Wounds to Bear (Heart of The Bear #1)(11)

“Have him call me when he wakes up from his beauty sleep.”

“I will.”

He startled her by moving to her, and leaning down to gently kiss her on the lips.

“Thank you, for my son. He’s all I have.”

“He’s an amazing boy, Mr. Black. You should be proud.”

“Jedidiah. And I am.”

“Jenna.” This close, she saw the flecks of gold in his dark brown eyes. If he smiled—really smiled—they’d probably glow, warming his hard look. It would take one hell of a brave woman to take him on. His gaze skated past her. “Ready, Leo?”

“Yeah.” He walked over, holding Chrissy’s hand.

“And who is this lovely?” Jedidiah crouched, until he was eye level with her. “This can’t be Chrissy Cooper. She’s just a bit of a thing, hardly out of diapers.”

“It is me, Mr. Black!” She giggled, gazing at him. “I haven’t worn diapers in ages.”

“That’s good. Because I’m clean out.” He winked, and she giggled again, then launched herself at him. He caught her easily, and tucked her in the crook of his arm as he straightened. “Say goodbye to Jenna, Leo.”

He turned to her, those serious eyes meeting hers. “Thank you, Jenna. For everything.” He wrapped his arm around her waist, and she kissed the top of his head, missing him already.

“Come back and visit, anytime. Both of you.” She smiled at Chrissy, who had her head on Jedidiah’s shoulder, her eyes heavy.

Jedidiah nodded, and waved for Sandi to head out first. He turned, and held out his hand. “Let’s go, Leo.”

He let go of Jenna and gripped his father’s hand, tight. She watched them leave, hoping Leo could be a little boy again, that Jedidiah would help him get back there. Under all the gruff, the man genuinely loved his son.

With a tired sigh, she locked the door, headed through her clinic and locked that door. She stopped in the living room, and stared at the disaster that was her kitchen. “The stew.”

She refused to let it go to waste. Cleaning up and scooping the leftovers into several containers took longer than she expected, but she felt better when it was done. She padded across the living room, eased the bedroom door open and slipped inside.

Roman was still sound asleep. Jenna took her trousers off—again—and added her shirt and cami to the growing pile of dirty clothes. She found one of her oversized sleep shirts, pulled it on, quickly braiding her hair before she crawled into bed, careful to keep from jostling him.

Finally, hours after she had planned to, she fell asleep in her own bed.





***





The heat against her back woke Jenna. The window across the room was still dark, so she knew she hadn’t been asleep long.

“Roman?”

“I need to be inside you, Jenna.” His deep voice was ragged, and when he moved closer, his hard erection pressed against her ass. “You have five seconds to leave before I take you, make you mine.” She swallowed, her heart pounding. “If I love you tonight, you will be mine. For good.”

“Roman—your shoulder—”

“Is fine. Look at me, Jenna.”

She met his eyes as he sat, and her gaze dropped to his left shoulder. He’d taken off the bandage, and where there had been a bloody, stitched wound, a small, puckered scar now marked him, pale against his tanned skin.

Shocked, she pushed up to her knees and touched the scar. “That’s impossible,” she whispered.

He closed his eyes as her fingers brushed the newly healed skin. “I’m a shifter. This is part of it—the ability to heal fast.” His words slapped her, a reminder of what he was. A fact that was easy to forget. “I’ve seen the kind of woman you are—strong, brave, compassionate. You care so much for everyone around you. Even those who don’t deserve it.”


“Roman—”

“I have a past, Jenna. One I’m doing my best to make up for. Someone from that past has come back, and hurt innocents. I will stop him, whatever the cost. You need to know that now, before I touch you.” He kept talking before she could even think of what to say to him. “I know your scent, the lavender and vanilla, with an edge of citrus. It haunts me. You haunt me.” He opened his eyes, the amber depths dark with need. “You climbed inside my heart, Jenna Morgan, and I don’t want to let you go.” He caressed her cheek, tucking the stray tendrils of hair that had escaped from her braid behind one ear. “The countdown starts now.”

He eased away from her and lowered himself to the bed, giving her the choice to stay, or go, with no pressure. With the loss of his heat, his touch, Jenna had never felt so alone. Whatever he may have done, the man in front of her now was kind, even if he didn’t think so, and protected the people he loved.

She took a chance, moving to a place where she knew no one, had no ties. Now she could take a chance on a lifetime with a man who looked at her like she was the most gorgeous creature he’d ever seen. A gentle man, who was as caring as he was strong.

“Jenna.” He sounded like he was strangling.

“Yes.” She pulled her t-shirt and her panties off, stretched out on her side, and scooted back until she touched him again. The feel of him, all of him, felt right. “Love me, Roman.”