Page 27 of Bear to be Wild
“Got it.” Van cocked his head, nodding in understanding. “Let’s grab a table.”
We got our drinks and headed to a small table that seated two across the lounge.
“What’s your name, man?” Van asked.
Ah, I hadn’t even introduced myself properly in my distress. “Roan Mathers.”
“Van.” He raised his glass, and I clinked mine against it. “Now—what can I help you with? You interested in music?”
I took a deep breath and revealed, “It’s…Maribelle.”
“Maribelle?” he repeated with surprise, his brows lifting.
“This stays between us,” I insisted. “I don’t want to get her into any trouble.”
“Sure, man. What is it?” He took a casual sip of his beer.
“Well, the short version is…she’d accidentally bound us together through magic for the last couple of days.”
Van’s eyes lit with amusement. He shook his head with a wry smile. “Maribelle,” he said, chuckling. “You don’t wanna mess with her.” He grunted and waved his index finger from side to side. “I’m guessing you’ve heard what she did to me?”
“Yeah, she told me.”
Van put down his glass. “Can’t say I didn’t deserve it. I was a dick before I met my mate, and Maribelle found a way to get back at me. Don’t blame her, really. I was wary of being around her after that, but we’re good now.” He shrugged, then tilted his chin toward me. “So she messed with you too, huh?”
“Not exactly,” I said slowly, almost under my breath. “She broke that spell, but…I’m still connected to her. And for a reason that has nothing to do with her spell.”
Van narrowed his eyes and tapped his fingers on the tabletop. “I don’t follow, man.”
I stared at my glass, running my fingers over the condensation. “The thing is… Maribelle…” I groaned. “I don’t know how to say this.”
“Just say it,” he encouraged with a chuckle. “Spit it out.” He leaned forward. “Aww, shit, wait—did she hex you to prevent you from saying it? Blink twice if you can.”
“No, nothing like that.” I tapped my foot, summoning up the words. “What you said… About meeting your mate.” I gulped at the tightness in my throat. “Maribelle is my—mate.”
Van’s eyes bulged. “Oh shit, dude.” He leaned back as my revelation settled over him. “I know how—” he paused as if searching for the right word, “monumental that is. No wonder you’re spiraling. You got it bad, huh?”
“Yeah,” I admitted with a short nod. A flicker of relief passed through me after speaking the words out loud. “And I don’t know why I’m telling you this but… You know Maribelle. You’re a shifter. You found your mate, and…” I rubbed the back of my neck where frustration knotted it tight. “I need someone to talk to because—I don’t know what the hell to do about it.”
CHAPTER 15
MARIBELLE
Time. Space. Ha.
I was the one who told Roan we needed both, but now I regretted that decision. It had been three days since I’d broken our binding, and my feelings for him hadn’t faded.
In fact, they’d grown stronger.
That old “you don’t know what you want until it’s gone” adage didn’t just ring true, it pounded in my head like a steady gong. Now that I wasn’t forced to be close to him, I missed the bear’s steady, comforting presence.
Knowing he was on the other side of the spa wall only made the ache worse. Even when I heard his booming, stupid voice.Especiallywhen I heard his booming, stupid voice. Only now, I didn’t find it stupid. Or booming. More like soothing. His deep, rumbling timbre did something to me. I no longer wanted to muffle the sound since I melted each time I heard it. Hisencouraging baritone intensified this unexpected desire to be with him.
Sigh. It looked like I’d screwed myself over not only with casting the spell, but with breaking it.
When I was donewith my clients for the day, I remained at the spa. I didn’t want to return to my cabin. The last two nights had been brutal after I’d returned there alone. I thought I’d crave my bed and not having to share it with Roan. But instead, the bed was cold, the tiny cabin empty. Devoid. It now carried too many reminders of Roan. I smiled at the memory of him squeezing his big, muscular body into my bed that first night, being respectful by giving me as much space as possible.
But that second night? Oooh. Decadent. Delicious. And yet, so much more. We’d connected on a deeper level. It had been nothing like my most recent hookup with Van. No, it had been so much more intense. When Roan had told me I was his mate, it explained why. But what did I do? Told him we needed space.
