Saved b ythe Bear by Stephanie Summers Read Free Book Online Page A

smack it just to hear the sound it’d make. They walked in silence for a while before coming upon a small cottage in the middle of the forest. Ryder opened the door and ushered her inside.
    The cottage consisted of one main room with a smaller room off to the side. There wasn’t much to it but a rather large bed, a couple of chairs, some shelves full of books, and a wood stove.
    “You live here or is this like a hunting cabin?”
    “I live here for the most part. I like to keep to myself.”
    “What are you? What was that man?” She slipped out of the sandals that had begun to dig blisters into her heels.
    Ryder walked over to a pile of clothes lying on the floor. He stepped into a garment and pulled it up over his legs and hips.
    Holy fuck, he’s wearing a kilt. She bit at her bottom lip as she looked him up and down. A spark of desire ignited deep inside her as she watched his masculine body move in the blue and black checkered kilt.
    “I’m a werebear. He was a werepanther. And if you don’t stop biting that lip of yours, Little Angel, I might have to do something about it.”
    “Oh?”
    He nodded and cocked his eyebrow. “Haven’t seen a woman out here in ages.”
    “What makes you think I’d let you do anything to me?”
    “I saw the way you were looking at my dick. You want it, and you want it bad, if I had to guess.”
    She did want him, though she tried to push the urge she had for him away. “Sorry. I only get down and dirty with humans, not bears.”
    “I am human... mostly. I just happen to have an extra quality that most don’t have.”
    “Why the kilt?”
    “It’s comfortable. You like it?”
    “Actually… I do. I’ve never seen a man wear one in person.”
    “Easy access.” His hand grazed the area between his legs where his cock was concealed before sitting. He patted the bed beside him. “You can come sit down if you like.”
    “Um, thanks, but I’ll just stand over here.” She glanced out the small window nervously. “Why do you call me that? Little Angel?”
    “Because you’re beautiful, and you’re wearing a flowing white dress like an angel.” He eyed her breasts threatening to pop out of the top of the white halter dress.
    “How long are we going to be here?”
    “Where else would we go?”
    “I thought you were helping me?”
    “I am, but it’s much safer for you to stay put for the time being, at least until he calls off the search for you. Why were you out there running anyway? You didn’t say.”
    “It’s a long story.”
    “We’ve got plenty of time.”
    Seraphina sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. I was given to Mr. Westerly’s son.”
    Ryder’s brows furrowed. “Given to him?”
    “Yes. My mother owed Mr. Westerly a debt she couldn’t pay, so when he came collecting, she gave me to him.”
    “Wait a sec. How old are you?”
    “Twenty-three.”
    “Why didn’t you just leave?”
    “Well, not all of us can shift into a giant scary bear when we’re threatened… He had a gun and threatened to kill me if I didn’t comply.”
    He dragged a big hand through his hair and looked down at the floor. “That’s seriously fucked up.”
    “Tell me about it. After I got there, he told me I’d be married to his son as soon as he returned from a summer trip to England. He came back about a month ago, and is one of the scariest bastards I’ve ever met. I mean, he’s not all that big, but he’s not right in the head. I would’ve been his fourth wife. Apparently, he likes to torture women until he’s finished with them, though he hadn’t really gotten started with me yet.”
    “How did you manage to get away?”
    “Every day they let me out into the garden for a little while so I could soak up some Vitamin D. I studied what the guards did when I was out there, and got a sense of how much they really watched me. I saw my chance to run, so I took it.”
    “I’m sorry that happened to you, Little Angel.”
    “Please don’t call me that.”
    “Why