by Liv Brywood
“Me too.”
“I have to go into town for a bit today. I’ll show you around the house and the property so you’re not bored.”
“Can I come with you?” I ask.
“No.” His answer is sharp, leaving no room to question it.
“Okay. I guess I’ll find a way to keep myself entertained.” I shift on the stool as nervous energy tightens my muscles.
“I’ll be back before dinner. I left lunch in the fridge. Help yourself to anything you want. If you decide to shift to run your bear around the property, that’s fine. Just stay away from the highway. I don’t want to have to scrape you up off the road.”
“We wouldn’t want that.” Irritation colors my tone. I haven’t even been here twenty-four hours and he’s already leaving me alone? What the hell?
After breakfast, he gives me a quick tour of the rest of the house, as well as the property. He leaves in a huge silver truck. I’m left standing on the porch wondering what’s going on. This isn’t the way you get to know someone. It feels like he’s running away, but why? If he wasn’t interested in finding a mate, why go to a matchmaker?
My phone rings. I’m surprised I have service. I pull it out of the pocket hidden in the folds of my dress. It’s Gerri.
“Hello! I was just checking in to make sure you made it to Jagger’s house,” she says.
“I did.”
“How’s everything going so far? Any sparks?”
“He’s been very nice, for the most part.”
“But?”
“He just left me here.”
“What?”
“He said he needed to go to town, but he’s going to be back by dinner. He left lunch in the fridge, so it’s not like he totally abandoned me, but it’s still weird.”
“I was afraid something like this might happen,” Gerri says.
“Why?”
“He’s skittish. If he likes you, he might be freaking out.”
“He’s a grown man. How could I possibly intimidate him?” I ask. The whole idea is ridiculous.
“Jagger hasn’t been in love in a long time. So long, that I’ve been worried that it’s too late for him to open his heart to anyone.”
“So I’m a guinea pig?” Now I’m pissed. “You sent me here as an experiment? I took two weeks off for this. I could be vacationing on a beach in Maui right now. I’m not a carrot to be dangled in front of an unwilling shifter. If he’s not ready for a relationship, why am I here?”
“Because you belong together,” she says as if it’s the most obvious fact.
“How do you know?” I snap.
“I can sense it when two shifters will be good mates. Have you met his bear yet?”
“So far I’ve slept through most of the time here. He took off right after breakfast. So no, I haven’t met his bear. I’ve hardly met him.” I flop down into one of the rocking chairs on the front porch.
“I probably should have warned you.”
“Probably.” I roll my eyes. This is so not cool. I’m glad I didn’t pay for her services because if I had, I’d want my damn money back.
“I didn’t think he’d run so quickly.”
“But you knew he’d run?”
“I suspected it. I’m so sorry.”
“Now what am I supposed to do? I’m stuck here for two weeks with a man who isn’t interested in a real relationship. I want a ride back to the airport. You need to send someone.”
Normally I would never be this demanding, but I feel like a pawn in a love game. I came here to see if I could find a mate, not to convince a man that it’s time to move on from whatever’s holding him back. That’s what shrinks are for, and I’m not a shrink.
“I can’t send anyone,” Gerri says.
“Why not?”
“We made a deal that you’d stay for the full two weeks, no matter what.”
“I consider that deal void because you lied to me.”
“I didn’t lie. I really thought he’d open up once he met you. I never would have sent you there if I didn’t think he’d be interested. After talking to you both, I thought you’d be an excellent match. This is very unusual. I’ve never had anything like this happen before.”
“So, I’m stuck here?”
“Let me see what I can do. I’ll call you in a few days.”
“A few days?”
After we hand up, I’m so furious that fur sprouts on my hands. My bear hates it when I get agitated and tries to break free. Her claws have been scratching against my ribcage for the last ten minutes.
“Calm down, bear!”
