Page 31 of Grumpy Special Ops Bear: Ep. 3
I hugged her tightly before stepping back. “Will you at least let me pay for the plane tickets to New York?”
The couture designer was based in Manhattan, and Kristine was arranging a luxurious girls’ weekend.
“Absolutely not. You’re like my daughter, and I’m paying for everything associated with the celebration.”
I sighed. “It’s like you don’t give a shit about going broke from spending all this money on this bash. Let me help or scale the hell back on the extravagance.”
“Hell no. I always go big, like Texas. Organizing this affair has been the most fun I’ve had in years. I need this. I want glitter and over-the-top fabulousness.” Cunningly, her eyes went all puppy-dog sad. “Besides, I don’t know how long I’ll be around. I’m pretty old, you know.”
I rolled my eyes. Kristine looked no more than fifty years old, and she ran at least thirty miles a day.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake. Now you’re guilt-tripping me?”
She batted her eyelashes. “Is it working?”
I scowled. “Yes. Fine. Spend your nest egg.”
She laughed. “Honey, I’m a millionaire. I can make it rain money all day.” She kissed my cheek. “I’m off now. Why don’t you spar with Kyle a little? I think Grant’s about to cry from your beatdown,” she quipped. After flouncing toward her luxury SUV, she got in and drove away.
I jammed my hands onto my hips, eyeing Kyle. “You want to spar?”
Kyle backed away. “No, thanks. I’m young and fragile.”
Grant snorted. “Chickenshit.”
Kyle rubbed his forehead, as if warding away a headache. “Call it what you want, but she’s on a hormonal rampage.”
I rolled my eyes before walking over to the steps of the home I now shared with Fergus to sit down. Leaning back on my elbows, I stared at the blue sky that reminded me of Fergus’s eyes.
Grant walked over and plopped down beside me. “What are you thinking about so hard? Work or Fergus?”
I blinked. “Work? Hell no! Of course not.”
After the battle with Price and his pack, I’d called my agency, telling my bosses Price and his group couldn’t make it in the wild and had cut the trip short and took their private jet back home. The agency had taken the news in stride. After all, Price’s group hadn’t been the first set of rich clients to realize they’d bitten off more than they could chew in their quest for a romp in the great wilderness.
But when I’d told the agency about my decision to resign and finish the trek into the wilderness by myself, they’d quickly offered to triple my salary. I’d firmly declined. I’d just wanted that part of my life to be over.
I hadn’t even told Halle what had really happened. Shit, she wouldn’t have believed me if I had told her the truth—that I’d found the man of my dreams and he was a bear-shifter. So I’d kept it simple and told her I needed a long sabbatical to figure out what I wanted to do next with my life.
Breaking out of my thoughts, I felt my heart race when I saw a familiar SUV racing up the winding road toward the ranch.
Fergus.
When he pulled up, I barely gave him time to get out of the vehicle before running full speed at him and jumping into his arms. He clutched me against his body tightly.
“It’s my badass mate.” I kissed him hard on the lips before breaking away.
He arched down, rubbing his nose against my neck. “Damn, I missed you.”
His mouth slanted over mine, ruthlessly claiming me. I trembled and gasped, loving the taste of him. He nipped my bottom lip before pulling back.
Grant and Kyle said in unison, “We’re out.”
I didn’t care. I was like a dog with a bone, and I wanted Fergus all to myself.
But first things first.“So how did it go?” I asked worriedly, sliding to my feet.
One arm still clutched me as he used the fingers of his free hand to caress my throat and jaw. “Contentious, but everyone finally agreed Price and his pack were at fault. We voted on a laundry list of sanctions against them. The remaining members of his pack don’t want to start a war. They also agreed to take care of their problem elder, Tadeo, who had ordered Price to bring you to him.”
