“Not at all,” he said in a soft voice. “I hadn’t realized that humans could be so big-hearted, or so beautiful.” She froze, the forkful of food that was on its way to her mouth poised in midair. Did he say beautiful?
“Maybe you should’ve taken the time to find out before deciding you hated me on sight,” she said, and instantly regretted the harshness of her voice. Her emotions were in a tangle, and it was not a feeling that she enjoyed. She hadn’t lost her hostility to him, but she was finding that she was enjoying his company, and it was very unsettling being attracted to someone that she knew she should hate. He took a long draught of his soda.
“The truth is, I have a – a problem – with humans that goes back a long way,” he said. Now the flash of pain in his eyes was unmistakable, and despite herself, it touched her heart.
“What is it?” she murmured. He met her gaze, and she saw an entire narrative reflected in his deep blue eyes: anger, fear, and deep suffering. Then he jerked his head to the side.
“It doesn’t matter,” he said brusquely. And that was it – a shutter lifted, then slammed back down again. She stared at him wordlessly. He’s a bear shifter, and a champion fighter. How could humans have hurt him to that extent? She was desperate to urge him to say more, but knew that she didn’t have the right.
“Xander’s very positive toward humans,” he said, in a very obvious 90-degree bend away from the topic of conversation.
“What’s he like?” she asked. The darkness disappeared from his eyes and his expression brightened.
“He’s a really great leader. He’s strong, but fair, and has a lot of respect in the clan. He’s the second son, but his father chose him to be Alpha because he’s more calm and measured than Maximus. He’s also a good friend of mine. We’ve known each other since our teens.” She smiled, enjoying hearing about a side of the clan that the screaming fans didn’t see.
“So you weren’t born in Broken Hill?” she asked.
“No, I only met the ruling family when I was 16, and they took me in.”
“Why?” Immediately his face shut down again.
“It’s complicated to explain,” he said. Mentally, she took a step back, as the hint of warmth that she’d sensed between them was extinguished. But then she decided to take a risk.
“I’m an orphan,” she said. Surprise flashed in his eyes. “I never knew my dad, and my mom died in a car crash when I was 12.” She said it matter of factly; she was so used to telling people her story without showing them the pain that was deep inside her. He opened his mouth and looked like he was about to share something with her. But he closed it again, before saying, “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s okay. I’m used to being on my own.”
“You’ve been by yourself ever since?”
“Not completely – I met my boyfriend when I was 14, and we moved into a trailer together when I was 16, after my grandma, who’d been looking after me, died.”
“And he took care of you?” She shook her head.
“Not exactly. To be honest, it was more me looking after him.” A small growl escaped his lips.
“A man should take care of a woman, especially after what you’d been through,” he said. She shrugged.
“I guess we were both young, then he started to take me for granted. And I let it go on way too long, because I was scared of being alone. Until – uh – this morning.”
“What happened?”
“I realized it was time for us to go our separate ways.” Braxton’s black brows shot halfway up his forehead.
“You broke up with him today?”
“Broke up with him and decided to move half way across the country.”
“Wow. That was brave. What made you come to that decision?” She bit her lip, wondering why she was telling him all this, when he was being so close-lipped. What the hell? she thought. It felt good to share her hard times with someone, even if it was a bear shifter who, for some unknown reason, hated the very thought of her.
“I haven’t been able to get my first law job. I didn’t go to a good school, and there aren’t a lot of jobs in Rayville.”
“But you’re so smart,” he said, leaning forward, close enough that she picked up a hint of his spicy, masculine scent. She let out a small laugh.
“Wasted on Rayville, right? So I decided it was time, time to break away from everything that was dragging me down. I’ve got a good friend in Milwaukee who says there are a ton of jobs over there, and I can sleep on her couch until I find one.” His brow furrowed.
“But you’re working for the Broken Hill Bears now.” She broke into a grin.
“I guess I am. Until I’ve helped you solve your problem at least.” His expression turned thoughtful.
“Do you have a contract or something that I can sign, to say that I’ve engaged your services?”
“Nope. I was never planning on doing it alone, so I’m not really prepared. But I promise to work for you exclusively until you’re done with my services.”
“Great.” He grinned. “And what’s your day rate?”
“Just my expenses,” she said, but he shook his head.
“No way. I’m not having you working for nothing. And we bears currently have more cash than we know what to do with. Our last Alpha was always focused on earning money for us, but we really don’t have that much to spend it on. How about $5,000 per day?” Neve’s mouth fell open. That was around 20 times more than she’d ever earned in a day before.
“Okay, I’m sorry. That was insulting. $10,000.” She found herself agreeing, and his huge, muscular hand came toward her.
“Let’s seal it with a handshake.” The sensation of his skin on hers was so startling that she would have snatched her hand away if it hadn’t been so thoroughly enveloped in his. He didn’t release her hand immediately, but held it softly, almost in a caress, and she felt the calluses on his skin, the knuckles roughened from fighting, and a tingle ran right through her, ending with a flood of warmth between her thighs. What would it feel like for those hands to run all over her body? To pleasure her? To possess her? To her embarrassment, the warmth reached her face as well, and she felt herself blushing. An intense look came into his eyes – heated, predatory – and he dropped her hand.
