Authors: Terry Bolryder
Big Sexy Bear (13 page)
Each second, each minute he considered it seemed to kill her.
It reminded her of those months when she’d stood on his porch, waiting for him to open the door. Heart full of foolish hope that everything could go back to the way it was. That all his promises of being together when he was done could really be fulfilled. Even though she knew he was successful, a hero, strong, and she was just that little baker from a small town in the middle of nowhere.
He never came to the door, and she’d grown colder each time she was forced to walk away unanswered.
But that wasn’t the last straw. Not even close.
Her jaw tightened at the memory of it. At least until then, she’d been able to tell herself he just wanted to be alone, that he was still recovering and probably nervous about seeing anyone. Maybe waiting for the scars to heal.
But no, that wasn’t the case. She’d pulled up and been about to park when she saw a beautiful, tall woman walk right in the front door. And that woman’s car had stayed there for weeks.
Damn it all. The memory was so painful that she got to her feet, ready to leave. This was a mistake. What was she thinking coming here anyway? He didn’t care about her anymore. He’d made that clear when he locked her out and let in another woman instead.
Although, after that woman had left, he showed up at her bakery, bold as brass, expecting her to crawl back like nothing happened.
Like she hadn’t cried over him for weeks. Like she hadn’t deserved so much more. So she’d rightfully told him she wanted nothing to do with him, as much as it felt like it cracked her in half to do so.
And the cold, expectant look he’d given her after that just confirmed what she already knew. He didn’t care about her anymore.
Just like he was calm now, even after learning she was in danger.
Her heart cracked at the thought of it, and she rushed for the door. She’d find another answer. Go to the police or something. Stay with a friend. This had all been stupid…
She was only halfway across the tile when a hard, steely hand gently caught her arm, stopping her. She looked up into gray eyes, smoldering in the semi-darkness.
“Where are you going?” he asked in a low voice that made tendrils of lust curl around her belly. She’d always loved that voice.
“Home,” she said. “It was stupid to come here. I don’t know what I was—”
To her surprise, he jerked her forward and caught her in his arms, crushing her against him. His lips came down on hers, and his tongue tasted faintly of smoke as it explored. His scent was of forest, of wilderness, of gunfire and frost. And home.
Her body melted against his even as she struggled to fight her own response to him. His tongue swept through her mouth, heating her blood to boiling with the memory of everything they’d shared.
He pulled back and pinned her with cold heat in his glare. “You’re mine,” he said, running his tongue along his full lower lip. “You came back to me, and you’re mine.”
Her jaw dropped. “No,” she said, pushing away. “No, I’m not yours. I just… This was a bad idea.” She made for the door again, but he strode in front of it, easily blocking her.
He folded his arms again, and the effect it had on his hulking shoulders and biceps made it hard to breathe, like the air in the room was thickening.
“Let me go,” she said, trying to go around him.
He shook his head.
She let out an exasperated sigh. “This doesn’t change anything. I didn’t come back here because I wanted to be with you. I just thought someone with your… skills would be useful.”
He clicked his tongue and tilted his head, dark hair swaying. “Oh, definitely useful.”
“But I should have known this would be awkward, and this was a mistake… I’ll ask someone else.”
That put darkness in his expression, and Cassie froze as she saw his features tighten. “Who?” he asked, taking a step forward. “Who would you ask, Cassie? One of your pretty town boys?”
She scoffed at the ridiculousness of it. She’d never turned him down for anyone else, though heaven knew there were men interested. John had always been the only one for her. And only him taking what they had so lightly, acting like it meant nothing, was able to make her move on.
“What happened, Cass?” he asked, using her old pet name, making her knees tremble. It was all too familiar, reminiscent of better times, romantic times. Times they’d been in love and sure the world couldn’t stop them.
But the world had.
“I don’t know,” she answered sadly. “Life happened.”
He slammed his hand into the door, anger overtaking him. “That’s not good enough,” he said. “It’s not good enough for either of us and we both know it. But fine. We aren’t getting back together. I accepted that, and I know you have.”
She nodded silently, tension gripping her.
“But I’ll be damned if I let anyone else protect you,” he said hoarsely. “That’s my job, always was.”
She nodded again, stunned by the force of sentiment in his words.
He took a step forward and then another. She could sense the history of their kiss lingering in the air, tempting her toward more. He closed the distance between them, thrilling her with that combination of cool danger and ardent passion that made her weak in the knees. He reached for her chin and tilted it up so she was forced to look into his eyes.
“But you look out, Cassie Peterson. Because I still want you. I accepted your decision, but I haven’t given up. I may be trapped in hell, but you’ve just come down to find me. And I’m not letting you go without a fight.”
She swallowed, frozen by his gaze, his possessive words. She could almost buy into it. Almost think everything could go back to how it was. Then the image of the other woman crossed her mind, and she slapped his hand away and stepped back. “Don’t touch me.”
He smirked and cocked his head to one side. “But you like it.”
“Be that as it may,” she said shakily, “don’t do this to me. Not again. I’m not going to fall in love with you again.” She’d never fallen out of love with him. That was why it all still hurt so much. But that was a minor technicality.
He raised a dark eyebrow, looking cool as ice. “I don’t know,” he said. “I guess we’ll see.” He leaned in, mocking her with a cold smile. “It can get awfully hot in hell sometimes.”
Then he laughed, an icy, dark sound that echoed as he opened the door and walked out to her car, his tall shape evident even in the darkness.
A
billionaire tech mogul
, a movie star, and an Olympic snowboarder come back to Bearstone Park and find unexpected but wonderful mates.
In a tiny tourist village outside Bearstone Park, three ex special forces soldiers who also just happen to be bear shifters will find the mates of their dreams.
#3 Coming Soon
A matchmaking papa bear sets his three bear shifter sons up with women on a Caribbean island.
Dragons work in pairs, the fire-breathing enforcers of the shifter world and rescuers of anyone in distress. And these sexy dragons are about to find mates:
Alpha Games Serial (Novellas with cliffhangers between volumes)
An alpha female returns home to the pack mates she left and finds herself choosing between three alpha males in this paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder
Alpha Games Boxed Set on sale for .99
An MMA fighting shifter meets his match in his exciting paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder.
Alpha Rogue Boxed Set on sale for .99
A average human woman finds out she’s a desirable female alpha and ends up in a mansion with ten possible suitors in this paranormal romance serial from Terry Bolryder.
Alpha Contender Boxed Set on sale for .99
When alpha wolf Thor finds an acquaintance on his doorstep needing his help, will he take the mysterious person in, or step aside?
*Stars Thor from Alpha Contender Series*
Three hot, wolf shifter brothers run a martial arts studio and divide their time between training to be the toughest around and winning over their sexy, independent mates. All in KU!
*Stars Asher from Alpha Contender Series*
T
hanks so much for reading
!
Terry