Page 240 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

I told you, his bear said smugly.She’sourmate.

Maybe the beast was right. Maybe she was their mate. He’d never felt such a strong pull toward any other woman. Part of him couldn’t imagine letting her go. Even though they’d agreed to keep things light between them, he wasn’t sure he could fulfill his side of thebargain.

He lifted his head to look at her. She froze mid-stroke. Time stopped as his heart clenched. Could this curvy, golden-haired goddess really be his mate? If so, he was in serious trouble because she had no intention of staying. He needed time to figure it out, but time was the one thing he didn’t have. If there was even the slightest chance that she was his, then he’d have to do whatever it took to figure it out. He couldn’t let her leave the ranch if she was hisfatedmate.

* * *

Abby tried notto move anything other than the paint brush. She didn’t want to scare the magnificent grizzly bear away. She couldn’t believe how lucky she’d gotten. Bears were supposed to be hibernating this time of year, not trouncing around theforest.

Also, there was something really weird about the animal. She couldn’t quite figure it out, but it seemed to have an awareness of her. It kept cocking its head from side to side, staring in her direction. If she didn’t know better, she’d think the beast was posing, which was completely ridiculous. It obviously kept its eyes on her to make sure she wasn’t going to attack. She fixed a semi-wary gaze on the animal too. She wasn’t in the mood to get eaten today, at least not bythebear.

Flashes of last night’s intense lovemaking session with Cody played through her mind with distracting frequency. Even now, her body warmed at the thought of falling into his arms. Too bad it was just sex. He would probably ruin her for all other men. And why not? The man was a freaking stallioninbed.

Her thighs ached from being spread and pounded by his feral thrusts. The more they’d made love, the rougher he’d gotten until the last time when she’d nearly fainted in ecstasy. When she’d tried to stand that morning, she’d collapsed back onto the bed. It took two more tries before her legs would hold her. She’d walked bowlegged to the bathroom in a decidedly unsexyswagger.

The paintbrush moved over the paper as if on its own accord. She directed her attention back to the bear. Its light brown fur glimmered in the sunshine. When it bent to lick its paw, her heart melted. Bears were so cute. Granted, this one had paws the size of her head and claws to match, but still, from a distance, it was stunninglybeautiful.

An hour passed with the bear still standing in one position. She dipped the brush in the water and wiped it on a paper towel. The finished painting captured the majestic look in the bear’s eyes. She didn’t know how she was able to translate what she saw onto the page, but she didn’tquestionit.

The bear yawned and ambled back toward the woods. She wasn’t ready to watch it walk away, so she quickly packed up the watercolors and started into thewoods.

Careful to stay a good distance behind the creature, she stepped in its tracks. She didn’t want to accidentally snap a tree branch and give away her position. For every step the bear took, she had to take two. Five minutes later, the bear stopped in a small clearing. Thank God. Freezing air curled into her lungs, sapping herstrength.

She couldn’t wait to get back to the ranch and indulge in a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows. She also needed to find Cody and thank him for the incredible night. Maybe he’d want to spend another night together. So what if she could hardly walk today? It had been totally worth it. She’d lost count of how many times she’d come inhisarms.

Up ahead, the bear chuffed and pawed the ground. A strange keening burst from its lips before a loud cracking noise snapped through the air. The bear reared up as its bones snapped and twisted. Abby’s eyes went wide. Whatthehell?

The fur on its body receded. The giant paws shrunk to form hands. A man’s hands. A man’s hands that sherecognized.

Her stomachplunged.

The bear painting felt from her fingers, completely forgotten as she struggled to make sense of what she was seeing. The elongated snout morphed into the rugged shape of the face she’d kissed all night—Cody’sface.

Holyshit.

She backed up a step, right onto a fallen branch. It snapped louder than a gunshot. The report echoed through thewoods.

He rose up from the ground to stand completely naked in front of her. She glanced at something hanging on a nearby tree. Hisclothes.

“Oh, God.” She brought her hand to her mouth. For each step she took back, he took one forward. She considered turning and running. What the hell should she do? Was he going to kill her? Turn back into a bear and maul her todeath.

“Stay away,” sheyelled.

“Abby, I can explain.” Pain and desperation rolled acrosseachword.

For a second, she almost considered listening to what he had to say. But she wasn’t stupid. Whatever he was, it wasn’t natural. It wasn’t normal, and she wasn’t going to stick around long enough for him to try to twist whatshe’dseen.

She turned and ran as fast as she could toward theB&B.

“Abby,wait!”

She didn’t stop until she hurled herself in through the front of the B & B, up the stairs, and into her bedroom. She slammed and locked the door then backed awayfromit.

Would he chase her? Break it down? God, what was he going to do to her now that she knew his horrificsecret?

She hurried to the closet and pulled her luggage out. Regardless of what was waiting for her in Dallas, at least it wasn’t a bear-man intent on chewing her to pieces. She was more than ready to face her parents if the alternative was being eatenalive.

A knock sounded onthedoor.