Wounds to Bear (Heart of The Bear #1)(15)

“And I can’t let you go in there alone. Besides, if your nephew is injured, he’ll need medical attention.”

“Damn you.” He pulled her into his arms. She felt so right there, fit against him so perfectly. He couldn’t lose her, not when he just found her. “I hate it when you’re practical.”

“You’d better get used to it.” She leaned back, met his eyes. “Practical is my middle name.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him, escaping his embrace before he could stop her. “I’ll get my kit. Meet me by my truck—it’s small enough that we can take it on the wider trail, now that I can actually see the trail.”

Roman watched her stride to the doorway leading to her clinic, her worn jeans hugging that beautiful ass, and her strong, sexy legs. God, he loved her. Making love to her only proved to him how much. His bear rumbled in agreement.

He picked up the pack he’d already filled with supplies and headed outside. Paul had made two mistakes. The first was hurting Corey—he’d pay for that with his life.

The second mistake was in hurting Corey, he revealed his hiding place. Unlike the wolves, blood called to blood with his kind, especially when they were in trouble.

“Got you, Paul.” He stared at the forest, every muscle clenched, ready to do violence. “You don’t walk away this time.”





***





Jenna let Roman drive, since he knew these trails far better. She studied him, worried about the anger that she saw flashing in his eyes, his absolute focus. He drove far too fast on such a narrow road, but she couldn’t fault that, not knowing that his nephew was injured, and that the man responsible still held him.

She was falling hard and fast for the man at her side, but she was about to see his other side, the part of him he’d only shown her once, when he was injured and she was terrified of him. Would she be again, when he shifted into his bear? The thought of seeing that happen scared her, when she knew he planned to fight an old enemy.


His voice startled her out of her thoughts. “I want you to stay with the truck, Jenna.”

“And I told you I’m going in. Corey will need my help.”

“Damn it—you’ll do as I say.”

“Oh, no—you did not just order me around like a caveman.”

“Jenna—”

“Just because I slept with you does not give you exclusive rights over what I do. I have my own life, Roman, and a profession I’m damn good at. I’m not giving up any of it.”

“I didn’t—” He let out his breath. “I want you safe, and I can’t guarantee that, not this time. Not when I’ll be hunting another shifter.”

“I don’t expect that.”

“You should. It’s my duty to keep you safe, to protect you.”

She laid her hand on his arm, the muscles under her fingers like corded steel. “I love that about you, but it’s not always going to be possible.” He cursed under his breath, and Jenna laughed. “I know—I’m impossible. You’re not the first man to point it out.”

“I will never say that—and I’ll rip out the throat of anyone who does.”

“That’s so sweet—Neanderthal, but sweet.” He glanced over at her, eyebrows raised. “I’ve spent most of my adult life on my own, Roman. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

“I want to do that now.”

“Okay. But we’re going to have a talk about boundaries. I don’t know how female shifters do it, but as a human female, my independence doesn’t go away when I fall in love.”

His hands gripped the steering wheel—so hard she thought he would break it in half.

“You’re in love?”

“With you, yes.” She slid across the seat and kissed his cheek. “I was a goner the first time you looked at me, like I was dessert and you were an addict.” He swallowed, his grip tightening. “We didn’t use a condom last night, and there’s a damn good chance we made a baby, since I’m in the ovulating stage of my cycle. Yes, we humans keep track of that. I thought you’d be able to smell it on me, with that magic nose.”

“I—was distracted. Shit,” he whispered. “I wanted to marry you before I knocked you up.”

“You’re such a romantic, Roman. You’ll have my head spinning in a second.”

“I’m serious.”

She stilled. “About what?”

“All of it, Jenna.” He slammed on the brakes, shoved the truck into park and cradled her face. “I want to spend the rest of our lives figuring you out.” He kissed her, hot and fast, then slipped out of the truck, leaving her dazed and breathless. “Coming? We’re as far as we can go in the truck.”

“Right.”

She grabbed her kit and followed him, closing the driver’s side door. He stood in front of the truck, sniffing the air, his eyes closed. He looked powerful, and primal, and she’d never seen a man so grounded, so in touch with everything around him. It was an incredible turn on.

He opened his eyes and held out his hand to her. “This way.”

They moved into the trees, the dense undergrowth immediately giving Jenna’s shorter legs trouble. “Damn—”