Page 94 of Protecting Mr. Fine

“Mm. Why is that?”

“You’re impossible.”

He opened the duvet and crawled over to straddle my lap, sliding his arms around my neck. His callused fingers stroked my neck, and he nuzzled my cheek with his nose before whispering the words into my skin. “Say the words, Bear. Please.”

In the end, it wasn’t a matter of making myself tell him but of allowing myself to stop holding back. Once I did, the words tumbled over themselves in their eagerness to be free. “I’m so in love with you I can’t breathe. If something happens to you, my life will simply… stop. I can’t… I can’t let anything happen to you, Z. You’re…”

His lips were wide with a smile, and his eyes were wet. “I’m your honey.”

I rolled my eyes and kissed him, cupping the back of his head with both hands to keep him there. After drinking my fill, I pulled back just enough to agree. “You’re my honey. And you’re officially not allowed to listen to any more bear fact podcasts.”

“I love you, too,” he said, still grinning wide. “That’s why I didn’t play your song today.”

I wrapped my arms around him and held him tight. “Make that make sense.”

“It’s too revealing. You would have known how I felt if I sang it. I didn’t want to come offstage to find I’d scared you away.”

That wasn’t completely accurate. We hadn’t been in a great place before the show, and I wondered now if I’d left him feeling unsure.

“Will you sing it for me now?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No. There are other things I’d rather do right now, but I’ll sing it in Berlin. And you’ll know it’s about you.”

I kissed him again, murmuring my apologies into his skin as I pushed him back on the bed and proceeded to take him apart, inch by inch.

TWENTY-THREE

ZANE

The world’s not always kind to a bear, and they’re often at risk, whether from shrinking forests or curious intruders. Bears need safe spaces—sanctuaries where they can eat, play, rest, and get a break from constantly being on guard. After all, even a powerful creature like a bear deserves a place where he can be his true self.

—Bear Facts for Insomniacs, Episode 94

For the next two days, I carried around my newly confessed love like a locket nestled close to my heart. I knew it was there, Bear knew it was there, and that was all that mattered.

When I took the stage in Berlin, I felt like I was carrying a superpower. Not only was I getting ready to debut a brand-new song with Jude Marian on the world’s stage, but I was also going to debut my secret song about Bear.

The show opened with a popular singing duo—and real-life couple—called Aria & Velvet. The women were like a mix of LanaDel Rey and Stevie Nicks and had the crowd on their feet immediately. After they left, a solo artist named Kradle came out with a punchy two-song set featuring energetic choreography.

“You ready, kid?” Jude teased as we stood in the wings, listening to Kradle thanking the audience.

Jude Marian was the very definition of aging gracefully. He was a beautiful man, even in his fifties, and the silver threads in his brown hair only seemed to emphasize his good looks.

I still couldn’t believe this was my life, that I was getting ready to take the stage with a music legend, an artist I’d idolized growing up. “Is this real?” I asked. “Because I’ve been trying to act cool since we got here, but I’m not feeling very cool on the inside.”

Jude’s giant of a husband stood behind him, massaging his shoulders. “Jude has that effect on people,” he said calmly.

With the exception of reaching back to squeeze Derek’s thigh, Jude ignored him and stayed focused on me. “You’re the one used to performing. I never do shows this big anymore. What if I trip and fall?”

Derek scowled. “I’ll owe your daughter twenty bucks. Don’t do that.”

Jude finally turned around to glare at his husband. “You bet I wouldfallon stage?”

“I bet youwouldn’tfall. Complain to Rosie. She’s the turncoat. She’s convinced you’re going to do something to embarrass her.”

Jude closed his eyes and inhaled. “Zee, never have children. They’re the worst. They look so sweet and innocent when they’re tiny, but the next thing you know…”

“They’re young adults,” Derek said wryly. “Withopinions.”

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