Total lie. I’m always lost.
He shakes his head. “Not with this you don’t. Those guys you’re messing with… They’ll kill you if you run that story.”
“I’m not afraid,” I lie.
“Well, I am.”
“You’re afraid?” I laugh. “I thought you’d be happy if they made me disappear forever.”
He runs a hand through his dark hair and sighs. Jacob is a gorgeous man too. All of Cameron’s family is. He’s got a big muscular body like Cameron, but he doesn’t have that look in his eyes that Cameron does. The one that always gets me going.
“Look. If something happens to my brother’s mate, it will crush him. Like soul-ending crush him. There’s no coming back from that kind of pain for a bear shifter. Remember, it’s not just you anymore. You have him to think about too.”
This is all so much to process. I haven’t even had a coffee yet.
“I’m just here for a story,” I tell him, getting defensive. “I didn’t sign up for any of this.”
“Yeah, well neither did Cameron. But this is where we are.”
We stare at each other for a long moment until Cameron walks in. He has a big smile on his face when he sees me, but it fades when he sees Jacob staring me down.
“What’s going on in here?”
“Just having a chat,” Jacob says as he nods at me. “Your girl could use a coffee. Why don’t you hook her up? Right, Mary?”
I nod my head. “Yeah, a coffee would be great.”
I head back to the house with Cameron, but I can’t get Jacob’s words out of my head. It’s got me thinking…
Cameron didn’t choose this either. Fate did. Maybe I owe it to him or to myself or to the universe to try.
“Are you sure there wasn’t something going on in there?” he asks as he glances back at the barn with a huff. “Was my brother being an asshole again?”
“Everyone’s been great,” I say with a smile. “Except for Roger. He screamed at me.”
Cameron laughs and I feel a warmth glowing in my chest at the sound. “Yeah, he does that. Come. I’ll make it up to you with breakfast.”
He slides his hand into mine and for the first time ever, I think it’s possible that I might stay if he really wants me to.
Chapter Nine
Mary
Easton and Roman are barbecuing some ribs as Cameron and I swim in the in-ground pool. It’s been an amazing day, probably the best one of my life.
We hiked through the ranch, up the mountain, and along the ridge. The scenery was spectacular—mainly Cameron’s sweaty muscular back—but also the old trees, the freshwater river, and the babbling brooks along the way.
He brought a picnic lunch and we ate it by the river, having each other for dessert. It’s been amazing.
I’m falling hard for this guy. He’s sweet and funny when he’s not being a possessive protected beast of a man. I’m not sure which side of him I like better.
He swims over and pops up in front of me with that hungry look in his eyes. His hair is slicked back with water droplets spilling down his gorgeous face.
I can’t seem to keep my lips off him and I grab his cheeks and lay a fat kiss on his wet lips.
“Mmmm,” he moans as he licks his lips and grabs my waist. We went over to my room at the inn to get my stuff after breakfast and I’m so happy that I had packed my bathing suit (my sexy black bikini, not my ugly green one thank God).
I wasn’t planning on canceling my reservation, but Cameron made me give back the key and got the lady at the desk to refund the nights that I wasn’t using anymore. I guess I’m staying here with him. Don’t mind that at all.
Moose comes running over and leaps into the water, splashing both of us. I laugh as I watch the huge dog swimming in circles like he doesn’t know where to go.
“Are you having fun?” he asks as he watches me laughing.
“Yeah,” I say as I run my hand along his hard round shoulder. I trace the lines of his tattoo with my finger as a swell of emotions starts to fill me up. “Is it always like this?”
“What?”
“The connection. Between mates?”
“You mean does everyone feel like every cell in their bodies is so full of love that they’re going to explode?”
“Yeah, exactly,” I say with a giggle. “It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours and I feel like we’re on the twentieth date. You know that sweet spot in a relationship when you’re committed enough to let your guard down and let love take over? When you can just let it flow through your veins without fear?”
“I’ve never been in a relationship, Mary,” he says as his brown eyes soften. “Twenty dates or not, I felt that the moment I saw you.”