Beary Sexy: A BBW Werebear Boxed Set
Page 38
He just wanted to start over. But he couldn’t. All he could do was try to make things right from here on out.
“I’m sorry, Kylie. I just don’t think it’s a good idea.”
Her mouth fell open. “I don’t understand. I mean, one minute you’re trying to tell me we’re made for each other, and then the next you’re back to rejecting me?”
He scratched his head furiously, angry with himself for saying things wrong all over again. “Look, it’s not like that. It’s just that—”
“I get it,” she said, waving a hand as she pulled her socks off and removed her snow pants, leaving her in a thin pair of black leggings that exposed every curve of her luscious legs. His mouth went dry.
“You get what?” he asked, genuinely confused.
“I get it. I mean, you’re allowed to chase me, but I’m not allowed to chase you. You want me to like you, but you don’t want me to make a move. You want to be the hero, make all the moves, while I just sit and wait for the next rejection.”
He crossed the room in two strides and took her in his arms. He wrapped his arms around her and placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head. “Let’s not forget that you were the hero first. You saved me.”
Her hand rested on his, first trying to pull it down, then relaxing when she realized he wasn’t going to let her go. “Then why are you rejecting me?” she asked.
“I’m not,” he said.
“Um, you said no. That’s basically the definition of rejection.”
“No,” he said. “I’m delaying you. I want you to give me time to show you it’s more than the sex. I want time to woo you.”
“Woo me?” she scoffed. “Well I never.”
“You don’t want me to?” he asked. “I’ve never wooed a woman, so I suspect I’ll be bad at it, but—”
She turned to face him and took his face in her hands. “On the contrary. You’re too good at it. You made today wonderful. Made me forget my reservations. It’s just that, well, it’s hard to be rejected by you. You know, because of what happened before.”
He stroked over her soft cheek with one thumb. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she was looking at him again, he spoke. “I’m never going to reject you like that again. In a way, I’m glad I had that time to get to know you. To be part of your circle, even if things weren’t working right. I feel like I know you on a deeper level after all that time, and I think it makes what we have that much more special.”
“If you edit out the bad memories,” she grumbled.
“And what about the good ones?” he asked. “I think one day we’ll laugh at the shenanigans, like when you pulled me into a broom closet at the wedding.”
She folded her arms and tried to pull away. “I was drunk!”
He pulled her back in and wrapped his arms around her, loving how she felt. “I’m glad you were. Look, I know that time was painful for you, but I’m going to make it up to you. And I’m not going to make love to you until I have.”
“That’s not fair,” she whined. “You’re going to deny me because of your own sins?”
He pressed another kiss to the top of her head. “I guess you’ll just have to hurry up and forgive me then.”
She opened her mouth as if to say something and then snapped it closed. “Fine. We’ll see. Charmer.”
He ruffled her hair and then stepped back. “I can be. I can also be a complete ass, according to my family.”
“Don’t I know it,” she said, stepping back to study him as if she wanted to memorize the look of him before he left.
“I can be a hero too, though,” he said, folding his arms and staring right back. He was much taller, and had to look down at her, but he hoped it didn’t come across as intimidating. After all, he would never hurt her. He’d ram himself through a brick wall first. But he did like being big.
It meant he could keep the world away from her. Keep her safe. “I want to be your hero, Kylie.”
She walked up to him and stroked his arm, then reached up on her toes to whisper in his ear. “Well, I don’t really need a hero. Except in bed.” She stepped back, biting her lip, and he let out a mock gasp of shock.
“You minx!” he said playfully, taking a step back, hands over his chest. “As you would say, well I never.” He gave her a wry grin. “Now I’m going to go tell my brothers you only want to use me for my body.”
“Ha!” she retorted. “They’d probably say you were lucky.”
“You know what? They probably would,” he agreed, loving the banter between them and not wanting to leave. But it was time. It’d be getting dark soon outside, and as much as he wanted to stay, the longer they were in the same room together, the more chance this thing between them had of combusting. And he wasn’t going to allow that. So he took her hand, raised it to his lips, and watched her blush as he kissed it.
“Thank you for the day, Kylie. It was one of the best I’ve had.”
“Even including the day you won a gold medal?”
He closed his eyes to think and then laughed. “Every kiss is a gold medal with you.”
Her face went a deeper shade of red and she threw a sock at him as he laughed and walked toward the door. “Where do you even come up with this stuff?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know sweetheart, I guess you just inspire me.”
She humphed, but a small smile was curving the corners of her lips as she watched him go.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then?” he asked. “Same time? Well, actually a little earlier, so we can get some runs in before the pow is gone.”
“All right,” she said. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He tore his gaze off of her and walked through the door, shutting it behind him. Everything in him wanted to go back to her, but he knew he couldn’t. So instead, he headed out into the snow, hands in his pockets, thinking over what he would do the next day to win over his mate.
Chapter 11
Kylie flopped on her bed with an aggravated sigh. He’d rejected her. Rejected! Her! She gritted her teeth and dove under the covers, pulling them over her head. She could still feel her heart beating rapidly, feel her blush only barely receding as she recalled his words.
