good thing at all.
She needed some time to think. Between the situation with the Blackwoods and now Bhric, things were in too much flux.
Her stomach twisted as her mind wandered through possible outcomes. Simon had reminded her that telling humans about shifters broke some pretty fundamental laws and it made him worry for her when it came to her future.
"You hungry or anything?" Calder asked.
She shook her head. Food was the last thing on her mind. "I'm tired. I just need to go to sleep."
She entered the small cabin and he closed and locked the door behind her. He then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She sighed into his warmth.
She inhaled deep, letting the warm outdoors of his scent wrap around her senses. One day. That's how long she'd known this bear of a man and already she felt this comfortable.
It seemed unnatural and way too fast. That alone made her pull from his embrace.
"This is all happening too fast."
He nodded. "Shifters can be like that. We're a little overwhelming. But we make decisions quickly and get things done."
"So I see." She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. Not this time. There was simply too much at stake. "I'm afraid I don't switch gears that easily. I'm going to need some time to digest everything that happened today.
"Go to bed, Jessa. Everything will look better under the morning light. At least that's what my aunt used to tell me when I was a kid."
"Was she right?"
"Sometimes." He chuckled. "But her confidence made me sleep better."
"Then I too will believe. Good night, Calder."
She walked into the only bedroom of the small cabin and stripped out of her clothes, grabbing a t-shirt and pajama pants from the foot of the bed. As she shoved one leg into the soft cotton, it dawned on her that she'd left him to fend for himself.
Shit. There were no other rooms for him to sleep in if he was going to keep watch over her and he certainly wouldn't fit on her couch. She finished dressing and rushed to the bedroom door, yanking it open to see what she could do to solve this latest dilemma.
To her surprise, he was no longer standing in her living room. She wandered into the kitchen expecting to find him hunched over the little kitchenette table. He wasn't there either. Confused she walked back into the living room.
The only other room in the house was the bathroom and he'd have to enter that one through her bedroom.
Did he leave?
A strange sense of loss shot through her. It was probably for the best. Still, she couldn't help looking out the window for any signs of his departure. What she found took her breath away.
A giant bear was pacing across her front lawn, pawing at the ground and shaking his head.
She shut the curtains and looked away before he saw her. Holy shit! Was that Calder? He was huge!
The phrase "That's what she said" rushed through her mind. She giggled, covering her mouth to cover any sound.
She turned back to the window and moved the curtains just enough for her to see out again. He was still there and bigger than ever. Any other time the idea of a giant bear standing outside her living room window would have scared the hell out of her.
But she was pretty sure this had to be Calder. He'd promised to take care of her and she highly doubted that meant him leaving her here alone.
With his head turned away for now, she took the time to study him. With nearly a full moon she had plenty of light allowing her to pick up on smaller details. Like the thick fur that covered his entire body. Would it be wiry and coarse or soft and fluffy?
OMG. Don't be an idiot. He's not a freaking teddy bear. He's a predator for God's sake.
His head turned toward the house and she dropped the curtain and turned, pressing her back to the wall. Had he seen her? She felt oddly like a peeping tom even though it was her house and her yard. She had every right to know who or what was in it.
With her breath coming in rapid in and out breaths, she couldn't resist another
She needed some time to think. Between the situation with the Blackwoods and now Bhric, things were in too much flux.
Her stomach twisted as her mind wandered through possible outcomes. Simon had reminded her that telling humans about shifters broke some pretty fundamental laws and it made him worry for her when it came to her future.
"You hungry or anything?" Calder asked.
She shook her head. Food was the last thing on her mind. "I'm tired. I just need to go to sleep."
She entered the small cabin and he closed and locked the door behind her. He then wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close. She sighed into his warmth.
She inhaled deep, letting the warm outdoors of his scent wrap around her senses. One day. That's how long she'd known this bear of a man and already she felt this comfortable.
It seemed unnatural and way too fast. That alone made her pull from his embrace.
"This is all happening too fast."
He nodded. "Shifters can be like that. We're a little overwhelming. But we make decisions quickly and get things done."
"So I see." She smiled, but her heart wasn't in it. Not this time. There was simply too much at stake. "I'm afraid I don't switch gears that easily. I'm going to need some time to digest everything that happened today.
"Go to bed, Jessa. Everything will look better under the morning light. At least that's what my aunt used to tell me when I was a kid."
"Was she right?"
"Sometimes." He chuckled. "But her confidence made me sleep better."
"Then I too will believe. Good night, Calder."
She walked into the only bedroom of the small cabin and stripped out of her clothes, grabbing a t-shirt and pajama pants from the foot of the bed. As she shoved one leg into the soft cotton, it dawned on her that she'd left him to fend for himself.
Shit. There were no other rooms for him to sleep in if he was going to keep watch over her and he certainly wouldn't fit on her couch. She finished dressing and rushed to the bedroom door, yanking it open to see what she could do to solve this latest dilemma.
To her surprise, he was no longer standing in her living room. She wandered into the kitchen expecting to find him hunched over the little kitchenette table. He wasn't there either. Confused she walked back into the living room.
The only other room in the house was the bathroom and he'd have to enter that one through her bedroom.
Did he leave?
A strange sense of loss shot through her. It was probably for the best. Still, she couldn't help looking out the window for any signs of his departure. What she found took her breath away.
A giant bear was pacing across her front lawn, pawing at the ground and shaking his head.
She shut the curtains and looked away before he saw her. Holy shit! Was that Calder? He was huge!
The phrase "That's what she said" rushed through her mind. She giggled, covering her mouth to cover any sound.
She turned back to the window and moved the curtains just enough for her to see out again. He was still there and bigger than ever. Any other time the idea of a giant bear standing outside her living room window would have scared the hell out of her.
But she was pretty sure this had to be Calder. He'd promised to take care of her and she highly doubted that meant him leaving her here alone.
With his head turned away for now, she took the time to study him. With nearly a full moon she had plenty of light allowing her to pick up on smaller details. Like the thick fur that covered his entire body. Would it be wiry and coarse or soft and fluffy?
OMG. Don't be an idiot. He's not a freaking teddy bear. He's a predator for God's sake.
His head turned toward the house and she dropped the curtain and turned, pressing her back to the wall. Had he seen her? She felt oddly like a peeping tom even though it was her house and her yard. She had every right to know who or what was in it.
With her breath coming in rapid in and out breaths, she couldn't resist another
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