Bear-ly A Hero (Bear Claw Security 2)

by Terry Bolryder

  “I guess we better get back,” she said, putting her taco back in the box, not feeling too hungry.

  He picked it up and held it out. “Here, you can finish it. Come on. You need it to deal with the rest of the day.”

  She flushed and took a bite, unable to resist looking into his bright-green eyes with those dark lashes, that hard, mean face gazing tenderly at her.

  He was such a contradiction. He could be so rude, so unrefined, and then turn around and do something like this, which was oddly thoughtful.

  As she chewed and swallowed the bite, Limes looked down at his hand holding the last of the taco and put it abruptly back in the box. Then he stood and walked to the garbage, tossing everything in.

  “I’m sorry,” he said, still turned away. “That wasn’t appropriate.” He ran a hand over his head. “I’ll try to be more appropriate in the future.”

  She nodded. “It’s fine.” She checked her watch. “We better get back.”

  “Sure,” he said.

  It was quiet as they walked back to his truck and drove back to the office.

  Something was changing between them, something she couldn’t put a finger on.

  When they got back, things went on as before, with one exception. There seemed to be less of the sales douches coming by her office with complaints. Less men coming by in general.

  She gave Limes an amused look, but he didn’t notice. He was reading on his phone and only looking up to pin death glares on those who dared walk by.

  She definitely couldn’t keep him around forever, as she’d probably lose her job due to being unapproachable. But she had to admit it was a welcome break.

  She was able to finally get some quiet time to work on the email migration that was coming and some other things on her to-do list.

  And then all too soon, it was the end of the day, and the sales guys were leaving. A couple of the nice ones, those she considered less bad than the rest, poked their heads in to say bye. She politely waved good-bye, noting with amusement that Limes still gave them a glare, even though they weren’t misbehaving.

  Oh well, Limes would have to get over it. This was just part of being a woman in a male-dominated industry.

  She had grown up as a minority female in a group of men, so she was used to the feeling of being surrounded by wolves. Literally, in the case of her past.

  So the humans around her didn’t threaten her now. Well, except for one. She didn’t like Milo. He seemed all too sure of himself. It felt like he might be keeping secrets.

  She packed up her things into her purse and slid it over her shoulder, trying not to show the nervousness that rose in her, as she knew she had to meet with Milo. “All right,” she told Limes, who was pulling on his jacket. “I’m going to my meeting. You stay here.”

  Limes frowned. “Where are you meeting him?”

  “His office,” she said. “No big deal. You know where it is.”

  “Can I see your purse?” Limes said.

  “Sure,” she handed it over without thinking but then regretted it as Limes rummaged through it with a frown.

  “You don’t even have pepper spray on you,” he said in disgust. He pulled a small canister from his pocket and slid it in. “There you go.”

  She looked at it, so out of place amongst the other contents. “I won’t need it during the meeting.”

  “I’m sure you won’t,” Limes said, folding his arms and stepping back. “In fact, you really shouldn’t discharge it indoors or it could hit your eyes as well. But you should be carrying one in general. We can talk about it later. You should go to your meeting.”

  She squared her shoulders. “Right. I should.”

  He walked with her along the cubicles to Milo’s office. All the shades were drawn. Of course. She suppressed a shiver.

  “I’m right out here,” he said, pulling a chair from a nearby cubicle and parking it just across the walkway. “Just yell if you need me.”

  “I will,” she said. But she probably wouldn’t. For one, Milo’s office was pretty soundproof. She knew that because he was often playing loud music in there that she didn’t hear until the door swung open.

  None of the usual rules applied to him.

  “I’ll be right back,” she said, knocking on the door. When Milo opened it, that usually nauseating grin on his face, she released a deep breath.

  She was already ready to be home with Limes, watching a movie. She looked at the clock on the wall as she walked in. Just a few more minutes and then she was free to go home.

  She sat in front of the desk as Milo sat behind it, the grin on his face widening as the door shut behind her.

  7

  Milo might have been smiling, but his eyes looked pissed. His normally pale skin was slightly flushed, and his eyes kept darting toward the door, where the blinds were drawn so no one could see in.

  “Is your ‘friend’ outside?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said, not seeing how it was any of his business.

  “So you’ve been putting me off for months, and now you’re taking up with someone like that?” Milo asked.

  Suddenly, she kind of wished Limes had come in with her. Not that it was his fault he hadn’t. She’d insisted, and he’d respected that. But she sort of wished he could have been his usual, abrasive, pushy self instead, because Milo was looking even weirder than usual.

  She put her hands on the sides of her chair to start to stand. This had been a mistake. She should probably talk to HR. Why had she thought he really might even have a work problem to talk about? He never did.

  “Milo, it’s none of your business who I date,” she said. “If that’s all you wanted to talk about, I need to go.”

  But he was up out of the chair the next moment, coming over to her. She made a dash for the door, but he blocked it with his body, spreading his hands on either side, plastering himself to the wall. He grinned again, and her stomach dropped.

  Suddenly, the tacos weren’t sitting so well.

