BEARing it All (Wylde Brothers 3)

“I have a pair of sweats and a tee you can wear tonight, but tomorrow if you’re feeling up to it, we can go into town and get you some clothes.”

Maybe it was presumptuous of him to assume she would just stay with him, but he was fucking serious when he said he wasn’t going to let her go. Finding a mate was a big fucking deal, and he had been graced with having Kenzie walk into his life. That didn’t happen every day to a shifter, and he was grateful fate had given her to him. She may have had a broken past, but he was going to make sure she had a bright future, whether she wanted to believe him or not.

He left her in the room long enough to grab some clothes and headed back to the guestroom. For a moment, all he could do was stare at her as she sat on the edge of the bed. The scent of her tears was profound, and he found himself moving forward and kneeling in front of her. She didn’t pull away when he grabbed her hands and covered them with his.

“You have nothing to be afraid of, not now, Kenzie.” He wanted her to trust him, to open up and let him carry the weight of her burden, but he also knew he was asking a hell of a lot. When she lifted her head and he saw the product of her sorrow, he couldn’t help himself.

Bram leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips. She moved her head away from him, and her surprise slammed into him. After a suspended moment, she relaxed, and now it was his turn to be surprised as hell.

She didn’t move for several long moments and just stared at him. There was clear shock and uncertainty in her eyes, and it was the latter that made him feel like a bastard for even trying anything on her. But then he had seen her broken expression, and all he wanted to do was take that away from her and replace it with something softer, sweeter.

“What are you doing?” Her voice was low, filled with curiosity and apprehension.

“I just want to make you feel better, Kenzie.” He leaned in again, but she stopped him with a hand to his chest. “Not like that. I would never take anything from you that you don’t willingly give.”

He kept his eyes locked on hers, trying to convey with his eyes that what he said was the truth. She was a scarred and scared little deer, and even though he could smell the reality of what he knew to be a painful life, he also scented a very strong female, one that could hold her own if given space and encouragement. She was a fighter, his little fighter, and pride filled him that she had survived. “I just want to take away that sad look, Kenzie. Just a kiss. Nothing more, nothing less.”

If she turned him away, slapped his face, and screamed that he had no right to ask her for anything, Bram would understand fully. But Bram could scent that although they had just met, she knew his words, his actions, and everything he did toward her was all with the best of intentions.

He just wanted her safe and sound beside him, and that she was his mate had him wanting to do it at lightning speed, but he could and would be patient with her. After a long moment, she took a deep breath and smiled hesitantly at him.

“You’re nothing like him.” Her words were low and filled with emotion, and before he could stop himself, he cupped her cheek and ran his thumb back and forth over her soft skin. She didn’t lean forward and allow his kiss, but that was okay, because she was letting him have this one joy.

She melted against him and closed her eyes. He may not know the pain she had endured, whatever it was, but he knew the feeling of hopelessness inside, the emotion that ate away at a person until he didn’t think there would be anything left.

“I’m so, so sorry, little deer,” he whispered, and his heart broke as he saw the lone tear slip down her cheek. When he pulled back and cupped her other cheek in his hand, he was somewhat relieved to scent not just sorrow anymore, but relief too.

“Thank you.” She closed her eyes, and her dark, long lashes created crescents across her creamy cheeks.

Brushing his thumbs across her cheeks and gathering her tears, he said, “For what, sweetheart?” He leaned in and kissed each of her closed eyes, and his heart slammed hard against his ribs when he saw her lips tilt in a smile.

“For everything. Protecting me, fighting for me, and now taking me into your home.” Kenzie opened her eyes, and he was once again struck by the gorgeous color. “No one has ever showed me so much kindness.”