Hers to Take(12)

Finally, he spoke first. "I knew there was something," he said. "But … you … damn. You have every natural instinct inside me going crazy, woman."

"Instinct?" She shook her head. That couldn't be right. "But you're a wolf."

"I thought we already established that." His cocky grin was back, but he softened it by grabbing her hand. "And you're a grizzly. Remember?"

She tried not to smile. "But then how can your instincts be doing anything?" Kira shook her head, aware she wasn't making any sense. "I mean … us … this." She gestured between them. "It's just-"

"It's just whatever we decide it is," he finished for her. "Why don't we just leave it at that for now because I think we can both agree that there's something between us-am I right? I mean, I don't know about you, Kira, but bear or not, I've never shared a kiss like that before and I'd be more than happy for a replay."

Leave it at that? Could she? Could she just stop thinking about the fact that he was a wolf and she was a bear and just let how she was feeling rule the moment?

Nash leaned forward, pressed his lips against hers again and the decision was made.

Hell yes. At least for the time being, if it meant more kisses like that one, she could definitely let things between them just be whatever.





Chapter Four





Nash drove the nail into the two-by-four with only a few swings of his hammer before he moved on to the next one. He was on autopilot. Not that repairing a few broken picnic tables took a whole lot of brainpower. And it was a good thing, too, because the only thing he'd been able to think of for the last twenty-four hours was that kiss.

The kiss.

Damn.

It's not as if it had been a stretch to imagine what kissing Kira would be like. The moment he saw her, he'd seen it. She was teeming with sensuality. The kind that she didn't even know she was hiding from herself.

But even though he'd known it would be hot as hell, Nash had not been prepared for the reality of it. And now, it was all he could do to concentrate on the simple task of hammering a few nails; all he could think of was laying Kira down on one of the tables he was fixing and showing her exactly how hot that kiss had been and what he intended to do about it. Because he did intend to do something about it. Just as soon as he had even the slightest chance to get her alone.

That was the problem. They were never alone. If Nash thought that having the room directly next to hers in the tiny staff cabin they shared was going to afford him any time with Kira, he'd been wrong. Very wrong. A constant stream of people milled about the cabin, at literally all hours. Nash hadn't even thought that many people worked at the Riverside campground. And truth be told, they probably didn't. Staff throughout Yellowstone had a habit of traveling around the park on their days off and crashing wherever they could. Not that it mattered. Where there was a will, there was very much a way and Nash definitely had the desire to get Kira alone. Soon.




 

 

First, he had a job to do. As monotonous as repairing picnic tables was, Nash had chosen the task that afternoon with the distinct purpose of losing himself in physical labor. If anything could take the edge off his need and his animal straining at the very edge of control, it was working up a good sweat.

He finished with the table he was working on, propped his hammer up on the bucket of nails and easily lifted the table with only the slightest strain on his biceps. He carried it over to one side and grabbed the next one. He was alone behind the maintenance shack, but he should probably use a bit more judgment when it came to using his strength so openly. He wasn't usually so reckless. But that's because he didn't usually feel as though he were on the edge of exploding. His wolf wanted out in a fierce way and the sensation was only getting stronger. Especially when he was around Kira

Nash knew exactly what it meant. She was his.

He needed her. The fact that she was a bear and he was a wolf- a Yellowstone wolf-didn't matter. Not to his animal. The only thing that mattered was quenching the fire inside.

Nash let a growl slip from his throat and he picked up the hammer again, determined to focus his energies on something he actually could control.

"What exactly are people thinking when they stand on these things," he muttered and grabbed a nail from the bucket. "They're thinking they're on holidays and they're not going to have to worry about fixing it, so might as well," he answered himself and swung the hammer, hitting the nail into the board.

It was an easy fix. Most of them were, and before long, he'd repaired all the broken tables. He was in the shack, replacing his tools, when his cell phone rang. His heart leapt until he realized Kira didn't have his number. She would have used the radios if she wanted to get a hold of him. He almost ignored the phone altogether. And as soon as he looked at the number, he wished he would have.