“Partners,” he said, but he seemed to be saying something completely different. She cleared her throat.
“I’ll begin working on your case later tonight, and I’ll look to file a copyright injunction in the next few days.”
“Perfect,” he said, and his forehead smoothed, as if he was beginning to put his faith in her. “Shall we have dessert?” She grinned, liking his priorities, and scanned the dessert menu. She was addicted to sweet things, but having a tendency to gain weight easily, she usually restricted herself to sorbet. The desserts looked really good though. And the entrée had been the most delicious thing she’d ever tasted. When do I get a chance to eat in a place like this anyway? she thought, and ordered sticky toffee pudding with crème anglaise.
“And a real drink?” Braxton suggested.
“Not for me. I need to keep a clear head,” she said.
“Take the rest of the evening off, and start work tomorrow. Please. You’ve been driving all day, and you’ve just made a huge life decision.” She pressed her lips together, surprised at his sensitivity, having expected the bears to be rougher in their thoughts and emotions. She was especially touched, knowing how desperate he was to find out who the perpetrator was. On the other hand, she was exhausted, and any work she did tonight would probably be a waste.
“You’re right. Just a glass, please,” she said with a smile.
As the waiter brought a beer and a glass of red wine over and Braxton’s cobalt-blue gaze locked on hers, she was very glad that she’d said yes. They’d obviously finished talking about work for the evening, and a pregnant silence hung between them, making her feel awkward and fidgety. It wasn’t easy being in close proximity to such a ridiculously good-looking man, espe
cially one who was watching her with such an inscrutable expression on his face. What is he thinking? she wondered. Did he only offer me the wine to be gentlemanly, and now he hates that he has to spend the rest of the evening with a human? There was a little tension in his huge, bunched shoulder muscles. He needs someone to give him a massage, she thought, and stifled a giggle at the thought that maybe she should offer it as part of her services.
“What’s the joke?” he said, looking curious.
“Oh, nothing, sorry. The wine’s hitting me fast. You’re right, it has been a long day.” She flicked a glance at him. Why isn’t he introducing a conversation topic, goddamnit? But he was continuing to watch her, brows slightly puckered as if a wandering thought had taken him by surprise. As much as she wanted to, she found she couldn’t stop glancing at him and, every time she did, she had the sense that he was looking right into her soul. It was having a crazy effect on her body. Her skin prickled as if it was calling out to be touched by him, and the warmth between her thighs grew and grew.
“What are the other bears like?” she said at last, unable to stand it any longer. The tension shattered, and he leaned back in his seat, his lips parting in a grin.
“Well, Ryker is my best friend. He’s always ready to lend a hand, and a lot of fun to be around too. Always cracking jokes.”
“Really?” she said. “He’s so serious on stage. But I guess you all are.” He laughed.
“Of course. It’d ruin our fierce, growly personas if we were running around playing practical jokes on each other in the ring. So, I’ve already told you about Xander. Rocco is a real great guy. He’s grown up a lot lately. It was so rough to see him get beat yesterday.”
“I know. I got this sick feeling in my stomach when I watched the match. Is he okay?”
“Yeah, his wounds will heal fast because he’s a shifter, but it might take more time to get his confidence back. He’ll be fine once we solve this issue.”
“That’s good to hear,” she said with feeling. “And what about the twins – Mikal and Gunner?” His expression darkened, making her breath hitch in her throat.
“You probably don’t know that they’re no longer with us. They’ve joined the Black Paws instead.”
“But why?”
“It’s complicated to explain,” he said. Click, and the shutter closes once more, she thought to herself.
She excused herself to the bathroom, needing a moment away from the alternating tension and ease she felt in Braxton’s company. She’d never met a guy who was so complex, and she found it intriguing and frustrating by turns. Part of her thought about running away from the restaurant with an excuse that she wasn’t feeling good, but the other part couldn’t wait to be back in his presence. It was like lining up for a really scary fairground ride, wondering why you were doing it, but unable to tear yourself away.
When she returned, Braxton looked more relaxed, and began to ask her all about her life – why she wanted to be a lawyer, how hard her studies had been. The alcohol was relaxing her too, making her talkative, and by the end of the evening, he knew all about her life, and she’d said far more than she’d intended. But he still wasn’t opening up to her. She was gathering the impression that there was a dark secret behind his aversion to humans. And the more he held back, the more she wanted to know.
They walked out of the restaurant side by side, and she was acutely aware of how much he towered above her, but her fear of being in the presence of a shifter had eased, and the rational part of her brain knew that he wouldn’t attack her, or turn her into bear food.
“You didn’t book a hotel already, did you?” he said.
“No. I wasn’t that organized.”
“Good. I’ll book you into the hotel right here, that’s attached to the restaurant.” She looked at it doubtfully. It was as glamorous as the restaurant. God only knew how much it cost.
