Lumberjack Werebear (Saw Bears Book 1) by T. S. Joyce Read Free Book Online Page A

heavy bags and walked her to her car, chatting about the weather and how it was supposed to rain tomorrow. She thanked him, and he tipped his ball cap and went on his way, but she stood there for a minute, watching him leave. That was the first time anyone had offered to help her with her bags, and he was a complete stranger.
    She looked down Bridge Avenue and smiled at the hustle and bustle of the town’s residents after getting off work. A number of restaurants seemed to be drawing in the crowds, but even the busiest passersby nodded their heads in greeting. She liked this place. Everyone seemed friendly. This was different from the city where she sometimes felt like a number in the masses.
    She locked up her car and jogged across the street to a small grocery store. She’d been too stubborn to beg breakfast off Connor this morning, and now she was starving. Intending to fully stock the small swing-door pantry in 1010 and fill the fridge, she pulled the door open and grabbed a cart.
    Shopping on an empty stomach was a terrible idea. She wanted every food she passed by. The basket was already half full by the time she stopped in front of the cold cuts in the back.
    Steak, yes.
    Pork chops, absolutely.
    Bacon? Hell yes to that. She had a craving, and it involved copious amounts of the savory strips of meat.
    Someone ran into her cart with theirs, and the sound of metal on metal nearly made her jump out of her skin.
    “Hey there, stranger,” Tagan said through a cocky grin. “Fancy meeting you here.”
    His bright blue eyes held her trapped, her body locked against any movement. He’d filled her mind all day, but was the last person she’d expected to see here. “H-hi.”
    His grin deepened. “You planning on eating all that bacon yourself?”
    She stifled a smile, because really the man shouldn’t be encouraged. “Are you judging my groceries?”
    “You don’t want to cook bacon in a trailer.”
    “I want a BLT.”
    “What’s that?” he asked, leaning on the front handle of his cart. His muscles looked yummy all flexed like that, and when his T-shirt stretched farther up his arm, a small tendril of ink was exposed on his tricep. A tattoo? Dammit, she was a sucker for those.
    “Brooke? You okay?”
    With a monumental effort, she dragged her gaze back to his and cleared her throat. “I’m fine.” Except her voice had gone up an octave. She cleared her throat again and tried to mentally stifle the burning heat that was creeping up her neck. “Bacon, lettuce, and tomato.”
    His dark eyebrows drew down. “Pardon?”
    “A BLT. It’s a bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich. Put them on some toasted bread with mayo and bingo bango, magic in your mouth.”
    His eyes dipped to her lips, and the heat in her cheeks flamed hotter.
    A knowing smile crooked those sexy lips of his, and he pulled his attention back to the refrigerated shelf of meat. The grin slowly faded. “I have to tell you something.”
    “Okay.” That sounded foreboding.
    “I saw those paintings you did this morning.”
    Horror slammed into her middle. Gripping the bar of her cart, she gritted her teeth to stifle the urge to verbally filet him right here in front of the meandering shoppers. “You had no right to go into my place.”
    “Yeah, I did,” he said, the humor gone from his voice. “I thought maybe you left. I was making sure your stuff was still in there.”
    His tone sounded hurt, and her ready insults froze on her tongue.
    “Now, listen before you get on me, woman. I’m not good at talking, and I don’t say the right things most of the time, so bear with me. That’s not all I wanted to tell you.” He stopped, searching her eyes like he didn’t know how to go on.
    “What else, then?” she asked, scared of what he would say but too curious to let him go without attempting.
    “I’m proud of you.”
    Whatever she’d thought was going to come out of that man’s mouth, that wasn’t it. “What? Why?”
    He drew up close to