Edward (BBW Western Bear Shifter Romance) (Rodeo Bears Book 1) by Becca Fanning
Authors: Becca Fanning
Ads: Link
like a wash after what had happened. Talia’s kids were being unusually unruly – they couldn’t stop leaping up from their chairs and pretending to whack each other over the heads.
“Don’t do that at home,” Talia cautioned, her tone full of anxiety. The last thing she needed was angry phone calls from parents, accusing her of exposing their precious children to violence.
By the time she left the building and headed towards the parking lot, she was a wreck. To her shock and horror, she saw the same man who had barged into her classroom prowling around the parking lot. He’d make a circle, pause, then do something that almost looked like sniffing the air. Fear trickled down Talia’s spine in an icy chill, but she knew that she had to get home as soon as she could. I’ll just walk to my car and get in, and then just drive away if he’s bothering me , she decided. I can always call the cops when I’m on the way home. I just have to get to my car, I just have to get to my car…
“Hey,” the man said loudly. Talia was attempting to scurry past him, but the deep sound of his voice made her jump. “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier,” he said in a rush.
Talia stared. She slowly backed away as sweat began beading on her pale forehead. “It’s fine,” she stammered. “I’m just going to go now,” she said in the same kind of voice you’d use on an angry dog. “I’m just going to get in my car and leave,” she added.
“Don’t go yet, please?” The man held up his hands in a gesture of goodwill. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and Talia was suddenly captivated by how handsome he was. He was tall and muscular, with close-cropped brown hair and golden-brown eyes. His tan skin made him look like he spent a lot of time outdoors, and there was a playful twinkle in his eyes. Talia felt the same unnerving slipperiness in her lower belly that she’d felt earlier.
Stop that , Talia ordered her body. You don’t know this guy! He could be anyone! He could be a serial killer, for chrissakes!
Talia took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” she said, trying to smile. “I really have to get home. I have a son, at home, and the sitter gets angry with me when I’m late.” She paused and blushed. “I’m sorry that I hit you, by the way,” she added. “I really hope I didn’t do too much damage.”
The man grinned lazily and knocked a fist against the side of his head. “I’m pretty solid,” he said generously. “And besides, you had to protect your kids. I get that, you know, those protective urges.” He cracked another smile and Talia was horrified to find herself reciprocating. “I would have done the same thing.”
Talia bit her lip. She knew that she should leave, but she couldn’t. There was something about the man’s eyes that was captivating her, making her feel rooted to the spot.
“I’m Alec, by the way,” the man said. He reached out with one of his giant hands. Talia hesitated, but reached out her own. She gasped when Alec touched her – his hand was so large that it practically dwarfed her own.
“I’m Talia,” Talia said. Alec squeezed her hand firmly and Talia felt a pleasant, warm shiver down her spine.
“I’d say nice to meet you, but…” Alec trailed off. “I think our first encounter was probably not all that nice.”
Talia blushed bright red. “It’s fine,” she said softly.
“Talia,” Alec said in a low, husky voice. Talia found herself captivated. She couldn’t stop staring at Alec’s wide, sensual mouth. “Talia, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?”
“What?” Talia gaped. “I mean,” she said, blushing. “I’m sorry. You want to go on a date? With me?”
Alec looked around, pretending to scrutinize the rest of the parking lot. “Well, as I see it, you’re the only woman here,” he said in a deep, humorous voice.
“Don’t do that at home,” Talia cautioned, her tone full of anxiety. The last thing she needed was angry phone calls from parents, accusing her of exposing their precious children to violence.
By the time she left the building and headed towards the parking lot, she was a wreck. To her shock and horror, she saw the same man who had barged into her classroom prowling around the parking lot. He’d make a circle, pause, then do something that almost looked like sniffing the air. Fear trickled down Talia’s spine in an icy chill, but she knew that she had to get home as soon as she could. I’ll just walk to my car and get in, and then just drive away if he’s bothering me , she decided. I can always call the cops when I’m on the way home. I just have to get to my car, I just have to get to my car…
“Hey,” the man said loudly. Talia was attempting to scurry past him, but the deep sound of his voice made her jump. “Hey, I’m sorry about earlier,” he said in a rush.
Talia stared. She slowly backed away as sweat began beading on her pale forehead. “It’s fine,” she stammered. “I’m just going to go now,” she said in the same kind of voice you’d use on an angry dog. “I’m just going to get in my car and leave,” she added.
“Don’t go yet, please?” The man held up his hands in a gesture of goodwill. “I don’t want to hurt you.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and Talia was suddenly captivated by how handsome he was. He was tall and muscular, with close-cropped brown hair and golden-brown eyes. His tan skin made him look like he spent a lot of time outdoors, and there was a playful twinkle in his eyes. Talia felt the same unnerving slipperiness in her lower belly that she’d felt earlier.
Stop that , Talia ordered her body. You don’t know this guy! He could be anyone! He could be a serial killer, for chrissakes!
Talia took a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” she said, trying to smile. “I really have to get home. I have a son, at home, and the sitter gets angry with me when I’m late.” She paused and blushed. “I’m sorry that I hit you, by the way,” she added. “I really hope I didn’t do too much damage.”
The man grinned lazily and knocked a fist against the side of his head. “I’m pretty solid,” he said generously. “And besides, you had to protect your kids. I get that, you know, those protective urges.” He cracked another smile and Talia was horrified to find herself reciprocating. “I would have done the same thing.”
Talia bit her lip. She knew that she should leave, but she couldn’t. There was something about the man’s eyes that was captivating her, making her feel rooted to the spot.
“I’m Alec, by the way,” the man said. He reached out with one of his giant hands. Talia hesitated, but reached out her own. She gasped when Alec touched her – his hand was so large that it practically dwarfed her own.
“I’m Talia,” Talia said. Alec squeezed her hand firmly and Talia felt a pleasant, warm shiver down her spine.
“I’d say nice to meet you, but…” Alec trailed off. “I think our first encounter was probably not all that nice.”
Talia blushed bright red. “It’s fine,” she said softly.
“Talia,” Alec said in a low, husky voice. Talia found herself captivated. She couldn’t stop staring at Alec’s wide, sensual mouth. “Talia, would you do me the honor of accompanying me to dinner?”
“What?” Talia gaped. “I mean,” she said, blushing. “I’m sorry. You want to go on a date? With me?”
Alec looked around, pretending to scrutinize the rest of the parking lot. “Well, as I see it, you’re the only woman here,” he said in a deep, humorous voice.
Similar Books
