To Love a Bear by Kay Perry

 
    TO LOVE A BEAR
    Chapter 1
     
    I threw the car in park, staring skeptically at the retirement development laid out in the middle of the Montana wilderness.
     
    “Isn’t it great, Lily?”
     
    I rolled my eyes at my dad’s excitement. All I saw was a lodge surrounded by a bunch of run-down log cabins. If I remember from the brochure, each cabin had a bed, bathroom, and small kitchenette. However, sitting before them now, they didn’t look like they would hold much more than a bed.
     
    “It’s pretty… rustic,” I replied.
     
    My dad smiled. “I know. And we’re surrounded by forest for miles!”
     
    “Hmmm.”
     
    His smile fell. “What?”
     
    “I just don’t understand why you want to move all the way out here to live in a run-down shack for the rest of your life.”
     
    “Our facilities are very well maintained and we offer a large variety of services for our tenants.”
     
    I jumped when I heard the deep voice speak behind me and turned around to see a rugged looking man with his arm extended out to shake my dad’s hand. “Mister Parks, my name is Andrew. I’m the caretaker of Wild Oaks. I’ll show you to your cabin.”
     
    We followed behind Andrew to a grouping of cabins nestled in the hillside behind the lodge. Curious, I took a delicate sniff to see what kind of shifter Andrew was and instinctively snarled when Andrew spun and growled at me. “It’s rude to sniff people, little wolf.”
     
    “Just because you’re a bear shifter doesn’t mean you need to act like one fresh out of hibernation,” I retaliated.
     
    Andrew stopped suddenly in front of a door and shoved a key into my dad’s hand. “Here is your cabin, Mister Parks.” Shooting me a glare he finished with, “Let me know if you need anything” He then stormed off into the woods.
     
    My dad cleared his throat. “Well that was a little rude.”
     
    I gestured helplessly after the retreating form. “I know, right? To think that guy works in customer service.”
     
    “I was talking about you, Lily.”
     
    “ Me ? He started it.”
     
    “He wasn’t the one insulting another person’s workplace. I’m sure he’s put in a lot of time an effort into maintaining these grounds.”
     
    I snorted and gave the area around me a disdainful look.
     
    “Lily…” He chided.
     
    I sighed. “You’re right, Daddy. I’m sorry.”
     
    “I’m not the one you need to apologize to,” he said as he unlocked the door and entered the cabin.
     
    I glanced back at the woods before following him inside. “I don’t think he wants to hear my apology right now.”
     
    “I won’t argue with you on that one.”
     
    Chapter 2
     
    “Gah!” I exclaimed at I shot up in bed, sheets tangled around my legs. I sat in the dark as I waited for my breathing to calm.
     
    Once my heart rate returned to normal, I leant over to turn on the bedside lamp and got out of bed. It was the third time this week I’d dreamed about Andrew. I couldn’t understand why a man who aggravated me so much had the ability to make me so aroused that I climaxed every time I dreamed about him. Or would have, if I didn’t wake up every time I was about to go over the edge.
     
    I ran my hands through my hair. I could not deal with this today. Today was moving day and I needed all my wits about me if I had to deal with the grumpy bear shifter again. I still needed to apologize to him, but otherwise I intended to keep as far away from him as possible.
     
    A quick glance at my alarm clock convinced me to start my day early. I decided to go for a run to work off my excess energy. Stepping out of my hotel room into the brisk morning, I spared no time in shifting into my animal form. I sprung forward, darting through trees and leaping over fallen logs.
     
    I came to a skidding halt when I stumbled upon Andrew fishing in the river. I experienced a brief flare of anger and irritation. It’s like he was following me. I quietly backtracked, but stopped when