Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 221(@200wpm)___ 177(@250wpm)___ 147(@300wpm)
“Did someone disappoint you?” She regretted saying it almost immediately. Poppy was pushing too hard, and his guy lived in the wilderness for a reason.
“Everyone.”
She wasn’t expecting that answer. Someone must have really disappointed or hurt him in the past. As curious as she was, she kept her mouth shut. Poppy shifted to get more comfortable, and he made a little growl.
“Sorry, am I making you uncomfortable?” She’d been sitting between his legs to keep warm for a while now. He probably wanted to stretch his legs.
“No.”
“Do you think they’re gone?”
“It’s late. I think we’re safe to stay here the night. I’ll start a fire.”
She didn’t know how he’d do it, but she liked the idea of light and heat right now. Poppy shuffled over to lean against the wall again, holding his big coat tightly around herself.
She listened at first, then watched after a spark came to life. Slowly, he built a small fire, the crackle and scent of burning wood a comfort.
“Listen, I need to leave the cave for a while. The poachers are far from here. Are you okay being alone while I’m gone?”
A jolt of adrenaline shot through her at the thought.
“Alone? Where are you going?” It was pitch-dark outside now. Was this a bathroom break or him trying to get out of babysitting her?
“I want to head over to the poacher’s camp across the ridge.”
“What? Why?”
“I told you the sow had cubs. I need to know if they’re alive or not. They won’t survive on their own.”
She exhaled. That was definitely honorable and something she could get behind.
“Okay. Be careful, though.”
He nodded, then ducked out of the cave still in just a t-shirt. He’d freeze to death. On top of that, bear cubs were deadly themselves. What was he going to do if they were alive? It wasn’t like finding some newborn kittens on your back porch.
At least she had the fire. It gave her a false sense of security, which was better than nothing. She remembered being held by him on the hike to the cave. The more she thought about it, the more his strength astonished her. They’d walked over rugged terrain for miles. And she wasn’t light by any means. The mere thought of his power definitely turned her on. Add the way his hands felt on her body...
No way would a man like him be interested in a woman like her, so it was best to keep those fantasies locked away.
There was no way to tell how much time had passed, but she heard animal noises close to the mouth of the cave, and her heart started racing. She slowly shuffled her way farther into the cave. Where was Wilder? Some animal was coming home for the night. This was the end of her. The sniffing and grunting sounds nearly made her pass out from the fear.
When she saw his face duck into the cave, the relief made her dizzy. He’d come back to her. And he was with a small bear. She tensed up. It may be a so-called cub, but it was huge. With killer teeth and claws.
“Don’t worry, he won’t hurt you,” Wilder said.
“How do you know?”
“He’s alone now. His mother was killed by those poachers, her body just left to rot. There was just the one cub.”
“Did they kill the others?”
“No, first-time mothers often have just one.”
The cub was fascinated by the fire but wouldn’t get too close.
“He’s cute, but I’m still scared. I don’t know why you’re not.”
“I know how he feels. I know these animals,” he said. “I’ve helped injured animals most of my life.”
And somehow, he became even more attractive to her. This time she really paid attention. His eyes were so dark, she’d call them black. Or was it because of the shadows? His hair was shaggy, dark, and unkempt, giving him a rugged quality. His features were strong and masculine, and his body ... well, in the t-shirt she could see he was corded with muscle. A true powerhouse of a man unlike any she’d ever seen. The men in her circles were pencil-pushers, and she was usually the one stuck carrying the boxes of printer paper.
Wilder was in a league of his own.
****
Wilder had been so grateful and relieved to find the young cub hunkering down in the woods near his mother’s body. It brought back a firestorm of darkness he kept buried. Too many memories. No way could he leave the cub alone, even if it wasn’t a shifter.
He carried him most of the way, but set him down for the last bit of the journey. He wasn’t a shifter, just a grizzly cub, but Wilder still had command of the beasts in his human form. They sensed an alpha and obeyed, even stubborn little cubs.
He knew of several bear families near his cabin who’d willingly adopt the youngster. He’d just have to make the journey with them tomorrow.