Private Release Read Free Page B

wanted her.
    Red bloomed in her cheeks and she looked askance at him. Jared realized he was stark naked, with a hard-on, in front of a total stranger.
    “I’m so…sorry. I thought…I thought it was a closet.” She was quaking.
    Confused, Jared realized he was standing on her coat, which was now soaking wet. He noticed two crutches scattered on the floor leading to her and it dawned on him she wasn’t shaking from fright, she physically couldn’t support herself.
    Not thinking about his nudity he rushed forward and caught her in his arms as her knees buckled from under her.
    “Fuck,” she cursed as she clung to him. Her head plastered against his chest, his face was nestled in her dark hair, which smelled like green tea. Exactly like the woman from his dream. “Fuck. Dammit all to hell.”
    She had quite the potty mouth on her.
    “Are you all right?” He managed to ask, but still held her close against his body.
    “Just embarrassed.” She pushed against his chest feebly. Jared helped her stand, but still held her up.
    “What do you need?”
    “My crutches.” Her cheeks were still pink and she wouldn’t look him in the eye. The poor thing was humiliated beyond all recompense and he didn’t know why, until he remembered he was still stark naked.
    “I apologize for my lack of attire,” he offered, but he wasn’t that sorry. The inner beast in him was positively purring, begging to strip her down to nothing and make up for this indiscretion in other ways. He scooped her up and carried her across the room to his overstuffed armchair and set her down. Then he turned and retrieved her crutches. She took them and held onto them, but still wouldn’t look him in the eyes.
    “Can I do anything else for you?” Jared asked.
    “You could put on some clothes.” A smile quirked the corner of her luscious, pink, full lips.
    “Again. Sorry.” He jogged back to the bathroom and shut the door and quickly toweled off. He opened the other door, which led into his bedroom. He should take over his parents’ old bedroom. At least their bathroom wasn’t off the entrance way, then he could’ve avoided that situation that just played out, but since his parents’ death he couldn’t take over their old room on the other side of the penthouse. It hurt too much. He just remained in the bedroom that he’d had since he was a kid. Of course when Étienne heard about this, his head of security was going to insist he move into his parents’ old room for privacy. He went into his closet and pulled on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
    His dick was still hard as a rock, because her scent lingered on his damp skin. He had to get hold of himself before he went out to see her, even though that was the last thing the bear inside him wanted.
    The wound in his hand was nearly healed and he tossed the towel away. The cut was closed, but still pink and angry. It would be gone in a couple of hours. Hopefully it wouldn’t bother the human female.
    Razor-sharp claws elongated from his nail beds and sharp incisors punched through his gums. A growl rumbled deep in his chest.
    Yes.
    He was shifting.
    No. He couldn’t shift into a polar bear. She was human and had no idea about their world. If she saw him like this no doubt she would bolt and their secret would be exposed… If Étienne didn’t kill her first. Jared snarled at that thought. There was no way he’d let another Mukswa male touch her.
    Jared took a deep, calming breath and tried to focus on something else. Finances mostly, to try to contain his inner bear. His fangs and claws retracted. Only when he knew he had his bear under control did Jared venture out through his bedroom door.
    She was still in the living room, but was not sitting in the overstuffed armchair. She was standing beside it, with the use of her crutches. In her hand was a briefcase he hadn’t notice before. The front of her suit had damp splotches, the front of her white shirt had a big wet spot, but she still