Page 39 of Beary In Love

"Why not? We're far enough from everyone else." She held out her hand, and the playful glint in her eyes made his heart skip.

Logan pulled her close, one hand settling on her waist while the other clasped hers. Her skin was warm through the thin fabric of her dress, and his bear's heightened senses picked up the quickening of her pulse.

"You still remember how to lead?" she teased, following his steps in the sand.

"Some things you don't forget." Like how perfectly she fit against him, or how her scent mixed with the ocean breeze drove him wild.

They moved together easily, muscle memory taking over from countless dances shared years ago. The distant festival lights cast a soft glow over them, and the waves provided a gentle backdrop to the music.

"You've gotten better at this," Serena said, her breath catching as he spun her out and back into his arms.

"Had to learn some new moves to impress all those lady bears." He grinned when she rolled her eyes.

"Oh please, when's the last time you went on a date?"

The question hit closer to home than he cared to admit. Truth was, no one had measured up to her since she left.

As the song shifted to something slower, Serena moved closer, resting her head against his chest. Logan's bear purred with satisfaction, wanting to mark her with his scent. He fought the urge to nuzzle her neck, instead drawing slow circles on her back with his thumb.

The casual dancing had transformed into something more intimate. Each breath brought him her intoxicating scent, each movement pressed her closer. When she lifted her face to look at him, her lips parted slightly, Logan felt his control slipping.

His gaze dropped to her mouth, and he started to lean in. The bear inside him demanded he claim what was his, what had always been his.

The first explosion of color lit up the sky just as Logan's lips nearly brushed Serena's. They jerked apart, startled by the sudden boom that echoed across the beach. His bear growled in frustration at the interruption.

"Midnight already?" Serena's voice was breathless as she took a small step back, though she remained within the circle of his arms.

Logan's enhanced vision caught the flush on her cheeks, the rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat. The fireworks painted her in alternating hues of red, gold, and blue, making her look almost ethereal. His bear wanted to pull her back, to finish what they'd started.

"Guess spring's officially here," he managed, his voice rough.

Another burst of color illuminated the sky, reflecting off the waves. Serena tilted her head back to watch, exposing the elegant line of her throat. Logan's fingers tightened on her waist.

"They're beautiful," she whispered.

"Yeah," he agreed, though he wasn't looking at the fireworks. He half-smiled when she caught him staring and blushed deeper.

They stood there, neither quite willing to step away, as the sky exploded in a symphony of light and sound.

17

LOGAN

Logan's bear prowled restlessly as he made his morning rounds at the sanctuary. Every few minutes, his thoughts drifted back to Serena - the way she'd felt in his arms, how her scent had mixed with the ocean spray, the slight part of her lips just before the fireworks interrupted them.

"Focus," he growled at himself, nearly stumbling over a feeding bucket. The raccoon in the nearby enclosure chittered, almost mockingly.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up," Logan muttered, tossing some fresh fruit into the enclosure. "At least you're not daydreaming about someone like a lovesick teenager."

He checked his phone for the third time that hour. No messages from Serena, but then he had insisted she take the day off. His bear grumbled with displeasure at the self-imposed distance.

"She's probably having fun with Julie," he told himself, trying to ignore how empty the sanctuary felt without her presence. Without her laughter echoing off the walls, or the way she'd scrunch her nose when concentrating on a particularly tricky potion.

The owl they'd treated together called out from its enclosure, drawing his attention. Logan approached, checking its wing.

"Missing your favorite vet, huh?" He stroked the bird's feathers. "Join the club."

His mind wandered back to that almost-kiss - the way she'd moved against him, trust evident in every steady breath. The bear in him had wanted to claim her right there, mark her as his mate. The human side of him knew better, knew they needed to take things slow.

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