Gold medals, huh? Well he sure deserved one for giving her one of the best days of her life. Each kiss had truly been precious. And then she’d had to go and come on to him, and he’d rejected her. She knew his reasons, but it still felt too much like it had before, when he’d been the one in control, the one always saying no, and she’d been the pathetic loser. No matter how much she told herself it was for the good of the relationship, it felt icky to be back in that mindset.
She sighed and tried to tell herself it wasn’t like that. Maybe if she just kept saying it over and over, her heart would believe it. Still, she couldn’t believe the day she’d just had. If someone had told her that she’d be playing in the snow with Ryan, the man she’d playfully and then more seriously pursued for almost a year, she’d have told them to think again.
But it had been a wonderful day, one she wouldn’t trade for anything, no matter what happened from here on out.
* * *
The next week passed by much like the days before it. Each day she woke up, went on the slopes with Ryan, flirted shamelessly with him as she got to be more at home on her board, and then went home to bed. Alone.
She was growing more and more frustrated with the situation. After all, she was letting him court her. Her cabin could barely contain all of the flowers he had sent. But at the same time, she wanted his hands on her again. Resented that it was all in his control whether they did something together or not. Resented that he was making her wait because of some mislaid idea of courting her that she didn’t need.
She’d either learn to trust and believe in him or not, but it wouldn’t be changed by the fact that they were having sex. And oh, what sex they could have. She bit her lip as she walked into Leslie’s bar and slid into a booth to wait for her friends. They were going to get
babysitters tonight and come out for a girls’ night with her. She was a little too tired of the lodge, needed some time away to sort out her feelings about Ryan.
As far as she’d seen, there was no evidence that he had been injured at all. He seemed completely healed. She never saw him get dizzy or lose his memory or forget where they were. And she never saw him be particularly careful while riding either.
Tania was working the bar tonight and Kylie smiled and waived at her as she sat. A waitress came over to take her drink order while she waited for her friends.
Ah, a night without Ryan. The thought was satisfying, if only because she didn’t need him following her around only to reject her.
And she’d been particularly irritated tonight when he’d shown no interest whatsoever in making a move. His cheerful wave and promise to see her the next morning was seriously starting to chafe. If he really wanted her, wouldn’t he be doing something about it? The more he rejected her, the more she just wanted to scream at him that she didn’t care about being wooed. She just wanted him right there and then.
She sipped the apple martini the waitress brought. The waitress was a shy girl, with dirty-blond hair tied into a low ponytail.
Kylie looked back toward the door she’d come in through to see if Janna or Leslie was anywhere in sight. She sighed and checked her phone. Late. Of course. She understood that kids complicated things, but sometimes she just wanted to be able to talk to her friends. Or have a kid of her own so that she understood them and was more a part of things.
An image came into her mind, of a scampy little boy with bright blue eyes, and her breath caught in her chest. She picked up her drink and took a hefty swig before setting it back down. A few minutes and a few swigs later, the girls still weren’t there and Kylie’s glass was empty.
She raised her hand, looking around for the waitress, but didn’t see her. Tania was on the phone, presumably arguing with a vendor, so Kylie peeked out of her booth to take a look around and see if she could find the waitress.
Her jaw dropped when she found her. She was next to a booth full of drunken tourists and one of them had his hand on her butt, pulling her close. The waitress, whose name was Rory, squeaked and tried to get away, but another of the guys grabbed her hand.
Kylie stood and moved nonchalantly toward the bar, hoping to get Talia’s attention. As she did it, she counted the guys. Only three. But all full-grown men. Could she take them on?
For a second, she considered the fact that Ryan would be angry. But with no one else here, she was the only one who could stand up for the young waitress. Even though she was only a few years older than the other woman, she rolled up her sleeves and headed over.
The man holding the waitress let her go and she stumbled back with a gasp. Kylie caught her. Rory was taller and much thinner than her, and she pushed the girl behind her.
“Shame on you,” she said, putting her hands on her hips and trying to puff up and look bigger than she felt. “You have no right to do that. Not in this establishment.”
The bar might be Leslie’s, but Kylie felt protective of anything that involved her friends. The door to the bar jingled as it opened, but Kylie couldn’t afford to look away from the men eyeing her belligerently. She hoped it was someone who could help, but no way was she turning her back on this situation.
One of the men, a man of average height with a beer paunch, reached for her hand.
“How dare you?” She jerked back.
“Ah come on, don’t pretend you local chicks aren’t looking for a good time.” He caught her hand and pulled her toward him, and she tried to jerk away but couldn’t get her hand back. “Can’t be often a real man comes around these parts.”
“Actually,” a deep, angry voice cut in. “A real man comes around these particular parts every damn day.”
Kylie gasped as she felt herself jerked back from the man’s grasp and found herself pushed behind a wide, tall back. She stared up at the light blond head in front of her.