The beast huffs and settles down. I can’t keep her trapped inside for more than a few days. Maybe I should shift and let her run off some of this anger. I can’t believe I’m stuck here. Talia’s going to hear about this when I get home. I find it very hard to believe that no one had any idea this man wasn’t truly looking for a mate.
In the distance, clouds start rolling over the mountain. The bright spring sky quickly turns gray. The change happens so alarmingly fast, that I get up and go inside. I sit on a sofa in the living room and watch the sky turn black. Chain lightning flashes. Thunder cracks several seconds later. I begin counting the seconds between the two. The heart of the storm is five miles away, but coming in fast.
We don’t get many thunderstorms in L.A. We hardly get any rain to begin with, so I’m totally unprepared for the onslaught of rain. It beats against the windows so hard that I’m terrified they will break.
I move away from the large windows into the library. There’s still a huge set of windows on one wall, but thick navy-blue drapes hang over them. If they did break, none of the glass would hit me.
After searching for something to read, I settle into a cozy reading chair. I have zero desire to dig into a historical biography of women in the west, but I need something to distract myself from the fury outside.
Sentences from the book run together as tears fill my eyes. I’m not sad; I’m furious. I only cry when I’m really mad or frustrated. This is the most aggravating situation. When Jagger gets back, I’m going to give him a piece of my mind. I can’t believe he went as far as having me fly all the way here, only to disappear on me.
Sure, he’s coming back tonight, but only physically. Mentally, he probably has no intention of getting to know me. What was he planning on doing? Placating me with small talk until the two weeks were up? Why would someone go to these lengths if they had no intention of trying to find out if we’re a match? It doesn’t make any sense.
An hour later, I’m too mad to read. I return the book to its shelf and stalk into the kitchen. I find lunch in the huge Sub-Zero fridge. Chicken salad sandwiches with homemade potato salad and a note.
My heart leaps. If he left a note, that must mean that he cares a little bit, right?
Dear Angela,
There are chips in the cupboard to the right of the stove. Feel free to drink anything, including the wine. I’ll see you tonight.
- Jagger
I wad up the note and search through multiple cabinets before I locate the trash can. I want to light the paper on fire first, but knowing my luck, I’d accidentally burn his house down. His note couldn’t have been any clearer. He’s not interested in romance. So why am I here? I’m going to give him a piece of my mind the minute he gets home.
Outside, the storm changes. The temperature drops so fast that I have to change into jeans and a sweater. There are piles of wood by the fireplace. As I build the kindling and logs into a stack, I sigh. I should have known this wouldn’t end well. This is on the level with mail order brides. I could have saved myself a lot of time if I’d realized that before I’d climbed into that tuna-can of an airplane to fly thousands of miles.
Pissed at myself, I sulk in front of the blazing fire. The rain stops, only to be replaced by snow. I throw two more logs on the fire and start to worry. What if there’s so much snow that he doesn’t make it back by nightfall? I’ll be here all alone. I like solitude, but the threat of
spending the night in a strange house alone is too much to bear.
My bear wants to go outside and play in the snow. I sit up straighter. What if I shifted and walked back to town? I have credit cards. I could be back in LA by tonight. Or, if they’re sold out, I could get on the first flight tomorrow. There has to be plenty of hotels in the city. The drive out didn’t seem that far. All I have to do is follow the road.
I close the glass doors to the fireplace so the house won’t burn down. There’s no way I can carry all of my luggage with me. He’ll just have to ship it back. It’s the least he can do after luring me out here under false pretense.
I write a quick note, so he won’t waste time searching for me. He might be a total jerk, but I have common curtesy and decency. I pin the note to the fridge with a magnate. It’s at his eye level so he shouldn’t have any problems finding it.
I return to the bedroom to strip. I’ll have to carry my clothes, my purse, and my shoes with my teeth so I can change back in town. In my bear form, I can run up to thirty miles per hour. As long as I don’t get lost, I’ll be back in town in two hours.
