Under a Bear Moon by Carrie S. Masek Read Free Book Online Page B

“Lynda?” he called.
    She waved. “Over here.”
    He walked up to her. Even without a jacket he looked comfortable. Lynda shivered.
    Greg put his arm around her shoulders and pull her toward him. “Cold?”
    It was like standing next to a wood burning stove. Lynda sighed and relaxed into the heat. “Not anymore.”
    “It's almost seven.” An apology colored Greg's words. “I've got to get home.”
    Lynda had hoped Greg would walk back to the auditorium with her. She stifled a sigh. She should've known better, Greg never went anywhere after dark. “I'll walk you,” she said. “It's only half a block.”
    Turning, they headed for the corner. They didn't say anything, didn't need to. A strange contentment fell over Lynda, and the feeling surprised her. Except for biology class, she had nothing in common with Greg. He didn't like science and he was afraid of dogs. He didn't even watch Bulls games.
    When they reached Greg's building, she felt his arm slip to her waist, felt his other arm wrap around her. “Thanks for the pizza,” he murmured.
    Nestled in the cocoon of his warmth, Lynda looked into Greg's eyes. They shimmered in the light from the doorway. She stopped thinking, stopped breathing. His lips parted, revealing broad, white teeth. His head dipped, and she tilted hers to the side. Before she felt his breath against her lips, Greg jerked back. “Gotta go.” He dropped his arms and tore past her into the building.
    “What?”
    Lynda spun and watched Greg's back disappear up the stairs. She looked up and froze. A huge shadow loomed in the window overhead. An enormous man had been watching them.
    Unable to make out his face against the bright back-ground, Lynda saw him raise his arm and jerk down a heavy, black shade. The light from the window vanished as if he'd thrown a switch. He pulled two more shades, cutting off her sight of the apartment. Lynda stared at the shades until she realized she was trembling. Rubbing her hands quickly over her arms, Lynda turned and ran all the way back to school.

Interlude

    THE NIGHT was crisp and clear. Walking through the park west of the University, he pretended he was home, wandering his familiar woods. Stepping through drifts of fallen leaves felt different from padding on a carpet of pine needles, but the musty crunch each step raised helped hide the noise and stench of the city.
    The lake-driven wind picked up. It blew the drifts into whirlwinds around his feet and revealed a mouse huddled at the base of a nearby oak. He made a game of chasing the mouse through the leaves until an enticing fragrance caught his attention.
    He raised his head, sniffed, and smiled. Then he glanced up at the crescent moon and realized it was late, too late for her to be out alone. Forgetting the mouse, he trotted toward the park's boundary. He didn't know where she was headed, but he could follow her scent and see her safely home.

Chapter 6

    THURSDAY AFTER school, Lynda was at her locker collecting her books, when she heard Greg call her name. Because of a series of dissection labs, Lynda hadn't seen him since the pizza party. Surprised by how much she'd missed him, Lynda looked up and waved. “Hi, Greg. Done for the day?”
    He strode down the hallway toward her with his backpack slung over his shoulder. In his jeans and denim jacket, he looked like a Levi's commercial. Dropping the pack at his feet, Greg leaned against the bank of lockers on the opposite wall and stifled a yawn. “Guess so. Don't have much to do now that rehearsals are over.”
    Lynda smiled. “You could always go home and take a nap. You look sleepy.”
    “I need to get to bed earlier.” Greg yawned again. “Have any plans for this afternoon? We could go to the library and study.”
    Lynda shoved her books into her backpack. “I'd like that, but not today. Dr. Lopez is expecting me at the animal shelter.”
    Greg's smile wilted.
    Lynda zipped up her parka. “We can get together tomorrow, if you want. It's