What was Ryan doing here? Stalker. But she couldn’t help feeling warm relief as she moved back to stand with Rory, who was taking deep breaths to calm down. Tania was staring wide-eyed from the other side of the bar. Her eyes were apologetic. Kylie knew if Leslie had been here, the scene would have played out much differently. But Tania was still getting used to being in charge.
“Ryan Hart?” one of the men asked. A blond friend of the one who’d grabbed Kylie. “What are you doing here? I should call the paparazzi. Oh wait, maybe they wouldn’t care since you broke your head.”
Kylie’s chest burned as they insulted her man. Wait, her man? When had that happened?
“Yeah that’s right,” the other man said. “How does it feel to be a has been?” He snickered and looked at his friends for support, and Kylie had to restrain herself from going over to punch him. No one talked to Ryan that way, not while she was around.
Ryan just stood there with his back to her, his arms folded. She didn’t know how he was taking it.
“Yeah, so how does it feel to be broken?” the man asked, leering up at Ryan like he was far too happy to have a reason to feel superior to the powerful snowboarder. She hated people like this. Able-bodied people who thought they were better than anyone else.
“Not too broken to do this,” Ryan said, reaching for the man’s collar.
“Ryan, no!” Kylie said, running forward to wrap her arms around Ryan’s waist and hold him back. She knew she couldn’t possibly stop him with how much bigger he was, but she had to try. Men like this weren’t worth it.
“That’s right,” he said. “Let the chick save you. Cripple.”
Kylie’s heart pounded hard and her eyes narrowed. Before she could think, she drove her fist right through the man’s smug face. It made a satisfying crack and she was too pleased by the way his face flew to the side to care about the pain in her fist. Her brother had taught her to throw a proper punch, so nothing should be injured.
She felt a strong arm wrap around her waist and lift her into the air, and growled at the men as she was placed behind Ryan again. This time Ryan took a step back and pointed to the door. His voice was tight with anger.
“Get out, now, before I call the police.”
“She attacked us,” the man said, pointing.
“Right,” Ryan said. “But are you going to be the one to tell the police that?”
“They committed assault,” Kylie shouted from behind him. “Against Rory. Go ahead and call the cops. See if I care. They’re my friends anyway, so we’ll see whom they listen to. Or put me in jail. But you aren’t going to talk to my friend that way! Take your hateful words and leave!” Tears stung her eyes as she flipped away from Ryan and strode across the bar to calm herself.
Cripple. Broken. All words that hurt, words she’d somehow learned to be immune to over the years. Mostly. But hearing them shot at Ryan, realizing just how people were talking about him out in the world he’d previously moved so easily in, just set her off in a way she didn’t like. Put her back to those days where every insult felt like a knife wound, sharp and bleeding.
She heard Ryan say something to the men in a low voice, and before she knew it, all three were skulking out, tails between their legs, careful to edge around her and not come close enough to touch. She slumped in the booth next to her and ignored Talia as she rushed over to Ryan.
“Thank goodness you came in. I was on the phone and, well, I’m so sorry. Rory, are you okay?” The two women began to talk and she heard Ryan’s heavy footsteps coming her way. She felt his presence in front of her before he crouched down in front of the booth to be at eye level.
“You okay?” he asked, tipping her chin up to face him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here sooner. Janna called me to come down. She and Leslie had to deal with something last minute up at the lodge, and they sent me instead.” He rubbed his head bashfully. “Of course, I never mind an excuse to come see you. I was a little worried about you being here alone anyway.”
“Hey, come on,” he said. “I’m an athlete, I’m used to a little smack talk.”
“Then why did you almost attack one of them?”
“He touched you,” he said simply, and she was struck by the possession in his eyes. He said it so frankly, as if it was completely natural that he should get violent over her. Maybe he really was serious about all of this. He certainly had been serious about the wooing. In fact, she didn’t know how much more wooing she could take.
“Thanks for standing up for me, though,” he said, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. “Tiger.”
“I can’t stand when people say things like that,” she said. “Not about someone I love.”
His eyes flicked to hers, and she realized what she had said. But she didn’t bother to correct it. He should know he was one of her friends. One of the many people she loved and would fight for. If she got flustered over it he’d just read more into it than he needed to.
He sat across from her in the booth. “Are you okay?”
She shrugged. “Yes. Language like that just brings back a lot of bad memories.”
“I can imagine,” he said. “For what it’s worth, I don’t see you any differently. It’s just one part of your life, one part of what makes you you.”
“Thanks,” she said. “That means a lot to me. It’s part of why I don’t show anyone. I don’t want them to look at me differently. I’m not here to be plucky inspiration and I’m not here to be pitied or treated differently. I’m just me with an extra challenge to deal with. And I have good days and bad days, just like anyone else.”
He nodded. “I can imagine.”
“Well, you can understand, can’t you?” she asked, looking up into his eyes. “I mean, since your injury. Speaking of which, how are you healing so fast? I mean, I thought from all the news stuff that it was going to take a long time. But aside from the depression you were dealing with when you wouldn’t leave your room, you seem to be doing fine. So what’s up with that?” She looked down at her empty glass. “I mean it doesn’t seem exactly fair.”