convince them, he changed into a huge grizzly bear right then and there. Gregory and his brothers had been so shocked all they could do was stand there and stare at him. When their dad had finally changed back, they barraged him with questions, all of which he’d patiently answered.
Since they were older, Orson and Barrett had been able to change into werebears before Gregory, and by the time he was old enough, he couldn’t wait to experience it for himself. It had been as amazing as he had hoped. In fact, it was all his father could do to get him to change back into his human form. When he finally came down from the high after changing back, he was exhausted, starving, and horny as hell, all common side-effects of the transformation process.
It was the same, even after all these years. At that particular moment, he couldn’t figure out if he wanted to take a nap, eat a horse, or find a woman to fuck. Since he wasn’t currently seeing anyone, though, and there weren’t a lot of women roaming around in the woods, he’d have to forget about the sex part of the equation for tonight and settle for satisfying his other basic needs instead.
As he followed Barrett’s pickup down the winding access road, Gregory salivated over the thought of the leftover stew he’d stuck in the fridge earlier when he’d stopped by the cabin before going for a bear run. It was his favorite meal and he’d wanted to make sure he would have a big bowl waiting for him the moment he got back. He and his brothers hadn’t been at the cabin for a couple weeks, so they would need to make a food run tomorrow, but for tonight that stew would do just fine.
Gregory pulled his SUV alongside Barrett’s pickup in front of the cabin and cut the engine, then got out and headed for the front door. Halfway up the steps, however, he stopped when he saw the broken glass in the door. He stiffened, his werebear senses and years of police training taking over.
“What’s up?” Barrett asked from behind him.
Gregory shot his brother a quick look over his shoulder. “Someone broke in.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Orson climbed the steps to stand beside Barrett. His mouth tightened as he took in the door. “Shit.”
Gregory made no comment as he looked through the window and into the darkened cabin. In addition to his superior strength and agility, his night vision was as good in his human form as it was when he was a bear, and he could see the interior of the cabin as if there was a light on. It looked empty. That made sense, though. There wasn’t much of value in the cabin, which meant any intruder wasn’t likely to hang around for very long. But they would need to check anyway, just in case someone was hiding.
Glancing at Orson and Barrett over his shoulder, Gregory pulled his off-duty weapon and waited until they both did same, before he threw open the door.
Gregory stepped inside first, followed by Orson and Barrett. Since the cabin was small, there weren’t many places to hide in the main part of it, so a quick look around told him the living room and kitchen area were clear. He sniffed the air. Damn, that had to be the most feminine scent he’d ever smelled. He looked over at Orson and Barrett to see that they’d picked on the same scent and were already putting their weapons away. Gregory kept his out for now. Just because the intruder was a woman, that didn’t mean she wasn’t dangerous.
He scanned the cabin, checking to see if anything was missing. His dark eyes narrowed as he caught sight of the plastic container and half full bottle of water on the kitchen table. What the hell?
Frowning, he walked over to the table and discovered the plastic container was empty. It didn’t take a keen sense of smell to realize he was looking at what was left of the stew he’d been planning to devour. Dammit, what was he going to eat now?
“Someone’s been in my chili,” Orson said.
“My porridge, too,” Barrett added.
Gregory looked up to see that his brothers had come in the kitchen and were now standing by the counter. He wasn’t surprised the girl had passed up their food for his. Orson and Ba
rrett both had shitty taste in food. “Well at least you have something let to eat. That same someone ate my entire container of stew.”
Orson yanked open the fridge. “At least she didn’t drink our beer.”
“Do you think she’s still here?” Barrett asked.
“I can’t believe she’d be dumb enough to hang around, but I can tell you for a fact that the bedroom door was open when we left,” Gregory said.
Orson obviously figured out where Gregory was going with that, because he slammed the refrigerator door and headed toward the bedroom. On the way there, however, he took a detour over to the fireplace.
“Whoever she is, she messed with our woodcarvings, too.” He held up the bear Gregory had carved. “Looks like she broke the one you made.”
Gregory clenched his jaw. He could overlook the woman eating his whole bowl of stew, but that bear had taken him hours to carve. Shoving his gun back in its holster, he tossed the plastic container on the table and strode toward the bedroom. He didn’t bother to look at Orson and Barrett as he opened the door and walked in.
The moment he did, the feminine scent that hit him was so powerful and intoxicating, he immediately felt his cock begin to stiffen. Whoa. The woman was nowhere in sight, but he was sure she was still in there. And if her scent was any indication, then she was sexy as hell.
Gregory spotted the pair of hiking boots by Orson’s bed. He glanced at his brothers and jerked his head toward the boots. They both nodded.
He looked around the room again. It was obvious from the way the blankets had been pulled down that the girl had tried out all three beds before she found one she liked. And from the looks of it, she liked his bed the most. He let out a snort of disgust. Why wasn’t he surprised? She’d already eaten his stew and broken his woodcarving. Why not sleep in his bed, too?
“I think she was actually sleeping in my bed,” Orson said.
“You’re not the only one,” Barrett muttered. “She’s been in my bed, too.”
