The Wait: Belonging to the Bear (BBW Werebear Erotic Romance) (Mates of the Walkers Book 3) Read Free Page A

as well.
    “Yes, by the river. I didn’t mean to snoop, I was just taking my lunch break to clear my head and then…I…I’m sorry.” The tell-tale sting of tears prodded at her eyes once more and she lowered her head, trying to choke them down. Tara didn’t want to see it all end before it could even start, her thoughts a jumbled mess.
     
    Colden stopped and pulled her to face him, his other hand gripping her by the elbow and urging her to look up at him. Her gray eyes met his soft hazel and she felt like she could melt right into them, the depth and emotion threatening to carry her away.
    “You have nothing to apologize about. Is there somewhere we could talk?” Colden’s body was just inches from hers and it seemed he wanted to press her against him as much as she wanted to be embraced, but both of them reigned in their need. Tara nodded.
    At least it’s not over yet.
     
     

CHAPTER FOUR
     
    It only took a few minutes to reach her apartment, a cozy little attic above a hardware store. When the door clicked shut behind them, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief. Dealing with her thoughts and emotions was hard enough, but doing it all in public seemed nigh impossible. Colden smirked slightly and plodded across her small living room, plopping down on the couch. He patted the cushion next to him and she complied, following his lead. Her home, though impossibly small, had all the touches of a feminine hand without being overdone. It felt homey and safe, two things that Tara needed most in her life.
     
    Tara waited anxiously for him to speak, Colden clearly searching for his words. Finally, he sighed, resting his head in his hands.
    “I didn’t want you to find out like that, Tara,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes and his chin with his calloused palms. He leant forward, pushing his elbows on his knees and keeping his gaze on her. Despite the tenseness of the situation, Tara squirmed uncomfortably. Just being around him made her wet and this time was no exception. She was having a hard time telling him to forget all about it and just take her, but she knew as well as he did that it would never work that way. There needed to be honesty and he wanted to give her at least that much. She deserved to know.
     
    “I am a werebear, though I guess you figured that one out already. I live alone, up in the mountains. My brothers are nearby, but we all have our own lives. I guess they are smarter than me – they know we can scare humans by being too careless. Sometimes, when we get angry or excited, it’s hard to control the bear.” She smiled at the sight of the man flushing, his cheeks tinted with color. “I was so glad you wanted to see me that I threw caution to the wind. I wanted to get another change of clothes from home and it’s a bit of a trek, I can’t make it fast enough on foot. And barely fast enough if I shift, as we saw,” he said, smiling weakly.
     
    Tara grabbed one of his hands in hers, urging him to continue. She had finally found the courage to approach the man she had felt such a strong connection to, she wasn’t going to let either of their nerves ruin it for them. He looked at her dainty hands clasping his big paw and the tension seemed to dissipate a little in his gaze.
    “I hope I didn’t scare you, Tara.” Colden looked up at her and her shimmering eyes and sweet face took his breath away. She was gorgeous and he had been wanting to get to know her since she arrived in town. For a long time he had wondered if the bond he felt with her was the one that their pack elders had talked of so many times, the happiness a bear could find if he met his true mate. But, he had driven it from his thoughts time and time again, sure that he was just being overly hopeful and that he was fooling himself if he thought she felt the same way. But today, she had shown that she could be much braver than he and it stroked his urgent need for her.
    “A little. But I got over it,” she said and