  Ugh. Usually, in their meetings, he had at least a legitimate reason for calling her in and then would slowly slip in creepy little comments or watch her squirm. But he hadn’t done anything like this, though she guessed on a visceral level, she’d always suspected he was capable of it.

  She looked at the doorknob, completely hidden by his body, and frowned. “Let me go or I’ll scream.”

  “And lose your job?” he asked. “Is that what you want?”

  He walked forward, and she was forced to step back to avoid him. He backed her up all the way against the desk, and she swallowed. She was so tired of men and their aggression. She put her hands up and pushed on his chest, hating touching him but needing to move him off.

  As much as Limes thought she wouldn’t fight at all, that wasn’t totally the truth. She would fight if she had to. She just didn’t want to. She always seemed to come out on bottom when she did.

  “Milo, I’m going to HR if you don’t stop this. This is harassment.”

  He leaned in, his breath warm, his hands on either side of her on the desk. “You think they’d listen to you over me? My dad controls their jobs as well.”

  “What do you want?” she asked.

  “You,” he said. “You know that. I don’t get why we can’t have fun sometimes, after work.” He grinned and looked around the office. “We could even do it here, during work, and no one would notice. That’s kind of tempting, isn’t it?”

  “No,” she said, pushing at him again. He finally stepped back, and she walked around him. But he grabbed her by the hand, stopping her from taking the doorknob.

  “Listen,” he said. “I don’t want to force you. But if you’re going to take up with garbage like that guy out there, then I’m giving you an ultimatum. You think about what I’m offering, or I’ll make sure you lose your job.”

  “You don’t have any right to do that,” she said. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want you.”

  “And you want him?” Milo sneered, talking ab
out Limes.

  “Maybe,” she said, knowing she should just say Limes was her bodyguard. “Maybe I need a real man, Milo. Not some creep who pressures his employees.”

  Milo’s eyes flashed with anger, and he stepped forward, hand raised. She flinched back, raising her hand in defense, just as the door opened behind her.

  She looked back to see Limes standing there, outwardly calm but eyes blazing with anger.

  He took a step into the office, hands in his pockets. “That’s enough of that,” he said, taking Jamie’s hand in his and pulling her behind him. “We’re going home.”

  Milo’s eyes widened at the word home. “You’re living together?”

  “He’s my bodyguard,” she said.

  “I’m more than that,” Limes said. “I’m your fucking nightmare, and if you touch her again, say anything disgusting to her again, I’ll end you.”

  “I can make her lose her job,” Milo said smugly. “Then she couldn’t afford to hire you.”

  “Oh, she could afford me,” Limes said darkly, staying between her and Milo. “I would take on assholes like you for free.” He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. “Now here’s how this is going to go,” he said as Milo paled and cringed away, much like the position she’d been in a moment ago.

  She was so relieved Limes was there. How he’d known to come in, she didn’t know.

  “I had a bug in Jamie’s purse,” Limes said, switching his hands to crack the knuckles on the other. He jerked his head both ways, and his neck let out a series of angry pops. “So I have evidence you were trying to extort sexual favors from one of your employees. And trust me when I say I know exactly how to disseminate that information in the way that would be most damaging to your company.” Limes grinned. “Hard to play Daddy’s boy when Daddy’s company loses its investors, right?”

  “Right,” Milo said tightly, looking something close to scared for the first time Jamie had seen.

  “So I’m going to send Jamie outside, and you’re going to take the bare minimum of what I think you deserve and you’re not going to say anything about it to anyone.”

  Milo was white now and trembling. As satisfying as seeing him laid out by Limes would be, Jamie didn’t want him to do anything violent or illegal.

  “Limes,” she said, pulling at his sleeve. “Don’t. Let’s just go. He gets it.”

  Limes let out a growl, and she realized how truly angry he was. She needed to get him out of here. If she left him here with Milo, he’d probably try to kill him.

  She jerked on his sleeve. “Limes, come on. I need you.” She tried appealing to his pity as a last-ditch effort, knowing she couldn’t possibly make him come with her through physical force.

  He turned on her, studying her with those burning, narrowed eyes, and then sucked in a deep breath and turned away from Milo.

  Who spit at his back.

  Limes’s next move was almost too fast to see. Much faster than Jamie would have guessed someone his size could move. In seconds, Milo was on the ground, groaning, and Limes was shaking his hand, as if he’d touched something disgusting.

  Limes had punched Milo straight in the face, and Jamie guessed he wasn’t going to get up anytime soon.

  “Keep your filthy hands off her,” Limes snarled at the fallen man, grabbing Jamie by the arm and ushering her outside.

  “Wait,” she said, but he shut the door behind them and started striding down the hallway, past all the cubicles and toward the front door. “Limes…” She wanted him to calm down, wanted to talk to him.

  She could barely keep track of her purse as they rushed for the exit.

  “Limes, wait!” she yelled, finally stopping him in his tracks.

  She grabbed his arm and pulled him into the nearby ladies’ room. It was a single room that was larger than usual for families or women nursing, and it had a lock, which she used, even though there shouldn’t be anyone left at the office.

  Someone could always come back for something.

  “What the hell was that?” she asked, folding her arms. “You bugged my purse? I told you to let me handle it.”

