Did she realize Reid was cut from the same cloth? He was no less domineering with his women than Nolan. Possibly even more so. It was one of the things they had in common. It made him smile inside.
Damn, this was fucked up.
He could concede and go to her, but that idea still didn’t seem like the best path.
She exhaled slowly and inched forward.
Thank God.
Her body was shaking when she stepped into his personal space.
He reached out, wrapped his hands around her biceps, and tugged her the last few inches until she was pressed against his chest. Closing his eyes to commit this moment to memory, he wrapped his arms around her body and lowered his face to her hair. The floral scent of her shampoo combined with her personal pheromones called to him like a siren.
Home.
There was no doubt in his mind she was his. His heart beat too fast.
After a few seconds, she released her crossed arms, closed the gap, and flattened more fully against him. Her small hands eased up his back as she hugged him fiercely. Her deep inhales told him she was also processing their connection. “It’s so powerful,” she whispered against his chest.
“Yes.”
“Why is this happening?”
“I don’t know.” If only he had the answer to that question.
He wanted to kiss her senseless. Toss her on the bed and climb over her to stake his claim on her body and her soul. But that wouldn’t be fair to anyone. Confusing her further would do no good. It wasn’t as if he needed to taste her in order to be more certain. There was no doubt in his mind.
And he sure couldn’t sleep with her.
Did Reid also know she was a virgin? Surely not. The fact that she’d told him had been a random coincidence. He was sure she didn’t run around announcing anything of the sort to other people. In fact, he reminded himself, she’d specifically told him he was the only person who knew that about her.
It occurred to him that he hadn’t returned the favor. He owed her a secret.
He rubbed his hands up and down her back while he considered his next words carefully. Nothing came to mind that was tangible. Instead, he gave her the next best thing, a glimpse into his vulnerable side. “I’m scared out of my mind, Adriana.”
“Me too.” The words caught in her throat, choked out as she tipped her head back and set her chin on his chest. Her expression was pained and so serious.
They needed to lighten the somber mood. They couldn’t stand there all day shrouded in sadness as if someone had died. “Let’s take a step back. Get to know each other. Pretend like we’re normal humans on a blind date.”
She smiled. “I’d like that.”
“I should call Reid. Tell him to come back.”
She shook her head, shocking him. “No. I’ll talk to him later. Let this be your afternoon.”
He held her at arm’s length, seeking her eyes for information. She was an open book. She didn’t have secrets.
“Reid and I have never dated the same woman before.”
Her smile broadened. “Well, I’ve never dated two men at once either.”
“How many men have you dated?” he asked as he took her hand and led her back to the living room area.
“Not many. Enough to know this is different.”
He lowered onto the couch, pulling her down beside him. “Talk to me about this new degree you’re pursuing. Why did you change your mind?”
She twisted around in the corner of the couch and tucked her legs up under her. She even pulled off her sweater.
That last part might have been a mistake since her tight, fitted, white T-shirt drew his attention to her chest, but he forced himself to keep his gaze on her eyes as they lit up. Her career change excited her.
“When I got my computer science degree, I guess I was doing what everyone expected of me. Everyone expected me to fall in line and work for the family brewery.” She shrugged. “It didn’t occur to me that I might like to do something different.”
“And fashion? When did that come into the picture?” He was trying to imagine her in a designer gown or runway dress. Something didn’t quite add up. Yes, he’d seen several pictures of her in fashionable attire on social media, but the woman in front of him was not superficial.
She must have read his mind because she answered the unasked question. “It’s not so much myself. I’m not high maintenance or anything. Don’t get the wrong idea. It’s more that I have vision. I like to dress other people. I have an instinct when it comes to knowing what will suit someone. I used to change my Barbies’ clothes all day long. I even made them different dresses when I couldn’t find what I wanted at the store.”
She lit up further while she spoke, and her passion was palpable. He loved it. At some point, he had angled his body to the side, drawing one knee up to face her. With the hand he’d draped over the back of the couch, he reached forward to pick up a lock of her hair. So soft.
He hadn’t meant to interrupt her, but she leaned into his touch, her eyes sliding shut. “What about you. Why accounting?”
He chuckled. “I have no exciting tale to tell about that. I was good at math, so I took the obvious route. While you were playing with Barbies, I was lining up numbers I guess.”
“Who’s the bigger geek?”
“It’s a tossup.” He grinned. Damn, he really liked her.
For a long time, he simply stared at her, soaking in her beauty, the flush on her cheeks that replaced the chill she’d had earlier.
“Now what do we do?” she asked.
“I have no idea. I wish I could say the right thing, but I don’t know what it is. You need to leave here with Reid. Please don’t argue with me on this. He has a condo not too far from campus. Stay with him. He’s a professional bodyguard. Nothing will happen to you in his care.”
“You’re sure about that?” She lifted a brow.
It took him a second to catch her meaning. Words got stuck in his throat. He took a moment to regroup, and then he sighed. “I’ll admit, I’m probably going to lose my shit when you leave. But the police are surely going to pick up my client this afternoon, and then I’m really going to be hiding. Even if it means losing you, I need to know you’re safe at all times.”
