Bearly a Memory: Pacific Northwest Bears: (Shifter Romance) (11 page)

“
B
aby
, what’s wrong?” Tanner rushed to her side. He didn’t hesitate, scooping her into his arms as he seated himself on the bed and settled her into his lap.

He could feel her body start to shake as the tears turned into a torrent of sadness.

“Shhh, Brooke, sweetie did something happen?” He kept his arms tight around her, hoping she’d feel his strength holding her tight.

“I’ve seen so many injuries, wounds, traumatic horrific things. I’ve never seen them actually happen. I never knew that is what a head looked like when a bullet passed through it,” she sobbed.

Tanner realized she remembered something. And the first thing was the night of the murders.

“Oh god, sweetie. I’m so sorry you had to see that.” He didn’t want to push her, so he let her talk.

“I was so scared. I ran, Tanner. I ran. I didn’t know what else to do. I went to my house, and someone had already been there. My door was open. At first, I thought it was maybe maintenance for my condo. But when I pushed the door open, my desk had been rifled through, and my computer was on. Nothing else was taken. It looked like someone was just looking for information. I love TV dramas and figured it wasn’t anyone that I wanted to find me. I went to the bank and pulled money out of my savings and rented a car and drove. I dumped my phone. I could only think of getting away. I didn’t even think about going to the police. I don’t know why.”

“You were protecting yourself. You just wanted to regroup. You were also leading them away from your home and your parents,” Tanner said softly.

“Maybe, but it was weak. Why didn’t I go to the police? Tell them what I saw?”

“Sometimes when we are traumatized, it’s not always clear how or why we react the way we do. I’m glad you ran. I’m glad you ran straight to Apex, straight to me.” Tanner hated what she’d gone through, but he was grateful.

A small hysterical laugh came out of her, “Yes, I did.”

Tanner rubbed her back and said gently, “You remembered?” He knew she did, but he wanted to know if it was everything or just parts.

“I…I dropped my cup. It hit the floor. The water spilled, and I saw blood. I remembered those men shooting the bikers. I could see their heads exploding. It was like a flash. When I saw them die, I remembered everything. It was a rush of memory. My life rushing back at me. It was silly, like how could I have forgotten? It was there all along. Wasn’t it?”

Tanner cupped the back of her head. “Of course, it was. It was just in the dark for a while. But you are back, sweet girl. You are back, and I’m going to keep you safe,” he promised.

“Will you? I know you don’t owe me anything, but I know what they are capable of now. They won’t rest until they make sure I can’t tell anyone what they did,” she whimpered.

“No one, no one will ever lay a finger on you, Brooke. I can promise you that. I’ll kill anyone that tries,” Tanner said. He could barely keep his bear out of his voice. Her fear was coating the air in her room.

Tanner could hear her trying to catch her breath. “Just so you know, I’m not very interesting. I’m pretty boring. You should just cut ties now and move on.” She said this with almost a laugh.

“I think you are perfect,” Tanner said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

“You don’t know me, not really,” she sniffled.

“Tell me then. Tell me what I need to know about you,” he encouraged.

“I like my job. I like to ride my bike in the park. I have plants, lots of them. I like cheesy movies. I don’t have pets because I’d forget to feed them. I’m always working; my mom made me take up knitting because I had insomnia and she thought it was from stress. I actually like doing it. It makes me calm.”

“That sounds nice,” he said.

“It sounds boring.”

“It sounds settled. Like you enjoy your life. You didn’t happen to remember a boyfriend, did you?”

Brooke started to laugh then. “No, I don’t have time for a boyfriend. Besides, everyone I meet are doctors or nurses. They only want to talk shop. There is a reason I sit behind a desk. I joke that I can save your life, but I really don’t want to have to.”

“Well, it sounds like your colleagues miss you. They were really concerned when you left,” he offered.

“What should I do now? Should I contact the police? I mean, other than you?”

Tanner hadn’t missed the fact that she hadn’t tried to move from his lap. “I’m in contact with the detective on the case.” Tanner wasn’t sure how to tell her that it was more serious than that.

