“Uh, I just …” He rubbed the back of his head. “It just came out, okay? That guy was getting too close to you—us, and I just wanted him to back off before I did something I would regret.”
“You mean like shift into your animal.”
That seemed to catch him by surprise. “Y-yeah. How did you know?”
“I … read about it,” she said. “And then I heard you growl.”
“Oh. You’re not afraid of me, are you?” He sounded almost scared himself. “I would never hurt you. Nor would my grizzly.”
So that’s what he was. A grizzly bear. The thought of it should have scared her, but it didn’t. Though she had no experience with shifters except for Darcey and she was nowhere even near to what a bear was, somehow, she knew he was telling the truth. “I’m not afraid,” she said. “But about the annulment papers.”
“Yeah, about those. Listen,” he began. “The cat’s going to be pretty much out of the bag once those guys find out who you are. Believe me, it only took them a couple hours to get my info. But maybe we could help each other out?”
“Help each other out? What do you mean?”
“Yeah, see … this is embarrassing, but you know, I didn’t jump up on that stage intending to become some kind of celebrity. I was just trying to stop someone from getting hurt. But now my world’s turned upside down, and I keep getting, uh, propositions.”
“Propositions?”
“Yeah. From women. Lots of them. All of them wanting to date, marry, or f—I mean, go to bed with me.”
And unfamiliar feeling curled tight in her chest, going all hot and then cold all of a sudden. Just the thought of other women being near him was making her gut twist. “And so what do you want me to do about it?”
“Can’t you just … hold off on the annulment for now and pretend to be my wife? Just for a couple of days until this all blows over?”
“Excuse me?” She stared at him, silent, waiting for the punchline. “Wait, you’re serious?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I mean, just let them take a few pictures of us going to dinner, buying furniture together. You know, stuff married couples do. Then, when people see it, they’ll stop bothering me,”
He was crazy. “If you think a ring on your finger will stop some crazy bitch determined to fu—bed you, then you’re too pure for this world, Rogers,” she said. “Besides, it’s better if we get this over with now, then they can leave you alone.”
“Can’t you see; they won’t leave me alone? I mean, it’ll get even worse if it comes out that we got married while drunk in Vegas.” He sighed. “I could lose my job.”
That pulled a string in her heart, but she couldn’t let that affect her. Think of Darcey and Adam. They were counting on her. “I’m sorry, Daniel,” she said, hardening her heart. “I need to get this annulment done with as soon as possible.”
“Is there someone else?”
The tension in the tiny cab of the truck rose up tenfold. She wanted to lie to him, tell him that she had a boyfriend or was engaged to someone. But she couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud. “Does it matter? You don’t know me, I don’t know you, we can’t stay married. Don’t make me have to go through the ropes and spend money I don’t have getting you served. Please.” She closed her eyes and thought of her brother and sister. “Just sign the papers, okay?”
Daniel was looking straight out, his hands on the wheel in a death grip. “Fine,” he said, his lips thinning. “I’ll have my dad look it over tonight, sign it if he says it looks good, and drop it at your motel in the morning.”
“Thank you.” She breathed a sigh of relief. At least, she thought it was relief. But why was that knot forming in her stomach getting tighter. “Do you think it’s safe to go back?”
“Let me check.” He reached for the radio receiver on his car. “Charlie, this is Grizzly One. Did anyone try to follow us up past the gates, over?”
“They tried, Grizzly One,” came the voice after the crackling sound. “But I turned them away. Over.”
“Awesome. Thanks, Charlie. Over. Base, is it all clear? No more reporters?”
“Affirmative, Grizzly One,” came another voice, this time it sounded like a female. “You’re all clear. Chief kicked out the rest of them. Over.”
“Thanks, Base. Over and out.” He replaced the receiver and then put the truck in reverse, turning the wheel until they faced the road back into the forest. The rest of the ride was silent, but she didn’t really know what else to say.
As soon as they pulled up to her car, she unbuckled her belt. “Thanks,” she mumbled.
“Sarah, I—”
“Yes?” she said a little too quickly, whipping her head back at him.
Those silvery blue eyes stared back at her, his lips twitching as if he wanted to say something. “I … nothing.”
Disappointment—over what, she wasn’t sure—poured over her like a bucket of ice water. Afraid to say something else, she nodded, and quickly hopped out and made a dash for her own car.
Safe inside, she started the engine. Daniel hadn’t moved from his spot, and though she couldn’t see him, it was as if she could feel his silvery blue gaze on her.
It’s done, she told herself as she pulled out of the spot. By this time tomorrow, she’d be home, annulment papers in hand. She’d be free of this farce and move on with her life, without Daniel Rogers in it.
Sarah spent much of the evening tossing and turning, unable to quiet her thoughts. Of course, she was thinking of Daniel and that inscrutable look on his face when he told her he’d sign the papers.
Why did he seem almost disappointed? Did he not want to get this whole thing over with?
