Then she got it. Or rather, got him. This was his big pick-up line. Fate wanted us to meet. So now, you just take your clothes off and let me screw you in my cab while we wait for the snow to clear.
“Listen, I know it’s hard to get your head round. But you’re like me. Different … am I right?”
“Yes. I am different, but unlike you, I don’t use it as a line to get a woman into bed. That is what this is, isn’t it?”
He laughed, “Oh, honey. I don’t need to use any lines to get women into my bed. They come around begging.”
Feeling like she had made a fool of herself—after all, why would he want a woman like her?—she pulled away from him, noting the wrench in her gut as she did so. “I think I’m going to go and see if there’s any way to walk back to the gas station.”
He grabbed her, pulling her back to him and covering her with his body. Her heart rate quickened, and she could feel her cat prowling around her mind, itching to be set free. If he did anything to hurt her, she would let her panther out. The big black cat would scratch his eyes out.
“Listen, Willow. You are going to need to confide in someone. I know enough about women to see when one is in trouble. And you are in trouble.”
She struggled underneath him. “Let me go! It’s none of your business.”
“Like hell it is!” He took her hands as she tried to scratch him with her nails and pinned them above her head, making her feel completely helpless. “You know there is something between us.”
“Let me go. You’re a madman. All this talk about fate, it’s bullshit.”
“You don’t believe that. I can see it in your eyes. Now let me help you.”
“I don’t need a knight in shining armour. So get off me.” She tried to raise a leg to kick him, but he shifted his weight. She was helpless, her breath coming in short sobs as she gave in to her tears. “Please let me go.”
And then he released her, sitting up and helping her to do the same. “Look, I’m not a patient man, not when it comes to the safety of people who are … important to me.”
“You don’t know me,” she said, trying to control her tears. She hated looking this weak in front of anyone. It would lead him to thinking he could take advantage of her.
“You’re wrong. I know exactly who you are,” he said cryptically. Then his head snapped up. “We have company.”
Fear entered her eyes. Was it Ollie? No. There was no way he could have found her here. She looked at Trent, who instantly put his hand out to touch her, to comfort her. But he stopped short when she flinched away.
“Stay here. I won’t let anyone come in and hurt you.” He held her gaze, and she believed him when he said the words, “I promise.”
She slipped past him, her body brushing his. They both froze at the contact, and for a moment she thought he was going to kiss her. She found it was something she wanted more than all the world. His lips on hers, his hands on her bare flesh. Something had changed within her, and she wasn’t sure whether she welcomed it or not. But all she did know was that he was right. There was something between them. Whether it was just lust, or whether it went deeper, she didn’t know.
But her panther was purring right now. Happy and content to have him near, to have him protect her. Would she ever learn to understand the creature who lurked within her?
Chapter Seven – Trent
Trent knew who was coming; his bear enhanced his senses, even when he was in his human form. He also knew he didn’t want any of the cougars seeing Willow, not until she knew she was his. And only his.
He opened the cab door, quickly checking she was out of view before he jumped out into the snow. It had drifted against the wheels of his truck. However, when he walked around to the other side; he found it was not as deep.
Along the road, he could see the low forms of five cougars coming his way. For any man who didn’t have a dual side, this would have been the time to run. For Trent, they posed no threat, so he walked, or rather waded, through the drifts and went to meet them.
“Trent,” one of the cougars said as he transformed into a human.
“Marv. I didn’t expect a welcoming committee.”
“In town, we could see the sun reflecting off the roof of your truck, so we figured you must be stuck.”
“And here I am. I thought I could make it, but it was not to be.”
“That’s why we came. Either we can help you free your rig, or we can use snowmobiles to ferry the goods up to the town. Without those supplies, we are going to go short. This snow came early and without much warning.”
“And I’m late,” said Trent.
“I wasn’t going to mention that. But since you did … we were expecting you early yesterday. Or at least we were expecting Taylor.”
“Nature called. Or should I say fate,” Trent said, shaking his head.
Marv laughed. “Well, whatever next. A young cub like Taylor finding his special mate when an old bear like you is still all alone.” Marv’s eyes slid past Trent to the truck. “Or is there something you need to tell me?”
Trent unconsciously pulled his shoulders back, making Marvin grin. How the hell had the old cougar known? “Nothing to tell yet, Marv.”
“Ah, so is this why the delivery was delayed?”
“Not exactly, but might have been a contributing factor. No one told me these things can make you act out of character.”
“Oh, things are only just getting started, my friend. Do you know how many women are going to be crying into their pillows tonight? They were hoping you would be stranded up here in Cougar country for a few days.”
“I might well be, but I’m a one-woman man now,” Trent said, casting a look at his truck. “Anyway. Let’s see what we can do. Help me scrape the snow away. Will your guys help too?” He glanced at the four big cats flanking their leader.
“Sure will. We reckon you have a good supply of vodka in the back of your rig. That’s what we need to chase the winter chill away.” The other cougars transformed and headed toward the truck. “That and a good woman in your bed,” Marv added with a wink.
