limbs entwined with Ford’s played through her mind, and her whole body flushed from the sensations
coursing through her. His nostrils flared, and she knew she wasn’t hiding her reaction to him, or the
fact her thoughts were so sexual in nature she was working herself up to the point she hurt with need
between her thighs. His eyelids dipped low, and he leaned in another fraction, bringing them only
inches away from one another.
“M-My brother is getting married.” A change of subject, something that was bound to make
her arousal shrivel to nothing seemed like a perfect plan. His eyes were on her lips as she spoke, and
that knowledge had her well thought plan on talking about something so uninteresting that sex wasn’t
even a glimmer between them, seem to vanish far too quickly. “There seem to be a lot of weddings
going on. At least that’s what the sales clerk at the boutique told me.” A mask crossed Ford’s face, and
she wondered what she had said that had made him close off as immediately as he had opened to her.
His jaw clenched, and a muscle under his stubble covered cheek jumped. He leaned back and
lifted his bottle to his mouth, downed the rest of his beer, and motioned for the waitress to bring
another round. Whatever she had just said had pissed him off, and his whole demeanor was now
closed. She should have been happy that her lust had been successfully doused, but now she just felt
empty and cold. The awkwardness she had felt initially came back full force, and she contemplated
going back to where her brother sat. The longer the silence between them dragged on, the more she
just wanted to leave. He wouldn’t look at her, and it was clear he was going through some kind of
internal struggle.
“Uh, listen, maybe I should just head back over to my brother’s table.” She went to stand, but
he gently placed his hand on top of hers.
“No, please stay. I’m sorry if I got weird just then. It’s just talk of weddings and shit tends to
bring the funk on.” He offered her a smile, but it seemed somewhat forced. God, what if he was
married, or engaged, or something like that? He must have read her facial expressions and figured out
what she was thinking because he chuckled and said, “No, I’m not married, nor was I at one time, and
I am not about to get married.”
He took another drink of his beer and watched her over the rim. For several long seconds they
stared at each other, and she wondered what had been done to him that just speaking about weddings
would throw him off. He inhaled deeply and seemed to be struggling with an internal debate.
“I just went through a nasty break-up a long time ago and found out my ex is getting married.
So talk about weddings and all that leaves a nasty taste in my mouth.”
Oh.
Was he still hung up on this girl years later? She couldn’t help but ask since he did bring it
up, and she knew she wasn’t the only feeling this strong connection. “So, you still have feelings for
her?” Honestly it wasn’t her business, but he wanted to talk to her, and this was the conversation that
had arisen.
He shook his head and glanced down at the table. “Nah, it was ten years ago.” His posture was
relaxed as he threw one of his thick, muscular arms over the back of the chair and kicked one of his
legs out straight. “She screwed me over, and I have allowed myself to harbor this hatred in regards to
that.” His eyes flared, as if he was surprised by his own admission, and then his jaw locked tight, thus
ending the conversation. That was fine with her because it was an uncomfortable conversation to be a
part of anyway. She didn’t know anything about this man aside from his name, that he was a bear
shifter, and that she wanted him desperately. Learning about an ex-girlfriend that clearly was part of a
bad break-up was something she didn’t want to talk about with someone she hardly knew. A switch in
conversation was what they needed.
“So what do you do for a living?” The waitress came by and set down two fresh beers even
though she hadn’t even finished her drink and Ford was still working on his. “You mean aside from
running into pretty little red foxes and causing them to spill scalding coffee all over themselves?” The
corner of his mouth lifted in a smirk, and she couldn’t help but laugh. “I work with my brothers in a
family owned construction business. Maybe you’ve heard of Wylde Construction?”
So he did hard, manual labor? That explained his muscular body.
She nodded. “Yeah, I actually remember seeing the signs in front of the construction sites on
my way into town.” She finished off her drink, which was now turning watery. Ford pushed over a
fresh beer, and she smiled in gratitude. She wasn’t much of an umbrella drink kind of girl anyway.
“So, where are you from, and what do you do?”
She took a long pull from the beer and liked the hoppy flavor that covered her tongue. “I’m
from California and just graduated with my Master’s in education. Although looking for a teaching
position in LA is like finding a needle in a haystack.” Holy hell, did she just make that analogy? Her
cheeks warmed, and Ford smiled, which made her flesh burn hotter. “In reality I’m jobless.” Talia
didn’t mention she was living off her trust that her parents set up for her. At twenty-four years old she
had envisioned something more for her life. The past six years had been filled with school and not
much of anything else. Now that she was finally done she felt almost lost. There had been this
optimistic side of her that saw her getting a teaching job right after graduation, but the reality was a
lot sadder than that. Most places wanted experience, but how in the hell could she get experience if
she didn’t have a job? She hated the bigger cities and longed to settle down somewhere small, such as
an intimate town like Sweet Water.
“That’s an incredible accomplishment. Congratulations.” She felt herself blush at his
compliment.
Yeah, she might have a degree, but what was the point of owning that piece of paper if she had
nothing to show for it in the long run? “Thank you, but it certainly isn’t owning your own construction
company. I’m sure you’re the go-to builders in your town.” He smirked and shrugged.
“It has its pros and cons, believe me. Working with family can be a pain in the ass at times.”
She nodded and smiled. Her father and brother worked together, and there had been plenty of times
she heard them arguing about patient cases and what the other would do in the situation.
