Page 15 of Fated to the Grizzly

“Haven’t had a soda for years,” she murmurs.

My beast’s rough hide pushes at my skin. Something bad has happened to this girl, and as soon as she’s gotten some food in her stomach, I’m gonna find out what it is. Then I’m gonna destroy everyone responsible for it.

6

Scout

Orion sets two places on either side of the island, then returns to stirring the chili. I’ve already asked a bunch of times if I can help, but he says my job is to sit and relax and let my knees rest up.

So, all I can do is stare at him in awe. He’s a big growly mountain man and hecooks. Real food, with a bunch of ingredients, which smell incredible when they’re mixed together. The sight of him, half-naked, stirring that big shiny pot is something I know I’ll never forget.

Who is this man who lives deep in the wilderness, with this unbelievably well-stocked kitchen?

I savor the final drops of my soda, trying not to slurp with the straw. It’s the first one I’ve had since elementary school, and every sip was pure magic.

“Want another?”

“Huh?” I’d been fixating on his buns flexing beneath his jeans, and when he turns, I’m slow to lift my gaze. In fact, I seem to be staring at his cock. Again.

He tips his head to the side, lips curling at the edges. “Another soda?”

“Oh, no, I’m good,” I say, even though I feel like I could drink a whole store full of them.

His face goes stern. “Scout.”

And just like that, I want to obey him. Not because I’m scared of him, but because I sense he knows exactly what I need.

“Could I please have a cola?” I say in a quiet voice.

His smile turns into a grin, and in another moment, the cola is in front of me, dark and sinful and delicious.

He brings over the steaming pan of chili and ladles out two big bowlfuls. Then he sits down opposite, positioning himself carefully so he doesn’t bump against my grazed knees. Having him so close is doing all kinds of things to my body. I feel tingly and kinda overwhelmed, like part of me wants to go hide in the bathroom, but the other part just wants more and more.

“Thank you, so much,” I say.

“Don’t thank me till you’ve tasted it,” he says and digs in.

I blow on a forkful, put it in my mouth, and my tastebudsexplode. “Wow,” I murmur. It’s all I can say as I eat one dreamy mouthful after another.

I sense Orion’s eyes on me the whole time. “Not too spicy?” he asks. “Enough salt?”

“It’s just perfect,” I assure him.

When I’m halfway through the plate, I slow down. He must think I eat like a beast. “I’m sorry. I guess I’ve been hungry for a long time.”

His thick dark eyebrows tug together. “You don’t just mean today, do you?”

I get a clutching feeling in my chest, and I shake my head. The truth is, I’m always hungry. There’s never enough food at home. Our crops don’t grow so well in the land dad picked out for us. All we eat is meat and gnarly potatoes.

Anger flashes across Orion’s handsome features. He pushes his empty plate aside and fixes me with a serious look.

“Now, are you gonna tell me what you were doing out here, all alone in the wilderness?”

My breath catches. My family has always been all about secrets. Not sharing information with outsiders. People who might want to destroyour way of life.

But Orion’s dark eyes are gazing into mine like he’s not gonna quit until I tell him. In the past couple of hours this stranger has shown me more care and respect than my parents have shown me my whole life.

“I’m on a mission,” I tell him.

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