Page 21 of Driven Wild By The Grizzly

“Mine,” she echoes sweetly in my ear and snuggles herself closer against my chest.

9

Ethan

Goddamn sunlight streaming through the window.

Usually, I love being awoken up by the morning sun. But for the first time in my life, I wish the sky was gray and the storm was still raging, so I could keep Jessica right here, in bed with me all day. Instead, patchy blue sky is showing through the curtains, and a ray of light is kissing my sleeping princess’s cheeks. She’s snuggled in beside me, her head nestled against the crook of my arm.

I don’t remember falling asleep last night. At some point, when rain was still battering the windows and the fire had died down to glowing embers, I carried her through to the master bedroom and we continued what we’d started, all comfy in my big bed. Then we must’ve drifted off, with her all wrapped up in my arms.

I’ve got a feeling it’s late. Guess I should get up, deal with the broken-down bus. But there’s no way I’m going to get out of bed and miss a moment of this. I’m just gonna lie here, listening to the adorable sounds of Jessica’s breathing. She looks peaceful, her lovely features relaxed. I sure hope I’ve brought some peace into her life. Some belief that her douchebag ex-boyfriend won’t come looking for her. Well, he sure won’t once I’ve dealt with him.

Yesterday was the most perfect day of my life. But it went so fast. And today she’s going to want to catch up with her brother. I guess that’s right. He obviously worries about her. So long as she comes right back here when she’s done.

And if she doesn’t… if she wakes up now and says she never wants to see me again—

No!My beast roars in pain.

She’s mine. I saw the emotion in her eyes. Her vulnerability when she gave me her virginity.

Her eyelids flutter and I hold still, knowing that my face will be the first thing she sees.

She gives a sleepy sigh and blinks. One, two, three times, until, finally, her big brown orbs snap open and…

A smile spills across her face like the sun coming out from behind clouds. My heart bounds. It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve seen in my life.

“Good morning, honeybun,” I say.

“Good morning.” She raises her arms above her head and stretches joyfully, like a little kid. I love that she has this innocence in her, after all she’s been through.

“How did you sleep?”

“Oh, I think that was the best sleep of my entire life.”

“Comfy bed, huh?”

“Comfy bed mate.” She snuggles closer, wrapping her arms around me.

I sigh in pleasure. I love the way she fits against me, like we’re two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle.

“And you?” She frowns. “I hope I wasn’t snoring? My brother used to tease me about it when we shared a room as little kids.”

Shewassnoring quietly, like a little bear cub, and it was adorable. But I’m not about to embarrass her by telling her that.

“You can snore as much as you like, baby,” I tell her instead.

She grins. “Let’s see if you’re still saying that in six months’ time—” She breaks off, her cheeks going beet red. But my heart swells. I love that she’s thinking six months ahead.

This girl is mine, forever. I can’t wait to tell her so. But six months is a good start.

“Guess I should get up,” she says.

“You got somewhere you need to be?”

“Not exactly. Just wondering if my brother’s got my message yet.”

“You want me to go check?” I pull back the covers and climb out of bed.

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