his chest.
“You fancy me a bee and yourself a flower, but flowers are delicate and their petals are frail. You’re no flower, Vera. You’re a thistle instead.”
Vera opened her eyes and frowned at the white shower curtain. “What do you mean?”
Rubbing his chin over the top of her hair, he murmured, “Beautiful but dangerous.”
Huh. Tobias might not know a lot about woman, but he sure knew enough about her. One day with the man, and he’d gifted her with the most meaningful compliment anyone had ever given her. He’d rewarded her for holding the serious conversation instead of skittering away from it.
And suddenly, Tobias felt like the dangerous one because, slowly but surely, her heart was tethering itself to him.
Tobias Silver wasn’t just some mate for hire anymore.
Now, he had the power to hurt her.
Chapter Five
“I can’t believe how much you can eat,” Vera joked.
Tobias’s lips turned up in an answering smile as he pulled a pillow from the bed and dropped it onto the pallet he’d made on the floor.
She was snuggled in the bed with the low noise of the television in the background. She’d been itching to watch TV, but when she was around Tobias, he somehow commanded all her attention. “Are you nesting?” she asked, more curious than ever about the nature of bear shifters.
“No, I’m just making a place to sleep.”
“So you don’t normally prefer to sleep on the floor?”
“Nope.”
“I get cold easily, and you have the air conditioner set at arctic temperatures.”
Tobias sighed, hands on his hips. “Say what you want. I’m shit at hints.”
“If you insist on it being thirty-two degrees in here, the least you can do is give me your body heat. Sleep beside me, McBeefcake.”
“That’s a bad idea.”
“It’s definitely not.”
“Vera, you just came off the island, and our situation is really unusual. I don’t want to rush a physical relationship with you.”
She scrunched up her nose. “I’m in heat.”
“I can tell.”
“I have needs.”
“You’ve been rubbing yourself on me like a needy cat all night.”
“Me-ow.”
“Vera.” He narrowed his eyes and gave her a hard look.
She pouted. “Fine, I won’t seduce you. But I’m serious about not being able to sleep when it’s this cold. I need you.”
Tobias’s pupils contracted to pinpoints, and he froze.
“Sorry. I don’t know why I said that last part.” It was true, but she hadn’t meant to admit it out loud. Not yet. Backpedaling from the uncomfortable mistake, she rushed out, “It’s just that we had such a good dinner, and we talked about your family and what hibernation is like for you, and I felt all close. Too close, I get that. It just feels like I’ve known you for a long time and—”
“That’s the bite talking.”
“What?”
“You haven’t been a shifter for long. What, three years? A claiming mark makes things foggy. Confusing. You’re feeling a bond based on instinct, Vera. Our animals have chosen each other, but we need to give our human sides time to catch up, okay?”
Vera pulled the comforter up higher under her chin and nodded. “Okay.”
“Goodnight, Vera.” Tobias clicked off the light and rustled around in the dark, settling onto his make-shift bed.
“G’night.” Vera sighed and stared at the dark ceiling. The town wasn’t a big one, but there was still light pollution and street noise that made everything seem a little overwhelming. Sure, she would get used to it all in time, but this was night one out of the wilderness, and she was feeling a little adrift. And cold. Really cold. She clenched her teeth together so they wouldn’t chatter.
Okay, Tobias had slammed on the breaks. Dinner had been amazing, and he’d even rested his boot against hers under the table as they talked and ate. He’d even let her try everything on his plate without getting territorial. It was one of those dates that made her draw up and think, this could be something
Adele Huxley, Savan Robbins