The BEARly Reluctant Grizzly (Bear Clan 4)

I didn’t know if I liked the way I felt. But I pushed it off to this being a new experience, that I was out of my element, and all the things that went with that.

After putting the Jeep in park and cutting the engine, I climbed out and headed to the back, opening the passenger door and grabbing my backpack. I had all my writing stuff in it: laptop, notepads and pens, and an inspiration trifold mini-board that I used for my current work in progress.

I then lifted a box with some food—canned goods, boxed foods, and other nonperishables. I needed to head to th

e grocery store in town and get some actual stuff, some healthy stuff. Fruits and vegetables, and the essentials: coffee, wine, and chocolate.

I adjusted the backpack on my shoulder and made my way inside. I took the few steps it required to get on the porch, one of the things about the cabin that needed a major overhaul. In fact, I wanted an entire wraparound deck; that way I could get all the angles of the house and scenery, even look at the creek and hear it trickling down the mountain as I wrote.

I held the box between my arm and body and reached out to open the screen door. It was rickety and squeaked as I pulled on it. The main door was already open, and I stepped inside, the musty scent of the house not having been aired out for a while, with an underlying hint of pine, filling my head.

I heard the sound of a tape measure being opened and snapped back in place.

Opened and snapped back in place.

I couldn’t see Asher, but I felt this nervousness start to fill me. I walked into the kitchen and set the box and my backpack on the breakfast island. I turned and faced the living room and really looked around, taking in my new home.

This was the first time I’d actually been here, that I’d actually stepped inside my new cabin and looked around. Buying this place seemed so spur of the moment, a drop of the hat kind of thing, but I just felt it was right, that it was for me.

The lower floor of the cabin was one large room, with the kitchen off to the left and the living room to the right. A massive stone fireplace was right across from the kitchen island, one of the major selling points for me because it was gorgeous, and I could picture myself sitting in front of it on a cold winter night.

There was a set of stairs off to the side of the living room that led up to the second floor. On that level there was a loft, two bedrooms, and one bathroom, with the second bathroom on the first floor right off of the kitchen.

I took in the living room first. A large picture window was across from the stairs, giving a gorgeous view of the forest. Massive exposed beams were above, giving the place ambience and a cabin-like feel.

I turned and faced the kitchen. To my left was a large open area, which would be perfect for a small dining room table. Another large picture window sat opposite of where the table would go. Then there was the kitchen itself, with my new stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher. The counters would need to be redone, but the cabinets were natural wood that had been lightly stained. They were gorgeous.

Another large window sat right above the sink, and I could faintly see where the starting point of the creek was. I knew when I opened the window I’d be able to hear the trickling of it mixed in with the sounds of the wildlife.

For the next ten minutes or so I was messing with the new appliances, opening and closing the refrigerator, doing the same with the dishwasher and the stove.

All these bursts of ideas and images about decorating the cabin once it was fully done played through my mind.

I turned and leaned against the sink, crossing my arms and just looking around. It was when I heard the snap of the tape measure again that I remembered I wasn’t alone. I heard footsteps above, coming closer to the stairs.

Then I saw him.

He was jotting down something on a small notepad, his dark blond hair cut short, his body big and masculine. He was just like I remembered, but ... more.

He had yet to notice me, and so I took that moment and just stared at him. I didn’t know why I felt this connection, this pull, but it was undeniable.

It was unmistakable.

It consumed me.

And I found myself desperately wanting to explore it more.

3

Asher

I’d shown up at the cabin an hour earlier, and as soon as I stepped inside I knew this project was going to be an undertaking in itself. The previous owner had let the place go to shit, although from what I could see, the cabin was structurally sound.

But cosmetically it needed a lot of work.

I went through each room and took measurements, writing them down, figuring out in my head what would need to be done, the supplies I’d need to acquire, and the length of time to get this completed.

The new owner, Ainsley Shepherd, was due at the house sometime today, and although it would be best if I was here to meet with her and go over specifications, anxiety filled me at the thought.