Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23981 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23981 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 120(@200wpm)___ 96(@250wpm)___ 80(@300wpm)
Oh well, hopefully he has a thing for runaway brides or for really irresponsible drivers.
I take a deep breath and head out.
The warm inviting scent of hot soup wafts down the hallway and makes me moan.
I walk slowly down the hall, my bare feet silent on the hardwood floors, and smile when I arrive in the large open space that has Leo’s adorable kitchen, his warm cozy living room with a roaring fire, and the dining area where I can picture us sitting over a hot meal and talking for hours.
Soft music is playing on the speakers—I recognize it as Holocene by Bon Iver—and Leo has his back turned to me, mixing something in the large pot.
He turns and looks at me with a warm beautiful smile as I walk in. It hits me right in the core and for some reason I want to start crying.
Not sad tears, the happy kind. An hour ago, I was alone in the snowstorm, I was trapped in a trunk, I was certain I was going to die, although I didn’t know which traumatic way would get me.
And now I’m here. Safe and warm with this gorgeous man smiling at me, a crackling fire in the stunning stone fireplace, tender music, a hearty meal waiting for me, and all while the storm rages outside. The frigid wind is howling. The snow is accumulating on the windows. I’m so happy to be here with him, all snug and comfy in the safe shelter of his cabin. The only place I’ve ever felt this content and secure was at home as a kid.
It’s a log cabin with giant logs towering up to the high A-framed ceiling and running horizontally along the walls. The lighting is soft and cozy with candles lit on every wooden shelf and on every piece of antique furniture. The large couches with folded flannel throw blankets draped over the backs of them are inviting me to sink into them and enjoy the warm fire.
Everything about this place is charming and delightful. It’s so welcoming, especially when in stark contrast to the violent storm outside.
“Feel better?” he asks. He’s so cute with his gray apron on, I can’t even.
“Much better,” I say, smiling back at him. “Thank you so much, Leo. I don’t even know what to say.”
“Then don’t say anything,” he says as he reaches into the cupboard and pulls out a bottle of wine. “Eat and drink instead.”
I can’t help but smile as I walk over and take a seat at the island while he opens the bottle. I could really use a drink. My eyes roam all over his hands and arms, free to take in the stunning view while he’s distracted with the wine opener.
I want to run my hands up his thick woollen cardigan. I want to feel if the material is as soft as it looks. I want to feel if his biceps are as hard as they look.
He pulls the cork out with a pop and then pours each of us a glass of red wine.
I can’t help but moan when I taste it. It’s the best thing I’ve ever had.
“So,” I say when we’re looking at each other between sips. “I think I’ve put it together.”
His eyebrow raises. “Oh yeah?”
He brings the wine glass to his lips and my breath catches when I see how big his arm is. He’s so freaking hot. Like one-look-will-turn-you-into-a-psycho-stalker hot.
I push all that away and point at him. “You were the bear.”
He takes a sip as he looks at me over the glass.
“You’re one of those bear shifters,” I say, pushing on before I lose the nerve. “Aren’t you?”
“Bear shifters?”
“Yeah. I read an article about them.”
“What did it say?”
“It talked about men who can turn into bears at will,” I say, hoping I’m not sounding ridiculous right now. If the bear was just a coincidence, he’s going to think I’m a total nut for bringing this up. “They’re very strong and they heal fast. They’re also very protective and loyal to their mates.”
“Mates?”
“Yeah, they’re monogamous their whole lives, saving themselves for their one true mate,” I say, feeling my voice racing with excitement. “The bond of a shifter to his mate is unlike any other bond in nature. It’s so intense that it only takes one sight or smell of the shifter’s mate for him to know she’s the one.”
“Sounds pretty cool,” he says all nonchalantly. Meanwhile, my heart is racing at the thought of it. When I read the article, I remember thinking it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard. I spent weeks dreaming of having a big burly bear shifter of my own.
“I thought so,” I say, looking at my wine glass and feeling a little silly. “So, are you one?”
He takes a deep breath as he looks at me. That massive chest gets even bigger.