Bear Faced Liar

by Alice Coldbreath

  Jared made a big deal about downing his tools at the discreet cough behind him. Of course, he'd already known she was standing there with her damn notebook. His shifter senses aside, he was hyper-aware of every move his current employer's classy blonde made. Pristine Christine. She was a pain in his ass, but from the minute he'd clapped eyes on her, he and his bear had sat up and taken notice. Which was odd, 'cos she wasn't even his type. He liked exotic brunettes not cool blondes. And this one had a glance that could freeze you at fifteen paces. Animosity fizzled between them like a live current. She hated his guts and he wanted to fuck her so bad he could hardly see straight. It wasn't a good combination. He needed to finish this job fast. Unfortunately for him, she didn't see it that way.

  “Mr Hunt,” she started in that cut glass voice of hers. “I need to speak to you about the wiring system.”

  He straightened up, letting his eyes slip down over that neat little figure of hers. Nope, not his type. Today she had teamed up a beige pencil skirt with a wide matching belt and a cream silky shirt. There was absolutely nothing for him to get hot under the collar about. Except, someone needed to tell that to his dick. As usual she had her blonde hair swept up into some kind of up-do. A glossy twisted bun. She never wore it loose. Damn, he'd like to see it loose. Just once. He wondered if she let it down for sex with her wimp boyfriend. Of course, the chinless wonder drove a Ferrari and could support her in the lifestyle she demanded. He had no doubt that the understated outfits hanging in her walk-in closet were all designer and cost a fortune. He wondered if Stuart Harber made her come.

  “The new security system we've decided on needs to be added in to the concealed wiring in the wall cavity.”

  Jared's brows snapped together. “New security system?” he echoed. “The old one was only installed a month ago!”

  Her own eyebrows rose infinitesimally. “It was inadequate.”

  “Inadequate?” Shit. He'd bet her fiancee's cock was inadequate.

  “I don't need to rationalize our decisions with you, Mr Hunt,” she said with a wintry smile. ““Need I remind you that we're paying you for your services?”

  And there it was. Hostility pulsed between them so thick you could almost see it. But on his side at least it was tempered with a healthy dose of lust. What the fuck was it about this woman that got his dick so hard, he seethed inwardly? She's not for us, he told his bear warningly. His animal side was very close to the surface wherever she was concerned. She's a royal bitch. We don't need that kind of hassle. Taking a deep breath, he fell into a falsely relaxed attitude.

  “Not my problem, princess,” he drawled. “We've sealed up the wall cavity and it's been plastered over. It was all cleared at the time.”

  “It is your problem, if I say it's your problem,” she said loudly in her clear voice. “We engaged your services and if we are not satisfied with the job then I can assure you we will take issue with the payment.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her but she didn't back up one bit. If anything, she just squared her shoulders and drew herself up even further. She was pretty tall for a woman, five foot seven at least even in her flat pumps. He still dwarfed her though, at six foot three. Not that she seemed to damn well notice. He couldn't help but begrudgingly respect her for it. Not many men went toe-to-toe with Jared Hunt. Hell, not many bear shifters would even attempt it. His bear was on the alert, curious to see the female's reaction to his show of dominance. He shifted his stance, his hips fully facing toward her.

  "There's not a big problem with security round these parts," he told her calmly. "It's not like the city. The system that's already been installed..."

  "Is not going to cut it," she interrupted him with a swipe of her hand. "I need to feel completely secure in my home, and that system will not give me peace of mind. I have negotiated a new system and that is the one you will be working around."

  He took another deep breath. “You've got to appreciate that's gonna add at least two more days to the job,” he pointed out. “Days I have not budgeted or scheduled for. We have another job lined up that we are meant to start the day after tomorrow...”

  She shrugged. “That's hardly my problem, Mr Hunt,” she said echoing his words from earlier. “I would have thought that a contractor such as yourself would have calculated a buffer for eventualities such as these.”

  “Eventualities such as you changing your mind on damn near every fixture and fitting?” he asked bitingly.

