The Playboy Bear's Baby: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance by Marlie Monroe Read Free Book Online Page B

dishes.
    “I’m just going to pop these on the grill with the
meat.”
    She followed him outside and looked around while he
head toward a stainless steel propane grill on one side of the patio. There was
a modest smoky glass table and matching gray wicker furniture with thick, plush
cushions. The grass was cut short and lush green bushes were planted against
the back of the house. Trees towered over the border of the property.
    Gray closed the lid on the grill. “What would you
like to drink? I have water, milk, lemonade or soda.”
    “Lemonade sounds good, if it’s not too much
trouble.”
    “Not at all. Make yourself comfortable while I go
grab the drinks.”
    She pulled out one of the chairs and sat down. She
tilted her head back and closed her eyes, letting the sunshine warm her face.
The savory smell of their lunch wafted over to her on a soft breeze. Her mouth
watered and her stomach growled.
    “You weren’t kidding about being hungry.”
    Mara’s eyes snapped open. She jerked her head up
and watched Gray set a pitcher of lemonade and two glasses full of ice on the
table. “The food smells good.”
    “It should be done soon. That’s one of the great
things about grilling. Everything cooks fast.” He filled both their glasses,
then pulled out the chair opposite her and took a seat.
    She reached for hers and took a sip. “This is good.
Thanks.”
    “You’re welcome.”
    They made small talk until Gray got up to check on
the food and deemed it ready. He pulled everything off the grill and carried it
over to the table on serving platters. For the next few minutes they ate and
enjoyed the beautiful weather.
    When Mara had her fill, she dropped her cloth
napkin beside the empty plate in front of her and sat back against the ornate
wrought iron chair. “You know, I wasn’t sure what to expect when you invited me
over to your house for dinner, but lunch was really delicious.”
    Gray smiled at her across the patio table. “I’m
glad you enjoyed it. There are a few more sausages if you want more.” He popped
a forkful of grilled kielbasa, peppers, and onions into his mouth and chewed.
    “No way. I couldn’t eat another bite.” Everything
had tasted so good, she’d managed to pack away an impressive amount of food.
She’d forgotten how much better things tasted when cooked on a grill.
    “Are you sure? I picked up a fresh apple pie from
the bakery for dessert and have some slow churned vanilla ice cream in the
freezer to go with it.”
    She groaned, already able to taste the warm flaky
crust, tart apple, and creamy ice cream. “That sounds mouth-watering. I might
be persuaded to share dessert with you in a little while.”
    “Good. I’d hate to have to eat all that pie by
myself.” He winked at her and used a napkin to wipe his mouth. “So, are you the
kind of person who naps after a big meal or walks it off?”
    “Usually the latter. What about you?”
    “The same. If you’re interested, we can take a walk
around the property. Maybe by the time we get back, we’ll be ready for
dessert.”
    “Okay. Let’s go for a walk.” She could stand to
work off a few of the calories anyway. If she didn’t start getting a little
more exercise, then she was going to balloon up like an inflatable pool toy.
Since she was already a little on the plump side, her doctor had requested she
try not to gain more than twenty to twenty-five pounds during her pregnancy. So
far she hadn’t gained anything, but that was mostly due to the intermittent nausea.
The second she started feeling better, she had a feeling it would be much
harder to rein in her appetite.
    Gray stood and held his hand out to help her up.
She took his hand and rose to her feet. Hand in hand, they walked across the
yard toward the trees. As they got closer, she noticed they were headed toward
a well worn path leading into the forest. “Do the trees mark the beginning of
National Forest land?”
    “No. I own around fifty acres, give or take