Bear-ly Human (Bear Claw Security Book 4) by Terry Bolryder Read Free Book Online Page A

his neck and onto his chest, pulling him back into a pleasant world he never wanted to leave. All reason and rational thought was quickly abandoning him. Traitors .
    “We won’t destroy each other as long as we’re together,” she said, running her hands over his shoulders as she continued to kiss.
    Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and flipped her beneath him. He pinned her hands over her head so she had to listen. He needed to explain things to her. Needed to convince her to stop this before he was no longer able.
    As he straddled her, trying to stay carefully above her, he felt everything inside him straining to be one with her.
    But he had to maintain control. He was a soldier, dammit. He could maintain control.
    “Hera,” he choked out. “What do you want from me?”
    “Not much,” she said huskily. “Just everything.” She struggled against his hands, wanting to touch him as much as he yearned to touch her.
    But if they started this again, everything would begin again. Fireworks would fly. Everything would rush ahead. It would definitely be easier to pretend to the others, but it would also make everything painful and complicated.
    “Hera, I can’t… tell you what I am.”
    “I know what you are,” she said. “You’re a man I love.”
    “You’ll be better with someone else,” he said.
    She shook her head wildly. “No. I won’t. I don’t care about your past. I don’t care about your secrets. You’re my mate.”
    He put a hand to her lips. What she said was too close to how he felt. But he couldn’t afford for either of them to talk like that.
    She pushed out from under his hand and bit her lip. “Hercules, what’s happening between us, just let it. Stop fighting.”
    “I have to fight, honey,” he said. “I have to fight for both of us.”
    She shook her head. “But you’re seeing my family. You’re seeing we can do it.”
    He sat back, looking at her in confusion. “Hera, you need to be honest with me. Right now. Do you really need protection? Your family seems amazing.” He moved off her and sat on the edge of the bed in defeat. “Why am I really here?”
    She scampered off the bed and knelt before him, forcing him to look into her eyes. “You’re here because I love you. Because I never stopped loving you.”
    The words hit him hard, shattering everything he’d tried to put together.
    “Give us one more chance,” she said, looking into his eyes.
    He wrapped a hand around her neck and brought her in for a kiss, his tongue sweeping through her mouth to take her deeply. When they pulled back, gasping, he pressed his forehead to hers.
    “I don’t know if I can.”
    “Then just give me this,” she said and took his mouth in another kiss. He sank into it this time, letting old emotions sweep through him. Letting his heart open up to her again.
    He pulled back and rubbed his thumb gently over her cheek. “We shouldn’t, Hera. It’s just going to make things complicated. Things ended before for a reason. We both know that.”
    “Then why did you even agree to come here?” she asked. “Why did you get my hopes up?”
    “Because I’m doing my duty.”
    Her lips turned down. “Your duty. Right. That’s all it is, obviously.”
    “Am I missing something here?” he asked. “You said you wanted me to come out and pretend to be your fiancé. I said fine to that. I didn’t say I would come out here and be with you again. That was never part of the bargain.”
    She blinked rapidly, tears lighting her eyes, and he pulled her against him. He didn’t want to hurt her; that was too much for him. He held her close, stroking a hand over her back. Then he pulled back and wiped tears off her cheeks.
    “Where’s my strong Hera?” he asked.
    “She’s been alone too long. Regretting losing you,” she answered.
    “We always knew it might not work out,” he said. “When I rushed into things with you, my logical mind knew I was crazy. But I didn’t care. This time I care.