Wild About You

slowly, grasping the branches of trees to keep her balance.

Finally, she reached the bottom. The trees ended, along with the spongy ground covered with pine needles. A rocky slab extended toward the edge of a creek. The sun shone brightly, and she blinked to adjust her eyes.

The stream serpentined along the bottom of the ravine, tumbling over rocks and meandering around large boulders. Downstream, she spotted Howard, partially hidden behind a pile of rocks. His back was to her, his torso bare. He’d taken off his shirt.

The deer scampered downstream, their hooves clattering on the rocky slab.

He turned toward the sound, and Elsa ducked back behind the tree line. Chicken. Why don’t you let him know you’re here?

She winced. She wasn’t sure he wanted her here. After all, if a man wandered off into the woods, didn’t that mean he wanted to be alone? If he had to use some sort of superpower to heal himself, he probably wanted to keep it secret.

But if he was serious about having a relationship with her, then he shouldn’t keep secrets. She eased quietly downstream, making sure she was hidden behind trees and bushes. Luckily, the deer had decided to scurry back up the hill, and they were making enough noise to cover any noise she made.

Thanks, guys! She called out to them mentally. Great. Now she was as crazy as her aunts.

She spotted Howard, standing behind a large boulder that was flat on top. Apparently, he had washed his shirt in the stream, for it was wet, and he was laying it on top of the sunny rock to dry. She tiptoed farther downstream so she could see him from behind.

He was standing where the stream made a sharp turn. A wall of granite had impeded its progress, resulting in a pothole where the water was deep enough for swimming.

She winced at the raw and bloody scrapes along his torso and arms. Poor Howard. He kicked off his shoes, then unbuckled his pants and dropped them.

Her breath caught, and she covered her mouth. With his super hearing, she had to be careful not to make a sound. But it was hard, so hard not to whimper when he hooked his thumbs into the elastic waistband of his blue cotton briefs and slowly eased them over his rump.

Oh God. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned, pressing her back against the large tree that hid her. She was as bad as a Peeping Tom. Ogling the poor guy when he was covered with scrapes and blood.

But shouldn’t she see how badly he was injured? She opened her eyes and peered around the tree.

Good Lord. Her heart stilled. He had the most beautiful rump in the world. No, the universe. Poetry should be written and songs dedicated to it.

Her eyes widened as she took in his entire form from the back. Huge, hunky Howard.

He stepped into the pool, walking forward till the water was up to his waist. Then he washed the blood off his arms and chest. Was this part of his healing routine? Whatever it was, it was beautiful to watch.

He scooped up some water with his big hands and splashed it on his face. Another scoop, and he raked it through his hair. His biceps bulged. The muscles in his back rippled. Her knees threatened to buckle.

She crouched behind the large tree, but a bush obstructed her view. She eased a branch aside. He had turned and was now facing her. Oh God, lucky break. He might have seen her if she hadn’t knelt in the nick of time.

She closed her eyes, chiding herself. You should be ashamed of yourself, ogling the poor man when he’s injured.

She opened her eyes and gasped. He was turning gray!

He looked up.

Dammit. She hunkered lower behind the bush. What on earth was going on? A man’s skin color didn’t just change like that.

She peeked again. Gray! He looked like a Greek god, sculpted out of pewter. His eyes blazed a deep blue.

Her heart raced. This had to be his superpower. This was how he healed himself!

She took another peek and choked. His body was shimmering, growing, changing. Hair sprouted. His face contorted, shimmered, then snapped into sharp focus.

A bear.

Her knees and arms buckled, and she collapsed on the ground. Dazed, she watched him through the branches.

She blinked, and he was still there.

Howard was a bear.

She shook her head. She’d wondered if he could be a wolf or bear, but now, with the proof right in front of her, she still found it hard to believe. But there he was. A huge, freaking bear. Not a cute little panda. A humongous, hulking grizzly bear!

He splashed around in the water, then lumbered out onto the bank and shook himself. Droplets of water shot out in all directions.

Her heart lurched as reality finally slapped her hard across the face. She was about thirty feet away from a grizzly bear!

Panic slammed into her. What could she do? If she ran up the hill, he would see her and chase her down. He? Was it a he? Was there any of Howard in that huge beast?

Oh God, she should have listened to her aunts! They’d warned her that he was a berserker, that he could turn into a beast, a killing machine.

What did a person do when confronted with a grizzly? Play dead? She pulled her knees up and hugged them, her back pressed to the tree. Her heart raced, thundering in her ears so loudly that she was afraid he would hear.

He would come after her. He would smell her. Hear her. He would come to kill her.

Was this what had happened to her grandmother? Was she mauled to death by a bear?

Elsa heard steps behind her, heavy and lumbering, coming toward her.

Hot tears gathered in her eyes. How could she have been so stupid? Why hadn’t she heeded the warnings from her aunts? Would they ever find her body, ever know what had happened to her?

Get a grip. She squeezed her knees to her chest. She would have to play dead. No matter what the bear did to her, she couldn’t react. God, please, let it leave me alone.

The bush beside her shook, and she heard a snuffling sound behind it.

Don’t move. Don’t react.

The bear lumbered slowly into view, making a wide circle till it stopped about fifteen feet in front of her.

Her heart raced, and she tensed, bracing herself for impact. It would attack any second now.

It sat.

She waited, but nothing happened. Slowly, she let her gaze wander up its massive body to its head.

It tilted its large head, studying her.

Howard’s eyes. She inhaled sharply, then froze, determined not to react. But what grizzly had sharp blue eyes? Intelligent eyes that watched her every move. Was Howard in there?

The bear rose onto all fours, then walked toward her. Her fingers dug into her jeans. Don’t move. Don’t react.

It stopped about six feet from her and sat.

What was it doing? Playing with her before it attacked? Or giving her time to adjust? Adjust to what? Her death or her future?

It stood again and moved closer. She held her breath.

It nudged her foot with its snout, then looked at her. Its blue eyes looked peaceful, almost friendly.

She drew in a shaky breath.

It nudged her knee with its snout, then looked at her again.

“Howard?” she whispered.