“Funny, Marv. Funny.” Trent turned back to the truck, feeling the invisible thread between him and Willow pulling him back to her. It sure was easier to go to her than it was to leave her. Would that ever change? Would he live his whole life feeling as if he had a part of him missing when she wasn’t near?
Chapter Eight – Willow
Voices outside. For a long moment, she was scared, not just for her own safety but that of Trent. What if Ollie had found her? Yet when the voices drew nearer, she heard the friendly tones and knew they were friends of Trent’s. She began to relax.
At last, in these few minutes alone, she had time to evaluate her feelings. Lying back and staring at the ceiling, she let her mind wander. What were these feelings she had for Trent? They were out of the blue. Love at first sight had never been a thing she believed in, but he did. What did he call it? A bond.
Along with that, she also had the intense feeling that he knew what she was. Or at least knew there was another part of her. A part she didn’t understand. But he did. Was that what he meant about fate bringing them together? No. Look at the guy, he was the kind of man who women fell into bed with, and he was just trying to get some kind of payback from her for her stowing away in his truck. He had spun her a line to make her feel something for him. Something that wasn’t real.
That was the decision she came to. Whatever it was between them wasn’t real. Each of them had their own reason for wanting the other. Hers was one that revolved around wanting to feel safe, to feel secure. His was just about a bit of entertainment on a cold night.
Her heart lurched suddenly. The door of the cab flung open and in climbed Trent. The shock of him being near left her breathless once more. But despite the way he affected her body and mind, she stuck to her conclusion. Nothing good could come from this. Nothing good at all.
“Right. We’ve cleared some of the snow from the tires. I think if I take it
real slow, we might get up to town. It’s not as deep as I thought. If this doesn’t work then they will send down some snowmobiles. Or maybe the snow plough, but Marv isn’t sure if the thing even starts up anymore.”
“He doesn’t know?” she asked, surprised. In such a remote place as this, she thought they would be more prepared for winter.
“No. They haven’t had to clear the road for years. Usually they are stocked up with enough food and other supplies to wait the snow out.”
“And why isn’t that the case this time?”
“Snow came early, we came late,” he answered matter-of-factly. He quickly pulled the shades back, allowing the bright light to fill the cab. She had to squint and half cover her eyes as the sun reflected off the snow. Around them, the day was warming and a thaw was setting in, which threatened a different set of problems. If they didn’t move the truck now, when the sun went down later, the melting snow would freeze, leaving them stranded again. Trent turned the key in the ignition. Despite a slight complaint from the cold engine, it sparked into life. Trent grinned and she found herself retuning his smile.
“Now you have to see if we can move?” she asked.
“Yep, or else you will be going for a ride on the back of one of their snowmobiles.”
“I thought I was supposed to stay out of sight.”
“You can’t stay in here, you’ll freeze. Anyway Marv and the other guys know you are here.”
“You told them?” she asked, shocked that he would give her away so easily.
“Didn’t have to. They knew.”
“How?”
“Sixth sense.” He looked at her, really looked, deep into her eyes. “If you open yourself up to it, you’ll see that you have a sixth sense, or at least an enhanced sense, too.”
Before she could reply, although she had no idea what he was talking about, he put the truck in gear and they began the slow ascent to Cougar Ridge. The truck struggled to get a purchase on the road; for a moment she thought they were going to slip back down the mountain, but then with a jolt, they moved forward.
Trent used his full concentration, something she enjoyed watching, memorising every furrow on his brow as he frowned. His large hands gripped the wheel, easing them over the lip of the slope and then guiding them down the other side. He carefully kept the truck slow, never allowing the momentum to take hold of the truck and send them spinning out of control. Then they began to climb, slowly and steadily, heading up the mountain to their destination.
Every so often, in the trees beside her, she caught occasional glimpses of light brown fur. At least she thought it was fur. Whatever it was, flitted in and out of the trees, leaving only hints of what moved there.
“Trent,” she said quietly, afraid what was out there would hear. He looked over to her, seeing her worried face.
“Yes?” he asked, shifting his eyes straight back to the road, but his voice held concern.
“There is some kind of pack of animals in the trees.”
He looked at her, this time shifting his gaze out of the window. “Cougars. So?”
“What about your friends who came to help you. Are they safe? What if these animals are hungry and hunt them down?”
The edges of his mouth curled up, but he didn’t embarrass her by laughing out loud. “Don’t worry. My friends are safe.”
“Are they in the back of the truck?” That had to be a reasonable assumption, but his mouth twitched again.
“No, they took a short cut,” he said, and then added, “They will be quite safe.”
She didn’t ask any further questions. His lack of concern, coupled with the way he almost found her suggestion that the men were in danger funny, made her suspicious. But of what? The path of her thoughts led her down the route to madness. Maybe that was what was wrong with her, she wasn’t really a panther in the same way those cougars weren’t really men.
“What are they?” she asked, her voice putting words to her thoughts, before she could stop them. “I mean, what are those animals out there?”
