“Yeah,” he said, holding the doors open again, the consummate gentleman. She guessed this was how he acted with most people who weren’t teasing him and ruffling his feathers. Classy, polite.
Boring. Where was the fun in it?
Well, part of it was watching his taut butt in front of her as they walked into the parking garage, his tall body alert and aware as he made sure it was safe before gesturing for her to follow.
“You usually head out earlier than this,” he said.
“I like working on programming in the evenings,” she said. “I just take jobs like this so I can afford my fancy equipment.”
She flashed him a grin, and he returned it mildly. She sighed, wondering if she was relieved he was acting so comfortable or if she just wanted to figure out a way to pull him out of his shell again, see the sexually virile, teasing, aggressive, and easily irritated Bronson she often saw.
They walked toward a dark car parked next to the door, a Dodge Charger. A powerful but efficient choice. Sporty but also low key. He opened the door for her, and she slid inside onto the buttery seat.
“Nice,” she said, looking around.
“Thanks. It does the job,” he returned politely, buckling up and waiting for her to do the same.
“So I’m sorry I went poking my nose around in your business,” she said as he started the car and the engine purred.
“No big deal,” he said. “Just don’t bring it up again. I’m touchy about it.” His half smile said he was joking, but she wasn’t sure.
“Okay,” she said. “Nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Really?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as they stopped at a stop sign just out of the garage. “So you didn’t judge me at all when you found out, thinking I was just born with a silver spoon up my ass?”
“You were born with a silver spoon up your ass,” she said. “It just happens to be a very nice ass.”
He raised a thick, dark-blond eyebrow at her and then grinned. “Thanks. Glad you noticed.”
“Hard not to. You’re huge.”
He flexed his arm and palmed the wheel with his other hand. “Works great in the bodyguard business.”
“So you like being the muscle? Being basically a bullet shield?”
“Being useful,” he corrected her. “I like being useful. I was raised to think I was better than anyone around me, and I hated it. I like to think it’s a little bit of economic justice, me putting my life on the line for others.”
“People who can afford it,” she said, not liking how much she admired him for what he’d said.
“Not when I was in the army,” he said. “It’s not a money thing to me. If someone comes in and they can’t pay, or I hear about a friend of a friend in trouble, I’ll help out. I don’t discriminate.” He gave her a knowing, teasing look. “Not even with sassy, nosy hackers.”
“Meh,” she said. “You’re too good to be true.” She gave him a sidelong glance. “I just don’t trust you yet.”
He shrugged. “Your prerogative.”
She pulled out her phone to check messages, and he turned on the radio, listening to a hard rock station as they drove. She was amused to see him bobbing his head and tapping his fingers to the music.
But only minutes later, they were pulling up to her place, and he was staring up at it slack jawed, both hands draped over the wheel as he leaned over to look at it.
“Yeah, that’s not going to work,” he said, shaking his head. He ran a hand through his blond hair and leaned back. “I know you aren’t going to like this, but you’re going to have to come to my place.”
She looked at the brown brick four-plex. Hers was the top right apartment. They were old but pretty nice inside. No cockroaches. It was in an older part of the small town where she lived, but the landlord did a good job keeping them up. And the rent wasn’t too high.
Besides, she’d rather spend her money on computer stuff than fancy living quarters.
“What, not fancy enough for you, highness?” she asked, feeling slightly defensive of the way he was scowling at her house.
“It’s not that,” he said. “Though, now I worry if I take you to my place, you’re just going to scoff at it.”
“Maybe,” she said. “Depends if it’s fancy and snobby pants like you.”
“I’m not a snobby pants,” he said quietly. “Whatever that is. Anyway, the issue here is I would need to install a lot of security equipment to feel like we were safe here, and you’d need landlord permission, and even if he or she gives it, it’s gonna take time and cause some damage.”
She sighed. “I didn’t think of that. Why didn’t we just go to your house in the first place, then?”
“I assumed you would be more comfortable, seeing as you seem to think I’m some kind of predator waiting to jump you.”
He had it all wrong. She feared she was the predator waiting to jump him. She needed him to be the strong one.
She needed to not beg.
The problem was, as he helped her go inside and gather her things, she was already starting to want to.
* * *
“Is that everything you need?” Bronson asked when she appeared at the front door with her duffle packed and a backpack slung over her back.
“Yup, for now. I may think of something later,” she said, walking past him and sending a longing glance at her computer setup. “Gonna miss it, though.”
“Hopefully we’ll figure it out soon,” he said, taking her bags from her and not allowing any protest about it. “If they turn up again, I’ll go after them.”
She felt that pesky flush moving up her cheeks again. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” he said, looking slightly affected as well but moving out of the way so they could go down the stairs and back to his car.
“So where’s your home?” she asked.
“Back in the direction of the business,” he said. “I like living close by.”
“Ah.”
“So tell me about you,” he prompted, trying to cut through the awkwardness.
“Not much to say,” she said.
“You mean not much you want to say,” he replied.