She didn’t move.
“Please, Adriana. Do this for me.”
“Leave here with your best friend? A man I’m clearly also connected to? That’s what you want? I’d almost be willing to go back to your original plan of staying with your parents at this point. This is so jacked up.”
He forced another smile. “But you’re right. If this guy decides to go after me, he’ll do anything to find me. I don’t want him to know I have anyone important in my life. Stay with Reid. Stay away from my parents and my sisters. Pretend you never met me.”
A tear slid down her face. “I don’t know how long we can keep this weird…triangle going.”
“That’s why I’m not asking you to. Follow your heart. If it leads you to Reid, do it. He’s a great guy.”
She shook her head. “He said exactly the same thing about you.”
Nolan smiled. “Not surprising.” He eased his hand from her hair to the back of her neck. “Do what feels right. I swear I will never fault you for whatever choice you make. You deserve happiness. If that means I have to let you go, it will be okay.”
Another tear. She wiped it away.
“No tears, baby.” His voice dipped too low. Too soft. His heart squeezed tight. “Will you do one thing for me?”
She nodded.
“Let me kiss you.” He glanced at her lips as she licked them. When she drew the corner of the bottom one between her teeth, he leaned forward.
She released her lip, her mouth falling open. And then she closed the last few inches to set her lips over his.
His eyes slid closed even though he had wanted to watch her expression. He couldn’t help it. He needed to go inside his head more. Feel every sensation. Store it for later…or for
ever. So soft. Gentle.
He tipped her head to one side and traced the seam of her lips with his tongue until she opened for him. When she let him inside, her hands grabbed his waist. Her fingers dug into his hips through his jeans, desperation evident in her grip.
His cock jumped to attention, but he ignored it, lifted his other hand to cup her cheek, and deepened the kiss. He tasted every inch of her mouth, devouring her. This kiss might have to last him a lifetime. He would never forget it.
Adriana Tarben was his. No matter what happened after she left this hotel suite, he would always know she had been his at least for one day.
Later, if she bound herself to Reid, would he know it immediately? Would something sever between them, breaking the connection? Would he bolt awake in the night and know she was no longer his?
He didn’t know the answers to any of those questions, but he would have to take this gift, cherish it, and let her go.
And pray Fate knew what She was doing.
Chapter Seven
Reid did his best to keep his focus on the road and not on the woman next to him. He kept two hands on the steering wheel and held it with a death grip, causing his fingers to ache before he pulled the SUV into the Osborns’ driveway.
Adriana hadn’t said much, and she’d spent the majority of the trip staring out the passenger window with her arms crossed, closed off from him.
He knew he needed to give her space, and since physical space wasn’t possible, he would do his best to give her all the emotional distance she needed. For now.
When he turned off the engine, she faced him finally. “Thank you.”
“For what?” He furrowed his brow.
“For letting me have some time. For agreeing to let me move in with you when I’m sure it’s the last thing you want to do today.”
He flinched. “Adriana, that’s not true. I’m humbled that you’re willing to come with me. You’re the most important person in my life, having moved to that spot this morning without warning and before I even knew you existed. I promise to do everything in my power to make sure you’re comfortable and happy. We’re going to ride this train together. You’re not alone.”
She nodded, though he was pretty sure she swallowed back tears. Finally, she sat up straighter and took a breath. “I’ll pack as quickly as I can.”
He reached across and grabbed her hand before she could open the door. “There’s no rush. I’m going to talk to Stanton and Oleta while you do what you need.”
She cringed. “I don’t even know them. They seem so nice. I can’t believe I just met them yesterday and today I have to dump this insanity on their laps.”
“You don’t have to dump anything. I’ll do it. You pack.”
“That’s not fair to you. I should be with you at least.”
He shook his head. She was exhausted. He knew she hadn’t slept well last night, and she had stepped into a different dimension in less than twenty-four hours. All three of them had. The least he could do was take some of her burden off her plate. “I’ve known them for over a decade. They’re like parents to me with mine living on the other side of the country. None of this is your fault, nor is it your problem alone.”
She nodded consent again. He didn’t get the feeling she usually liked to relinquish control over her world so easily. He sensed a fighter under the exhaustion. The fact that she would move in with him told him she was feeling defeated. Worn out.
When he’d come back to the hotel suite half an hour ago, he’d exchanged a shit-ton of information with Nolan, both verbally and silently. Adriana had encouraged them to communicate. She’d offered to wait in the hallway or the bedroom.
They had both adamantly declined the suggestion, and they had intentionally not shared very much behind her back. It didn’t seem fair. Life was super unfair today.
Nolan had stared Reid hard in the eyes as they were leaving, however, gripping his arm tightly. “This will not tear us apart. I refuse to allow it to. Keep her safe. Do whatever feels right.”
Reid had swallowed hard, nodding at his friend. “You know I will. You also know you’re like a brother to me, and I will not destroy that bond for any reason.”
“Reid?” Her sweet voice shook him from his thoughts. “Shall we go inside?”