Buoyed by my plan, I pull off my sweater and jeans. It’s freezing without the fireplace. Outside is even colder.
I walk out onto the front porch and down the steps to the driveway. As I shift, freezing air whips through my fur. My bones crack and reform. My hands and feet become large paws with sharp claws. I drop to all fours and let out a porch-rattling roar.
My bear’s been out in snow a few times, but not for longer than an hour. I’m sure she’ll be fine, after all, she’s a big girl like me. She carries plenty of muscle and fat to keep us warm.
As we jog down the road, I let my bear take over. She’s shivering slightly, but I’m sure she’ll be fine once we get going. Two hours. Then we’ll be done with this ill-fated trip.
It isn’t until we’re a solid hour into running that I realize we’re in big trouble. I was sure we’d taken the correct turn at the last road, but the road we’re on dead ends up ahead. This can’t be right.
I backtrack to the previous juncture. Nothing looks familiar. Everything’s under a blanket of snow now. I wander around for twenty minutes, unable to find the right path. Our pawprints are fading along with what’s left of the daylight. We’re out in the freezing cold, lost, with no clue how we’re going to get back to the city, and for the first time in years, I’m truly afraid.
Four
Jagger
I spent the day in town doing everything I could think of to avoid coming home. I need to tell Angela the truth. As beautiful and sweet as she is, I’m still too broken to fall in love. I should have told my brother to stop hounding me about finding a mate. There’s no time table for things like this. Expecting to essentially order up a mate was a ridiculous idea. I just wanted him to stop bugging me.
It’s typical for mountain weather to change without warning. A spring day can turn into mid-winter in hours. I’m not surprised when I encounter a foot of snow on the road leading to my home. But I am surprised to see faint dips in the snow around my front porch, as if an animal has been through here.
I hop out of the truck on high alert. It’s rare, but I’ve caught wild bears roaming around the property. They’re not shifters, so it’s easy to chase them away because they’re only looking for food. If it’s another bear, then it will only take a minute to shift, find it, and chase it away.
As I shift, my bones crack. Thick black fur covers my body. My nose elongates into a snout and my ability to scent is magnified a thousand-fold. I pick up the other bear’s scent almost immediately. It’s mingled with the scent of burning wood, which is strange considering there haven’t been any wild fires in the area in months.
I inhale deeply and catch a second, subtler scent. Angela? What’s she doing out here? And why’s she in her bear form in the snow?
I sniff several feet in each direction until I’m sure of the direction she’s taken. There’s a trail leading away from the house, but nothing to indicate she’s returned. Judging by the amount of snow in her tracks, she left several hours ago. Maybe she got lost.
Alarmed, I quickly race along her scent trail. When I reach the first fork in the road, her trail shifts deeper into the woods. She’s going the opposite direction from town, which is good, because she won’t run into any hunters out here. Not that anyone would be out in the snow anyway, but still, it’s safer.
After tracking her for several miles, my paws are half-frozen. Even though I’m in my bear form, I’m susceptible to the cold. My bear’s not used to running around in snow for longer than an hour. If I don’t find her soon, I’m going to have to head back and get the truck. I never imagined she’d be this far away from the house. What is she doing?
I reach a steep incline and scramble over large boulders. Rocks slide down the mountainside. I stop and look down. My claws flex as I dig into the rockface. I hate heights. If I don’t find her soon, I’m going to go back and get the truck and my brother. He doesn’t care about heights and this is partially his fault. She wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t been bitching at me about finding a mate for months.
I’m about to go for reinforcements when I spot a small opening in the rocks. It’s a narrow cave. I approach cautiously. If I interrupt a hibernating bear, I could get a claw in the ass for my trouble.
Instead of crawling into the dark cavern, I grab a rock with my teeth and toss it into the cave. Something moves inside. I back up as much as I dare. The ledge I’m standing on it’s very deep, or very wide for that matter. If a bear comes barreling out, I’m going to end up tumbling down the mountain.
