One in a Bear-llion (Polar Heat Book 3) Read Free

wouldn’t know.”
    “Never felt that with anyone, then?” he asked, still feeling that awkward twinge of envy.
    “Based on what I hear about fated mates, if I had, I wouldn’t be here.”
    “Why are you here?” he asked. “You had to know this was some kind of harebrained scheme.”
    “I know,” she said.
    “You could have said no. You could have scheduled a vacation anywhere and on your own time.”
    She shook her head. “When I found out Kim was invited, I couldn’t resist. I had to see why someone would bring out bear females. And besides, it was time for a vacation.” She rested her cheek on her palm and looked out at the scenery passing them by. There was something tense about her as she said that, and his dormant protective side came awake to poke at him.
    His bear rumbled in a low growl, and he told it to shut up. “Something going on at home?” he asked.
    She shrugged, not eager to talk about it. But he knew deep down a part of him wouldn’t let it go until he found out what was bothering the small, luscious woman.
    She wasn’t his mate. It just didn’t sit right with him to see females mistreated or afraid.
    “So your wrist? Too much painting?”
    She opened her mouth in surprise and then nodded. Damn, she really was hiding something. He shifted in his seat, suddenly eager to get her to trust him with what was bothering her.
    Which was laughable given how he treated her so far. Like something that was in his way.
    “So anyway, is there a shop around here where I could buy a swimsuit?” she asked.
    “Sure,” he said, taking a turn that took them into a small tourist town. He pulled up in front of a shop that displayed brightly colored swimwear in the store window, and she got out before he could get over to open her door.
    Fine, then.
    He opened the door to the shop at least, and she walked in under his arm.
    The store was relatively empty. Most people were already out on the beach. A bored-looking clerk glanced up from the magazine he was reading to greet them, and Scott gave him a polite wave.
    It was easy to be polite to strangers.
    Mara went straight to a rack of swimsuits and started leafing through them. She pulled several extremely modest swim dresses off the rack, all in solid colors like black or dark blue with some kind of spandex wrap in front, and started for the dressing room.
    He frowned, imagining how the suits would disguise her beautiful curves.
    He was pleased when she stopped to look at a mannequin in a bright, happy-colored bikini in shades of turquoise and orange and pink that would look amazing against her skin. But to his chagrin, she shook her head and went into the dressing room.
    Now, that just wouldn’t do.
----
    M ara struggled to pull on the tight, full coverage, one-piece swimsuit she was used to wearing back home. She wished she was brave enough to wear the beautiful, colorful bikini she’d seen on the mannequin outside.
    She looked in the mirror and frowned at the black suit. It fit. That was about all she could say about it. What would the man outside think?
    She shook her head. That shouldn’t matter. He was attracted to her now that she was putting herself on show for him, but he was still probably going to go back to treating her like she was a pain in the ass when the day was over.
    She couldn’t get attached. Even though she’d badly wanted to confide in him when he’d poked to find out what was bothering her.
    But she had to remind herself that, despite his godlike good looks and perfect blue eyes and that tight, hard body, too tall in the suits he always wore, he was only doing his job. Nothing more.
    She came out to see him just finishing ringing up at the counter. He took a black bag from the clerk and turned to her with a grin. It caught her off guard.
    “Find something you like?” he asked, holding the bag at his side.
    “Sure,” she said, handing the black swimsuit to the clerk. At least they’d be going in the ocean soon. She was looking