“Yeah, I know what you mean, although not personally. My brother is a physician, as is my
father. They share a practice, and I can’t count the number of times they have argued over things
concerning the office.” Looking up at him, she swallowed the lump that suddenly formed in her throat
at the look he gave her. His expression was relaxed, but she felt the heat come from it, one of raw,
animalistic sexuality. Gone was the awkwardness that had risen from talks of weddings, and back in
its place was heady arousal. A ripple passed over him, as strange as that was, and for a split second she
saw the wild bear he harbored inside. He slowly leaned in, and Talia found herself frozen to the spot.
They were inches from each other once again, breathing the same air, and passing each other’s body
heat back and forth. Talia pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, a nervous habit she had done all her
life. She noticed Ford’s eyes lower to watch the act, and she instantly let go. Her bottom lip popped
out, and blood rushed to the abused area. His pupils dilated, and the pheromones that came off of him
saturated her. There was no denying that the bear shifter in front of her wanted her just as badly as she
wanted him.
“Talia…” He said her name deep and low, and the way his lips formed the word had her
thinking of him moving his mouth all over body while he fucked her good and hard. He inhaled
deeply, and the black of his pupils swallowed the blue of his irises. “I can smell how wet your pussy
is.” He slowly lifted his eyes to hers and leaned in another inch. “Tell me how wet you are for me,
Talia.”
Holy shit, did he just say that to her? Yes, yes, he did, and to her surprise she wasn’t offended,
but so damn turned on she was shocked she hadn’t burst into flames right then and there.
Her chest rose and fell from the force of trying to suck enough air into her lungs. He moved in
yet another inch, and everything faded in the distance until all she sensed, smelled, and saw was Ford.
This whole situation was crazy and her reaction to him crazier yet. “All you have to do is tell me you
want me as much as I want you.” His breath was warm and smelled hoppy from his beer. “This doesn’t
make sense, but it doesn’t have to for it to be right, yeah?” Her eyes fluttered as his warm breath
brushed tendrils of her hair across her cheek. An intoxicating sensation filled her, and it had nothing to
do with the alcohol she’d had. “And I want you, Talia. I want you under me, covered in sweat,
screaming my name, and knowing that it is me that is fucking you until you scream.”
Oh God
. His words, so wicked, filthy, and erotic, just made her have an orgasm.
She had never done something reckless, had never wanted to, but when she opened her eyes
and stared into Ford’s bright blue irises, all she could think about was spending one night with him,
because she knew that was all it would be. For some strange reason she was fine with that, because as
shallow and even slutty as it seemed, she didn’t care. Why should she feel shame for wanting to
explore the sexuality that slammed into her, wrapped its talons into her and refused to let go until she
surrendered completely?
In the morning she could go on with her life, but if she didn’t at least experience something
that stole her breath, made every part of her tingle, and had her inhibitions vanishing, she would
forever regret it. That was a fact. Could she actually go through with it, though?
“All you have to do is ask me to take you home, baby.” His voice was low and laced with lust.
“I need to hear you say those words.” His gaze was on her lips again, and his chest rose and fell with
such force she grew dizzy from the lack of oxygen.
She was an adult, but Luke was also her older brother, and always very protective of her.
Getting him to be okay with her leaving with Ford, a male she had only known for less than a day, was
going to be hard as hell. He would talk her out of it, which may have been the smart thing to do, but
certainly wasn’t what she wanted. She would be gone by next weekend, so the awkward run-ins
wouldn’t be an issue when it came to one-night stands, although she had no experience with that type
of hook-up.
Quit overanalyzing everything. Just do it, Talia.
“Take me home, Ford.” The words were a fast, breathy whisper, and as soon as they spilled
from her mouth her eyes widened. No taking it back now. The low growl that left him had shivers
working through her. It was purely animal and very possessive. God, was she hearing him right,
smelling the emotions rolling off of him correctly, and knowing he truly wanted her in a possessive,
territorial way? Everything next happened so quickly that she couldn’t get her bearings. He downed
the rest of his beer, took her hand, and stood. He was hauling her through the club, and only stopped
when they reached her brother. The energy that coursed from Ford and Luke was tangible, and for a
moment she feared all hell would break loose.
“What?” Luke looked between them, and what was going on finally clicked into place. He
stood slowly, and a flicker of anger passed across his face. “Everything okay, Talia?” Luke asked her
but kept his stare on Ford. “I’m about ready to head out, okay.” Her brother said it, but Talia knew it
wasn’t phrased as a question, or courtesy information on what his plans were. He was telling her what
he was doing, and in the end what she would be doing as well.
“Everything is fine. I just wanted to let you know I’m leaving … with Ford.” Her heart
thundered behind her ribs as she waited for her brother to respond.
Luke’s expression went thunderous as he looked between her and Ford. “I hope you don’t mean
what the fuck I think you mean.” When she didn’t answer his face started to turn red. “You don’t even
know him, Talia.” He crossed his arms over his chest and stared down at her. “You’re not going
anywhere with him.”
“She knows me well enough.” Ford took a step closer to her, and the way he positioned himself
had him slightly in front of her.
She had to intervene before there was an all-out shifter brawl going on. She didn’t want to
verify what her brother already knew, because hell, it was no one’s business. Talia wasn’t a child and
wouldn’t be bullied by Luke. The fact her brother would know anything that had to do with her sexual