Chase: Black Bear Outlaws #2 (Mating Fever) (3 page)

With a heavy heart, I slipped from the bed. The weak rays of the early morning sun cast a sliver of light over his sleeping form. He was beautiful. I could’ve stood there watching him for hours. Instead, I took my time memorizing his chiseled jaw, the tribal tattoos curling around his right shoulder, and the peaceful expression he wore in his sleep.

It was the look of a man who was content with his life. Happy. And I couldn’t be his or any other man’s until I felt the same.

He shifted positions, and I held perfectly still, holding my breath. If he woke up, I was a goner.

But he rolled over, burying his head into the pillow, and a second later, his breathing turned slow and steady once more.

That was my cue. Without looking back, I padded out of the room and down his stairs to the kitchen where my clothes were still strewn across the tiled floor. Memories of the night before came roaring back, and when I glanced at the table, heat flushed my cheeks. Lord, I really needed to get out of there before I ran upstairs and climbed back into bed.

I dressed quickly but skipped the shoes. Holding them in one hand, I made my way over to a small built-in desk against the wall. After rummaging around for a pen, I steeled myself and scribbled a note.

Two paragraphs later, with a single tear running down my cheek, I placed the note in front of his coffee maker and crept out of his house, closing the door gently behind me.

There was only one problem. My car was still at the dance hall. Son of a...crap. I glanced back at his house and debated going back in, but then shook my head. It looked like I was going to have one hell of a walk of shame.

With a heavy sigh, I slipped my shoes on and strode down the street with my head held high.

***

“W
ho’s the lucky guy?” Melinda Greyson asked, peering over my shoulder in the local drug store.

Oh, hell.
I tightened my grip on my car keys and silently cursed her. Melinda had been a good friend when I’d needed one, but there was no doubt in my mind that within the hour she’d be on the phone to the clan socialites gossiping about how she saw Katrina Craig at the pharmacy purchasing Plan B.

“No one you know,” I lied. On my long walk from Chase’s house back to my car, I’d luxuriated in the memories from the night before. Chase had been steadfast in his insistence of keeping us protected...except that last time. The one when I’d woken from a sound sleep, craving him with every fiber of my being. Neither of us had spoken with words, only our bodies. The intensity had been off the charts, and a condom had been the last thing on my mind. Now I was paying the price.

“Did you pick someone up at the dance last night?” she asked, eyeing me with suspicion. “I’ve never known you to be a one-night-stand kind of girl.”

“It appears I am now.” I handed my card to the cashier. “Looks like it happens to the best of us every once in a while. Even you,” I said, peering at her. “I seem to recall you sneaking out of that math major’s room after the fall fiesta...what was his name? Oh, right, Miles Miller. Whatever happened to him?”

She stiffened, lifted her chin, and in a superior tone, said, “I never did anything with Miles other than study. What you saw was...well, nothing. I fell asleep during a cramming session.”

I stifled a snicker. “After the fiesta? Please, Melinda. You drank an entire bottle of wine that night. No way were you studying.”

“I have a high tolerance for alcohol!”

“Melinda!” Hattie Haybell admonished as she poked her head out from behind a nearby aisle. “There’s no need to raise your voice. We can all hear you just fine.”

Melinda’s face flamed red and this time I couldn’t hold back my laughter. Hattie was a friend of their family. No doubt Melinda’s mother would hear all about Miles Miller before lunch.

“Katrina,” Melinda said in a harsh whisper. “This is your fault.”

“Sorry. I didn’t know she was there.” The cashier handed me my card and the brown paper bag containing my “oops” medication. “But I wouldn’t worry about it. Hattie is cool. She’s dating three different seniors, all of them from Cyprus Lane Retirement Center. Isn’t that right, Hattie?”

The gorgeous Creole woman gave me a wan smile as she smoothed her dress. “Four. Rufus asked me out for dinner tonight. He’s taking me to Velvet for prime rib and crab legs. If he springs for something better than the house wine, he has a good shot at getting lucky.”

“That sounds scandalous,” I said, grinning. Hattie was something else. According to Melinda’s mother, she’d had the pick of the clan back in her day. It was easy to see why. She was stunning with her bronze skin, bright blue eyes and thick, wavy, black hair. But even so, it wasn’t necessarily her looks that drew people in. She was warm and generous and knew how to charm people. Everyone loved her. Especially the gentlemen at Cyprus Lane.