A shivering bear appears in the opening. Although I haven’t met Angela’s bear, their scents are mingled. It’s her. I have no idea why she’s hiding in a cave, but she’s half-frozen. Ice frosts her fur. Frozen tears hang from her cheeks. She’s shaking so hard that I doubt she’ll be able to get down the mountain without falling.
I swing my head over my shoulder and grunt, hoping she’ll understand that I want her to climb onto my shoulders. I lower my body to the ground and wait. She lumbers forward slowly. After sniffing my face, she climbs onto my back. Her claws dig into my fur.
If I’d thought coming up the mountain was hard, going down it with another bear on my back is nearly impossible. She’s not heavy, but her weight shifts awkwardly as I carefully pick a path down the mountain.
When I finally reach the ground, I pick up my pace. She’s sliding all over me, so I don’t want to run too fast, but if we don’t get back soon, we’re both going to end up freezing to death.
The trip back takes almost an hour. I can’t imagine what possessed her to go out into the snow alone, but I’m pissed. She could have been killed. I could have ended up dead wandering around looking for her. I can’t wait to give her a piece of my mind.
I drop her on the porch. She shifts back into her human form. Naked and trembling, she lifts her head. Her eyes are glassy and unfocused. Concern replaces anger as I shift and scoop her into my arms. I carry her into the house and set her in front of the fireplace. I grab every blanket I can find and tuck them around her body.
After building a huge fire, I turn to find her glaring.
“What the hell were you thinking?” I snap. “Why did you wander away?”
“I f-f-figured you didn’t really want to get to know me. S-so I left.”
“Why would you think that?” I head into the kitchen and set a kettle on the stove. Hot tea should help ward off hypothermia.
“B-because.”
Well there’s an excuse. I shake my head. Women. I swear I’ll never understand them. I’m destined to be single forever.
While I wait for the water to boil, I spot a notebook page on the refrigerator. I grab it and read it. Unbelievable. She decided to leave because she thought I didn’t want to get to know her. Of course, that’s partially true, but still, that’s no reason to leave. Why didn’t she wait and talk to me? I would have driven her to town myself if
she really wanted to leave.
The kettle whistles. I pour two steaming mugs of peppermint tea and carry them to the living room. As I walk into the room, her gaze drops to my cock. I completely forgot I’m naked. I’ll have to rectify that in a minute. In the meantime, she might as well see what she’s going to be missing. After this stunt, there’s no way I’m letting her stay for two weeks. I can’t be responsible for someone who can’t make basic, logical decisions. Also, she sucks at communication. I can’t be with a woman like that.
“Here’s some tea. Drink it. You’ll warm up.” I set the cup on the coffee table.
“Thanks.” She quickly averts her gaze, but I’m sure I caught her checking me out.
I decide to torture her a bit more with my nakedness. Instead of putting on clothes, I plan my ass on the couch. There’s a fabric couch protector I can wash later. Besides, I’m clean.
Almost an hour passes in silence. Color returns to her cheeks and she stops shivering.
“You shouldn’t have asked the matchmaker to send someone if you didn’t intend to find a mate,” she says, finally breaking the increasingly uncomfortable silence.
“What makes you think I wasn’t serious about getting to know you?” I ask.
“You took off this morning.”
“I had something to do in town.”
“Really? What was so important that you had to leave without me? I could have gone with you.”
I don’t respond because she’s right. I was hiding. But now I can’t admit she’s right without looking like a complete asshole. She’s backed me into a corner.
“I talked to Gerri,” she says.
“Oh?” I sip my tea, wishing it was whiskey instead.
“She said you had your heart broken and that you’re not ready for love.”
She’s staring right at me. I can feel her gaze burning my flesh, but I can’t meet her eyes. She’s right. I’m not ready for a mate. I’m also not ready to talk about this with anyone, especially not her.
“This is my brother’s fault.”