Beret Bear (Rogue Bear Series 3) (2 page)

A
very looked at her phone
. Paul promised he would call on his lunch break, but it was after two and she hadn’t received any messages.

She resisted the urge to send her fiancé a text. He was busy. She knew that. Although, according to Paul he was always busy. He had been too busy to taste wedding cake samples. He had been too busy to meet with the florist. And he was too busy to listen to the bands that had sent in CDs for the reception.

Avery knew it wouldn’t always be like this. After the wedding he would have more time for her. He was in pharmaceutical sales and his job kept him on the road. He had to travel across half of Washington. St. Claire certainly didn’t have enough doctors to keep a thriving client list. If she wanted to stay and run the inn the only way was for Paul to travel.

She stared at the ring on her left hand. The night he had proposed she thought her life was finally complete, but things didn’t change then. The next day, he was on the road again as if nothing was different. Things would change after the wedding. She knew it.

Avery almost didn’t hear the chime ring over the front door. She was looking at invitation and save-the-date ideas online.

But she heard the distinct sound of someone clearing his throat and looked up.

At first she thought she had imagined him. Men like that didn’t walk into the Long Pine. Holy shit. He was tall and built like one of the mountains bordering town. She tried not to gawk at his wide shoulders and massive chest. He had a close haircut, but the stubble on his jaw filled in with a rough shadow. His dark blue eyes swirled with shades of cobalt.

“Can I help you?” Avery quickly closed the screen on the laptop.

He seemed confused or lost. Possibly both. He stared at her, his eyes narrowing and sparking all the bits of blue. She noticed how his chest shuddered with each breath he took.

“S-sir?” she stammered.

“Yeah?” He looked wild as if he was trying to escape from something, but she couldn’t imagine what.

“Do you need something? A reservation?” She knew she was engaged, and Paul was the only man for her, but she couldn’t stop staring at the stranger. She hadn’t decided yet if there was anything wrong with looking at him.

“I do.” He took a step closer to the counter. “I need a room for the night.”

“All right.” She scanned the list of available suites. “Only one night?”

He nodded as if in slow motion. “I’m waiting on my bike to be repaired.”

“Ahh, Glen’s working on it for you?”

“How did you know?”

She smiled. “There’s only one mechanic in St. Claire.”

“Oh right.” He stepped closer to the desk.

“What’s wrong with your bike?” she asked.

“I’m not sure exactly. There was smoke and a definite oil leak.” He rubbed the side of his face.

“He’ll figure it out. He’s the best mechanic in town.” She laughed, turning for the box where the room keys were stored. “Here you go.”

He took the key from her, but she noticed his eyes locked on her engagement ring. They darkened and she could have sworn she heard a rumble come from his chest. It was the closest thing to a growl she’d ever heard from a man.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

He snatched the key, shoving it into his pocket. “What’s the room number?”

“You are on the top floor. It’s room 401.” She didn’t know why she felt the sudden urge to cover up the diamond. She tucked her hand behind her back. She’d never done anything like that before. If anything, she loved to show it off.

He slid a credit card across the counter. “How much?”

Avery punched in the room number into the system to reserve it. “Gage Lincoln,” she murmured while she typed. She saw the flag in the corner of the card. “Are you in the military?”

“Why?” His voice was gruff and low.

“We offer a military discount, that’s all.”

“I don’t need a hand out.”

“It’s not a hand out. It’s only 10%, but it’s something we like to do for our service members.” She felt the hair at the base of her neck starting to prickle. The longer her stared at her, the more she was starting to react.

“I’ll pass.” He reached for the credit card, stuffing it back in his wallet.

“I already applied it.” She smiled.

“That’s not necessary.”

“My uncle was in the Army and my grandfather always gave discounts, so did my father. And so do I.”

She processed the reservation and printed a receipt for him. It was the first time she could think of someone arguing about a discount at the inn. Most customers came in with coupons or codes they wanted scanned from their smart phones.

“We have a continental breakfast that starts at seven, and if you need anything else, just let me know. I’m Avery.”

“Avery?”

She nodded, unsure of why he said her name the way he did, as if he were practicing how it would sound on his tongue. It shot an unexpected wave of sensation through her.

“The elevators are over there.” She pointed to the small bay.

“Thank you.” He slung his pack over his shoulder and walked toward the brass doors.