“Brooke, I need to tell you something. There is a contract out on you,” he said quietly.

“A contract? Like someone is offering money to have me killed?” Brooke was shocked. She knew they were after her, but she thought it was just the shooters after her. Now there were an unknown number of people after her. This had gone from terrifying and bad to unbelievably horrific.

“How do you get someone to stop hunting you?” She had to ask.

“We find them first,” he offered.

“But what if that doesn’t work?”

“You hide.” It was true, and it wasn’t lost on him that he would be more than willing to let her find her hiding place with him.

“Can I hide at Disneyland? I always liked it there. The frozen bananas are awesome,” she said laughing.

“Yeah, we can hide at Disneyland,” he said, giving her a squeeze. Tanner didn’t care where they lived as long as he got to keep her.

“You’d come with me? We could live in one of those little shacks on the
It’s a Small World
ride,” she said.

“Well, it might get a little crowded. My family wouldn’t want me living so far from them. We’d have to keep building onto our little cardboard house to fit them all in,” he joked.

“Sounds nice,” she said, still sniffling.

T
anner knew
that she was emotionally overwhelmed, but he needed to make sure she knew where he stood. She couldn’t leave him now that her memory was back.

“Brooke, do you know how I feel about you?”

Brooke wanted to play dumb. She wanted to run as far as she could so he wouldn’t be in danger like she was. But this man had taken her under his wing. Offered her protection that went above and beyond his duties as a police officer. Brooke could feel him and not just the bulge in his pants that she’d been ignoring. She could feel the attention and need pouring off of him. His desire for her was physical and emotional. It wrapped her up in a warm, safe place, and she wanted to see what would happen if she let herself accept what he was offering.

“I’m not stupid. I can feel how much you like me,” she said, giving her ass a little wiggle.

She heard a low growl roll out of him. “Stop that.”

Brooke almost felt like giggling, but they were having a serious discussion. “I know. I’m confused about how I feel about you. I thought maybe what I was feeling was just because I was clinging to you since I couldn’t remember anyone else. When my memory came back, it was a shock. But the one thing that didn’t surprise me was that I still liked you. I still felt like I needed you.”

“Sweetheart, I need you too, so much. I want to be able to tell you all about me, but I think we need to get you sorted first. Will you stick around long enough for me to have that chance?” Tanner needed to know that she wasn’t going to run, that she was going to give them a shot.

“I’ll stay. I was so afraid on my own. I felt like there was always someone behind me, watching me. If I’m here, I can hope that person is you,” she admitted.

Tanner took her words to heart. She felt comfortable with him. Felt safe. He could build on that. He knew that her trust was going to be the basis for all of the truths he had to share with her.

Using his hand to cup her jaw, he tilted her face up to his. “I’m not going anywhere,” he promised. Bringing his mouth down, he kissed her. It wasn’t the soft kiss from before; this was a kiss of promise. A kiss that showed her that he didn’t take her willingness lightly. Tanner felt her mouth open under his, and he couldn’t resist letting his tongue slide into her mouth.

Brooke moaned into his mouth. His tongue was like velvet, and it made her squeeze her thighs together. The sharp ache at her clit and the dampness spreading between her legs from his kiss were mind-blowing. This wasn’t like any kiss she’d ever had before. It was a claiming, and it was the best kiss she’d ever had. In a ranking of kisses, this one needed its own category.

Trying to keep up, Brooke kissed him back, groping at his shirt. She clenched the fabric and pressed her body to his. She could feel his hand skimming over her hip, his other hand that had been at her jaw was now in her hair gripping the back of her head, holding her head tight to his. It was freaking hot.

Brooke was running out of air; she needed to catch her breath, but she didn’t want to stop kissing him. Oxygen won out when she pulled back and gasped in the precious air. “Wow,” she said.

“You ain’t seen nothing yet,” Tanner said, his voice low and husky. He let her take another breath before he claimed her mouth again. He wanted to taste her and soak in her scent. She tasted as sweet as she smelled. Her mouth was soft and giving, meeting his tongue with every stroke.

