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

forward to being out in the tropical sunlight and beautiful weather.
    Outside in general—and safe . How long had it been since that had happened?
    “Did you get a suit, too?” she asked, taking her purchase from the clerk and holding it against her.
    “Mine’s in my duffle bag.”
    She looked in the backseat as they got back in the car. “Ah.”
    “I packed it last night after work so we wouldn’t have to waste time before heading out. Which was good because you were late,” he said. His tone was half chiding, half teasing, and she turned up her chin as he started the car and continued to give her amused looks.
    Just because he could be charming when he wanted to, it didn’t mean she had to cave to him.
    Though, she had to admit it was very hard not to.
    “So I noticed you passed up the bikini for the one-piece. What’s that about?”
    “I like one-pieces,” she grumbled, which was a total lie.
    “Doesn’t it make it harder to pee?” he asked. “I mean, you have to strip off the whole thing.”
    Her face burned with a flush and she pinned him with an offended glare. “Excuse me?”
    He waved a hand. “Sorry, I see a lot of swimsuits throughout the day. It always seemed to me that two-pieces look infinitely more comfortable.”
    “Well, this one will be more… flattering.”
    He scoffed. “By hiding you?”
    She gaped at him. Was he really suggesting she should wear less? Wasn’t he the who wanted to keep this all business?
    She wouldn’t let herself hope for a connection like she had when she first saw him from the balcony of her hotel suite.
    She’d had fantasies about him when she found out he would be the one to show her around and keep track of her during the week. Who wouldn’t fantasize about spending time with a man like that?
    But he’d quickly doused those fantasies with his attitude, and even though he was behaving now, she knew he could easily flip back to his other, grumpier self. At least if she expected it, it wouldn’t hurt her feelings when it happened.
    She wasn’t sure what happened to change his mood so much, but he was humming happily to the radio as they drove.
    When he stopped, she looked out to see a path that led out to a wide, long beach with pale, soft sand. People dotted along it, relaxing on towels or running into the pale blue-green water that matched Scott’s eyes.
    She wondered if everyone in his family had those amazing eyes.
    He grabbed her shopping bag from the back, along with his duffle, and led her toward a small building that housed bathrooms where she could change. “See you in a bit,” he said, handing her the bag and disappearing into the men’s side.
    She sighed and reached in, ready to pull out that stiff swimsuit and start the arduous task of putting it on, but when her hands touched something soft, she gasped and pulled out the bikini she’d admired on the mannequin.
    She turned it over. Her size. How had he known? Why would he go to all that trouble for someone he clearly didn’t want to be around?
    The man was a mystery. But the longer she held the soft material in her hands, the more she wanted to put it on.
    She was a beautiful woman and she deserved to wear pretty things and feel happy in the water. She turned it over to look at the tag and winced. Expensive. Perhaps he was apologizing for being rude before.
    Or perhaps he was being pervy and wanted to see her in it. That thought was kind of exciting. A man like that wanting to see her in such a colorful bikini.
    She grinned and put it on, tying the sides tightly in double knots. Then she picked up her towel and slung it over her shoulder. She put a hand on the door handle, took a deep breath, and then walked out into the sun to face him.

3
    H oly shit , she was gorgeous.
    The bikini was worth every penny. Not just because it put every bit of her amazing hourglass on display for his hungry eyes, but because she was wearing a shy smile that said she enjoyed wearing it even though she’d