  “You didn’t actually think I’d listen to that, did you?” Limes asked disbelievingly. “I’m your bodyguard.” He motioned to her purse. “It’s on the pepper spray.”

  “What is?” she asked.

  “The bug,” he said. “If you want to remove it. Tonight, we’re going to get serious about this security stuff. And we’re going to talk about whether there are any other Milos out there I should ‘talk’ to.” He raised his hands to put air quotes around “talk,” and she almost let out a laugh.

  But it was all too much. She was humiliated by what had happened with her boss and humiliated Limes had seen it, and she also didn’t know what to do about the fact that he’d saved her and threatened her boss at the same time, upsetting the careful balance she’d tried to keep here.

  “Just what are you angry with me for?” he asked, folding his arms and stepping forward, backing her against the tile wall next to the sink. “I did what I was paid to do.”

  She looked up at him defiantly. “Oh, I think you’ve been doing much more than I’m paying you for,” she snapped. “I think seeing me with the other men drives you crazy.” What was she doing? What was she saying? Why did Limes always pull this out of her?

  His expression darkened and then softened as he looked over her face. Gosh, he was huge. But he didn’t make her uncomfortable in the way Milo or other men did. He was scary but in an exciting, unknown kind of way.

  She liked the way he’d made Milo look like a flea.

  Protector. We want him, the wolf in her said. Her body responded to his nearness.

  Now she just needed to provoke him in return. Get him thinking along the same lines.

  “I was just doing what you pay me to do,” he said again, as if trying to convince himself.

  “Maybe in there, with Milo, but you’ve been crazy all day. Every man who’s even looked at me, even the nice ones, you’ve been glaring at. You tell me I don’t fight enough, but I can tell you’d fight all the time if you could,” she spat.

  His green eyes darkened in intensity and a muscle in his jaw twitched. “Damn straight. I’d fight all day if it meant keeping all of them away from you.” He put an arm above her on the tile, so warm and tense and so close she could almost taste him. “Did you mean what you said in the office?”

  She blinked up at him, kind of lost in her own arousal, overwhelmed by his male power. “What?”

  He leaned in close to whisper in her ear. “That you want me,” he said in a husky voice that sent shivers all the way down to her toes.

  She swallowed. What she said next was important, would determine everything that happened from here on out.

  Did she want to get involved with her bodyguard, whom she’d only just met?

  The wolf in her howled, giving her no choice. Hell yes she did. She needed him, now. He woke the female in her, and she couldn’t slake her need without him. She needed his maleness, all of him.

  “I meant it,” she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling him close.

  He studied her as if trying to decide what to do. Then he lowered his lips to just a hair above hers. His eyes glanced down at her lips and then back up to her eyes, and he let out a pent-up breath.

  “I can’t resist you anymore,” he said.

  “Then don’t,” she said, bringing their lips together.

  He pulled back from her kiss, reached down, and grabbed her hands, pinning them over her head. “This is such a stupid idea.”

  She struggled lightly, testing his strength, and then grinned up at him, feeling the animal inside her purring contentedly at what was about to happen.

  She couldn’t believe it because she’d never wanted it like this. This badly. Her fear of men, her hatred of them, had always been too strong for that.

  But right now, she was open and wanting, and that felt good. She wouldn’t question it. She wou
ld just take her pleasure with him.

  “I don’t care if it’s stupid,” she said. “Limes, take me.”

  “Josh. My name is Josh,” he said against her ear, sending little thrills through her.”

  “Take me, Josh.”

  He growled, tensed up completely, and then closed his teeth over her earlobe.

  She let out a moan. It was on.

  8

  Limes reveled in the feel of Jamie’s soft earlobe in his mouth, playing with it between his lips and biting down on it again, teasing a sigh from her mouth that made him want to cover those luscious lips of hers with a kiss.

  It had been so long since he’d heard his real name, and even then, it was so different hearing it from Jamie. Just the want in her voice, the need, drove him wild with desire.

  And as much as the logical voice inside tried to reason with him, tried to warn him against doing something foolish like this, he couldn’t. Not when Jamie was so ready and willing, not when she called his name like that.

  Still pressing her arms against the wall, he moved from her ear to her neck, teasing her with promises of more and building her arousal. With each kiss, her body squirmed a little, her breathing quickened more.

  Her reactions did nothing to calm the fire inside him right now.

  But neither had all the men coming by her office. The leers, the grins. Limes wished he could just obliterate all of them from existence, leaving Jamie for himself, safe from the world and all the evil and pain in it that he’d seen too much of.

  He bit down lightly on the soft skin at the base of her neck, and Jamie groaned in pleasure, making him harder by the second. Her beautiful, curvy body before him drew him in like a moth to the flame.

  Holding her hands together above her head in one of his own easily, he went to undo the buttons on her shirt. But when the first one took too long to unthread, he instead pulled his finger down the center, ripping the buttons free easily and pulling the fabric away from her.

  “My blouse,” Jamie responded, sounding more pleasantly surprised than brokenhearted.

  “You can dock my pay,” he growled, spurred by the swell of her breasts before him, barely contained by the white bra she wore.