Tanner wanted to lay her down on the bed, strip her clothes off and ravish every inch of her. He knew they didn’t have any privacy, but he wasn’t thinking rationally. His bear was urging him on, wanting to mate, wanting to bite her and mark her as theirs.

The conversations they still needed to have were going to be long and complicated. He needed to explain to her who he was. A shifter. If she chose him, she was choosing a life of secrecy. An extended life with him after he shared his DNA with her through the bonding bite. Her life would have to change completely. Even though this was all Tanner ever wanted, he couldn’t deny the guilt of her having to give up her life to be with him.

He knew he’d make it up to her. She’d never want for anything. He would love and cherish her until the day he died. How to explain that she was the only one for him and would be the only one for him? If she didn’t agree to stay, he’d go to California to convince her. If she ended up in the witness protection program, he’d become a mechanic in Wisconsin if he had to. As long as he was with her, he could be happy.

Ending the kiss, he wrapped her up in his arms and just reveled in the fact that she was as close as he could get her without getting them naked.

“Has Eddie come and seen you yet? Since you remembered?” Tanner asked.

“No, the nurse told me, but I was waiting to make sure I didn’t walk in on someone getting their freak on,” Eddie called from behind the curtain. He walked around to the wall near the door, keeping his distance.

“Man, how long have you been standing there?” Tanner growled.

“Don’t get your panties in a twist, copper. About thirty seconds. From the heavy breathing, I was worried someone was having an asthma attack. Then I realized it was you in here and put two and two together. You know she is recovering from a head wound. I don’t really think depriving her of oxygen is in her best medical interest,” Eddie said, propping his hip against the counter in her room.

“Oh, sorry, Dr. Eddie.” Brooke blushed, her cheeks glowing. Gawd, she could only imagine what he thought of her. Thank goodness this wasn’t her hospital.

Tanner was transfixed by the way her skin brightened under her embarrassment. He wondered what the rest of her body would look like when she blushed.

“Don’t worry about it, darlin’. Tanner here is no dog unless he’s going after a juicy bone.” Eddie laughed.

“Did you just call her a bone?” Tanner said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. The sensation made Brooke’s eyes widen.

“No, I called you a dog. Try to keep up, Sheriff.” Eddie grinned. “So, got your memory back, huh?”

Brooke attempted to climb off Tanner’s lap before she answered him. Tanner was not going to let that happen; his hands tightened on her hips keeping her in place. Brooke decided struggling against him would look even worse, so she settled in.

“I guess so. I don’t think anything else is missing. I remember why I left California. I remember who I am, what I do, my family. How do you know if you’re missing something if it’s still missing?” she ventured to ask.

Eddie seemed to contemplate that for a moment, his brow furrowed. “How do any of us know we have all our memories? Wow, gonna have to noodle on that one,” he said, scratching his head.

“Well, you have all the time in the world. Why don’t you get back to us on that one,” Tanner said sarcastically.

Brooke laughed out loud when she saw Eddie flip Tanner off, and her sheriff returned the gesture without blinking.

Her Sheriff. She liked the sound of that.

“Well, I have no reason to hold you here. Have you made plans on where you are going to go?” Eddie asked, but his eyes were on Tanner.

“I’m going back to the motel tonight. I wasn’t sure about it, but now that I know, well me, I’m feeling more confident. Sheriff Rochon here said he’d keep an eye out for me,” she said.

“Oh, I have no doubt, both of his eyes will be on you,” Eddie said with a wink. “You know, Tanner told me a little about your situation. If I was just passing through town and someone was looking for me, I’d check the motel first. Maybe you should stay somewhere no one would think to look? The sheriff’s house has lots of bedrooms.” Eddie was giving Tanner a wicked eye as he spoke.

Tanner was shaking his head at his cousin. That wasn’t subtle at all. Tanner didn’t want to push her and freak her out. He was playing the long slow game, and Eddie was rushing in with a Twister board and a bottle of tequila. Typical Eddie.

