“I could let them know when we cleared an area of kids. Where it was okay to spray.”
Admiration shone in Luna’s eyes, and Jason felt an odd twist in his gut. Bear shifters had brute force on their side. They were on the front line. Bullet catchers. Used for on the ground military maneuvers when the government didn’t want to risk their fully human soldiers.
Jason wondered if Luna’s eyes would shine with as much admiration when she got around to interviewing him. Or would she look at him in horror when she realized the monster he had been? Absently, Jason rubbed the area over his heart where the twisty feeling ended.
“Yo, Jace, do you need another case of beer?”
Jason looked up at his boss, Cree.
“Yeah, thanks, boss. I’ll get that on ice.”
Jason’s bear didn’t like the other males being so close to her. Didn’t like her encouraging smiles or the way she giggled when one of them told her a joke. Jason knew his bear was being irrational but didn’t seem to be able to stop the thorn in the paw feeling.
DeShawn entered the bar for his appointment with a cocksure stroll. Jason watched the other man with wary eyes. Would he behave? Or would he need to knock some sense into the younger man? The fingers of Jason’s left hand itched to form a fist.
“Have a seat,” Luna said with a smile. Something on her face tightened when Cree walked past her. Almost like she held her breath. Jason shook his head. He must be mistaken.
“How old were you and what kind of animal did you receive?” Luna asked, beginning with her starter questions.
“I was nineteen,” DeShawn explained. He patted his left shoulder. “I was in for three years when I took a bullet for my country.”
Luna’s eyebrows raised to encourage him to talk while Jason rolled his eyes in disgust. Shifters healed fast as fuck. How bad could the wound have been?
DeShawn unbuttoned his flannel shirt, exposing a large scar over his clavicle. “There was an explosion. Took a three-foot splinter of wood through my shoulder.”
Jason frowned as he took in the striations of muscle beneath scar tissue. Luna reached across the table to gently touch the skin. This time both Jason and his bear felt the low stirrings of envy. He wanted to see Luna’s hands on his skin, not DeShawn’s.
“That must have been so painful. How long did it take you to heal?”
“Over a year,” DeShawn said. “After the first nine months, they transferred me to the Shifter Veteran’s Hospital in Nashville. I passed through Silver Fells. Met up with Cree. And I guess the rest is history.”
Cree passed by the table and paused when he heard his name. “Don’t let him kid you, Miss Flowers,” he said, his eyes roving over the two. “I didn’t want another stinking bear in my neighborhood.”
Luna shrunk back, and every protective instinct in Jason’s body clamored in response. Jason leaped over the bar in an easy hurdle. Luna’s grey eyes met his in a desperate bid.
“What’s this about too many bears?” Jason asked, not so subtly inserting himself between Cree and Luna. He didn’t know what was going on just that he was called to protect his woman.
Luna stood up to get out of the booth and hid in Jason’s shadow. He felt her tremble as her eyes darted from him to Cree to DeShawn.
Cree snorted. “Way too many bears but at least some of you are good for drinking and serving up drinks.”
Jason opened his mouth to give Cree some shit but stilled when Luna placed her hand on his forearm.
“Wait. You’re a bear shifter, too?” Luna asked, gaze sharpening as she focused back on DeShawn. She gazed between DeShawn and Jason. “Weren’t you calling Jason a bear as though it was a dirty word?”
DeShawn snorted as he slid out of the booth, too. “I’m an Ussuri brown bear. He’s just a stinking Kodiak.”
Luna gasped. The Kodiak was the biggest of the brown bear family. Bigger than the grizzly and almost as big as a polar bear.
“I can still take you, can’t I?” Jason asked, nudging Luna behind him in order to protect her.
“Knock it off, both of you,” Cree said. He reached across the table to grab the dirty glasses. “Did you want to interview me for your blog?” When he stood back up, he knocked Luna’s bag to the floor.
Jason tried to catch it, but it fell faster than his reflexes. Luna’s money, a few pens, and several photographs spilled out. Ignoring the cash, Luna fell to her knees in an absolute panic to grab the pictures before anyone else could see them.
