Big Strong Bear Read Free

much as it felt like it cracked her in half to do so.
    And the cold, expectant look he’d given her after that just confirmed what she already knew. He didn’t care about her anymore.
    Just like he was calm now, even after learning she was in danger.
    Her heart cracked at the thought of it, and she rushed for the door. She’d find another answer. Go to the police or something. Stay with a friend. This had all been stupid…
    She was only halfway across the tile when a hard, steely hand gently caught her arm, stopping her. She looked up into gray eyes, smoldering in the semi-darkness.
    “Where are you going?” he asked in a low voice that made tendrils of lust curl around her belly. She’d always loved that voice.
    “Home,” she said. “It was stupid to come here. I don’t know what I was—”
    To her surprise, he jerked her forward and caught her in his arms, crushing her against him. His lips came down on hers, and his tongue tasted faintly of smoke as it explored. His scent was of forest, of wilderness, of gunfire and frost. And home.
    Her body melted against his even as she struggled to fight her own response to him. His tongue swept through her mouth, heating her blood to boiling with the memory of everything they’d shared.
    He pulled back and pinned her with cold heat in his glare. “You’re mine,” he said, running his tongue along his full lower lip. “You came back to me, and you’re mine.”
    Her jaw dropped. “No,” she said, pushing away. “No, I’m not yours. I just… This was a bad idea.” She made for the door again, but he strode in front of it, easily blocking her.
    He folded his arms again, and the effect it had on his hulking shoulders and biceps made it hard to breathe, like the air in the room was thickening.
    “Let me go,” she said, trying to go around him.
    He shook his head.
    She let out an exasperated sigh. “This doesn’t change anything. I didn’t come back here because I wanted to be with you. I just thought someone with your… skills would be useful.”
    He clicked his tongue and tilted his head, dark hair swaying. “Oh, definitely useful.”
    “But I should have known this would be awkward, and this was a mistake… I’ll ask someone else.”
    That put darkness in his expression, and Cassie froze as she saw his features tighten. “Who?” he asked, taking a step forward. “Who would you ask, Cassie? One of your pretty town boys?”
    She scoffed at the ridiculousness of it. She’d never turned him down for anyone else, though heaven knew there were men interested. John had always been the only one for her. And only him taking what they had so lightly, acting like it meant nothing, was able to make her move on.
    “What happened, Cass?” he asked, using her old pet name, making her knees tremble. It was all too familiar, reminiscent of better times, romantic times. Times they’d been in love and sure the world couldn’t stop them.
    But the world had.
    “I don’t know,” she answered sadly. “Life happened.”
    He slammed his hand into the door, anger overtaking him. “That’s not good enough,” he said. “It’s not good enough for either of us and we both know it. But fine. We aren’t getting back together. I accepted that, and I know you have.”
    She nodded silently, tension gripping her.
    “But I’ll be damned if I let anyone else protect you,” he said hoarsely. “That’s my job, always was.”
    She nodded again, stunned by the force of sentiment in his words.
    He took a step forward and then another. She could sense the history of their kiss lingering in the air, tempting her toward more. He closed the distance between them, thrilling her with that combination of cool danger and ardent passion that made her weak in the knees. He reached for her chin and tilted it up so she was forced to look into his eyes.
    “But you look out, Cassie Peterson. Because I still want you. I accepted your decision, but I haven’t given up. I may be trapped in