She nodded. “Exactly.” She produced two boxes of condoms and handed them to the cashier.

“Hattie!” Melinda exclaimed, staring at the condoms. “That seems...optimistic.”

The older woman chuckled. “I suppose it would be. But don’t worry,” she handed me one of the boxes, “this one is for Katrina. It appears she could use some supplies.” Then she winked at me, stuffed her change in her purse along with her box of condoms, and waved as she strode off.

“Can you believe her? Honestly.” The disapproval on Melinda’s face made me roll my eyes.

“Relax. She’s just enjoying herself.”

“Like you did last night, apparently.” She pointed her judgmental finger at me. “Come on now, who took you home last night?”

Damn. For a moment there, I’d thought Hattie had provided the distraction I’d needed to get out of this conversation. Shaking my head, I said, “It doesn’t matter. That’s not going anywhere.”

“Why?” She frowned and lowered her voice. “Was he a loser in the sack? Didn’t know his way around the love button?”

Heat started to crawl up my neck. He most certainly knew his way around all my buttons. But I wasn’t going to tell her that. “No—”

“See? That’s always been their problem. Too selfish.”

“Who?” I asked, glancing around and wondering which direction this conversation had turned.

“Men.” She slipped her arm through mine and started tugging me toward the front of the store. “They’re too damned selfish to figure out how to please their partners. If it wasn’t for our maternal instincts, I swear we’d all be lesbians. At least then we’d get some satisfaction in the bedroom.”

I cast a sidelong glance at Melinda. If there was one thing I knew about her, it was that she loved men; loved being admired by them and flirting with them. Hell, she had never been without a boyfriend as long as I’d known her. There was no way she was, or ever would be, a lesbian. Not that anyone but her mother would care if she was. “Melinda? Is there something you want to tell me?”

“What?” She glanced over at me.

“Is Mathew not living up to his husbandly duties or something?”

She grimaced, nodded, and then glanced around in a semi-state of panic as she shoved me out the door. “Don’t tell anyone, all right? I’m sure he’s just been tired because he’s been working a lot of overtime. When this big project is done, we’ll plan a special weekend and then...well, you know. All I really want is a little cub of my own. The clock...it’s been ticking.”

I clutched my brown paper bag and felt an electric bolt of guilt slice through me. And here I was making sure that didn’t happen to me. “You’re only twenty-five.”

She dropped her hand from my arm and stiffened. “Everyone’s clock is different. Just because yours is in hibernation doesn’t mean mine is.”

“I didn’t—”

She strode off in a huff. When she reached her car, she turned and stared pointedly at my bag. “I hope you don’t end up regretting that decision. Remember what happened to Samantha?”

“Sam? Are you sure that’s the example you want to use?” One of our sorority sisters had thought she was pregnant and decided to make herself a poppy seed tea to end the pregnancy. Only what she should have used was dandelion seed. Or was it sesame seed? I could never remember. But two things had happened: she’d nearly been expelled for having opioids on campus, and she’d missed out on a summer internship because she’d failed the drug test.

“It’s almost the same. There were consequences.”

“Right. Because she was an idiot.”

Melinda let out a huff of frustration and yanked her car door open. “You know what I mean!” Then she climbed in and drove off.

I stood there, momentarily stunned. That had escalated quickly. And in a direction I hadn’t seen coming. After a few deep breaths, I pulled my phone out and sent her an apology text. I hadn’t meant to insult her, and I felt bad about her apparent lack of opportunities to get pregnant. If she wanted a baby, she should be able to have one.

The phone chimed as I climbed into my Mustang. She’d replied.
Forget it. But do me a favor and really consider what you’re doing before you take that pill.

Irritation coiled in my gut. That was none of her business. I tossed the phone and the bag into the passenger’s seat and took off.

An hour later, with two suitcases in my trunk, I was on the interstate heading east to my Aunt’s house in Tybee Island, Georgia. I needed to clear my head away from Chase, Melinda, and everyone else in this town. And the beach was as good a place as any. Once I got there, I’d take that little pill and figure out my next move.

“D
ude, you’re pathetic,” my brother Cyrus said from my doorway.

