Page 48 of Greedy Grizzly
“Wait. I’m confused. I thought you said you didn’t do anything with the bartender.”
“I didn’t. I meant, Toby and I kissed. Are you angry?”
“No, not at all.” I smiled and pecked his lips. “I’m actually happy for you. How was it?”
“Amazing and terrifying all at once. He dominated me. Held me against a wall. Jesus, it was the most incredible kiss I’d ever experienced with a man.”
“I knew you two were meant to be together!”
“No. We can’t be together.”
“What?” My heart plummeted into my stomach.
“We almost got caught. Lynx almost saw us. I reacted like a child. I’m so fucking embarrassed at how I freaked out and jumped into a bush.”
“You jumped into a bush? Like a little bush?” I held back the giggle in my throat.
“No, a huge, overgrown lilac bush. Of course it didn’t have blooms on it since it’s summer. I feel like such an idiot. How could I let him kiss me?”
“Aww, honey. It’s okay. If you’d just stop fighting your feelings and trust that your club brothers will support and accept you just as you are, none of this would be so hard.” I was confident the guys would be okay with Landon being bisexual. They all had a littlefreakinside them. He needed to give them more credit, but I knew how damaged he was from his youth. The scars never fully healed. Even with his foster parents dead, their teachings and words still haunted him.
“It’d be easier if I just kept things the way they are.”
“Sure, you could do that. But would you be happy without him?”
Landon sighed. “I don’t know.”
“It’s probably best to not make any hasty decisions.”
“Yeah, you’re right. We’re having church after supper. Storm has been working on a plan.”
“Then we should probably go downstairs. I need to find a baby to cuddle, anyway.” Babies were definitely a balm for my aching soul.
“That’s a good idea. They always chase away the storm clouds and bring in the sun.”
I smiled at his attempt to sound poetic. “Yes, exactly.”
“And when are you going to tell me why you were crying?”
“How about after church? I want Toby there, too.” I didn’t enjoy the topic of cancer. Getting it over with all at once wouldbe better. Plus, I hoped I could steer the conversation afterward to something more pleasant, like the three of us being together.
“Sure.” He lightly kissed my lips, lifted me off his lap and led me by the hand downstairs.
Sophia was the first baby I snatched from her mother’s arms. I’d caught Tina holding her twins at the kitchen table, and nobody else was around to help her except me.
“Oh, bless you,” Tina said with an appreciative smile. “Raul is in a meeting with Storm and Maddox. I’m sure about the bombing,” she whispered. “And Valerie is at a friend’s house.”
“I’m at your service, dear. Anytime you need help, come find me.” I inhaled Sophia’s intoxicating baby scent and instantly felt a million times better.
“Have you been crying?” Tina studied my face. “You have. What’s going on?”
“Just family stuff.” I couldn’t hide anything from Tina and Sugar. They knew me too well.
“We’re family. How can I help you?”
“I really don’t want to talk about it.” I snuggled Sophia against my chest and rubbed her back. “It’s nothing personal. It’s just that part of my past isn’t pleasant, y’know?”
“Do I. You were there for me during Raymond’s kidnapping and Brynne finding out I was alive. None of that was pleasant at all.”