She couldn’t stop staring. It was as much involuntary as it was necessary. His shoulders almost touched each of the doors as he stepped inside.

The doors closed behind him and for a moment Avery forgot she was trying to choose save-the-dates. She blinked hard then opened her screen again.

“Paul,” she whispered. Saying his name reminded her there was another man she should be thinking about.

H
is bear was clawing
and shaking. He was ready to tear through his skin and roar through the inn. Gage kept him buried, desperate to find seclusion in his room. His chest heaved until he slid the metal key in the lock and turned the handle.

He took a deep breath, trying to steady his primal instincts.

In one instant, his body came to life at the sight of her. Her beautiful waves of auburn hair. Her soft chestnut eyes. Her smile. He felt warmth and an immediate need to connect with her. His entire body had seized when she looked in his eyes. His mate was named Avery. She was gorgeous, sexy, and fucking engaged.

The instant he saw the ring, he had seized with another feeling. One of hatred and betrayal. Someone else wanted his mate. Someone else had met her first.

He picked up a glass from the drink tray and threw it against the wall. It crashed, shattering against the wallpaper.

He didn’t know anything about her. He didn’t know why she was in St. Claire, or why she was working at the front desk. He didn’t know why his damn bike broke down here, and why Glen had sent him to this inn.

He sat on the edge of the bed, folding his hands together.

Two hours ago he had been riding, putting miles behind him and the career he had just left. He had been searching, restless and tired. He wanted something to quiet his soul. Still the ghosts he saw when he closed his eyes. They were always there, reminding him he had survived. The ghosts filled his nightmares, haunting his sleep.

He didn’t deserve peace. He didn’t deserve happiness. And he sure as hell didn’t deserve to live happily ever after with his mate.

He buried his head in his hands. He shouldn’t even be alive.

Being a Green Beret had prepared him to survive unimaginable tests. He could go without food, water, and sleep. He could tolerate extreme desert heat, and polar cold. Climbing on his bike tomorrow and riding away from his mate wouldn’t be harder than the torture he had been through. He didn’t deserve her and neither did his bear.

E
verything seemed
quiet in the inn. Too quiet. It wasn’t a busy time of year, and with her dad out of town she couldn’t shake the loneliness settling in. There was a time when Avery could remember rooms at the inn were in high demand.

St. Claire wasn’t much of a destination anymore. Most of the shops downtown had closed. There weren’t restaurants other than the Skillet. The didn’t even have a movie theater.

She sighed, feeling the air push though her nose. She turned off the light under the counter and closed her laptop. She retrieved the marble sign that said the desk was closed for the night, and placed it at the edge of the counter.

She heard the creak of the foyer stairs and turned to see Gage Lincoln making his way down the staircase. She had almost forgotten about him for the past few hours. Almost.

“Hi.” She waved, but his intense blue stare made it seem as if he had no interest in speaking to her.

He ducked out the front door and walked toward the Lucky Coin bar. Avery drifted closer to the window, watching him disappear inside.

She jumped when she felt the vibration against her back pocket.

“Paul, I was getting worried.” She held the phone closes to her ear.

“I’m headed to dinner with a group of doctors. I can’t really talk, hon.”

Avery sighed, slumping into a nearby chair. “Did you at least have a good day?”

“I’d say so. I landed five new accounts.”

“That’s incredible. We should celebrate when you get home.”

There was a garbled sound in the background before Paul started speaking. “Gotta go. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“All right, but my dad—” The line was silent and Avery stared at the dark phone in her hand.

She had wanted to tell him her father was in the city for a few days, and was going on a first date. She still hadn’t sorted through it. She also wanted to ask if he had a preference on navy or black lettering for the save-the-dates. It might encourage him to finalize something on the calendar. She knew he was busy, but maybe when he was home they’d have a chance to talk.

She glanced at the empty lobby and heard the distinct grumble of her stomach. There was only one place other than the pizza restaurant on the edge of town that was open at night. She grabbed her coat and walked outside toward the Lucky Coin.

G
age
dug his elbows into the bar, pressing the smooth varnish until his skin was red. It was dark inside the Lucky Coin. There was a row of booths along the back wall and three sides of the bar lined with stools.

“What can I get you?” The bartender threw a towel over his shoulder.

“I’ll take a beer and a shamrock burger.”

