Page 34 of Flare
Somewhere out there, Andrew Brunborn’s bear was suffering the agony of separation from its mate.
And for Ward to court Emily like this—well, that wasn’t just bending shifter customs, it was breaking them outright.
And yet, he couldn’t bring himself to regret asking her out. Not when Emily was looking at him with those beautiful blue eyes, her face glowing with a genuine smile.
How could Andrew be such a dick to her she ran away?
Well, Andrew’s loss was Ward’s gain. Andhewouldn’t ever let Emily down.
“I should let you get back to work,” Ward said, reluctantly taking a step backwards out of the tiny office.“But I’ll see you on Thursday.”
Emily nodded.“Looking forward to it, Ward.”
God, how he loved hearing her say his name!
As Ward turned to leave, his bear rumbled with satisfaction inside him. It had gotten what it wanted—the traditional first date, providing food to a potential mate, showing that they could provide for her.
Ward’s human side, meanwhile, was torn between elation and dread.
Elation because something about Emily called to him on a level he’d never experienced before. And dread, because he knew exactly what he was doing—pursuing a woman who was already claimed.
Aunt Annabeth handed him his iced coffee and a takeout box as he emerged from the back.“Everything good?” she asked.
“Yeah,” Ward said, grinning at her.“Everything’sgreat.”
And it was true. Despite the messiness of Emily’s situation, he was finally…finally… going on a date with the woman he’d adored for years.
∞∞∞
Emily looked up from the PC as someone knocked—and there he was. Ward Swanson. Her fingers froze mid-reach for an invoice as her heart gave a traitorous little lurch.
He wore faded jeans and a fitted long-sleeved t-shirt printed withSwanson Custom Woodworksacross his broad chest. A pair of safety glasses hung from his collar, and sawdust clung to him in lazy curls.
He looked… great. Impossibly solid and grounded, nothing like Andrew’s polished designer look. And when Ward’s warm hazel gaze found hers, Emily couldn’t help smiling up at him.
It was an effort to keep her voice steady as she spoke, and to pretend her pulse wasn’t pounding in her ears.
After he left, she slumped back in her chair, her heart still racing.
She stared at the computer screen. But the spreadsheet entries might as well have been hieroglyphics. Her mind refused to focus on anything except the surprise and unabashed delight on Ward’s face when she’d accepted his dinner invitation.
Emily pushed away from the desk and looked up at the vintage fluorescent light box with its textured plastic panels.
“What the hell am I doing?” she asked out loud.
It hadn’t even been a week since she’d ended her engagement to Andrew and fled Spokane as if a pack of demons were hunting her down.
She blamed Ward’s voice for seducing her into saying“yes.” It was so deep and rumbly, every word seemed to pool warmth in her belly like shots of brandy.
And then there were his eyes, a mix of rich brown, gold, and green fringed by sinfully long black lashes. They’d focused on her as if she were the only person in the world. Like he was memorizing her features.
And he had a killer smile.
The logical part of her brain screamed that dating Ward was aterribleidea right now. She was on the rebound. She was trying to lie low until Andrew gave up looking for her. And now here she was, all excited about going on a date with another guy who, by the way, couldalsotransform into a bear?
Emily snorted quietly.Why am I such a disaster?
Still, she could enjoy Ward’s company with no commitments. She could allow herself to feel attraction without acting on it.