“What’s this?” Cree asked, finding one last photograph lodged in a crack at the base of the banquette.
“Nothing,” Luna said, grabbing at the picture Cree held.
Jason frowned at the panic in her voice. Whatever was in those pictures, she was frantic to hide them.
“No, I think I recognize this,” Cree began, frowning and tilting his head as though running through his database of familiar faces.
Jason pulled the photo out of Cree’s hands. “It’s Luna’s.” His voice was deliberate. Final.
“I need to go.” Luna stuffed the things back in her bag without care. Her hands shook, and every pore seemed to demand freedom.
“I’ll walk you to your car.” Keeping his body between Luna and Cree, Jason got his mate out of the bar. She took a calming breath as soon as she was out in the open. “What’s going on?”
Grey eyes darted to meet his. “On? Nothing. Why?”
“You seem tense.” Jason tapped a long finger against the bag she clutched like a Victorian-era woman holding her pearls. “And something is up with this bag.”
She looked at her small feet encased in worn canvas. “Nothing is going on.”
Jason was quiet as he opened the door for her. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“I. What?”
“You didn’t interview me.” He jerked his head towards the bar. “I was on your schedule, too.”
“Oh. Yeah. You were.” Luna started the car and took a deep breath. She nodded, wisps of hair pulling from the loose twist she wore. “Uh. What time?”
“I’ll be up at eleven. Wear jeans. Boots if you have them.”
“Boots?” She blinked at him as though she’d never heard the word before.
Jason bent down and brushed a kiss against her forehead. “I’m going to take you up the mountain to the waterfall for a picnic.”
“A picnic,” she repeated.
Jason tilted her chin, his eyes never leaving hers. “A date,” he clarified.
Chapter Five
Luna
Just what did you wear on an ATV date, Luna wondered as she stared at the meager contents of her closet. She was a practical woman. From Maine for crying out loud. She shouldn’t be this frantic.
But the inner girly part of her wanted to wear a long boho-chic skirt and ruffly top with loud bangly bracelets. Which of course, she didn’t pack for the brief visit to North Carolina. And naturally, her practical side was telling her to wear jeans and boots. Plus, a jacket to protect her arms. All of which were also back in her apartment in Portland.
Luna glanced at the time on her phone for the third time in an hour. She was expecting Tamara, Cree’s mate, any moment. She and Tamara had the same sized shoe, apparently, and she was lending them to Luna for this date. Interview. Whatever it was.
She didn’t want to become friends with any of the women of Silver Fells, but they were making it hard to keep her walls up. She especially didn’t want Cree’s mate to spend much time with her. Hiding in plain sight was the lynchpin of her plan. Once Cree figured out who she was, Nana’s search for closure would be put in jeopardy.
Luna heard Tamara pull up and went to open the door.
“Hey, chicklet!” Tamara greeted, brown eyes smiling. “These are a size six but should fit well enough for an afternoon on the trails.”
Manners demanded that Luna invite Tamara inside but instead, Luna closed the cabin door and sat on the patio to try on the boots. “They look great,” she said, enthusiasm starti
ng to sink in. She had a date! With the sexiest shifter she’d ever met!
“How’s the article going?”
“Really well,” Luna said, feeling her eyes light up with excitement. “I’ve got teasers up. My Twitter is going nuts with retweets. And I picked up another twenty thousand readers. I’m hoping to be at two million followers when we finish this up.”
“Two million? Is that like. Kardashian numbers?”
Luna snorted with laughter. “No, they have like fifty million followers. I doubt I’ll ever be that big. But if we can get the Marriage Equality Act pushed through the state legislature here in North Carolina hopefully, other states will follow suit.”
“Are there other towns? Like this?”
“A few. There’s a trainer with the Brawlers. He has a gym in the mid-west somewhere.”
Tamara’s eyes lit with her smile. “Are they single? I’m sure your readers will love to read about them!”
Luna giggled. “I tried! The coach is very protective.”