“Yeah, same thing,” she said.
He let out a chuckle and turned up the radio again, leaving her to her own thoughts.
They turned down several streets and passed numerous swathes of forests interspersed with old buildings. It was just starting to turn to evening, and the light was bright as it flared between the trees.
They turned onto a road that led down a cul de sac and followed it to the end of the road, where there was a house with a forest behind it.
The house was fairly new, built within the past couple years. It was light gray with interesting stonework. Several stories, traditional-looking with some modern touches. The yard was nicely landscaped.
It was the classic picket fence situation, with some upgrades. It was also huge. At least by her standards.
She gaped at it as he turned off the car and pulled her stuff out of the back. “This is your house? It’s nice.”
“And here comes the teasing,” he said, opening her door for her and leading the way up the front walk.
“No. It’s not what I expected,” she said. “It’s… nice.”
“So you said.” He offered her a wry smile. “I’m glad you think so. If you’re going to be imprisoned, you might as well be comfortable.”
“Please,” she said, standing on the porch as he undid the lock and opened the door. “I’m not imprisoned.”
“You’ve been acting like it,” he said, turning on the lights and disarming the alarm. When the door was closed, he set it again.
“I’m sorry,” she said, taking her backpack from him. “I’m really independent. Some people might see it as a flaw, but it’s just how I’ve survived.”
She looked around her. The floors were hardwood, but the stairs were carpeted down the center with a plush, cream runner.
The furnishings were simple b
ut high end. A small dining room and then a kitchen down the hall. The living room had a large TV mounted over a huge custom fireplace with rocks around it.
There was carpet in that room, too. Everything was taken care of, from the drapes in a silvery blue to the couches in light gray.
Despite the coolness of the colors, it felt light, homey.
“Really not what I expected,” she said, eyeing the man in the suit who was now a bigger mystery than before.
He gave her a half smile, flashing an adorable dimple. He had a great jaw, straight and masculine so you just wanted to run your finger along it. “What did you expect?”
“I don’t know. Mahogany furniture and a smoky study? Super masculine?”
He laughed and led the way into the kitchen, setting her stuff on a stool that stuck out from the island. “Well, I plan to have a mate here someday. I tried to pick something that would impress her. After all, with this mug, it’s going to take some persuasion to get her to say yes.”
Suddenly, she saw it. A vision of what it would be like, life with this handsome man in this perfect, beautiful house. It was hard to breathe it seemed so perfect.
But she’d had the picket fence dream. Before her dad left. After that, everything had just felt that much bleaker.
“Well, she’ll be a lucky woman,” she said, only half meaning it. She envied the potential woman for being able to actually hope for something good like that, not for the life she would have.
But Regan liked her life as it was. She really did.
She sat on one of the stools and looked at the beautiful view from the kitchen windows. Deep-green forest and land all around.
“Beautiful,” she said. And then her stomach let out a loud growl.
Bronson laughed and opened the fridge. “I’ll make something.”
“You can cook, too?” she asked. “Damn, why have I been wasting my time teasing you when I could have had you cooking for me?”
“You don’t cook?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’m a chronic takeout lover. Cooking isn’t my thing.”
“What about all this?” he asked, pointing to the house. “You looking to have a mate someday?”
There was an extra question in his beautiful sky-blue eyes, something she couldn’t make out. Or wasn’t sure if it was really there.
“No,” she said offhandedly. “Never. Not for me.”
His eyebrows rose as he pulled something out of the fridge and pulled back plastic wrap. He dished some of whatever it was onto two plates and stuck the first in the microwave.
A meaty, deliciously rich smell hit her nose. “What is that?”
“Lasagna,” he said. “Made it yesterday.”
“Oh, that smells amazing,” she said as he passed a plate and fork to her.
He waited for a moment, as if to see her reaction.
“Oh, that’s so good,” she said, letting the cheeses melt over her tongue. “Maybe I’ll end up begging after all.”
He stood up a little taller, broad shoulders spreading as he looked down at her. Then he shook his head and prepared his plate. When it was done, he sat on a stool next to her, looking way too big for it.
“You okay there?” she asked. “We can move to the table.”
“Nah, I like these,” he said, turning on his slightly. “Spinny.”
She laughed. “I guess I misunderstood you a bit, didn’t I?”
“The player thing?” He chewed his food. “I’m used to it. With this bod…”
She laughed. “Are you, though?”
“What?” he asked.
“A player.”
He shook his head. “I don’t have time, honestly.”
“So you would if you could?”
He grinned wryly. “I didn’t say that.”
“It was implied.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” he said. “I want the picket fence. The little mate. The house. The whole shebang.”
“Hm,” she said. “All men say that at the start.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I don’t know,” she said, waving her fork. “Let’s just eat.”
“All right,” he said, and then it was awkwardly quiet again, just the sound of them chewing.
When they were done, he stood and stretched. “Come on. I’ll show you where you’re sleeping.”
