BEARed to You(16)

“This, your problem, has something to do with your work? They know what? That you’re changing into a bear?”

“Yes, they know. They did it to me.” He lifted her palm to his mouth and kissed it. “I can’t tell you more. I don’t know any more. Besides it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you’re safe. You need to go home, get away from here.”

“That’s not going to happen as long as the strike is still going on. The flights out of Anchorage have all been cancelled.”

“Where’s your truck?” He was starting to shiver harder. Although it was warm by Alaska’s standards, somewhere in the upper 50’s, it was still pretty chilly to be running around in one’s birthday suit.

“You’re cold. I can get something for you to wear in my hotel room.”

His fingers wrapped around her wrist as tight and unyielding as steel bands. He pulled her flush against him. She had more than a suspicion he hadn’t done that to block the chilly northerly wind. “No. You shouldn’t go back in there.”

She tipped her head up to look him in the eye. It wasn’t easy, but she managed to speak, “All of my stuff’s in there, including the keys to my rental.”

He grunted but released her. A bummer! “Fine. But I’ll come with you.”

“I don’t think Joe’s in any condition to get in our way. He looked pretty bad off. I think he’s still alive, but barely.”

Tarik’s expression darkened. “Yeah.” After a moment, he nodded. “Okay. Let’s go. But you must be careful.”

“I’ll go in through the main entrance and let you into the building through the side door. My room is only a few feet from the door. Hopefully no one’ll see you.” Her face warmed. “Not that you don’t look absolutely fabu—”

For the first time in too long, his lips curled into that naughty smile. “No need to explain. And speaking of looks, you…you look damn good yourself. So good that I want to…” He took a step back. “No, I shouldn’t.”

A little quiver raced through her body. “Shouldn’t what?”

He gripped the back of her head with one hand, tangling his fingers in the hair at her nape. With a sharp yank, he dragged her against him. “This.” He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her to boneless-ness.

She literally drooped against him, relying on his other arm to support her as she kissed him back. Their tongues stroked and mated. Their breaths mixed. She moaned. He growled. She wished they were back at the cabin, in front of the fireplace, naked. At least he was naked. That was a mighty fine start.

He broke the kiss much too soon. “Let’s go, before Omega sends someone else. I’m sure they know something’s happened to Joe by now.” He held her until she had her feet back under herself and her knees had regained their strength.

“Yeah.” Her head kind of floaty and light, her feet skipping along the surface of the asphalt parking lot, she walked back into the hotel. It wasn’t easy, considering she was still in space-mode from that amazing kiss, but she tried to pay attention to who was nearby as she went back to her room. The door was still slightly ajar, thankfully, since she hadn’t had the chance to grab her keycard before being thrown over Joe’s shoulders and hauled outside like a sack of trash.

It didn’t look like anyone else had been in the room. Everything was where she’d left it. She dashed out to the corridor, and after listening for a moment to make sure no one would be coming down the hallway in the next few seconds, opened the door leading to the parking lot to let Tarik inside.

She pointed at room 113 and he nodded, preceding her. She handed him a blanket—giving the guy something to cover up his very scrumptious body was becoming a tradition. He smiled a thanks and wrapped it toga style around his form.

He said nothing while she ran around, throwing her clothes, shoes and cosmetics into her luggage. She left the keycard on the table next to the door when they left. Tarik, being one hundred percent gentleman, carried her heavy suitcases to the door.

When they stepped outside, they both halted mid-stride. The big white van was gone. Joe was gone too.

“How?” she asked.

“Where’d you park?”

“Around back.”

“Wait here for a few seconds. I’ll make some kind of noise if someone’s waiting to ambush us.” Still carting her luggage, Tarik jogged to the end of the building and peered around the corner. Evidently he didn’t see anything because he dashed around the corner and out of her line of sight. Fearful she was being watched or followed, she looked back over her shoulder. No one was there. Her nerves jumpy, she broke into a full run after Tarik. As she rounded the corner, she saw he had already put her suitcases in the backseat and was sitting behind the steering wheel. His uncovered arm jutted from the open driver’s-side window. She handed him the keys then ran around the rear of the vehicle and climbed into the passenger seat.