“Okay,” she said.
It was a restored colonial era building, and inside, they clicked across marble floors to the check in desk, where Braxton booked two rooms.
“We’ve only got adjoining rooms left, I’m afraid, sir,” the clerk said, looking flustered at the sight of the big, handsome man looming over the counter.
“What does that mean?” he said, evidently as unused to staying in hotels as Neve was.
“It means there’s an internal door, so if you each unlock it, you can enter each other’s rooms without having to go out into the corridor.”
“That sounds fine,” he said. That sounds kind of intimate, Neve thought.
They took the elevator up to the fourth floor and walked along a plush carpeted corridor.
“Here we are,” Braxton said, unlocking Neve’s door for her.
“Thanks.” She walked inside with a flicker of self-consciousness. The lights went on and she almost gasped at the sight of the huge room with its beautiful canopy bed.
“Neve?” his deep voice intoned. She spun around, and when he didn’t say anything more, she took a step toward him. His eyes were serious; dark pools of intensity. Her heart started to pound. He’s going to kiss me, she thought. Those firm lips swam into her vision, and she was rooted to the spot, her lips unconsciously pursing, ready to meet his, while a pulse beat fast in her throat.
“I want to thank you for giving me another chance, and to tell you that I’m very glad we’re working together,” he said. “I hope you sleep well. Goodnight, Neve.”
“You’re welcome. Goodnight,” she murmured, and closed her door as if in a dream.
I wanted him to kiss me, she thought, stumbling into her room. It was all wrong and strange, but he’d looked so sexy, and she knew she wouldn’t have been able to resist him. In a daze, she explored all the beautiful features of the room. When she came to the adjoining door, she couldn’t help trying the handle. It was locked, of course. He’s right behind that door, she thought. She imagined him sitting on the bed to try out the mattress, then getting up and stripping his clothes off before walking to the shower. That beautiful body, that she knew so well from watching him in the ring and studying his photos, completely bare. The thought turned the tingling spot between her thighs into a deep ache. God, he’s gorgeous. Not knowing what she was doing, she stood close to the door and pressed her ear to it. She thought she could hear a kind of snarling sound coming from the room, but she wasn’t sure. Suddenly embarrassed at acting like a pervert, she stepped away abruptly. Then it was her turn to strip off and take a shower.
Ten minutes later, she was lying between the softest, crispest sheets ever. She was wearing a nightshirt, but she slipped it off again, wanting to get the full benefit from the sheets. Then she spread right out. It wasn’t the first time she’d slept alone in years, as Kevin often went AWOL overnight, but it was the first time that she had a bed truly to herself. She lay in the darkness, steadily becoming more sleepy, and thinking about the bear shifter wrestler who was only feet away from her. Was he in bed too? Was he sleeping naked? The thought of him being so close made her feel vulnerable and aroused at the same time. Before she knew it, her hand had wandered between her thighs, and images of Braxton were flooding her mind – naked, in bed with her, kissing her, touching her, possessing her body. And the thoughts that she’d never allow herself in the light of day quickly brought that nagging ache into a sweet climax.
9
Braxton sat on the edge of the vast bed in his huge hotel room. He barely noticed how stylishly it was decorated though. Instead, his thoughts were full of the evening that had just passed. Neve still hated him. She’d engaged in conversation with him politely enough, but her body had been full of tension all throughout the dinner. He let off a rumbling groan. He couldn’t blame her after the way he’d acted. But the worst part was that he couldn’t fully trust her either. As much as he’d found himself wanting to let go and share his own unhappy experiences of growing up, he couldn’t allow himself to be that open with a human. Why does this even bother me? he asked himself. She’s agreed to wo
rk with me and that should be enough. But it did bother him, a lot. And it had more than a little to do with the fierce glow in those hazel eyes and the way tiny dimples appeared in her cheeks when she laughed, and the kindness beneath her fierce independence, which he suspected she’d never had the opportunity to lavish on anybody. When he thought of her ex-boyfriend, his hands bunched into fists and his bear snarled, just about ready to hunt him down and tear him apart. He clamped his jaws shut to stop it roaring and took some deep breaths. Human or not, she was a captivating female, and she deserved protecting. If she was my mate – He shook his head.
“Where did that ridiculous notion come from, Braxton?” he muttered, then corrected himself: in a parallel universe, if she was a bear, and she was my mate, I’d make sure I spent every day telling her how amazing she was, and I’d never let her out of my sight. How could that douche of a boyfriend have let her go, just like that?
Suddenly, a noise came from the adjoining room. He shushed his bear up and listened. She was standing right by the door. He could hear her fingernails grazing the wood. Quirky. Almost as if she’s listening for me. He fought the urge to leap to his feet, run over and try the door to see if it was open on her side too. Instead, he held his breath and waited. At last, she made a tiny sound of disappointment and walked away. Then he heard her go into the bathroom and turn the water on. Trying his best to ignore his sensitive bear hearing, he also headed to the shower.
Shiftr_Swipe Left for Love_Ryzard Page 17