I didn’t even bother to look at him as I flipped him off and turned the volume up on the television.

“Property Wars?” He strode in and stopped in front of me, blocking my view. “This is a new level of low.”

I took a swing of my beer and didn’t resist when he grabbed the remote.

“Get your shoes.” He killed the TV. “We’re getting out of here.”

“Why?”

My older brother narrowed his dark eyes. “Because, jackass, other than going to work, you haven’t been out of this house in six weeks. Cole and I are staging an intervention.”

I glanced past him, looking for my younger brother. He was nowhere in sight. “Looks like he ditched you.”

His nostrils flared with irritation. “He’s meeting us at the Bayou Bear in ten minutes. Now get your ass up and put your shoes on.”

I downed the last of my beer and shook my head. “I’m not hungry. Tell Cole I’m sorry I missed him.”

He stared at me for a long minute and then stalked off toward my kitchen.

“Bring me another beer, will you?” I considered getting up to get the remote, but laced my fingers behind my head and closed my eyes instead. A nap wasn’t out of the question.

“Get the fuck up.”

I opened my eyes just before my boots slammed into my gut. I let out a loud groan and launched one back at him. “What the hell is your problem?”

Cyrus reached out and snagged my boot, stopping it from clocking him. “You’re my problem. Put the damned shoes on. I have something to talk to you both about.” He strode to the door. “I’ll be in the Jeep. If you’re not out in two minutes, I’m coming back in here and dragging your ass out. Got it? Your life isn’t over because she left.”

“Fuck you!” I bellowed, finally sitting up. “Smug bastard.” There was nothing worse than a happily mated bear. Just because he was getting laid every morning and night, it didn’t give him the right to walk in here and tell me I was pathetic.

Even though he was right.

It’d been six weeks since I’d woken up to an empty bed. Six weeks since Katrina, my mate, had left me that damned note and disappeared from Bayou Basin without another word.  At first I hadn’t let it bother me. I wasn’t a stranger to one-night-stands. Hell, I’d even escaped in the predawn light more times than I cared to remember. But then her absence started to chip away at my resolve. Her leaving after the night we’d shared had started to eat at me. And then I had to make sure she was all right; that wherever she’d ended up, she was safe and happy.

That’s when I’d called in a favor to a PI I knew and found out she was in Georgia with her aunt, waiting tables at a local restaurant.

Safe and happy enough, it appeared, and miles away from me and our small Louisiana town.

“Chase, God help me—”

“I’m coming. Keep your pants on.” Son of a bitch. If I didn’t go, he’d make my life a living hell. It was easier to just do as he said. At least there’d be more beer.

***

“W
hen’s the last time you got out of the house?” Cole asked, reaching for a hot wing.

Leaning back in the wooden chair, I signaled to the waitress to bring us another round. “I’m out now.”

Cole scoffed. “I meant with a woman. Cyrus tells me you’ve started hibernating on your couch.”

I eyed the waitress. She was on the petite side, with bright red hair and an easy smile. She was a perfect choice, or should’ve been. But when I’d taken her out a month ago, I hadn’t been able to stop comparing her to a certain blue-eyed beauty who’d moved to the beach. “Two, maybe three weeks ago.”

“More like four,” Cyrus chimed in. “The man needs serious help.”

“I’m fine,” I barked. “Just regrouping. Now get off my ass.”

Cole chuckled. “You really are in sad shape. Want me to set you up?”

Alyssa dropped off our beers, but before she went, she placed her hand on my shoulder and said, “I volunteer as tribute.”

“Excellent.” Cole raised his beer. “Congratulations, brother. Things are looking up.”

Cyrus toasted with him and drank in my honor as if I’d agreed.

I covered Alyssa’s hand and gave her what I hoped was a kind smile. “That’s generous of you. Can I give you a call next week? I’m not sure what my work schedule looks like.”

“He’s free whenever you are,” Cyrus offered. “There’s not much on the books until the end of the month.

I shot him a death glare. The three of us owned Black Bear Outlaws Security. But Cyrus ran the office, and the whole town knew it.

“Great. I’m free Thursday night. Pick me up at seven?” she said.

The hope in her tone made my stomach sink. She was a nice enough girl, but it wasn’t fair to lead her on. I just wasn’t interested.