“Yes.” He jumped down from the SUV, rounded the hood, and opened her door. Nerves forced him to take deep breaths.
Half of him was shitting bullets, worrying about how he would tell Nolan’s parents something they weren’t expecting to hear. Half of him was hoping the two adults could be of some help. Maybe they knew of someone else this had happened to. Maybe they could shed some light on the insanity.
Reid had been close to them for over a third of his life. The fact that something could threaten that relationship drove him crazy.
Stanton opened the front door before they stepped onto the porch. He held it open wide, ushering them inside with a wave of his hand. “How did it go?” He directed his question at Adriana.
She pursed her lips.
Reid cleared his throat. “Adriana’s going to stay with me for a while. Let’s sit down in the kitchen and talk while she packs.”
Stanton nodded, though it was obvious from his furrowed brow that he was concerned.
His mate stood behind him. She tucked her hand under his elbow and leaned into his shoulder. “I’ll make coffee.”
Ten minutes later, the three of them were sitting at the table sipping hot coffee, while Adriana had disappeared into Nolan’s childhood room to gather her belongings.
She wasn’t comfortable with the arrangement, however, which she kept telling Reid silently. “I should be with you.”
“You should pack.”
“I feel like I’m hiding.”
“And I feel like I’m protecting you. Nolan agrees. Pack.” Did she growl at him when he issued that command?
“Talk to us,” Stanton stated.
Reid took a deep breath. “Something strange has happened, and I don’t know what to make of it. I’m hoping you can help.”
Oleta leaned forward. “What is it? Are you okay?”
Reid nodded. “Nothing like that.”
“Let’s hear what he has to say, hon.” Stanton took his mate’s hand and squeezed it.
“Somehow, Fate has lost Her sense of humor, or She’s not playing with a full deck today, because it would seem that Adriana is as connected to me as she is to Nolan.”
Oleta’s mouth opened, but she hesitated before speaking. “What do you mean?”
“I mean when I stepped into your house this morning, I knew she was mine as strongly as Nolan knew the exact same thing last night.”
Oleta gasped. She set a hand on her throat and glanced at her mate. “Is that possible?”
Stanton continued to look at Reid. “What does Adriana say?”
“She feels an equal pull toward both of us.”
Stanton nodded slowly. He set his free hand over his mate’s, holding her steady with both hands, sandwiching hers tightly. “That is a problem.”
“Yes. Have you ever heard of such a thing?”
“No. I can’t say that I have. Not among grizzlies anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Reid cocked his head to one side.
“It’s happened among the wolves. Lots of them.”
“We don’t have any wolf shifters around here,” Reid pointed out.
“Right, but there are several packs of them in Montana. And in Oregon. Paige’s mate, Wyatt Arthur, met them a while back while he was in the States helping them make sense of their unusual weather patterns. He and his brother, Isaiah, spent quite a bit of time there.”
“Arthur… That’s one of the families that owns a brewery in Silvertip, right?”
“Yes. I’m sure he would be happy to fill you in on the details of how binding works among the wolves if you ask him. I don’t know enough about it to speak, but Wyatt is knowledgeable.”
“I feel bad that I haven’t met Wyat
t yet. He and Paige completed the binding months ago. It’s inexcusable.” He wasn’t kidding. He did feel bad about the oversight.
Stanton smiled. “You’ve been on a lengthy assignment. We’ve been out of the country. Paige was in Silvertip when they decided to bind. They’ve been there ever since. It’s not like you were intentionally avoiding them.”
Reid smiled. “Good point. They were here last night, weren’t they?”
“Yes, but they went back to Silvertip this morning. Early. I’ll give you Wyatt’s number.”
Oleta spoke next. “What are you planning to do? I mean the three of you. Nolan must be out of his mind.”
“Yes. I’m sure he’ll call you later. He was…”
“I understand.” Stanton sighed.
Oleta twisted to face the hallway. “Poor Addy. How is she doing?”
“She’s upset. Confused. Stressed. You name it.” Addy… For some reason the name didn’t suit her. Not in his mind anyway.
“She doesn’t want to stay here with us?” Oleta suggested.
Reid faced her. “The three of us hashed out every possible short-term solution, but the reality is you’re safer without her under your roof, and she’s safer if no one ever finds out she has a connection to Nolan. That’s why he called me in the first place. He asked me to keep Adriana safe, and that’s what I intend to do. Not going to try and tell you this isn’t complicated, but it’s what Nolan wants.”
“What does Adriana want?” Oleta asked, using her full name.
Adriana appeared at the entrance to the kitchen, dropping a backpack on the floor and then rubbing her arms. “Adriana wants to go back in time and find something else to do last night so that she never met either Nolan or Reid yet. There’s some mix up with the powers that be.”
Oleta released her mate’s arm and pushed from the table. Seconds later she was across the room, enveloping Adriana in a hug. “I’m so sorry, you sweet, dear girl. What a mess. You must be exhausted and wrung out.” She released Adriana’s body to grab her biceps and hold her at arm’s length.
Grizzly Perfection: A Paranormal Shifter Menage Romance (Arcadian Bears Book 6) Page 7