They were making the last steep ascent to the town; she could see the smoke coming from chimneys. The last stretch of road into town had been cleared and they moved quicker. Still the cougars flanked the truck, getting far too close to the settlement for wild animals.
“You know. You might not want to admit it. But you know. They are the same as you. Well, similar; I haven’t quite worked out what your other side is, but I know it’s there as sure as winter follows fall.”
“What do you want from me?” she asked. If the snow hadn’t been on the ground and they had been closer to civilisation, she would have opened the door of his truck and run. When he said he knew what she was, she believed him. And although she wanted to trust the stranger who was connected to her, she didn’t know how to do that. This secret of hers was too big, too impossible.
“Nothing,” he said, his face searching hers. “And everything.”
“Thank goodness you’re here, Trent,” a voice said, and a man appeared close to Trent’s window, he must have been standing on the step of the cab. He had the looks of a Native American, tanned skin and dark hair, long and thick. He grinned at Willow. “So you found yourself a little cat all of your own.”
Trent looked at Willow, but didn’t question her further. “She found me.”
Willow paled, her reaction giving her away. But Trent tried to set her at ease. “Don’t worry. You are amongst friends here.” And with that, he parked the truck, giving her a quick wink before he opened the door, letting in an icy blast of air, and then stepped down into a throng of people.
Trent sure could win a popularity contest without even trying. He had an easiness about him, one that attracted the opposite sex. As proof, there were now many women gathering around him, women who acted far too familiar with him. Willow felt a stab of jealousy. She hated any woman touching Trent, or even smiling at him in anything that might be mistaken for a come-on. He was hers.
She gasped at that thought. If he felt the same way about her, if he could sense that she was different, then maybe he was as different as her. Maybe he changed into an animal. That was how he knew, and why he was so open about her secret here. His words rung in her ears. She had to allow her animal side to come forward; she had to learn to use the enhanced senses that he had spoken of. Her sixth sense.
But to do so would leave her vulnerable. She struggled to know just how much of a free rein she could give her panther without it completely taking over her body and mind. And that was where Trent, so self-assured and confident, might be able to help her. He could teach her to control her other side. He could also teach her a lot more.
Willow pushed that thought away. Too complicated. She didn’t need a lover; she just wanted a teacher, if she could just drag him away from his fan club. There was only one way to find out.
Chapter Nine – Trent
“Thank you for the invitation, Carol, but I will not be in need of your company tonight.”
“Come on, Trent,” said Carol. She was a pretty young woman with hair as dark as Willow’s, but Carol didn’t have the same green eyes. And Willow’s eyes were the only ones he wanted to spend his life looking into. Shame, because Carol’s eyes offered such promises of pleasure, but it was only lust, a little company for the night. Whereas one day, Willow would look at him with eyes filled with love and longing.
At least, that was what he hoped. Right now, though, she was climbing out of the cab with a face that promised him intense pain and anguish if he didn’t extricate himself from this little welcoming committee.
Still, he reassured himself, it was a start. Some emotion was better than none. Wasn’t it?
“Excuse me, ladies, I have to get to work.”
“You know where to find me, Trent,” Carol said as she walked off back to the bar.
“I do.” He walked toward Willow. “They mean nothing to me.”
“Really? Because it sure looks as if you have made very intimate friends wit
h many of them.”
His face was deathly serious when he answered, “All in the past, Willow. I promise you.”
“None of my business,” she said, and her words cut him, because the way she spoke made him believe that. Yet when her green eyes flashed, he knew she was trying to hide her jealousy.
“Perhaps tonight I could show you why they want me so much.”
She laughed, a beautiful sound in his ears. “You really are something.”
“So I have been told many times,” he whispered, putting his lips right next to her ear and sensing the thrill it gave her when his warm breath caressed her cool skin.
“Actually, there is something you can show me tonight.”
“Anything,” he said, walking to the back of his truck and opening it up. She followed him, watching while he began to work at distributing cases to the people who had come to claim their merchandise. “That’s yours, Tony. I hope none of it broke.”
“Looks good, Trent,” Tony answered. “I guess the bar won’t run dry after all.”
“Not tonight anyway,” Trent laughed.
“It was an early storm. Usually we have another month to make sure our stocks will last the winter.” Tony’s voice betrayed his concern.
Trent looked up at the sky. “I think this storm will pass. You should be good for another delivery. Maybe you should arrange it for next week. Make sure you have everything you need. I think this might be a harsh one this year.”
“We don’t have the cash to take another delivery so soon.”
Trent pulled out a large crate of what looked like baby food. “I’ll drop it up to you. Pay me when you have it.”
“I couldn’t, Trent.”
“Yes, you could. I know you are good for it, Tony. I wouldn’t sleep at night knowing that you might run out of food, or God forbid, vodka, this winter.”
“I’ll give it some thought.”
“You do that. And that reminds me, do you have any rooms free?”
“Always rooms free here,” Tony said. “I’ll give you the penthouse.”
Complete Bear Creek and Bear Bluff Box Sets: Including brand new exclusive book Best Man Bear Page 57