  She froze, her blue eyes flashing. “I suggest you remember who you're talking to,” she reminded him icily. “The person holding the check-book.”

  He watched the rise and fall of her cream silk shirt through half-closed lids. For all her cold tone, she was as excited as he was. He knew she felt the sizzle in the air between them. What would she do, he wondered, if he took three strides toward her, closing the distance between them and just...took her mouth? Would she suck on his tongue? He'd have to hike up her straight skirt for her to get her legs around his waist. Shit. Really Jared? Fantasizing about her now? His nostrils flared and his bear bellowed within him. He needed to calm the fuck down.

  Fortunately his cousin Luke chose this moment to interrupt them. “Jared, I need your help to lift that beam...” he broke off his words, looking from one to the other. “Am I interruptin’?”

  Jared swore under his breath, but truth be told, Luke's entrance was good timing. Still, he didn't break eye contact. “I think we're about done,” he said provocatively, daring her to contradict him.

  “I'm glad to hear you've seen sense,” she said, not climbing down one inch. Damn, she was one stubborn woman. She swiveled on her heel, not even acknowledging Luke, and strode from the room. Jared swallowed, his throat suddenly dry. God damn it. He'd never seen her in a fitted skirt before and she had a surprisingly curvy backside for her frame. Tearing his hungry gaze away he found his cousin shaking his head.

  “We'll get fired if you take her over your knee,” Luke pointed out warningly.

  Jared felt the color slash across his cheekbones. The direction of his gaze must have been obvious, but he hadn't been thinking about spanking that ass. He grunted.

  “This extra work gonna eat into our profit margin?” asked Luke.

  “Pretty-boy can damn well pay for it,” he growled. The bastard had to be paying for everything else, including the privilege of being between those silky thighs of hers. “The sooner we finish this damn job the better.”

  He glanced out the window at the sound of the revving engine pulling up outside. His mouth twisted bitterly. “Speak of the devil.”

  “You gonna clear it with him first?” asked Luke.

  “Naw. It's pretty damn obvious who's callin' the shots round here,” he remarked derisively. He did a double-take seeing the female running out onto the drive. She was irate, he could see that from the window and that was before she started yelling and pointing at the sap. He felt a jealous tug in his chest seeing her face-off against another male even if it was her intended. Stuart Harber's face turned pale as he exited the car, his palms raised in supplication. Jared couldn't hear their words but he could tell the asshole was apologizing and she was having none of it. What the hell had he done? he wondered idly as he watched her round the car and get in his face. Jared's blood pulsed. She was right in the guy's space. If she'd invaded his space like that...He wasn't quite sure what he would do but he had a feeling something would snap. Most likely his control. He licked his lips, but Harber didn't seem to have the same problem. Suddenly he stopped remonstrating and abruptly turned away from her, heading for the house. She shouted after him, but was ignored. Pursing her lips she followed him back inside and suddenly Jared could hear their voices loud and clear as they bickered in the hallway.

&n
bsp; “God damn it, she's a nasty-tempered female,” muttered Luke disapprovingly.

  Jared turned his head sharply. He'd almost forgotten his cousin was even there. He picked up his hammer again and returned to fixing the skirting board without comment.

  Christine's voice rose another octave and Jared looked up.

  “Poor bastard,” Luke muttered, shaking his head. “No pussy’s worth that.”

  Jared’s eyebrows rose as he placed another nail in the wall and then hammered it home. Pristine Christine didn't seem quite so classy when she was screaming like a fish-wife and busting her boyfriend's balls. Sadly, it didn't seem to affect his own dick's fondness for her. And his damn bear seemed to think he actually wanted her to fight with him instead. Stupid bastard.

  “Please Chris,” he heard his employer whine like a bitch from the floor below. “Not in front of the builders. They can hear every word .”

  “I don’t give a damn about the help,” she shouted. “Where were you? And don’t tell me at the gallery. Mindy told me you left there three hours ago!”

  Jared smirked around the mouthful of nails. He guessed her fiancée wasn’t gonna get off the hook this time. He was well and truly in the dog-house.

