Bear Cop: BBW Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance by Zoe Chant Read Free Book Online

time the telephone rang after that, I was terrified that someone called because they had recognized me.” She hesitated a moment. “My name was Eve Connolly.”
    “Connolly.” Chris made a thoughtful sound. “Eve, if you want... I can ask around. I've still got friends in the city too. It's not right that you have to hide like this. That's not justice, living your life in fear even though you've done no wrong.”
    Eve swallowed again. It felt like there was something stuck in her throat, a huge mass of grief and fear that wouldn't let her breathe.
    This is what I’ve carried around with myself for years, she thought suddenly. She'd become so used to it that she hadn't even realized what a crushing burden this fear had become.
    “Would you really do that for me?” she whispered, barely able to believe what he had offered.
    After so many years, life without fear seemed impossible. And yet, she wanted it more than anything. A normal life. A real life, with a real home and no secrets. And someone who believed in her.
    “Of course,” he murmured. “Of course I would, Eve. Perhaps we can get the case re-opened. You can get closure. I don't want you to be afraid anymore. You never deserved that.”
    Distantly, Eve realized that tears were running down her face. She raised a hand to wipe at them until Chris drew her into his arms, his thumbs very carefully brushing the tears away. Then his lips were on hers, warm and gentle. A moment later the fishing line was forgotten as he pulled her onto his lap and she wrapped her arms around him.
    I love him , she thought as warmth spread deep inside her, filling that place that had been home to nothing but fear and emptiness for so many years.
    I love him; I really, really do. There would be no more secrets. She would never have to lie to anyone ever again.
    She pressed herself against him, sighing when his hand slid up to cup her breast. His thumb brushed against her hardened nipple. She gasped, the tears forgotten as all of a sudden a new heat sprung up in her—and then there was a loud splash. Water rained down on them, and they nearly tumbled from the rock into the creek as the largest trout she had ever seen flopped angrily in the shallow water, fighting the pull of their line.
     

Chapter Three
     
     
    With their lunch secured, they set to work together once more. They opened all the shutters, aired the bedding, looked through cupboards once more, and Chris, who’d eyed the small pile of rapidly dwindling firewood, had grabbed an axe that had rested in a corner, and had in less than an hour produced enough kindling to last them through a few more days.
    While Eve cooked some of the pasta they had found, he made his way back down to where the bridge had washed away. The message he had scratched into the stone was still there, white against the dark concrete, but so far, there had been no sight of any rescue team. Just to make certain that their message wouldn't be overlooked, he fetched an old towel from the hut—a somewhat bleached red that he hoped would still attract attention if someone came this way—and tied it to a tree that grew next to the last standing pillar of the bridge.
    It’s strange, he thought as he made his way back to their cabin. He actually wouldn’t mind if it took them another day or two to find them. They had everything they needed; it was like a little vacation.
    Of course, there were people worrying about them right now.
    Chris sighed and looked up at the sky. Once they had searched the roads, they’d send out a helicopter. With the fire they had going, and the damage to the bridge that had to be visible even from above, they should be hard to miss.
    Still, he couldn’t help the way his heart beat just a little bit faster as he stepped back into the hut. One more night. All he asked for was one more night with her.
    He had planned to tell Eve about the bear when they went out to the creek this morning. But then her own confession had come. How