Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21482 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
But somewhere like the farm, that’s perfect for a little one. A whole lot of room to run free.
“Not in the winter.” I back up a bit. “Won’t be out in the fields much anyway then. So I’ll have nothing to do at the house but look after her.”
I see Travis catch Alicia’s eye, give a tiny nod. She still looks uncertain but says, “Well, okay. I guess we can talk about it more when the time comes.”
Fuck, yes. Emma and I are going to have a hell of a lot of fun.
Mama lays her hand on Carolyn’s, who still doesn’t look like she’s convinced I should be anywhere near a delicate baby. “Don’t let his size fool you. He’s very good with little ones.”
Samantha smirks. I know that look. She’s got something funny and dirty in her head. Usually I’d be the first to say it, waiting for her to nope me. Fucking kills me that she wouldn’t even bother now.
“…I don’t think I ever heard.”
I realize Carolyn’s looking at me expectantly, but I missed most of what she said. “Sorry. What was that?”
“She wants to know where you spent the whole year,” Samantha says flatly.
Ah. “Up by Glacier National Park.”
“Oh? We took a trip there once, back when Jesse was still with us. You remember that, Sam?”
“Only a little.”
“I guess you were only five or six then. Beautiful scenery, I remember. Did you stay in a cabin?”
“Basically.” A cabin is made of logs and logs are made of trees and trees make up the woods, so it’s basically the same. “Spent some time fishing. Some hunting. Mostly napping.”
“And do you have friends up that way or…?”
“A few.” I grin, thinking of their cute little cubs. “Rosie, then Daisy. Spent a lot of time with them. And—”
The pain that fills my next breath explodes straight into my blood, firing into rage that it takes every bit of my strength to suppress.
Sam’s pain.
Her fork clatters to her plate. She lurches to her feet. “You know what, I’m more tired that I thought. I’m going to head out. Thank you for dinner, sis.”
I can’t fucking move, I’m so near to the edge. I feel Mama’s alarm but I can’t look at her. I’m watching Samantha go, not knowing what just knifed her in the chest but I know something did.
“You stupid fuck,” Travis growls under his breath. “Daisy? Rosie? She doesn’t know you’re talking about bears.”
Ah, shit. My chair shoots back, I’m up so fast. “I’m just gonna— Fuck.”
She’s already out the door. I’m after her a second later.
“Sam! They’re just bears. I was a fucking bear the whole time!”
She spins around and shoots me a horrified look.
“I didn’t fuck them! Jesus. I didn’t—”
“I don’t care what you did. Who you did. None of it.” She fumbles with her keys as she reaches her pickup.
“You don’t care? That’s why you’re running home now?” And why the hurt’s pouring off her? I’m so goddamn close to berserking that the rage is too damn high and none of this is coming out right. “I don’t fucking understand why you’re so pissed at me! You wanted to stay friends. When I left we were friends. What the fuck did I do that you won’t even look at me now?”
A harsh laugh rips from her. “Did you just conveniently repress your whole, ‘You’re worth any effort to me, Sam. I’ll love the fuck out of you, Sam’—or did I just imagine you at my bedroom door?”
“I haven’t forgotten a second of it.” The response gusts from me like I’ve been punched. “Why the fuck do you think I went? I was pushing you so fucking hard. You told me a million fucking times you only wanted to be friends. And there I was, begging you to let me in…” Surrounded by her hot, sweet scent. Remembering how she’s panted my name, needing to hear it again. My claws digging into the wall, holding myself back. “I was at the edge with wanting you. But I knew you didn’t want to cross that line with me. I left the house because being a bear, that’s just mostly peace and calm. I had no thought except of coming back in a few hours or so—as soon as I was on level again. I didn’t know it was a whole fucking year, Sam. I got too deep into my head and I didn’t know until I was out again.”
She stares up at me, her scent a swirl of emotions. Her bitter laugh echoes the most painful of them. “So it’s even worse than I thought.”
“What’s worse?” Though by the gleam of tears in her eyes, not sure I can bear knowing.
“I told you I was difficult. But I believed you when you said you’d fight to make it work.”