RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(25)

I tried to focus on the road but it was damned near impossible. I had to ask her about her name, though. I needed to find out who the hell she really was. “Who are you?”

She started unbuttoning the flannel and turned to face me. “Leila Harold. Born and raised in Peachpit, Georgia. I spent the last couple of years on a compound full of gator shifters. I dated the wrong guy and ended up getting trapped. After I knew what they were, Steven wouldn’t let me go. Last month, I stole lots of his money while he was away on business and escaped. I was on the run when I found Beatrix and her Buxom Beauties. I gave her half of that money so I could pretend to be Maggie and have a way out of the south and a place to lay low for a while.”

I stopped the truck in the middle of the road and slowly turned to face her. “What?”

“Yeah. Me ending up at your doorstep was a fluke. I had no clue you were going to be a shifter or that we’d have any kind of connection. I wasn’t even planning on sticking around for longer than I had to.”

“He held you captive?” My blood boiled and I felt the urge to rip something apart with my bare hands. I punched the dash, cracking the heavy plastic, and then pulled my hands down my face roughly. It was still hard to control my anger these days. “Where is he?”

She shrugged her shoulder and my shirt slid down, revealing a smooth satiny shoulder. The marks were faded and I knew in a few more days, they’d be completely gone. “I don’t know. Probably looking for me down there somewhere. I’m sure he’s pissed and wants to kill me. He can’t trace me, though. Beatrix was the only person who knew where I ended up and she said that she was closing up shop and moving to California to be near her grandkids after I gave her the money.”

I felt myself starting to turn and held on tight to the steering wheel willing bear to stay buried inside. Leila scooted over next to me and wrapped her arms around my neck. She was too close. She could get hurt if I couldn’t control bear and stop the shift. “Get back!”

She just tightened her grip and pressed her mouth against the side of my neck. “No. You’re okay.”

My bear instantly settled and my dick turned to stone. I sucked in a big breath and turned to face her. A human female with that much power over me wasn’t something I’d ever thought possible, but here she was. “You’re going to tell me all about this ex later.”

“After,” she grinned.

I started driving again. “After.”

She visibly shuddered and undid another button on the shirt. I hadn’t planned on letting things between us get this far, but hearing her threaten to bring another man home had enraged me. Bear was crazy and demanded that I claim her so she couldn’t. I was still at odds with bear on most things and had to fight him the entire way to the rodeo. He wanted to run there and scoop her up. He believed her fully and knew that she was our mate. I was slower on the take. The more I sat next to her, though, and the more I felt the connection. I was a goner. The only reason we weren’t already pulled over on the side of the road, was because I hadn’t been with a woman in a long while and I was slightly worried about hurting her.

I slid the truck into its spot in front of my house and pulled Leila out with me through the driver’s side. She squealed as I did and then wrapped all of her limbs tightly around me.

I pushed open the cabin door and then kicked it shut before carrying her over to the bed and dropping her on it. After I did, I backed away and sat at the kitchen table, facing her. I needed a second to calm down or I would hurt her.

“Come here.”

I shook my head. I was nervous. My brother, Alex, had tried to convince me that having a mate was the best thing that ever happened to him, but I wasn’t so sure. I didn’t know this woman. Hadn’t even known of her existence a few days ago. How could I trust what seemed like such a good thing when everything in my life had turned to shit?

She stood up and slowly unbuttoned her shirt before opening and revealing that she wore nothing underneath. Her bare breasts called to me and my mind went blank. How the fuck was I supposed to question something like that?

She tossed the shirt at my head and then grinned at me. “Come, bear. I want to play.”

I was on my feet in nanoseconds, moving to her. “You’re a tease.”

“I don’t tease. You’re the tease. You hid from me and only came out when I threatened to bring another guy back here.”

I growled low in my throat and reached for her. When she sidestepped me and all I got was a wisp of her hair, I moved faster and caught her in my arms with her back to my chest. “No other guys. Ever again.”