“I don’t know if Brooke would be comfortable staying with me.” Tanner glared at his cousin.

E
ddie snorted
. “No offense, cuz, but she looks pretty comfy right now. I’m not judging. Hell, I think you two are cute together. I’m thinking of her safety. Tucked away in the sheriff’s house is a lot less exposed than hanging out at the Apex Motel. Besides, she’d be more comfortable in your house. You could cook for her, light toasty fires for her. At the motel she’ll probably sleep on a lumpy mattress and eat noodles out of a cup,” Eddie said, sticking his lower lip out.

Brooke started to giggle. She was of course going to say there was no way she could impose on Tanner and stay at his house. Then again, the mattress at the motel was lumpy, and it was noisy there as well. Staying with a man that could kiss like he did might just turn out well for her.

“I’d be thrilled to have Brooke stay with me. I just don’t want to pressure her,” Tanner said through gritted teeth. He narrowed his eyes at his cousin and let his bear come up just enough that his eyes glowed yellow. It just seemed to egg Eddie on.

“Brooke, you feeling pressured? Eddie asked.

“Nope, not at all,” she said enthusiastically. She liked watching the two men banter back and forth. “I’d be happy to sleep on a non-lumpy bed. And noodle cups
were
all I could manage in my cold, noisy motel room.” Brooke turned her face up to Tanner and stuck her lip out like Eddie had.

Tanner glanced down and closed his eyes and moaned. “Great, you really shouldn’t use Eddie as a role model. He got through medical school on charm alone. You are lucky you didn’t need any major surgery.”

“Jealous much?” Eddie said from his position against the counter.

“Hardly, I’m going home with this luscious beauty. You are probably going to go home and give your dog a bath and read it bedtime stories,” Tanner said.

“Keno likes vampire stories; he won’t go to bed without at least two chapters,” Eddie said indignantly.

“Sure…Keno likes the vampire stories,” Tanner mocked.

Eddie glared for real now, like he was actually annoyed that Tanner had outed his love of vampire novels. “I’m going to make sure your paperwork is ready. I’d like you to follow up with me in a few days, just to make sure you don’t lose any more marbles,” he said to Brooke with a wink.

“Unless you want to be sporting a patch, cuz, keep that winking shit to yourself,” Tanner hissed.

“He never was good at sharing,” Eddie said, walking out the door.

“I like him,” Brooke declared as soon as they were alone.

“He’s a menace, and if we didn’t need him here at the hospital, I’m sure they could find a trained monkey to replace him,” Tanner scoffed.

“Oh, you love him. I can see that,” Brooke said knowingly.

“Hmph.” Tanner wouldn’t comment.

Turning her back to facing him, he cupped both of her cheeks. “You want to come home with me?” His tone was quiet, but he was holding his breath to hear her say it.

“Does it make me easy? Will you respect me in the morning?” she said it in a teasing tone, but the question was real.

“No, it doesn’t make you easy. But you putting the idea out there that I might get to see you naked later has me thinking we should skip dinner,” Tanner said in a low voice.

“Sheriff!” Brooke said, acting shocked. Brooke wasn’t a prude, something she didn’t need to get her memory back to remember. She liked sex, and she liked men – especially hot, ripped men in uniform. Sheriff Rochon was like hitting the panty-dropping lottery.

Tanner could read her face and bent down to place a hot, open-mouthed kiss on her neck. He got a sweet moan from her that he couldn’t wait to hear again.

“Say you’ll come home with me, Brooke,” he said against her neck, kissing down to her collarbone. He grazed his teeth over it, licking to soothe where he’d bitten.

“I’ll come home with you,” she moaned, tipping her head to give him better access.

“You taste so good. I want to taste all of you,” he said against her skin. The switch in his brain that was trying to keep him from overwhelming her flipped when she didn’t slap him for saying he wanted to see her naked. His bear was mentally pushing him that she was giving him all the right signs that she was as in to him as he was to her and his bear was definitely ready for him to stop pussyfooting around and get down to business.