“Like Quinn,” Tamara said. “He took Creole in when he first arrived in Silver Fells. Well, Quinn and the owner of the Leopard. Nick something.” Tamara frowned. “I think that’s the name Creole uses. It’s been a while since we’ve talked about it.”
Luna froze at the mention of the name. Act naturally, she reminded herself. She cast around frantically looking for a safe topic to switch the conversation. “And there’s a small town in northern Maine called Shifter Island. There’s a population of about nine hundred people. Most of them have been following me since the beginning.”
“Is that how you. You know? Got started caring about shifters?”
Luna dropped her eyes, realizing she was heading into territory she wasn’t completely comfortable talking about. “Kind of. Yeah. And through my Nana.” Luna had a strict “no lying policy” and hated that she was tapdancing so close to the edge of it. If you had to clarify that you didn’t technically lie, it was still a lie.
She stood up and changed the subject. “These are really great boots. They look almost new. My feet should be completely safe. Thanks, again!”
Tamara blinked at her sudden movements. “Oh. You’re welcome. If you need anything else while you’re here, just ask. One of us is bound to have it.” She bit her lip and looked away. “Do you know what you’re getting into? I mean, Jason is really intimidating.”
“I think so. I hope so.” Luna studied the laces of her borrowed boots for a little longer than was strictly necessary. “He’s actually quite sweet and not really all that intimidating.”
Tamara grinned, long blonde hair blowing in a gentle mountain breeze. “Interesting.”
Luna stilled. “What is?”
“Just you know. Jason Fox is well over six feet tall. He towers over all the other shifters. His shoulders are as wide as a baseball bat. He beat the crap out of DeShawn for licking you.” Tamara shuddered as if the idea was repugnant. “He’s training with one of the original Bear Knuckled Brawlers so he can start fighting in cage matches. You don’t even come up to his mid-chest and yet you think he’s sweet.” Tamara snorted at the concept.
Luna bristled at Tamara’s remarks. “He’s sweet with me.” She thought about his tenderness putting her sneakers on the night of the wedding.
“I’m glad,” Tamara said with a smile. “He deserves someone like you in his life. Just. Don’t hurt him, okay?”
The two women looked at each other for a long moment before dissolving into a fit of giggles. Both recognized the absurdity of the situation. Each in their own way were trying to protect a man that could tear up a grizzly bear if he chose.
For the first time, it occurred to Luna that maybe she could trust the people of Silver Fells. They may even be able to help her in her pursuit of information leading to the location of her grandfather.
But once again, Luna was pulled up against the iron will of her Nana’s wishes. If Nicholas Lowell was out there somewhere, watching them, she didn’t want him scared off. Grandfather Lowell had been running since coming home from Vietnam.
Making a mental note to call Nana after her date, Luna took a relaxing breath. Maybe Lacey was right. Maybe there was magic here in the Little Yellow cabin in the woods.
“Sounds like Jason is on his way,” Tamara said. She gave Luna a hug. “I’ll head out. Have fun.” Tamara climbed into her Jeep just as Jason pulled in. She nodded to the bear shifter before heading out.
Luna walked over to him as Jason parked his truck. “Hey,” she said, feeling suddenly shy.
“Nice boots,” Jason commented with a wink. “I won’t have to come to Cinderella’s rescue again?”
Luna laughed, feeling something near her heart loosen in response to his teasing. “No high heels allowed for tackling a four-wheeler.”
Jason lowered the tailgate and pulled out the ramp. “Did you borrow them from Tamara?”
“Yeah, that’s why she was here.” Luna watched with hungry eyes as the muscles in Jason’s back and arms flexed with his movements. Like a well-muscled lead dancer in a ballet, he performed each motion with smooth ease.
“Can you grab the cooler from the cab?” he asked as he finished rolling the ATV onto the ground.
Luna blinked, realizing she’d been staring. Blushing hotly, especially when Jason only grinned at her, she jogged over to the passenger door to get the cooler. “Oof, did you pack enough food?” she teased when she picked it up.
“I’m a growing boy,” Jason responded. He easily took the cooler from her and strapped it to the back with a bungee cord. “You ready?”
