RANCHER BEAR’S BABY(83)
“Glad to know what you really think of me, jackass.” The woman in question stood several feet away with her hands on her hips. “I got the flowers and I’m ready to go.”
I watched her stomp away and felt my dick turn to stone. I tried my best to cover it in my naked state and groaned. “That woman will be the death of me.”
Alex laughed harder than I would’ve liked and nodded. “One thing’s for sure, she does not like you. Good luck, brother.”
“What the fuck am I supposed to do?”
He shrugged. “Give her what she thinks she wants. Pretend like you’re with Mandy and see how insane she gets.”
“It doesn’t feel right to do that. Not to Bunny and not to Mandy.”
“Mandy doesn’t give two shits about you. You know it, I know it, hell the whole world knows it. She’s with you because of the mysterious writer thing and because it’s easy for her to be with you. You’re never in her business and you let her do whatever she wants. I’m not completely convinced the woman even feels normal human emotions. She’s intense.”
I pulled myself to my feet and looked out at my truck. I could see Bunny sitting in the passenger seat, talking to herself. “Doesn’t seem like a good idea, Alex.”
“Nothing seems like a good idea when the woman who was made for you isn’t receptive. Elizabeth left me at first. It took her months to come back and I honestly felt like I was dying at times. You’ll figure it out.”
I sure as hell hoped so.
CHAPTER 9: Bunny
I watched a very naked John strut across the dirt like he wasn’t in his birthday suit, stopping to pick up articles of his clothing as he went. He stopped in front of the truck and casually got dressed. I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t ignore the pull I felt towards him as much as I wanted to.
Spending the whole day with him, running errands, had been a bad idea. The more time I spent around him, the more I was drawn to him. I really needed to call Star and talk to her about mates. I had to know if it was something I could avoid or if I was ruined.
John got back in the truck without saying a word. He remained quiet the entire drive back to his house and still didn’t say anything when he helped me unload everything. In the truck, I accepted it because I thought he was just trying to get to me, but after he unloaded everything and still served me the silent treatment, I was beyond annoyed.
I got to work and tried to ignore the fact that he wasn’t speaking to me. It was hard, though. I felt awkward being in his house, close to him, and not speaking to him. It was driving me crazy.
I’d changed the sheets in his bedroom with a bright red face and then rushed around to find his washing machine, so I didn’t have to look at the incriminating evidence of what we’d done. I found the laundry room and was just starting the machine when I spotted John through the window. He was outside on the porch.
I stepped closer and inched the curtain aside. He was completely naked again and staring out at the lake behind the house. He moved with grace and lifted himself over the porch railing like he weighed nothing, shifted in mid-air, and landed softly as a bear before diving into the lake. My ex had never moved so smoothly. He was more bumbling bear. John was easily all apex predator.
He swam, coming up just to breathe and then dove under again. His dark fur looked black while wet and I couldn’t help but be awed as I watched him.
Eventually, I tore myself away from the window and finished the tasks I needed to do. I was dreading Mandy’s arrival. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I didn’t know if I could keep a lid on my emotions.
I made my way around the house, looking at everything to make sure it was done the way Mandy wanted it, and then settled in my room with the James Smith book I’d grabbed earlier. I tried to read, but knowing John was somewhere nearby was too distracting. I let the book fall over top of my face and groaned.
It felt like there was a battle raging between my brain and heart. I was the same Bunny who’d just managed to escape a bear shifter with a cheating problem and an ability to scream so loudly the house would shake. I didn’t want a man. I didn’t need a man. But, I couldn’t deny the feelings that were taking over. I wanted to talk to John. I wanted to argue with him, anything, just to spend time with him.
Not to mention the way my body reacted to the man. I’d never experienced anything like that. My ex hadn’t made me orgasm in years. John had done it in minutes.
I tossed the book aside and went to the bathroom. I started the water in the shower and turned it towards the cold side. I just needed to cool down.