Mending the Bear by Vanessa Devereaux Read Free Book Online Page A

face
when he’d asked if she wanted him to kiss her again.
    “I was about to say that I don’t usually
do that sort of thing,” she said, finally responding to his remark about
wanting a goodnight kiss.
    “You don’t kiss men?”
    “That’s not what I meant and I think you
know it.”
    Yeah, lots of fun to tease and he liked
it.
    “How about women?” he asked, loving every
minute he was spending with her.
    “And I didn’t mean that, either. Yes, I
kiss men, but not ones I don’t know.”
    “I introduced myself to you the other
day.”
    “Are you like this with everyone? Wait, on
second thoughts, I shouldn’t be asking you questions because you ask questions
back and we’re going around in circles.”
    “Guilty,” he said, raising his palm.
“Guess it’s part of my charm.”
    “You really think a lot of yourself, don’t
you?”
    Ian grinned, knowing she’d fallen into her
own trap “Oops, another question. How about I ask you one?”
    “Sure, go ahead,” Eve said.
    “How about grabbing something to eat with
me at the Starlight Café?”
    Since he and Joanne had broken up, one
thing he’d hated the most was eating by himself.
    “Hannah’s restaurant?” Eve asked.
    “That’s the one.”
    Eve looked at her watch. He was expecting
her to say no, but she didn’t.
    “I am hungry and actually feel too tired
to cook when I get home, so yes, I’d love to try out Hannah’s place.”
    “My motorbike awaits you,” he said,
stepping aside to show her the second love of his life. Well now that Joanne
was gone, it had inched up a notch.
    “Me get on a bike, no, no way,” Eve said.
    “You don’t like motorcycles?”
    “I can’t stand them. Danger traps. Had a
buddy at school who lost her leg when she rode on the back of her boyfriend’s
cycle. He flipped it on its side while showing off.”
    “I can assure you I never show off while
I’m on my bike. Well, at least not while I have a passenger.”
    “No, you just cover people with mud.”
    “Okay, the other day I was a little
reckless, but I can assure you I’ll be the best biker in the world when you’re
on the back of it.”
    Eve shook her head. “I’d rather walk there
naked.”
    The image of her doing just that, made his
cock twitch. She didn’t like bikes and that was a major problem. How would he
ride by Joanne with Eve clinging to him, without her getting onto the bike?
    He’d have to slowly sweet talk her into
taking a spin with him.
    “How about I follow you there in my car?” Eve
asked.
    That was better than nothing. “Okay, I’ll
see you at Hannah’s.”
    Ian zipped up his jacket and climbed on
his bike while watching Eve get into her car and start the ignition. He started
his own, gave a few revs, and the pulled out of the lot.
    He checked his mirror and could see her
behind him. He’d get her on the bike and soon. He could imagine her arms
wrapped tightly around him, her head resting on his back as they rode along
together.
    Just for making
Joanne jealous, of course. There was no way he was getting back into the dating
game.
    The strip mall housing the Starlight Café
along with the craft store, run by the two cougar shifters came into view. What
was it with cougars wanting to run stores with their siblings?
    He pulled into the lot, turned off the
bike, got off, and knocked out the kick stand just as Eve turned into the spot
behind him.
    “Do you eat here often?” Eve asked him as
he opened the door for her.
    “A couple of times a week. The food is
some of the best around.”
    The place was busier than he’d expected.
He immediately recognized a few fellow shifters. Aiden and Charlotte Renner and
their daughter Bridgit sat at table by the window and
waved to him as he led Eve inside. He waved back.
    Hannah walked out to greet them. “Hi Ian,
and nice to see you again, Eve. How’s the ankle?”
    “Feeling a lot better,” Eve said.
    “Good to hear, and table for two?”
    Ian nodded as Hannah led them over to