Bear to the End (Bear Claw Security Book 5) by Terry Bolryder Read Free Book Online Page A

feared every time she did, she came a little bit closer to losing control.
    “Yes?” she asked innocently.
    “I think you might have a little crush on me, too,” he teased.
    She tried to scoff and turn away, but he gently caught her shoulders and turned her back.
    “If you tell me you don’t, I won’t ever bring it up again. I just feel such a connection with you. I might have imagined I saw something I didn’t. I know I scare you sometimes, but…”
    “You don’t scare me,” she said.
    “But this morning in the kitchen…”
    She snorted. “No, you scare me because sometimes when you touch me, I feel like the animal inside me is going to break loose and ravish you. And I don’t know if I’m ready for that. You know, the emotional part.”
    “But physically you like me?” His boyish lips curved into a one-sided grin.
    She felt her cheeks heat more. “Of course I do.” She folded her arms and turned away, and this time he let her. “You know I do,” she tossed over her shoulder.
    She heard a chuckle and cursed at her own transparency. She wanted him. Now that she knew where he stood and she’d told him of her own attraction, she could feel her body tingling, ready for him.
    Despite the danger of the day, despite the danger to her heart if she fell in love and got hurt again, for the first time in three years, intimacy seemed not only good, but nearly irresistible.
    “For now, let’s get you inside,” he said as a crack of thunder sounded. “Looks like it’s going to rain, and you can go take a nap while I update my boss and make dinner.”
    “Okay,” she said.
    He walked to her side of the car, opened the door, and helped her stand. When she wobbled slightly, he caught her up in his arms and easily carried her up the stairs to her apartment, only setting her down when they reached the door.
    She was amazed by how light and protected she felt in his arms. Damn, how was she ever going to get used to living without this man now that she’d experienced living with him?
    Hiring a bodyguard at Bear Claw Security was definitely dangerous.

Six
    M ark wanted to gather Char back up in his arms the moment he set her down. Her body had felt wonderful, and with her encapsulated against him, he’d felt like he could keep her safe from anything in the world.
    His bear was still roaring in agony that anyone had come even close to threatening his mate while he’d been away. Luckily, he’d been there in time, but he wouldn’t be lulled into false security again. He’d be by her side every second.
    Mating her would probably mean quitting Bear Claw and working at the shelter with her, but that was okay as long as they were together. He was kind of surprised how the right woman could make everything you saw for your life different, but it was a pleasant surprise.
    He was also happy he’d been able to tell her at least one bit of truth, that he was into her. Even if calling his feelings for her a crush was like calling a volcano a matchstick.
    “What are you feeling for dinner?” he asked.
    “Honestly, I’d like one of the frozen pizzas in the freezer, if that’s okay with you.” She fidgeted. “I’d kind of prefer if no one else came by today. Strangers, I mean.”
    He nodded. That made a lot of sense. He pulled open two of the pizza boxes, found her pans, and got things cooking. She was still quiet in a way that worried him.
    He caught her looking over at him in odd moments, like she didn’t know what to make of him.
    How did she really feel about him? Had she just felt awkward when he’d told her his feelings and had to say something back to be polite? That was the last thing he wanted.
    He needed to know just how she felt so he could know how to win her fully.
    When the pizza was cooking and the timer was on, he came over to sit on the floor at the foot of her couch. She was reading a magazine (or at least pretending to), and he didn’t want to bother her.
    She shut it and tossed it aside with a