Page 32 of Ash

He found himself hungry, desperate to taste that flesh for himself.

With his gaze fixed on her face, he could see the way her eyes moved over his face.

He wanted to bask in her gaze as if it was sunlight.

She leaned forward, bracing her forearms on her thighs, and asked with a soft, almost hesitant whisper. "May I ask what kind of bear?"

Just beyond the link he shared with his bear, the irritating ursine side of his soul wanted to burst out and beg for her touch.

Ash brought that thought to a screeching halt in his head.

We'll get to that,he assured his bear.I really hope we'll get to that.

His bear chuffed softly through their link.She knows about shifters. She lived among them.

"Ash?"

He turned to look at James.

"She asked you what kind of bear you are."

Ash nodded and looked at her with what he hoped was a mild expression.

Tell her.

He felt a muscle tick in his jaw at the sudden comment.

I'm getting to it.

A heavy sigh filled his ears.

Ash drew in a breath to speak.

Waiting.

Stop.

He saw Suzannah smile, and he felt the corners of his mouth tip up in a smile as well.

"It looks like you've got a lot going on in your head."

Her words, directed at him, made him feel like he was floating and for a bear, that meant something. He was used to having his feet, two and four of them, firmly on the ground.

He knew he should reach out to her and say something to make her feel... at ease with him.

"My bear is trying to hurry me along."

Her eyes widened, but instead of being afraid, she smiled.

"You talk to your bear."

He nodded. "He wants to meet you."

Ash ignored the pointed looks from James and Hetty. His attention was focused on Suzannah.

His mate seemed shocked, but he hoped that the smile on her face said that she was pleased.

It certainly didn't look like she was afraid or hesitant about what he'd said to her.

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