  “Look sweetie I already told you-”

  “Don’t you sweetie me!” she yelled. “You liar! You're going to regret this, I swear-”

  Suddenly an almighty crash split the air, causing Jared to freeze mid-swing with his hammer. His gaze flew to the stairwell, and then to his cousin who gazed back equally startled.

  “What the hell-?” swore Luke as Jared flung down his tool-belt on the floor and made for the stairs. He didn't wait to see if Luke followed him. He hadn’t taken more than a few steps down the first flight when he heard the cries below.

  “Oh my god! Chris? Chris?” shouted a male voice hysterically. “Help! Oh my god! Help me!”

  Jared descended the last two flights, three steps at a time until he stood in the vast open-plan entrance area. Stuart Harber was kneeling over a fallen figure with his ashen face drained of all color. Jared's first reaction was to leap for his throat. He felt a deep, all-consuming anger. But the need to protect came first and he needed to check on Christine. He roughly pushed past Harber to drop down beside the prone figure lying in the middle of the wooden floor. It was his bitch-on-wheels blonde, but she didn’t look so vicious right now, lying all in a heap. Jared kneeled down next to her and brushed her hair out of the way to look at her pale face. Then he looked at the large object lying next to her and up at the ceiling. It was plain to see what had happened. A large suspended piece of Stuart Harber's bullshit modern art had come crashing down from the rafters and hit her. Jared had no idea what the hell it was meant to be but it was heavy and blunt and had clean knocked her the fuck out. “Where’d it hit her?” he ground out, checking her limbs, but it looked like she’d fallen well. Nothing was at an odd angle or looked broken. Something about seeing her lying there like that, looking hurt and disheveled was making him feel wild with anger. He gazed up irritably at her slack-jawed boyfriend. “I said where did it hit her?” he enunciated.

  “Easy Jared. Stuart here’s had a shock,” pointed out his cousin, clapping the guy on the shoulder. “You okay, man?”

  Stuart stared stupidly at Luke and then back at Jared. He moistened his lips.

  “H-her head,” he stammered. “It crashed down and hit her right on the side of the head. Oh my god,” he moaned. “What the hell am I going to do now? This is a disaster.”

  Jared looked up at him contemptuously. Why the hell wasn’t this guy taking over? If it was his female he’d want to check on her vitals himself. Not let a stranger check her over. And this one’s gaze seemed to be dwelling on the smashed art as much as his battered girlfriend.

  “Hospital check-up?” muttered Luke doubtfully scratching his head. Neither he nor his cousin had much of a clue about human welfare. Shifters tended to be a lot more hardy. “She could be concussed I guess?”

  Jared brushed at her hair gently and found a patch of blood at the temple. Her eyelashes flickered and she gave a faint moan.

  “She’s alive,” whimpered Stuart.

  “Course she’s alive,” Jared found himself snapping. The guy was a fuckin’ moron!

  “I don’t think we should move her,” hazarded Luke screwing up his eyes. “In case of neck or spinal injury.” He nodded his head. “Yeah, I seen that on that ER room show Debs likes to watch.

  “What?” blurted Stuart, gnawing on his fingernails. “You mean she could be crippled?” He looked like he might vomit.

  “Call the emergency services,” said Jared through gritted teeth. Something about the guy just standing around was really getting him riled up. “Do something useful.”

  “No,” objected Stuart shaking his head obstinately. “I mean, she might be alright. No point making a fuss if she’s perfectly okay. She wouldn’t like that.”

  Jared opened his mouth to retort when the blonde made another noise, making their heads whip round to look at her.

  “Where am I?” she asked groggily, rolling onto her side and then sitting up. “Who are you people?” she squinted at the three of them.

  “We’re your builders, ma’am,” answered Luke loudly and helpfully. He nudged Stuart. “Guess you were right after all,” he said cheerfully. “She’s fine.”

  Jared looked into her blue eyes, which for once didn’t have an expression of brittle hostility. She looked confused and vulnerable. Her shoulders hunched. He noticed she was only wearing one of her shoes. For some reason that bothered him, and suddenly he wasn’t sure of anything. “Does your head hurt?” he asked reaching out and touching where he could feel a bump already swelling.

