would be fun. Now who wants to take charge of this?”
She held out a box.
“What is that?” Tyler rose to his feet as he figured out what she had clutched in her fingers. “Oh, the necklace. Just keep it.”
Her gaze narrowed and she stepped closer, poking him in the chest with the container. “Hardly.”
“No, it’s yours. Ready to go?” Tyler frowned as Justin made the strangest motions with his head and brows. “What is your damn problem? Stop twitching like a zombie.”
Justin shrugged. “I was trying to warn you a certain female might be pissed off at you. As your friend, I’d ignore your stupidity and be amused by the pain she’ll cause, but as your bodyguard I figured I should make sure you have a second’s warning. In case you need to be prepared for a physical attack.”
Caroline grinned at Justin. “You already had a coffee this morning, didn’t you?”
“I’m a sharp cookie in general, but yes. Perhaps you’ll take his lack of caffeine into consideration before you flatten him.”
“I’m in the room. Stop talking about me like I’m not here.” Tyler paused. Something had gone down weird in the last couple minutes. “You are talking about me, correct?”
Caroline grabbed him by the belt buckle and jerked. Well, she attempted to jerk him forward, but he weighed too much for her to make him budge. Instead, his jeans shifted position, and she slipped the box into the gap between the fabric and his abdomen. “You have a good friend there, Tyler. I’ll let you off this time. Come on. Let’s get you some food and see if your brain wakes up.”
Justin headed for the door, checking the hallway. Tyler removed the box from his pants and returned it to his bag. Caroline pulled on a coat and ignored him as if he wasn’t even there.
The two of them ended up alone at the table for breakfast as Justin faded unobtrusively into the background. Tyler and Caroline chatted throughout the meal about family and their general experiences of living in the north. By the time they were done eating, he’d figured out what he’d done to piss her off earlier.
She wasn’t like any woman he’d ever met before. Most wouldn’t have thought twice about accepting the jewelry. In fact, he’d had a few lovers he was pretty sure had angled for nights together more for the trinkets he gave them than to be with him.
Caroline was a breath of fresh air in his life, and his unreasonable fear struck again. That in the midst of the best thing happening to him he would lose himself.
He couldn’t afford to have his concentration broken more than it already was, but he’d made her a commitment this was more than simply business.
Six foot four and frightened by his emotions. Hurrah for stupidity. Maybe her comment about rabbits and hamsters made some sense.
Tyler opened the jeep’s passenger door for Caroline and watched in bemusement as she crawled all the way across to settle into the driver’s seat. “What are you doing?”
She grinned. “Showing you around. Get in.”
She expected him to argue, so he did the unexpected and sat, slipping the seat back while she adjusted her chair to reach the pedals. He glanced over his shoulder and noted the pair of daypacks on the seat. “Justin said he left us water bottles and a lunch, so where shall we go?”
Caroline headed out of town and toward the south. “Miles Canyon. There are some great hiking trails we can stretch our legs on for a while, if that’s okay with you.”
That sounded wonderful. “Lead on.”
Every moment left the suit and tie farther behind them, and the opportunity to relax and break away was the last thing he’d expected to experience during this event.
Actually,
She parked the jeep under the shade of a towering evergreen, the lowest branches brushing the roof. They both checked the area around them before opening their doors.
Her sense of caution pleased him and made him wonder. “You know to do that?”
She sighed. “You bears might be the biggest game in town right now, Tyler, but you aren’t the only things a girl needs to watch out for.”
Her comment made the blood rise at the back of his eyes and things turned red. “You’ve never had troubles with anyone, have you?”
She’d pulled out one backpack already, pressing it into his arms as he stepped to her side. “No, Tyler. I’ve never been attacked. Well, not deliberately. There was one time that a couple of the pack got mixed up and thought I was the target for a shifter version of Capture the Flag. I had the devil of a time staying out of their path.”
He settled the pack in position, shocked she could laugh about it. “You were run down by a bunch of wolves and you’re not mad?”
Caroline knelt to tighten her laces. “Who said they caught me?”
Her bright smile shone up at him, and his bear roared to life, sending all kinds of pornworthy images involving her in that position, albeit sans runners, backpack and clothes. He was helpless to stop his cock from reacting.
Some of what he was thinking must have shown on his face. Her gaze dropped over him, lingering for long enough to be a visual caress right where he really didn’t need any encouragement.
Then, dammit, she licked her lips, and he was done for. Fully hard and aching, his cock pressed the front of his jeans.
Caroline rose slowly, inching forward as she finished with her body brushing his, her fingers tracing the line of his belt.
“Maybe instead of a hike, we should make this more interesting.”
His instant response shot out; half human, half bear, all male. “I’m game.”
She slipped her fingers into his pockets, the side of her knuckles skimming the crest of his cock, and her eyes widened. He was mesmerized by her expression, by her lips that were still wet from where she’d moistened them. “You know, I don’t mind the idea of being chased.”
Shit.
Oh damn.
He swallowed hard in an attempt to stop the ringing in his ears. “Chasing you would be my privilege.”
Another soft stroke along his erection sent a shiver of lust all the way to his brain. “Getting caught. That could be fun as well. If you’re good enough.”
“You have some kinky fantasies, baby.”
Her expressive face vanished from view as she leaned in close and pressed her lips to his neck. A blast of desire rocked him.
She adjusted her grip, pressing her full palm to his erection. “If you catch me, maybe you’ll find out.”
“If? I’m a bear.” He tucked his fingers under her chin and forced her head up so he could examine her face, wanting to be sure she knew what kind of game she was arranging. He brushed his thumb over her cheek, fighting the urge to pick her up right here and bend her over the back of the jeep. “I’ll give you a five-minute head start.”
Her eyes sparkled as she stepped back. She whispered as she widened the gap between them. “I’ll tell you
She blew him a kiss before turning and crossing the empty parking lot, headed for the suspension bridge and the foothills on the other side of the river.
He double-checked the doors were locked then strolled to the bridge, deliberately not watching which direction she headed after leaving the iron contraption.
Below him the Whitehorse River rushed toward the city, the raging rapids a thing of the past since the dam had been built. There was still enough water to create a low rumble of sound, filling his ears with life and excitement. The sun lit the valley, reflecting off rich green limbs and fluttering leaves in stark contrast with the deep blue sky above them. His nostrils filled with the scent of pine and earth…
