Lone Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance (Bear Mountain Book 1) Read Free

cleared her throat, stopped walking and finally made eye contact. “What?”
    “Movies? This Friday? With me?” he smiled, and winked.
    Their town theater only played movies that were already available to buy or rent, but it was still fun to watch things on the big screen with a bucket of popcorn.
    “Um,” she stalled. “Do you know what’s playing? I don’t do horror.”
    “Good, neither do I. I’ll talk to Sam and if it’s something gory, we can hang out at my house instead. Deal?”
    Sam and his daughter Samantha, who also went by Sam, owned the movie theater and changed the movie every Friday like the big cities. She found his willingness to change their plans sweet, and she really hoped the man put up something scary. She wanted to see the inside of Gage’s home and spend time with him alone, without the whole town watching.
    “Okay.”
    They reached her apartment as the first flurries of the season started to fall. He inclined his head toward the top floor.
    “Do you want me to walk you up?”
    She declined. They could see her door and though she had to walk behind a slab of concrete to get to it, nothing ever happened in Bear Mountain. She’d be safe.
    As long as the sheriff keeps his distance.
    The uneasy feelings the man ignited must have shown on her face.
    “Why don’t you like the sheriff?”
    Dammit. She hadn’t fooled him.
    “There isn’t one reason in particular, he hasn’t done anything to me, I just don’t like him.”
    “What about the deputy?”
    “Dave is okay. I don’t know him that well, but he’s a nice guy. He doesn’t act conceited or deserving like Tom does, and he seems to care about the town. Often times, Tom doesn’t really seem to care what goes on around here, I think he just likes the status of being the sheriff.”
    She hadn’t meant to reveal so much, but she trusted him not to share her confidences.
    Gage nodded and added, “I feel the same about them both. Something about the sheriff doesn’t seem right, but he keeps getting elected. I don’t understand it.”
    “Neither do I. He’s been sheriff since I got here, but I wouldn’t vote for him again. Randy said in the last election he didn’t even have an opponent. It doesn’t make sense.”
    “I’m glad you’ve decided to keep your distance. It’s getting colder, so go on up now. I’ll stay here until you get in.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek and the skin beneath his lips burned from his touch. Little puffs of snow melted upon contact.
    “Personally, I hope Sam puts up something really gruesome,” he whispered.
    His breath tickled her ear and sent an electric jolt through her system. She gasped breathlessly, but she couldn’t move or speak. Suddenly, she felt like a million degrees, as if she were sweating beneath her scarf and coat.
    He’d admitted to wanting her alone. Did he want her, too, or did he want to keep her hidden. She dismissed the latter thought; he wouldn’t have asked her out if he didn’t want her.
    “I’ll pick you up at seven. Good night, Katie.”
    “Good night.”
    Her legs worked as if by rote and she turned and walked up the stairs. Her cheeks flamed when she realized he could see her ass as she climbed, but she pushed her embarrassment out of her mind. She had no idea what happened this afternoon, but she felt certain he wouldn’t have asked her out if he wasn’t interested. She added some extra sway in her hips on the last three stairs and when she looked down at him, he waved and she knew he’d noticed.
    She walked the ten seconds behind the concrete slab, and smiled when she spotted him still waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. She put the key in the lock and waved back before entering the apartment and shutting him outside.
    She ripped off her coat and scarf, ran to the bathroom, and stripped off her clothes. The cool water from the shower cooled her heated skin and after several minutes, she could think clearly again.
    She had a date with Gage