Delta Bear (Rogue Bear Series 2) by Meredith Clarke, Ally Summers Page A

looked at her with hints of sadness in his dark eyes.
    “Tomorrow I’m back in the ER. What are doing on the rest of your leave?” She worked the bubbles lower, covering the hard lines of his ribs.
    “I’ve got some family business I have to take care of.”
    “Is that why your cousin keeps stopping by?”
    Her thumbs made circles over his hipbones. She sucked in a sharp breath. His body was gorgeous. She wondered if he would let her return the favor.
    He nodded. “I have to take care of a few things before I leave again.”
    She felt the stab of pain as the words filled the shower. She couldn’t imagine him leaving. He had just gotten home. She had just met him.
    “And when is that?”
    “I don’t know. I don’t have orders yet. I won’t be here more than two weeks. It could be closer to one.” He tilted her chin upward, locking his eyes on her. “I think we need to talk, doc.”
    He reached across her and turned off the shower. She stood as he wrapped a towel around her and stepped from the shower. Something was different. His tone. His mood. The sexy banter had vanished.
    She followed him to the bedroom and sat on the bed, clutching the towel to her chest.
    “Clothes.” He pointed. “Get dressed and we can talk over lunch.”
    Before she had a chance to ask what it was about, he pulled the bedroom door behind him and was gone.
    She stared at the closed door. She tried to remind herself she didn’t know Jax. There was no telling what he was dealing with from his acclimation back into U.S. culture, but there was something nagging at her, telling her this had nothing to do with his Delta status and everything to do with her.
    She got dressed, toweled her hair dry, and walked to the kitchen.

16

Jax
    H e worked on lunch while Haley got dressed. He shuttled around the small kitchen, searing steaks and sautéing vegetables. He put two plates on the table and waited for his mate.
    He knew he was jumping from hot to cold, but that’s how everything felt. Holding her, making her come undone was the hottest sensation he had ever felt. Knowing he had to leave again, made things come back into a chilly focus.
    Haley appeared in the doorway.
    “Sit.” He pulled a chair for her.
    “Looks good. I’m starving.”
    He sat across from her. Time had slipped away. Lunch had run into dinner. There wasn’t going to be much more time before he had to meet with the clans.
    They ate quietly while Jax tried to think about how to ask her to lead his clan as the alpha.
    “Doc?”
    “Mmmhmm?” She looked up from her steak.
    “I need to talk to you.”
    “Ok. What is it?”
    “You know I have to go back with my Delta team?”
    She nodded. “You’ve mentioned it.” She pushed back from the table. “I wish you didn’t have to go back.”
    “Let’s go sit by the fire.” He led her to the living room, where the fire had kicked up.
    He pulled her against him on the sofa, loving how her body fit against his. He kissed the top of her head.
    “I need your help.”
    She pulled her legs behind her as they stared into the fire.
    “What is it?” Her hand pressed against his chest, resting where his heart beat rapidly.
    “I haven’t been exactly honest with you.”
    “What are you talking about?” She sat forward, her eyes meeting his.
    “You asked me in the shower about how your body was feeling. About how you were reacting to…me.”
    She nodded. “I know I should just enjoy it, but I feel different. There is something buzzing in me as if I’m drunk, but I’m completely sober.”
    “I know what it is.”
    Her eyes widened. “You do?”
    He thought it would be easier. He thought he had been trained enough to handle any situation, but with his mate in front of him his world had been turned upside down.
    “God, Haley. Everything I thought is different now. I want two different things. I need them both.”
    “What are they?” she asked.
    “I crave you like nothing else in this world. I want to get lost in you.