“Fries?” he asked.

“Sounds good.” Gage waited while the man poured his beer and slid it in front of him.

The low hum of a football game played on the TV hung over the rows of liquor. Gage pulled his cap close to his temples. He didn’t know the last time he watched a football game and drank a beer.

He felt the cold liquid slide down his throat as he watched a play unfold overhead.

He had seen the bar from the window in his room. He had every intention of slipping out the front door without running into Avery, but she had spotted him. There were only two things he could do: grab her and tell her everything pounding through him, or get the hell out of there.

He shook his head. He had never been at such odds with his bear before.

“Big Lightning fan?”

He would know the sound of her voice anywhere. He had only heard it for a few minutes, but the lightness was ingrained in his mind. He turned. Avery stood next to the bar. She clutched the corners of a jacket, tugging the edges together. Her cheeks were glowing, and her hair tumbled loose over her shoulders.

“What’s the score?” She slid into the open seat next to him.

He stared at her in disbelief, while his bear studied every part of her. The way her teeth peeked through her lips. The way her hips filled out those jeans. The way her eyelashes fanned every time she blinked. He swallowed hard.

“Not sure. I just sat down.”

“Who do you root for?” she asked.

“I haven’t followed college football in awhile.” He pulled the stein to his lips, trying to avoid more questions.

“How’s it going, Avery?” The bartender walked toward them.

“Hi, Rick. Quiet.” She smiled.

“Haven’t seen your dad today.”

She folded her hands in front of her on the bar, and Gage’s heart flinched at the sight of the ring.

“He drove to Seattle to pick up a part for the furnace. He needed a few days away I think.”

“I see.” He popped a piece of gum in his mouth. “Can I get something for you?”

“Yes.” She grinned. “A big glass of wine and the shamrock burger.”

“Extra fries?” the bartender asked.

“Always.” She laughed. Gage didn’t think he had heard such a warm sound before. He stole a look at her from the side of his eye. She was smiling.

“Any word from Glen on your bike?” she asked.

“No. He said to stop by in the morning.”

He started to think St. Claire was even smaller than he had guessed. Everyone seemed to know each other on a first name basis.

“Where are you headed after this?”

It was a casual question. A normal question that any stranger would ask, but Gage had no way to answer it. He never had a destination, only a mission. He grabbed the stein handle and took a few chugs.

“I’m not sure.” He made the mistake of looking in her eyes. His bear lurched hard, desperate to touch her.

“Are you on vacation or something?”

“Something.” He forced the word out. There was no way to describe what was happening to him. He could feel the intense thumping in his veins. His head was pounding. His fingers were twitching. He willed himself to stare at the TV and follow the movements of the runner on the field, avoiding tackles.

“Here you go, Avery.” The bartender returned with a goblet of red wine. “How’s that fiancée of yours?”

Gage closed his eyes.

“Paul’s out of town for work.”

“I never see him in here.” Rick whistled at the TV. “Touchdown, folks.”

Gage turned to see her lower her eyes. “He’s busy. He just landed some new accounts. I think it will be better after the wedding.”

“I bet it will.” Rick tapped on the bar. “Let me get your burgers. Some game, huh?”

Gage could sense it without her saying a single word. She was sad. The lightness she had brought in with her was mixed with murky grayness.

He didn’t know where it came from, but he asked, “What does he do? Your fiancé.”

She held the wine between her palms. “He’s a sales rep for PharmTek.”

Gage nodded. He had never imagined a career wearing a suit or driving an expensive car. He always knew he wanted to be a soldier.

“When’s the wedding?” he asked.

“Next summer.” She took a sip of wine. “I think. But we might have to push it back depending on my fiance’s schedule. He’s really doing well. I don’t want the wedding to set him back.”

“No date set?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, but we will eventually.”

It was completely involuntary, but Gage felt the corners of his mouth turn up. The pain that had seized under his ribs suddenly released.

“Do you see him often?”

“When it works for his schedule. But he’s busy.”

“You mentioned that.” He didn’t have the right, but he hated the man. Who would leave her here alone? Who would give her a ring, but refuse to set a date? He clenched his teeth together. Paul sounded like a fucking coward.

He looked at her empty glass and his and held up his hand. “Rick, I’d like another round.” He smiled at Avery. “For both of us.”