Luna looked down at herself. Jeans, boots, and a T-shirt. “Let me just get a hoodie or something. In case I get cold.”
And as she walked back to the cabin, she was acutely aware of Jason watching her walk.
Jason
Every cell in Jason’s body wanted to charge into the cabin after Luna and make sure she never got cold again. He knew that was wrong, though. If he followed her into the cabin, they might never go on their picnic.
Jason remembered back before he’d given up trying to find a mate. Women were intrigued by his size and strength. They would flirt and tease him, trailing the tips of their nails along his skin. He’d hated the way they felt free to touch him. Even his bear, usually a big goofball where women were concerned, had recoiled.
Everything felt different with Luna. He was still afraid of breaking her because he knew he wasn’t good with little things. But hope, that cruel mistress, had blossomed and showed no signs of slowing down. Maybe, just maybe, Luna was resilient enough to handle a six-foot, seven-inch bear shifter.
His breath caught when she bounced off the front porch. Young and lithe, she darted like a petite gazelle. Jason knew he should feel like a monster for what he wanted to do, how he wanted to love on her. But as her pink lips tilted into a smile and a delicate flush filled her cheeks, Jason knew that if hell lay beyond her kiss, he would pack his bags and go. Gladly.
“All set?
Luna’s cheeks pinkened, and Jason couldn’t help blurting out. “What are you thinking about?”
Her pretty grey eyes opened a little wider. “I. Um. Well, I was thinking how exciting it was to see the mountains like this. How much I enjoy being with you.” If anything, her entire face turned a dark mottled purple with embarrassment.
“Breathe,” he said.
She giggled nervously. “What?”
“Your cheeks got bright red. Don’t forget to breathe.”
Luna dropped her head into her hands. “Ugh. Can we go before I humiliate myself any further?
Jason chuckled and started up the four-wheeler while Luna secured the chin strap on her helmet.
“What are those?” she asked, pointing to what he had in his hands.
“Oh, they’re earplugs. I should have an extra set in the glove box if you need them.” Jason tugged on one ear. “They don’t tell you when you’re eighteen that your hearing gets better. So much so that common noise can cause som
e hearing loss.”
Luna frowned, and Jason wondered if that tidbit of information was going to be in her next blog entry. “These are the kind for concerts and stuff?”
He nodded. “Yeah, I wear them at the bar, too. Helps filter out the music and lets me hear orders.” Jason ducked his head, a little bashful. “Sometimes bear senses are more work than you’d think.”
Her eyes narrowed with interest as he finished inserting the earplugs and straddled the machine. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easily. I have more questions for you.”
Jason laughed. “Wouldn’t dream of the idea that my Cinderella would let me off so easily.” The words rolled off his tongue.
“Am I?” she asked, lips opening in surprise.
Jason frowned, tilted his head and ran through his words. “Are you what?”
Luna leaned forward as though she were connected by a gossamer thread to him. “Am I your Cinderella?”
Jason touched her lips. “Yes,” he said before dropping the face shield over her eyes.
He put on his own helmet while Luna settled into the saddle behind him. “Ready?” he called over the sound of the engine.
Eyes lit with excitement, Luna nodded.
Her small body was an enticement to him. And while tiny, she was all womanly curves and sultry desire.
Jason released the parking brake and flipped it into gear. He slowly pressed on the throttle, grinning when his sensitive ears picked up Luna’s squeal of surprise seconds before her arms tightened around his middle.
Right where they belonged.
It was an easy ride to his favorite picnic site. They could have driven there in his truck, but it was more fun to feel the wind against his body and his mate’s body pressed to his back.
Chapter Six
Luna
“I can’t believe I’ve never been on a four-wheeler before,” Luna said as she climbed off the back. Aliveness coursed through every cell. Whether that was because she’d just spent the last forty-five minutes traveling over the wilds of Maxwell Mountain or because she spent those minutes pressed against the hottest man she’d ever met, she didn’t know. She guessed it was probably both.
Interview with her Bear (Shifter Special Forces Book 6) Page 4