  She winced but didn’t pull away. “A little,” she admitted. “Where am I?”

  “You’re home sweetheart,” he found himself responding gentler than he’d intended.

  Her eyes widened and she stared at him. He stared back. Oh shit. Not now. He couldn’t be feeling that with this woman! He tamped down his rioting senses. His bear growled and hollered within him. He ground his teeth. Not this one, damn it! She’s not mine!

  He sprang to his feet. “She’s all yours,” he said bitterly to Stuart. “Make her an ice-pack or something. You're gonna have to take her to the hospital.” He could feel her gaze was still on him and it made him feel slightly crazy. “C’mon Luke. Let’s get back to work.”

  His cousin hesitated. “I don’t know Jared…”

  “Now Luke!”

  “What about my piece?” complained Stuart Harber.

  Jared wheeled around and then advanced on him. “What did you say?”

  “The art- I mean…” he bleated, backing up.

  “Jared, what the hell...?” objected Luke, getting between them. “What’s up with you?”

  Jared glanced down at the female who had dropped her head into her hands and was sat hunched cross-legged in the middle of the floor. “Get her a painkiller,” he growled. “Now!”

  Stuart blenched, “O-okay, I’m getting it,” he said throwing his hands up in the air. Jared watched him retreat to the kitchen through narrowed eyes. He didn’t dare look down at the female again. He didn’t trust himself. Instead he turned on his heel and made for the stairs without looking back over his shoulder. After the first five steps he heard his cousin’s boots hit the floorboards following him. The sooner they were through with this property the better.

  **

  “Hey Jared,” his cousin hadn’t ventured to say a word for the last couple of hours and as far as he was concerned silence had been goddamn golden! “Jared!”

  Jared lowered his spirit-level and turned reluctantly.

  “S’awful quiet down there, since they got back from the hospital,” hissed Luke conspiratorially. “You reckon she’s alright? I been thinkin’,” he rumbled on. “What if he done it? Deliberate, like?

  Jared felt his eye twitch. “Shut the hell up, Luke.”

  “I’m
serious! Debbie likes to watch those old Columbo re-runs…You wouldn’t believe some of the things these rich husbands will do to get rid of their wives…”

  Jared shrugged his shoulder irritably. “Columbo’s not real, dumbass” he pointed out testily. “And she ain't wearing no wedding ring.” Sometimes Luke got on his last goddamn nerve!

  “Did you get a good look at the chain that thing was suspended on? Cos maybe he sawed it like half-way through...”

  “No I didn’t,” snarled back Jared. “Did you?”

  “Not really,” admitted Luke lamely. “Hell, it was just a thought. To be honest, he don’t seem the type.”

  They both heard the faint knock on the door at the same time.

  “…the hell?”

  Stuart Harber stood in the doorway looking terrified. “Can I get a little help from you guys?” he asked hoarsely.

  “Where is she?” demanded Jared, his heart suddenly plummeting to his boots.

  Harber waved a hand hopelessly. “Resting on the couch. I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “'Bout what?” asked Luke sounding genuinely mystified. “There’s a doctor in the next town. Are you sure you should let her sleep? I mean, if she's concussed...”

  “No, no. She seems okay physically,” cut in Harber dismissively. “The hospital said we've just got to keep an eye on her. She's had no double vision or vomiting so she's good to go. They think it may only be a temporary thing, but it couldn’t have come at a worse time…” he sounded anguished. “I really just need to keep her out of the way for a while until it resolves itself…”

  “-the hell are you talking about?” growled Jared.

  “It’s Chris,” groaned Harber. “She has amnesia. Temporary, I hope.”

  “Amnesia? Well shit!” his cousin exclaimed, whipping off his cap and scratching his head. “Like she don’t remember nothin’?”

  “Not a thing,” agreed Harber practically wringing his hands. “She just stares at me and asks me who I am! And my exhibition is in three days time!”

  “Exhibition?” asked Jared, dragging off his work gloves.