Between the Bear's Sheets (Wylde Brothers 2)

“Baby, not to seem cocky or anything, but I’m pretty sure I can take on a cougar and a couple falcon shifters.” She didn’t respond right away, and despite the fact that he could sense her emotions, he wished he could have been able to know what she was thinking.

Her mouth parted, but before she could say anything, he turned and ordered a couple drinks. What was crazy as fuck was he had ordered a beer for himself and one of those frilly girly drinks for her, and he never did shit like that. He waited for Zarry, a weasel shifter and the current bartender for the night, to fill his order.

He took those precious minutes to just stare at her, to enjoy the sight of her luminescent skin with a light, almost invisible sprinkling of freckles along the bridge of her nose, her lush, light-pink lips, and the all-around natural beauty she exuded.

Something clicked into place the longer he stared at her, a realization that put everything else on the backburner in his mind.

What if this attraction he had for Talia, this connection that was like a rope pulling him closer and closer to her, meant she was his mate? She bit her lower lip, and the sight of her small white teeth worrying the plump flesh had desire growing higher inside him, but also had a touch of fear mixing with his desire.

He couldn’t handle this if that was what was going on, if he had actually found his mate after thirty-five years on this planet. He wasn’t wired anymore to accept a female for his own again. When he had, shit had gone bad, and he didn’t want to have to relive that.

His fear could be holding him back from something explosive and mind-blowing, but it was also that fear that protected him from a lot of shit.

Fuck.

“Why don’t you seem worried about what could have just happened?” The fact that she was still thinking about a fictitious threat was slightly amusing. Zarry set his order on the counter before him, and Ford picked up her daiquiri and handed it to her. It had a damn pink umbrella and a slice of strawberry sticking out of it, and that sight had him grinning.

He didn’t want to talk about the other males or what she thought was about to happen. All Ford wanted to talk about was him and her. All he wanted to hear was the melodic sound of her voice as she told him all about herself.

God dammit, he was falling incredibly hard and fast for this girl, and he hadn’t even known her for a full fucking day. “Will you sit with me and talk?”

She looked hesitant and glanced at her brother.

Ford looked in that direction as well and saw Luke watching them with narrowed eyes. The protectiveness that came from her brother made him feel a semblance of calm, knowing she had someone fierce enough to watch over her. “I swear all I want to do is talk.” He held up both hands in surrender. Look at him, practically begging a female for attention, but then again, Talia wasn’t just some female. She was his, at least for tonight. “There is an empty table in the corner. It’s away from everyone and a bit quieter, I’m sure.”

She looked from him to her brother again then back to him.

“I swear your brother can still see us, and if I try something, I’ll give you a free, unrestricted shot at my balls.”

That had her smiling, and Ford realized he wanted to see her do that over and over again. It lit up her damn face and warmed his cold, broken heart. He didn’t want to make her feel uncomfortable or like she had to go with him, but fuck he wanted to get her alone, even if it was in a secluded corner of a crowded bar.

He didn’t think she’d go, not with the way she kept worrying her bottom lip and glancing at her brother. Hell, he knew indecision as well as the next person, but he prayed like hell she’d give him a chance. It had taken ten fucking years to find someone who made him give a damn about something, and hell, this moment right now was so fucking important.

“Okay. Let me just let Luke know.” His once battered heart started to beat wildly at her acceptance. Palms sweaty and anticipation wracking his body, Ford turned to go with her to speak to her brother, but she held up her hand, stopping him. There hadn’t been anything that could stop him or his bear when he wanted something, but Talia, his little fox, could stop him in his tracks and successfully bring him to his knees if she deemed it so. “Just wait here. I don’t want any more testosterone being thrown around.”