“Not where you’re sleeping, right?” she asked, looking up at him.
He put a hand on the counter and came closer. The tension between them that had been building since they’d left the office was so tight it was ready to snap.
She nearly stopped breathing but forced herself to keep going.
“Why?” he asked. “You don’t want to share a room?”
She shook her head vigorously, and he smiled, his eyes hooded and sexy as he tilted his head.
He reached out to put a finger under her chin, tilting her gaze to his. Her whole body tingled.
Yes.
No.
“The way you’ve been looking at me all night makes me think you want me to break my promise,” he said quietly.
She swallowed. He was right. It was far too easy picturing him naked now that she didn’t have her food or the fear of imminent danger to distract her.
He was the best-looking man she’d ever seen.
But…
“I don’t want you to break your promise,” she said.
His lids lowered slightly, and he let out a breath that caressed her shoulders with soft whispers. “Good, because I’m not the type that would ever do it.”
Then he pulled back. “Come on. I’ll show you your room.”
Her legs were shaky as she followed him up the stairs. Ugh, she wanted him. Now that she was full of his amazing cooking and in his amazing house, she couldn’t see any reason why she shouldn’t just get down and beg him now.
The stupid bear inside her was ready to mate.
But the scared human knew it wasn’t possible. She needed to stay distant in order to survive.
He showed her to the end of the hall to a beautifully appointed bedroom. “There are fresh towels in the shower. Anything else you need, you know where to find me.”
She nodded, pressing her lips together.
“Oh, and, Regan?” he asked, his hand on the door handle, his huge, masculine body taking up all the doorframe.
“Yes?” she choked out.
“All you gotta do is beg,” he said. Then he was out with a quick, rakish wink, leaving her furious and horny all at the same time.
She felt the two sides of her warring against each other. Then she ran after him and grabbed the back of his shirt, yanking him back in shock.
He looked at her with surprised eyes, blond hair ruffled, slightly off balance. “What?”
She took a deep breath. Perhaps she couldn’t do the whole commitment thing. But perhaps if she gave her bear just this much, the animal inside her would shut up and let her think. Let her find a way to get back to her old life.
If she just gave it a night with this handsome male bear. Something she’d been wanting and denying herself since the moment she met him.
“I, um…”
“Yes?” he asked, folding his arms and tilting his head cockily.
“I, um… am begging.”
He looked genuinely shocked by that. “Seriously?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Really, really?”
“Dammit, now I’m regretting this,” she said, her face flaming as she turned away.
He caught her by the arms and spun her up against the door, so quick but so gentle it was like being caught in a whirlwind.
He stroked her hair back from her face. “Don’t regret it,” he said.
“Don’t make me regret it,” she replied, already wondering if it was a mistake as he leaned down, his lips heading for her neck.
As he touched the skin there and her whole body sighed in relief, she forgot to worry about regretting it.
Sh
e felt like she’d never regret anything less in her life.
Chapter 4
Bronson held her against the door, their bodies so close he could feel her heat, her need, the softness of her breasts brushing against his chest as one hand held her side and the other cupped the small of her back.
He placed a single kiss at the base of her neck, and she let out a soft moan. It was so quiet it was almost a whisper yet so satisfying it lit his desire for her like a furnace, burning for this woman more than he had any other person in his entire life.
Regan would be all his.
Even if it were for just one night.
Caging her in tighter, his lips caressed and kissed over her neck, and her hands found his back as her body responded to him. He moved to her ear, then to her cheek as the flood of pent-up sexual tension that had building between since the first time they’d met started to pour out from behind the dam of his self-control.
Something about her changed all the rules.
Unexpectedly, Regan jumped off the ground and wrapped her legs around his waist, and Bronson’s grip moved instinctively to hold her soft, generous ass that had been teasing him too long. Glad to be gifted with large hands, he squeezed as he moved her into the bedroom, kicking the door shut behind him as he went.
In response, Regan arched back, revealing her delicious neck again and the swell of her breasts beneath her tank top. Her gaze came back to his, and the fire in her eyes told him they both had the same thought.
Suddenly, the bed across the room was just too far.
Both of them ravenous, like nomads in the desert stumbling upon an oasis at the same time, Regan pulled off the shirt as Bronson undid the clasp of her bra. As the clothing flew off, he stepped to the cherry wood dresser next to them, setting her on it and sending a small clock tumbling to the floor as his hungry hands found the exposed flesh of her chest.
Her breasts were so perfect, large and round with nipples he could almost hear calling to him, begging for his mouth.
The more firmly he squeezed, the more tightly her legs pressed into his sides, the more her body arched against the wall behind them, making Bronson harder with each passing second.
They were a flurry of motion, her hands searching, exploring his body as his thumbs pressed into her nipples, making her scream lightly for just a second. Then, still cupping her breasts with his hands, his tongue came over her nipples, first licking, then sucking hard on them as she gasped from the intensity of it.
Bear to the Rescue (Bear Claw Security Book 3) Page 3
