Page 14 of Snowed In With the Grizzly

I let her get away once, but now the universe is giving me a second chance and I’m not gonna waste it.

I need to get the truth out of her if it’s the last thing I do.

There was such sadness in her voice yesterday. It tore at me. Ripped the guts right out of my body. She’s suffering, and this is about more than missing her grandma. I know it deep in my soul.

My girl is tough and independent, but there’s something about her that I can’t quite put my finger on, though. A kind of desperation. She feels like someone who knows the world is going to end in three days and she’s determined to seize the day. But why? She’s got her whole life ahead of her.

I have to know what’s hurting her. I have to, so I can fix it.

My cabin is in sight now. I’ve finished a big loop of the mountains, pausing to snatch up a rabbit or two in my jaws. Now I’ll go take a shower, then check on Rowan. She’ll probably be waking up soon and she’ll be hungry for breakfast. I want to make sure she’s well fed.

Yearning roars through my body at the thought of seeing her again.

* * *

I’m just turningoff the shower, when there’s a knock at the door. I grab a towel, wrap it around my waist and yank the door open.

There she is. Wrapped up in her big, black winter coat like a gift I can’t wait to unwrap.

At the sight of me, her eyes widen. I look down, following her line of vision and realize I still have a bunch of soap on my stomach.

“Oh, sorry about that.” I lift up the towel, wipe it off, and her eyes widen some more.CrapDid I just give her a flash of my junk? I know humans get freaked out about stuff like that. And now I’m in danger of getting hard again. I just jerked off in the shower, but the sight of her is too much for my bear to handle. “Sorry,” I say again.

“N-no, don’t worry, it’s fine,” she stammers, her cheeks flushing.

Warmth blooms in my chest. She’s so gorgeous and natural and heavenly. I’m in love with her. Just like I’ve always been.

I open the door wider. “You want to come in while I get dressed?”

She hesitates on the doorstep. “I just wanted to say thanks for last night—I-I mean, for fixing the place up and the food.” Her face is beet red. She’s thinking about the kiss again. It’s delightful.

“I was going to offer to cook you breakfast, but—you know—I don’t have gas.” She gives a nervous laugh. Last night she was so mad at herself when she discovered that the oven ran on gas and she hadn’t thought to bring a canister.

“You couldn’t think of everything,” I tell her again.

“Yeah, but that was dumb. It should’ve occurred to me. Anyway—” She clasps her hands together. “Then I thought I could get donuts from the town, but you know, my car…” She rolls her eyes self-deprecatingly. “So, words are all I’ve got for you right now.”

“Your words are more than enough, Rowan,” I say.

She gives a small, shy smile.Damn, she’s too cute for words. “And I was wondering—you happen to know anything about the timber and the pieces of furniture that are stacked up beside the cabin?”

“Oh, those,” I say casually. “I thought you could probably make use of them. I also took a look at your car. It’s fine now.”

She gasps. “Oh my god, Are you serious? You fixed it?”

I shrug. “Yup. It was just an issue with the starter motor.”

“You’re a genius,” she says.

“It was easy,” I mutter. Which is true. But her admiration in her eyes heats me all the way through.

“Come have breakfast at my place.” I make it sound like an order. Guess it is. There’s no way I’m letting her go hungry.

Her eyes sparkle. “That would be great. As long as I can cook it.”

“Deal,” I say, my heart swelling with happiness. She didn’t come over just to be polite. She wants to be with me. She doesn’t regret last night.

“Come in,” I say. Too eager, but my beast’s energy is pulsing in my veins.

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