Hard (The Bear Chronicles of Willow Creek #2) (4 page)

I stare at her for a minute more, wishing my hard-on away, before turning and stomping off to the truck. I can hear Ethan laughing behind me, so I lift up a hand and curl all my fingers down but the middle one. “Fuck you, cousin.”

Chapter Six

Liza

THE SECOND
we pull into the gas station, I immediately reach for the door handle, desperate for Ethan to park so that I can put some distance between Eli and myself. I have no damn idea what’s going on between us, but the tension is so thick it could be cut with a knife. The minute he got out of the car back at my foster parents’ house, I felt drawn toward him by some unexplainable force. It was as if, in that moment, I had to touch him in order to survive.

The moment his lips touched mine, I finally felt whole for the first time in my life. When he pulled away from me with a look of disgust on his face, I was left feeling completely shattered. Lord knows why I care what someone I just met thinks of me. No matter how many times I remind myself that I don’t care what he thinks, a large part of me sits here yearning for his touch again and wondering what I did to turn him away.

As soon as the car is stopped, I’m jumping out of the door before Ethan has even managed to put the damn thing in park.

Swinging my legs out, my feet hit the pavement and I’m instantly searching for some place to escape and get a breather. Noticing a sign directing people to the bathroom, I beeline in that direction, ignoring my sister’s questions regarding where I’m going. I don’t care if my hasty retreat causes me to look like a weirdo; I just need to get away and think, even for just a second.

Escaping into the dingy little bathroom, I slam the door behind me. Walking over to the sink, I take a moment to splash some cold water on my face, and focus on slowing my breathing down. 

Sitting in the back seat of that car for the past three hours has been torture. The hostility rolling off of Eli is enough to make me want to climb into a corner and cry. I honestly don’t get what his damn problem is. Hell, he’s the one who kissed me, so I don’t know why I’m the one he appears to be mad at.

Finally feeling somewhat calmer, I take a second to use the bathroom before heading back out to find the rest of our little crew. 

Walking back outside, I notice Amelia leaning against the side of the building waiting for me. Deciding that I don’t feel like answering the questions I can see she’s dying to throw at me, I attempt to walk right past her.

I’ve barely made it two feet before she is stepping in front of me, stopping me in my tracks.

“Are you all right, Liza? You’ve been weird ever since we got into the car, and the tension brewing between you and Eli is enough to choke me,” Amelia asks with a grin.

Shrugging my shoulders, I focus on the cars coming in and out of the parking lot, attempting to avoid eye contact with my all-knowing sister. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just feeling a little stressed out with the move and everything.”

“You’re sure that’s all this is about? You’ve barely said two words since we got into the car. I figured we could use the ride ahead of us to catch up since we haven’t been able to talk much in the past few months.”

“Yep, I’m sure,” I say as I attempt to walk around her. “Just been a long few days is all. Once we get back and I settle in, I’ll be back to normal. Promise.”

“So this awkwardness I’m sensing from you has nothing to do with what Eli did back at the house?” she asks, quirking her brow at me. “You know, kissing the daylights out of you?”

This is the exact reason why I didn’t want to get cornered by her. I love my sister dearly, but how the hell do I explain to her that I can’t seem to focus on anything but the gorgeous man squished into the back seat with me. That is really not a topic I want to get into with my sister. We’re close, but that’s just too much for me.

Throwing a smile at her, I continue walking back toward the gas station. “I’m fine, I swear. He caught me a little off guard is all. Just surprised me. It’s not like I’m used to having random strangers come up to me to start a make out session.”

Laughing, she just shakes her head as she falls into step beside me. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. He caught all of us off guard with that one.”

“Ha, you think! I’m the one who was mauled. How do you think I felt?”

Releasing a giggle, she steps around me and opens the door to the store. Just as I’m going to walk in, she leans in and whispers, “Well, from where we stood, you didn’t seem to be putting up much of a fight.”

Turning to scowl at her, I stomp off through the store to grab a bottle of water while Amelia just stands there laughing at my discomfort. She may be my sister and best friend, but right now, I really just want to walk up to her and kick her in the damn shin.

Grabbing a bottle of water and a chocolate bar, I keep my head down and pay for my food, refusing to make eye contact with anyone around me for fear they will all see how on edge I am. 

As soon as I’ve paid, I rush back to the car and hunker down in the corner waiting for the others to get back. 

Looking for a distraction, I pull out my phone and begin texting Natalie. I tell myself that I’m wanting to check in with her and make sure everything’s going all right, but if I’m honest, I know that isn’t why. I’m texting instead of interacting with the others in the car. I’m doing what I do best, burying my head in the sand and ignoring everyone around me so that I don’t have to deal with Eli and his testosterone levels.

You miss me yet
? I send off to Natalie.

Instantly, I have a reply from her.
Like crazy! How’s the drive so far?

Just as I’m about to text back, the front door opens and Ethan climbs behind the wheel, followed by Amelia and, last but not least, Ethan.

“Well, everyone ready to get back on the road?” Ethan asks through a yawn.

Amelia nods as I say, “Yep, let’s get this show on the road.”

“You good, Eli?” Ethan asks when he doesn’t hear a response from his cousin.

Without even bothering to respond, Eli just grunts and starts digging through the bag of junk food he’s purchased at the store, before ripping open a candy bar and devouring it in two bites.

“Hungry much?” I ask, watching him inhale his food.

Glancing at me out of the corner of his eyes, he gives me a one-shoulder shrug before tearing into a bag of pretzel sticks. “I guess you could say I’m hungry. Don’t know if it’s food that I’m craving, though,” he responds.

