Page 31 of Love Hazard

She was silent and then said, “I can’t decide what’s sadder,the fact that the bear would somehow recognize a Disney movie or character orthat I think you actually believe the bullshit that’scoming out of your mouth. Bait, just say it. I’m bait, and you’re the runner.”

I gripped her by the shoulders. “Brother Bear could turn onme, too, you know.”

“Hated that movie,” she grumbled.

“So sad, right?” I agreed.

“And with the Northern Lights.” She sighed. “Never mind,we’re getting distracted because we’re nervous to face a bear that probablyweighs more than your car.”

I nodded. “All true.”

“Okay.” She took three deep breaths. I ignored how itbrought attention to her tight, black sweatshirt. “Okay,” she said again.“Here’s what we do. You sprint first and try not to get noticed. The minute youdo, I’ll jump out of the car and redirect while you jump in and start theengine. Then I’ll jump in after you, and we can take off.”

“Foolproof,” I lied. “Totally foolproof. Plus, the bearalready ate a ton of food. How hungry can he be for human flesh?”

A loud scraping echoed through theJeep. Slowly, we both turned and gaped as the cute brown bear startedscratching, raking its claws down the bark of the nearest tree.

Hazel gripped my hand and squeezed. “Be honest. Do you docoke?”

“What the hell, Hazel? No.”

“It’s a valid question.”

“How the hell is that a valid question?”

“Cocaine Bear!” she shouted. “The movie. Wherethese drug smugglers leave cocaine behind, and the bear goes on this binge, and—?“

“How the ever-loving shit did we go from Brother Bearto Cocaine Bear?”

“Life.” She made it sound like she had sage advice tofollow. “I mean, he looks like he just went on a binge. He went from lookinglike a bear that would share porridge and dreams to one who would slit you fromyour toes all the way up to your spleen.”

“Graphic.”

“I tried to tame it down.”

“I can tell.”

She took a deep breath. “Okay, just go slow and thensprint.”

I frowned over at her. “In what universe do the wordsleaving your mouth sound like advice that makes sense?”

“Logic!” Both her fists smacked my chest. “You’ve got this.Valhalla.”

Okay, she was adorable. “You just said Valhallalike I was a Viking going out to war.”

She tucked her head against my chest, probably not realizingshe was doing it, and laughed, then pulled back while I grabbed her by thewrists and tugged her closer against me. “It seemed like the most encouragingthing to say. Plus, Uhtred says it, and he’s never wrong.”

“Uhtred,” I said in my best accent. “Son of Uhtred.”

“He’s pretty.” She licked her lips and pressed her palmsagainst my chest, sliding them up slowly. “Just saying.”

“Maybe I’ll be pretty, too, if I chant that when facing thebear.”

She swallowed, her eyes locking onto my mouth before pullingaway. I didn’t want to lose her heat, so I didn’t lether move. Instead, I pressed her against the door, then placed my hands oneither side of her. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I thought this was part of screaming Valhalla.Never know when you’ll see me again, fair maiden. Better give me my kiss.”

“Better ask permission, Berserker.”

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