Christina's Bear Read Free

mate.
    His
mate.
    Anger
was replaced by shock which was ultimately replaced by fear. Who was Derek?
    When she
turned to walk toward the counter, he voiced his concern.
    “Who’s
Derek?” Too late he realized his mistake and he wrapped his hand around hers to
stop the coffee from sloshing out of the lid and burning her.  
    She felt
wonderful. Her skin was soft and silky smooth and he held on longer than he
needed to, not wanting to let her go. Her eyes roamed his body from top to
bottom and he couldn’t help the half smile when he saw her glance at his feet.
When her eyes met his, he couldn’t breathe.
    Blue
eyes stared back at him from her beautiful, round shaped face graced with
delicate features. The shape of her lips, the curve of her upper lip just below
her cute little nose, wide round eyes and delicate cheek bones detailed her
face. She wasn’t what he expected, but she was everything he wanted. Her long,
wavy blond hair had big curls around the bottom and he wondered if they were
natural or if she’d styled it that way.
    Once
again he asked about Derek. He had to know where he stood. Was she married, did
she have a boyfriend, what were his chances?
    When the
clerk not only answered the question but insulted his mate, Bull responded.
Loudly. Satisfied he’d scared the clerk, he turned his attention back to the
girl, only to see he’d scared her too.
    Her
mouth hung open slightly as she looked at him like she was in a trance. Bull
knew he should let her go, but he wanted the information so he asked questions
that he had no business asking as his mate stood there in terror.  
    She
answered breathlessly and with each answer he realized what a terrible
situation he was creating for himself. He’d snuck up behind her, yelled at the
clerk and held her wrist while he asked inappropriate questions about her love
life.
    Bull
wanted to pay for her coffee and newspaper—the exact two things he’d went into
the store for—but if he did and offered to walk her home, she’d probably call
the police. He had to let her go and hope he got another chance to show her he
wasn’t a crazy giant.
    “Okay.”
It took every ounce of willpower to step back and not follow her out of the
store, but he let her walk away. He would have to try again.
    When she
was out of sight, he realized the only thing he knew about her was that she was
single. What was her name? Did she live within walking distance of the market
or did she drive? Did she live in Chestnut Rock? He thought about questioning
the clerk, but decided to wait until he was desperate. He didn’t want to add
stalker to his list of crazy. Bull skipped the coffee and the paper and walked
out of the store and back to his hotel.
    He’d
finally found his mate, the one thing every shifter hoped for, and he’d messed
it all up. Fighting back the depression that threatened, he hoped Matt or Jenn
could help. Maybe they knew who she was. If he found her again, he’d make it
right and never let her go.

Chapter Three
     
    Christina
rolled off the couch when the shrilling ring of her cell-phone vibrated on the
end table next to her head. Half-asleep, she reached for the phone three times
before she found it and touched answer after she read Jenn’s name on the screen.
    “No
normal people are awake at this hour. Why are you calling me so early?” She
said into the phone, settling back on the couch and closing her eyes again.
    “Christina,
it’s eleven o’clock, I thought for sure you’d be up by now,” Jenn laughed.
    Cracking
open one eye, Christina saw the sunlight shining through the curtain and
glanced at the clock.
    “’Why
are you calling me?”
    “To make
sure you’re awake and to invite you to a barbeque later. Matt’s best friend is
in town and I wanted to ask you something. Call me back after you have your
coffee.”
    “I’m
awake. What did you want to ask me?”
    “Well, I
thought maybe because I left you without a roommate—and Matt trusts Bull with
his