Bear of Interest by Unknown Page A

subtle, yet added major impact as you made your way through the tiny space. A dome air vent sat over a stove top that had been built into an island. It was small but everything looked like it had been well chosen.
    “Would you like a glass of wine?” asked Cole, reaching up for a bottle from the rack above the refrigerator.
    “Sure, that sounds good.”
    “White okay for you?”
    “Perfect.”
    She didn’t wait to be asked to take a seat, but decided to sit on the couch while she waited for him to pour her drink. She saw he had some mystery novels sitting on the coffee table.
    “I take it you like suspense stories?” she asked him.
    He glanced over at her. “I do. Well, that is when I have time to read.”
    “Being a doctor must keep you busy.”
    He carried over two glasses of wine, handed her one before sitting next to her. “It does, and I read a lot of medical journals so that cuts into my fun reading time as I call it.”
    Sam took a sip of the wine. “Umm, this is good.”
    “I joined an online wine club and this is the first selection,” said Cole. “How’s your investigation coming along?”
    Sam leaned over and placed the glass on the table.   “Still no new leads, although we did have someone come forward and say they saw Margo with an older man the night she died. And in the Kalispell area so that explains why someone from Missoula died locally. I still think it’s weird that you didn’t see that bear when you were jogging. Those tracks were so fresh.”
    “Nope, didn’t see any wildlife, apart from some birds.”
    “Have you ever run into a bear when you’ve been out jogging?”
    He didn’t answer straight away and she wondered why.
    “The odd one or two.”
    “Aren’t you scared of them while you’re out there? I mean you jog in prime bear territory.”
    “Nothing to be scared about. And what, you don’t like bears?”
    For some reason he was getting a little defensive. Maybe he was one of those animal rights people.   Or the types that protested when ranchers shot wolves that attacked their livestock. Yeah, there was a big war brewing between those factions.
    “I can’t say that I like or dislike them. Never met a bear so I won’t pass judgement.”
    “That’s a good thing because they’re wonderful creatures.”
    “I’m not going to have to snap some of those plastic cuffs on you when you’re at a wildlife protest am I?”
    “Would you like to?” he asked.
    He put his wine glass down and turned to look at her. He ran his finger along her jawline and then over her lips. “Hope you don’t mind me doing this,” he said.
    Cole’s lips were on hers before she realized it. No, she didn’t mind it, and yes, she would like to cuff him to the bed. Yeah, she’d even like him to cuff her.
    His breath tasted of the wine, his lips soft, and his tongue flicked across her lower one. Before she knew it they had their arms wrapped around one another, the kiss getting deeper, Cole running his hands up her back.
    She’d never gotten involved with a man so quickly and she wasn’t about to start now.
    She pulled away, hoping he wouldn’t take it the wrong way because she did want to have sex with him, but she’d only be able to totally let go when she knew him better.
    “Something wrong?”
    “Yeah, you’re still a person of interest in my murder investigation.”
    It had been a joke because she really did think he was just a guy who’d been passing by that day. Wrong place, wrong time, but he looked like he believed her.
    “I wasn’t aware of that…”
    She put her hand on his forearm.   “It’s okay, I was kidding with you. I’m a take it real slow sort of girl. I don’t like rushing into something I’ll regret later. Not that I think I’d regret having sex with you, but I want us to get to know one another.”
    “I totally understand. In fact, I like a woman who doesn’t jump into bed ASAP.”
    “Good, so then we’re both on the same page.”
    “Absolutely