Page 37 of Bearly Believable Romance

Celia eyed him warily. “And you are?”

“Bram Hartley, ma’am. Tabitha’s boyfriend.” He slid an arm around her waist, warm and steady.

Her parents exchanged startled looks. “I see,” Marcus said stiffly. “Well, Mr. Hartley, as much as we appreciate your concern, this is a family matter.”

“Bram is family,” Tabitha said, lifting her chin. “More than you ever were.”

Marcus sputtered, but Celia placed a restraining hand on his arm. “Perhaps we should continue this another time,” she said, her voice brittle. “We can see we won’t change your mind tonight, Tabitha. You always were stubborn.”

Her parents left, the door clicking shut behind them with an air of finality. Tabitha slumped against Bram, suddenly exhausted.

“Thank you,” she murmured, “for being here right when I started to feel like I was up against a brick wall.”

Bram hugged her closer. “You’re stronger than you know, Tabby cat. But I’ll always have your back.”

She nestled into his warmth, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. “What a night. I feel wrung out, but lighter too, somehow. Like I finally said things I’d been carrying around for years.”

“Families are complicated,” Bram said, resting his chin on her head. “But you stood up for yourself, for what you believe in. I’m proud of you.”

Tabitha felt a rush of affection, of deep, soul-warming gratitude. “Thank you, but I couldn’t have done it without you. You and your family showed me what real families are. What me and my parents have is just a DNA connection,” she told him. “Without this place, these people who’ve supported me, I wouldn’t know who I am. Whispering Pines is the first place that’s truly felt like home.”

She pulled back to look at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “And you, Bram...you’re a big part of that. I know we started this whole thing as a charade, but the way you’ve been there for me, the way we’ve grown together...” She swallowed hard. “It’s real. What I feel for you is real. I love you.”

Bram’s expression softened, his amber eyes glowing with tender emotion. He brushed a thumb across her cheek, catching a stray tear. “Pretending to love you has been the easiest thing in the world because the truth is...I do love you. Completely, my witchy woman.”

Tabitha’s heart swelled, a watery laugh escaping her. She surged up on her toes to capture his lips, pouring every ounce of love and longing into the kiss. Bram responded instantly, one hand sliding into her hair as the other splayed across her back, pressing her closer. They clung to each other, lost in the embrace, two hearts finally whole.

When they finally broke apart, Bram grinned. “Well then, now that we’ve gotten that sorted...how about some dinner? I can’t confess my undying devotion on an empty stomach.”

Tabitha laughed. “Dinner sounds great.”

He picked her up in his arms and carried her to her bedroom, a sly grin on his face. “I think I want to start with dessert.”

Oh, boy. She couldn’t fault him there. She’d rather start with dessert too.

NINETEEN

Bram deposited her on the edge of the bed and sat next to her. He rubbed his nose on her neck and inhaled.

“You smell delicious.” His bear was close to the surface wanting to feel her close. “I love you, Tabby cat.”

She kissed him, pressing her body to him. “Show me how much you love me.”

He kissed her jaw down to her collarbone. “What exactly do you want me to do to show you.”

“You’re a smart man, Bram.” She tugged on his T-shirt to get it off him. “You know what I want.”

He lifted his head from her chest and met her gaze a grin on his lips. “I don’t want you to think I’m easy.”

She growled and yanked at his clothes, working hard to get them both naked. “You being easy right now is something I was counting on.”

“Well, okay. Since you said that so nicely,” he chuckled. He was naked and she was in her underwear in the blink of an eye.

“Don’t you want me, Bram?”

“Ah, witchy woman, of course, I do.” He pushed her back on the bed. “I did say I wanted dessert first, didn’t I?”

“Then show me.” She lifted up to kiss him, her tongue sliding over his lips. “Show me. Now.”

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