Page 6 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

“Okay, thanks so much, Ethan.”

He gives me a long, smoldering look. My breath catches and I sense emotions warring behind those mesmerizing eyes of his.

“Enjoy the journey, Jessica,” he says at last.

My shoulders slump. What did I expect anyway?

My heart is heavy as I turn away from him and plunge into the dark woods.

But with every step I take, loss tears through my soul. And it gets worse, the farther I go. It’s a literal pain right in my center of my being.

Every bit of me is screaming for me to turn around again andrunto him.

Throw myself into his big, sexy arms.

3

Ethan

Iwatch as Jessica strides into the trees. My heart is beating so hard, I feel like it’s going to leap right out of my chest. Blood pounds in my ears and yearning floods my veins like a drug. Every fiber of my being aches to touch her, to take her in my arms.

Because she’s mine.

She’s moving confidently, backpack hanging off one shoulder, phone in her hand, ready to navigate. I can tell from her scent that she’s a little nervous, but she’s not letting it get to her, because she’s a tough one, my girl. And she’s the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever laid eyes on.

When she passes through a bend in the track, I begin to follow her.

No way am I letting her walk through these woods alone. In fact, I’m never letting her out of my sight again. I’m going to keep her safe. Cherish and protect her, always.

Her long dark hair cascades down her back like a curtain of silk, and her ass is like two full, juicy peaches. I can’t believe how beautiful and perfect she is. More lovely than I ever could’ve dreamed.

My beast is roaring for her, bellowing her name over and over, inflamed with lust.

All these years I’ve been alone, never believing there was anyone out there for a solitary, forest dweller like me.

But here she is, arriving like a stroke of fate, when I least expected it.

When my grandad asked for my help on his bus route, I felt like the heavens were showering stars down on my head. Like the earth was tilting on its axis.

And now I know why.

My beast picked up her scent the moment she climbed on the bus and tapped her card on the reader. It’s never been interested in women before. Sure, women sometimes flirt with me—especially when I’m driving the darn bus. But no one has ever awoken its mating urge. I thought I was destined to live out my days like a monk.

But by the time Jessica sat down on the backseat, it was telling me: she’sthe one.

I was so shocked, I almost crashed the dang bus. Thank goodness I was only going ten miles an hour.

Now, it’s scrabbling inside me, desperate to go claim her, to give her its mark.

I’mlonging to run to her, tell her that she need never fear any danger again. She’s mine, and I’ll protect her with my last breath.

But I force myself to walk slowly, holding my beast back with everything I’ve got.

I don’t want to scare her, make her think I’m a weirdo stalker.

She needs a gentle touch. I can tell she’s been through a lot. I get the sense that the jewelry designer asshole wasn’t the first prick who’s tried to force himself on her. She looked nervous when the motorcycles passed. There’s something else in her past—or someone—that explains why her brother is the only person she can call when she’s in a tight spot. I just know it, and fury pours through me at the thought. I vow I’ll get hold of anyone who’s ever hurt her and make them pay, three times over.

So, right now, I’m just going to make sure she gets home safe. I want her to feel secure with me. To understand I’ve only got her best interests at heart. And when I know where she lives, I’ll go ask her out on a date like a regular human guy. She probably doesn’t know about shifters. She’ll need time to get used to the idea.

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