“Hmm, what do I get to taste, Sheriff?” Her voice was husky.

“Oh, baby, whatever you want,” he said, nipping her jaw.

“I think my personality is coming back, because I find that to be a very welcome invitation. Would you think me too forward if I asked to taste you first?”

Tanner groaned into her neck. His girl liked to tease – he fucking loved that! He also fucking loved the mental image of her mouth wrapped around his cock. That even shut up his bear.

“I say we should probably get you fed, because you are going to need your strength later. Let’s hit the motel, grab your gear, and then dinner,” he suggested.

“Should I follow you to your house?” she said, thinking there wasn’t much at the motel. She’d bought the clothes she was wearing after she left California. Everything was new except her purse and the clothes she’d worn to work that day.

“No, let’s leave your car. It will give us a head’s up if someone comes looking for it,” Tanner said. He still wasn’t sure just how sophisticated these criminals were. They already knew she’d rented a car which meant they had access to information most civilians didn’t. He’d rather they think she was still at the motel if they came looking. Easier to catch someone who might be staking out his mate.

“Hmm, do I get to ride in your cop car? Will you turn on the lights and sirens?” she whispered in his ear. Brooke couldn’t help herself; he smelled too good – she licked along the shell of his ear.

“Oh baby, that would be against the rules,” he said, rumbling low.

“For me? Sheriff?” Her voice was all sweetness.

“Fuck me – you are gonna be the death of me, woman,” he moaned.

“Oh, but what a way to go, Sheriff,” she said.

“Damn straight.” Tanner picked her up in his arms, turned and sat her down on the bed. Giving her a quick kiss on the mouth and a look that told her to stay put, he went to the wardrobe and opened it to find her bag. He threw it on the bed and started tossing any piece of clothing he could find over his shoulder at her.

“Tanner!” Brooke screeched, trying to catch her clothes before they fell on the floor. “Those were all folded!” she groused.

“Fold them when you get to my house. Right now, stuff them in that duffle so we can get the hell out of here, and I can get you loaded with carbs.”

“Hmm, that might make me sleepy,” she warned.

Brooke’s breath caught as Tanner turned, and his eyes hit her, hot and hungry. “I’ll wake you up, don’t worry.”

A shiver ran over Brooke that started in her toes, took a huge detour straight to her clit then finished up at her nipples. She had no doubt that Tanner would make sure she stayed wide awake for him. Her body was primed and ready. She didn’t give a flying fuck about pasta.

“We could skip dinner,” she offered. She watched as a bright glow started around the outside of his eyes. She shook her head, thinking she was seeing things.

“No, I need some time. Dinner will give me time,” he said cryptically.

Brooke was still shocked and could have sworn his eyes had flashed yellow.

“Time?” she whispered.

“Time to focus. I want you so badly right now, but I refuse to rush it. I need time to cool down so I can take my time with you. I have plans,” he said in a voice that dampened her panties.

Brooke watched as his nostrils flared, and his eyes did that weird yellow thing again. It triggered her fight or flight nerve again, but she knew she wasn’t going anywhere. She just had to resist the urge to hide or play dead.

“Your eyes are glowing,” she whispered.

She saw his jaw clench, and the light in his eyes faded returning them to his normal hazel.

“Family trait,” he said, then came over the bed. “Trust me?” he asked.

Brooke wasn’t afraid of him; she knew that. She had much bigger things to be scared about.

“Yes,” she answered. Tanner Rochon had secrets, but then most people did. Brooke had to make a fast decision whether she would be able to handle his secrets. Whatever he needed to share with her, she was hoping that it was something she could handle.

“Thank you.” He kissed her sweetly on her forehead. He helped her with her shoes then grabbed her duffle in one hand and her hand in his other. He walked them to the nurse’s station and signed the necessary paperwork.

Tanner had her through the parking lot and in his SUV in record time. He didn’t like the idea of her being outside unprotected. The park had been hard enough on him, but she’d needed it.

“Dinner,” he said, as he started the engine after making sure she was securely buckled in.

“Dinner,” she agreed.