Page 48 of Protecting Mr. Fine

“I mean… I’m sitting right here, Bear.”

Caution signs sprang up, and warning lights flashed.

“Wanting it very badly?” I teased, trying to break the tension and failing utterly. “Very, very badly?”

The edge of his mouth quirked. “Very.”

I felt my heart rate kick up. “Except now we’re stuck on an isolated peninsula on a Norwegian fjord.”

Zane’s cheeks rounded with a big grin. “With a hundred percent too few sex opportunities…”

I opened my mouth to make a joke about there still being one, but I quickly snapped it closed. It was bad enough I’d introduced this topic with my principal,kissedmy principal. I wasn’t going to joke about sleeping with him, too.

He glanced at me through his dark lashes again. “But a hundred percent too many temptations,” he murmured before looking away.

His words sat between us, still and dangerous as an undetonated bomb.

“Zane,” I said in a low voice.

“No, sorry. Forget I said that. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position. The only thing worse than a sex video would be an actual sexual harassment lawsuit.” He didn’t look at me but let out an awkward laugh. His cheeks were mottled red, and the tips of his ears were crimson.

“Zane,” I said again. I was unsure what I wanted to say, but I knew I didn’t want him to feel awkward or uncomfortable. Not around me. Not ever.

He glanced at me and then away again.

I took a breath. “I would never,everconsider sleeping with you?—”

“I get it!” he cut in. “Christ, Bear, I know you wouldn’t. I… I don’t even know if you’re into guys, and even if you might be, that doesn’t mean you’re intome. I’m sorry I said anything?—”

I reached out and grabbed his hand again. It was warm and clammy and shook a little bit. “Let. Me. Finish.”

Zane’s eyes widened.

“I would never consider sleeping with you… as anything other than a dream and a goddamnprivilege. I certainly wouldn’t consider it harassment of any kind.”

He blinked, his breath coming in fast, choppy little pants. “You… you’re joking?”

“No,” I said firmly. “That’s the furthest thing from a joke.”

“You’d have sex with me?” His voice squeaked on the last word.

I closed my eyes and inhaled to keep from laughing. “If I wasn’t in charge of protecting you? If I didn’t think you’d regret it? In a skinny minute. I’m definitely into guys, and I’m very definitely into you.”

“Oh, god,” he breathed like Christmas had come early. Then he blurted, “I wouldn’t regret it. Are you kidding? Who could sleep with you and regret it?”

My brain scrambled to do the calculations, which was exponentially harder with his hand in mine.

Technically, I didn’t work for him. Violet’s contract was with Zane’s record label.

But what if things became awkward? Would I still be able to do my job properly?

And what if things didn’t become awkward? Would I be able to keep a level head?

Who was I kidding? I wasn’t able to keep a level headnow. I’d been in love with the man for longer than I cared to admit… which meant I would get my heart smashed to pieces.

Because there was no way a man like Zane Hendley—talented, kind, and open-hearted—would ever want to settle down with someone whose talents were skiing and shooting targets with bullets. I’d never been described as kind. I certainly wasn’t open-hearted. I was guarded and gruff, suspicious andeasily annoyed.

A bear, exactly as Zane called me… and bears were solitary animals.

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