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“No. Not today.” My words don’t stop him from stepping toward me, and I slowly back away. “Or tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the next.”
I barely have the last words out before he leans forward, wraps his arms around my waist, and tosses me over his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” I scream.
“Tomorrow you can never do what I tell you to do again. But tonight, you are staying at my place. I’ll stay at my parents.” He grabs my boots from the floor, then carries me to the door.
“Bear! Put me down! I mean it!” I pound my fists against his back.
I may as well be trying to punch my way through the cinderblock walls in the shop. Bear’s back is as solid as his chest.
But the truth is, I don’t fight him as hard as I should.
I could get out of his hold if I really wanted to. I have moves. But I’m also not an idiot. My hair still has shampoo in it, and I’d really love to rinse off in a shower I don’t have to squeeze myself into. I have to assume Bear has a Bear-size shower. Maybe even a Bear-size tub.
So I let him carry me to his Jeep, where he sets me on the driver’s side, and hands me the keys.
“You’d better drive.” He points to the back of his skull. “Head injury.”
His lip twitches as if he might smile, which means I have to force my mouth not to do the same.
“Plus, Georgia’s warned everyone you’re a terrible backseat driver.”
Before I can defend myself, he’s already stepping away from the Jeep. “Turn on the heat and get warm. I’m going to get your stuff.” He wags his thumb toward the studio.
I open my mouth to tell him not to worry about it, but what comes out is, “Thanks.”
“I’ll be right back.” Bear takes two steps and starts to shut the door, then stops. “Don’t leave without me… Please.”
He goes to shut the door again when I remember something. “Get my sidearm too, please. I don’t want to leave it in an unlocked apartment.”
A look comes over his face similar to the one he had when he saw me in a towel, before he knocked himself out, and I have to bite back a laugh.
He turns to leave without bothering with the door, and I swear he mumbles, “That’s hot.”
Chapter 22
Bear
Cassie is wearing my jersey. And she called me Bear.
More than once.
My head is killing me. I can already feel a lump forming. My eyes itch so badly from being in her cat-contaminated space that I want to scratch them out of my head. And the entire building is going to need major repairs beyond re-piping.
But it’s worth it.
Because Cassie is wearing my jersey, and she called me Bear.
Chapter 23
Cassie
The drive to Bear’sis short and silent, because I’m still not forgiving him for flooding my apartment. Or for squirreling it. Definitely not for micing it.
Which doesn’t mean I’ve forgotten what he said yesterday about having feelings for me. I haven’t stopped thinking about that or wondering whether he feels differently now that he knows about my plans to get the building declared historic. And I hate that I hope they haven’t. I hate that I want to kiss him even more now.
I’m mad about the pipes, but also conflicted because Bear’s being such a gentleman. First by doing his best not to look at me in my robe, then by loaning me his jersey, and finally by insisting on staying at his parents’ house.
