Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 75(@200wpm)___ 60(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 75(@200wpm)___ 60(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
When Friday finally arrives, I breathe a sigh of relief and start my daily routine of following Parker to school while telling myself it’s not stalking if I’m making sure my mate arrives in one piece. After she’s safely inside the school building, I head home to spend the day watching the seconds slowly tick by on the antique grandfather clock that’s been in my family for generations.
At six-thirty, I give up the fight and head over to her house early. The entire seven-minute ride, I warn my bear to back the fuck off and let me handle wooing my mate. I’m not sure the fucker will listen, but at least I tried. After parking next to her garage, I walk up to the front door and take a deep breath before ringing the bell.
“I’m coming,” she calls from somewhere in the small house, and my bear mutters, Not yet but hopefully later, in my ear. I shush the fucker and smile when my mate throws the door open.
“You’re early,” she gasps as I stand there speechless. Intense hunger mixed with burning rage bombards me. I give my head a hard shake and blurt out the first thing that comes to mind before I’m able to stop myself.
“What in the motherfucking hell are you wearing?” I growl and instantly regret my words when the smile slips off her gorgeous face. The tight black dress hugs her curves, leaving next to nothing to the imagination, and ends about ten inches north of where I’m comfortable. My eyes move down her silky long legs and stop at the mile-high red heels that make her legs look endless. I feel sweat break out and run down my back. My cock turns to stone in my dress pants, and I know it’s going to take more than a cold shower and self-love session to fix the fucker this time.
“My favorite dress,” Parker huffs. “If you don’t like it, then leave.” I see hurt flash through her aqua-blue eyes and want to kick my own ass. I sense her putting up a mental barrier between us that’s just fucking unacceptable and totally my own goddamn fault.
“I love it too much,” I backpedal, needing to fix this before she puts any more mental distance between us. “And I don’t want any other man to see your luscious body in that gorgeous dress.”
Parker stares at me for several seconds while debating her options. My mate’s expressive face gives me a ringside seat to her thoughts. I almost collapse from relief when she steps back and allows me to step into the foyer.
Damn, that was a close one, my bear growls. You need to up your game, dumbass.
I don’t need your goddamn input. I hiss back, knowing I’m steps from losing my fucking mind and it’s all my mate’s fault. Once I reel her little ass in, I plan to take all my pain and suffering out on her luscious body.
“You are the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen.” I step close to her and lean down to place a soft kiss on her cheek. “It’s going to be hard for me to keep my hands off of you tonight, little Minx.”
“Oh.” She stares up into my eyes and swallows. “Uh. Do you realize your eyes turn red?”
Holy shit. She has no idea I’m a goddamn bear shifter, flashes through my mind.
“It’s my inner bear attempting to take control of me.” Her eyes widen until they nearly swallow her face. Fear flashes across her expressive face. “Don’t worry, little Minx. I have him under control and I would never hurt you. I’m going to spend the rest of my life taking care of you.”
“Hold the heck up, smokey.” Parker steps back, and I hate the goddamn distance between us. “You’re jumping from nice to meet you all the way to I’m going to drag you around by your hair while you bow down to me. I’m not sure what women you’re used to dealing with, but I’m not one of them. That caveman stuff isn’t going to work with me.”
CHAPTER 4
Parker
Leave it to me to fall for a grouchy shifter caveman. Since the moment he rescued me from the tree, I’ve had crazy feelings for him. Now, I’m wondering if it’s all some crazy hormone reaction to the shifter, and is it curable? Who am I kidding? I don’t want to be cured.
“I don’t want you to bow down to me.” He smiles down at me, and I feel my lady parts melting while my heart softens. “Now, the dragging you around by the hair sounds kind of fun. If you’re into those sorts of things.” He wiggles his eyebrows, and I can’t help the laugh that escapes past my lips. “Seriously, little Minx, we have several things to discuss.” When he runs his finger down the side of my cheek, I lock my knees to stay on my feet. “Please, tell me I haven’t ruined our evening. I have reservations at The Porterhouse Mansion, and I really want to show your gorgeous ass off.”