Page 9 of Bear Boss's Mate
“Did he say anything about having volunteers out looking for these idiots?”
“Yes. I told Jake to count us in. He said he would be in touch about doing patrols with other shifters,” said Bern.
Austin let out a laugh and shook his head.
Bern’s brows raised. “What’s funny?”
Austin scoffed. “I finally find the one woman that I think is worth my time and I can’t ask her out, just in case she gets attacked. I think she has a boyfriend, but I wasn’t going to let that small detail put me off forever.” A tiny smirk crossed his lips.
“Yeah? Who is this woman? Do I know her?” asked Bern.
Austin nodded. “That sexy new accountant you hired a few weeks back.”
Bern grinned. “She’s got some nice curves. She’s a bit on the quiet side, though. I like my women more extroverted.”
Austin laughed. “You mean mouthy. The last woman you dated was mouthy Bern. Don’t get me wrong, she was hot. I just didn’t see what you saw in her.”
Bern belly laughed. His eyes lit up with mischief. “Yeah, I guess she was. Doesn’t matter. She wasn’t my mate, anyway. So, back to Marcy. What are you waiting for? Why haven’t you asked her out?” Bern gestured with his hand toward Austin.
Austin stroked his chin. “Like I said, I think she’s in a relationship, and I wanted to give her some time to settle in here first.”
Bern’s brows drew together. “What makes you think she is seeing someone?”
“I don’t know, just figured she might be. How is she doing at her job, anyway?” Austin changed the subject.
He knew Bern got along well with Marcy, and hoped he might shed some light on her situation. But he didn’t want to let on how much he was itching to get close to the beauty.
Bern was more laid back than he was and people shared information with him they would not with Austin. His friend gave him a knowing grin and put his hands on his thighs, sitting up straight in the chair.
“She’s great. In fact, she has that department running better than I could have hoped. All the work is up to date. She’s very good at what she does, and I can see she likes the job. She’s an intelligent, hardworking woman. I have a lot of respect for her. Especially after everything she’s been through.”
Now Austin was curious. “What do you mean?” He felt a sudden protectiveness toward Marcy.
Bern sighed. “She had to leave her last job because of a problem with someone she dated there. Her boss was not very supportive, and it sounds to me like she was treated pretty poorly overall. She didn’t tell me a lot, but I overheard her talking to Darla about it.”
“She was honest in her interview and said to me she’d been out of work for a month before we hired her. I liked her right away, and I could see she was more than qualified. It isn’t easy finding employees like that, especially here in town.”
“Now that I know more about her, I’m glad we hired her. I know she’s a bit introverted and shy, but she’s coming out of her shell more every day. Though Darla has commented that she stays in her office all day. Even eats her lunch there. I don’t honestly think she’s involved with anyone,” he explained.
Austin’s lips curled.I think it’s time to get to know this new employee.
Bern stood and looked at his friend. His face became serious. “Just be careful with her, Austin. Don’t ask her out if you just want a roll in the sack. I don’t want to lose one of our best employees.”
It was nearing five o’clock and Austin would soon be leaving for the day. Another week was nearly over, and he still hadn’t approached Marcy to ask her out.
Knowing that women were being attacked for dating shifters, he did not want to put her at risk. He hoped they’d put a stop to the attacks sooner rather than later.
Austin brought a hand to the back of his neck, rubbing it. He couldn’t bear the thought of finding his mate, only to have her be subjected to the danger of attack. A war waged in him over whether to approach her.
He wanted his mate. Now. But he didn’t want to risk their future together. Or her safety.
His attraction to Marcy did nothing but remind him how long he’d been without female companionship. It had been quite a while since he’d slept with any woman. Not since deciding he wanted his mate, instead of mindless sex that led nowhere.
It was getting harder and harder to keep himself and his inner bear distracted. He had to release some of the pressure that was building inside him, and soon.
At thirty-three, he was ready to commit to the right person. But there had to be chemistry there for both him and his inner bear. Preferably his fated mate.
Sheila wasn’t his type, even though she threw herself at him all the time. She was tall and slender, with no real substance to her.
