Page 22 of Bear

“I came to ask you something,” she said after she regained her voice.

“What’s up?” I reached out and let my fingers slide through her hair. I loved the way her eyes couldn’t help but fall shut when I did that.

“Can I come with you tonight?” She quizzed.

“Come with me where?” A frown pulled my lips and brows down.

“You know…to the lumberyard.”

“Cecily, fuck no. Not after today. I made a mistake taking you with me. You need to stay here while I handle that.”

“Bear, I had horrible nightmares last night while you were gone. When you got back you had some woman in your bed. I just…I want to be near you because you help take my mind off things. I can’t be near you if you’re always gone or fucking someone.” I caught a hint of bitterness in her tone. It lingered in the air potent and sharp.

I groaned and tousled my locs. She wanted to be near me. That wasn’t so bad. Maybe I could still keep her away from the gruesome shit that was going to happen. She didn’t need to see how a frozen body looked getting chopped into bits.

Cecily was too good for shit like that. I couldn’t help wondering if I’d opened Pandora’s box by bringing her with me. She was telling the truth about wanting to be with me but a part of her also liked the thrill and I saw it sparkling in her eyes. The darkness in me was drawn to it.

“You getting a kick out of this shit?” I quizzed, folding my arms. She answered with a shrug.

“I wouldn’t say that.” She was full of shit.

“Yeah, okay so you’re cool with staying put until I get back tonight then? I won’t be long.”

“Bear, I want to come.”

“I won’t call over any girls, okay? I’ll come straight home. You can climb in my bed and annoy the shit out of me like old times.” I pulled her slender curves closer and put my hands on her hips. She smelled like something so familiar. Like something sweet and good.

Fruity Pebbles.

She smelled like Fruity Pebbles cereal.

“You promise?” She pouted. I looked at her full lips then into her cognac eyes and nodded. I could tell she still wanted to go but the timid side of her was still more dominant.

Good.

That’s what I wanted.

“Do I ever lie to you?”

“No…” She slid her hands up to my shoulders our eyes danced around each other. The energy between us shifted. Usually, I didn’t care for change but I liked the change I felt settling into my bones.

“Cecily, how long are you staying in New Orleans?” I tightened my grip on her hips because I realized now that she was around I didn’t want her to rush off.

“I don’t know. Until I feel comfortable going back to school, I guess. Now that I’m here with you…” She shrugged and wet her lips with her pink tongue.

“Yeah, I feel the same way,” I chuckled. “I didn’t realize how much I missed you.” I moved my possessive hands from Cecily’s hips and tucked locks of hair behind her ear. The tips of my fingers throbbed. Not with blood though. They throbbed with the need to run against Cecily’s scalp feeling her ebony strands against my palm. I’d never felt the need to stroke someone’s hair so badly.

“We shouldn’t have gone a year without seeing each other,” Cecily said. “Promise you’ll come home as soon as you’re done?” She pulled back from me and broke the hold that new energy had on us. I blinked a few times and pinched the bridge of my nose.

“I promise, baby doll.” I cleared my throat and went to sit down behind my desk again. I lit my cigar and Cecily smiled at me.

“Still the same Bear.” She walked out, swaying her hips and I allowed my gaze to wrap around them the same way my fingers had done moments ago.

I had to get used to being around her again. That’s all. That’s why I couldn’t stop staring at her and noticing little things I’d forgotten about her pretty face. Like the fact that she had a light dusting of freckles on her high cheekbones.

I pushed Cecily out of my mind and got prepared for overtime at the lumberyard. I made calls and then I looked at my phone at the one number I didn’t feel like calling.

My father.