Quirking a brow at him in question, he just shakes his head and goes back to looking out the window as he simultaneously stuffs food into his mouth.

Releasing a bark of laughter, Ethan just shakes his head and throws the car into reverse before heading back out to the highway. Looking back over at Amelia, I hear him whisper, “This is going to be one hell of a long drive with those two in the back seat.”

Amelia doesn’t respond to his sarcastic comment, and instead chooses to just laugh along with him.

Releasing a huff, I decide to ignore the car full of assholes and go back to my phone to continue my conversation with Nat.
Miss you too, babe. This is proving to be a long ass car ride already.

As if she is waiting for my text, she again responds almost instantly.
Oh, come on. It can’t be that bad. The guy I saw get into the back with you is super cute.

Rolling my eyes, I respond.
He may be cute, but he has the manners of a grouchy old bear that’s just come out of hibernation.

LOL! It can’t be that bad. No way is it worse than being here with Mr. Adams.

The second I read her text, I’m instantly on edge. Just the thought of leaving her there alone with him is enough to make me nauseated. I don’t trust the guy at all, and the fact that I am no longer there to protect Nat does not sit well with me.

As if she can sense my discomfort, she texts back without waiting to hear from me.
I’m fine, Liza. I’ve got this. I know how to handle myself. If I need you, I know how to get in touch.

Biting my lip, I contemplate my response before tapping away at the buttons on my phone.
I know you do. Just remember, no matter where I am, I will come back for you in an instant if you need me.

Looking out the window at the passing cars, I think about what will come of Nat. I fear that if something happens, she won’t call me for help, but will take off on her own rather than bother me. That’s just the type of kid she is, never wanting to put anyone out.

My phone pings with an incoming text, alerting me to her response.
I know. I’ve never doubted you. Now, get off the phone with me and go make friends with that nice boy.

Boy? Chuckling, I lock my phone and slide it back into my purse before running my hands through my hair in agitation. 

“Everything okay?” Eli asks as he nudges me with his shoulder. 

Glancing up into his stunning amber eyes, I can’t help but find myself momentarily speechless. He’s just so absolutely gorgeous. Not in a conventional way, mind you, but in a way that is one-hundred percent male. Between his rugged face and his masculine body, he just oozes sex appeal. Looking into his eyes, there is nothing else I want more at this moment than to thread my fingers through his silky dark hair and pull his luscious lips back to mine.

Raising a brow at me in question, he asks, “Well, is it?”

Snapping out of my lustful state, I give a quick nod and divert my eyes from his gaze. I swear, when he’s looking at me, I feel as if I’ve been completely stripped bare for the world to see. It’s an unsettling feeling that leaves me on edge, yet in a way, I want nothing more than to be stripped down for him. 

Turning away, I notice that the bag full of junk food he brought into the car with him is now nothing but a bag full of garbage.

“Holy shit, Eli!” I exclaim, shocked to my core. “Did you seriously just eat that whole entire bag of junk?”

Instantly, his cheeks start turning red as he reaches for the bag and stuffs it into the pocket on the back of the seat. “What can I say? I guess I was hungry.”

Turning to study him, I notice that his body doesn’t have an ounce of fat on it. With every move he makes, the muscles ripple in a synchronized symphony of sexiness. Hell, it must be nice to be able to stuff your face like that and walk away still looking like sex on a stick.

“Guess you’re lucky you have such a good metabolism. If I ate that much junk, I would never be able to get my pants on.”

Seeming uncomfortable, he turns and looks out the window before saying, “Yeah, guess I’m lucky I have good genes.”

Not understanding his discomfort, I decide to ignore him and the way his attitude gives me whiplash, and grab my kindle out of my bag.

Just as I’m powering it up, I hear him mumble under his breath, “If you weren’t able to get your pants on, I think I would die a happy man.”

Chapter Seven

Eli

MY HEAD
drops, causing me to wake with a jolt. I swear, we’ve been in this car forever, and the need to stretch out my legs is enough to make me even more agitated than normal. 

Attempting to lift my arms and stretch out my back, I notice that Liza has curled up against me and is sound asleep. Little puffs of air escape her gently parted lips, causing me to fill with an insane desire to take her right here in the back seat of the car.

Lifting my hand, I gently brush her hair off of her forehead. The struggle going on within me is enough to make me want to pull my own hair out. For as long as I can remember, it has been ingrained in me that humans are nothing but trouble. That they are never to be trusted with anything, and we are to keep our distance. That, no matter what they say or do, they are good for nothing but to be used as an outlet for our hatred.

Yet, here I sit, looking down at this gorgeous woman, and the last thing I feel is hate. The overwhelming need I have to claim her as my mate is enough to take my breath away, but I can’t bring myself to give in to my natural urges. The second I looked at her, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that she was my true mate. However, I can’t help but feel like someone is playing an evil trick on me. After everything that has happened in my life, why the fuck would I be given a human as a mate.

Placing my hand back on my knee, I release a sigh as I go back to looking out the window. Amelia is sound asleep in the front as Ethan continues to drive on through the night, and the quiet in the car is giving me too much time to think.

“You planning on stopping?” I ask, in the hopes that starting a conversation with him will stop the incessant pounding in my skull.

“Yeah, I think we need to. I don’t know how much longer I can keep my eyes open for.”

“I can take over for a bit if you want?” I say, even though I’m still tired.

“Nah, you look pretty damn comfortable back there. I wouldn’t want to bother you,” he replies, winking at me through the rear-view mirror.