Page 10 of Bear Necessities
Looking down at Enid, who shrugs her shoulders, so I lead us to the very back of the hotel.The last room is the largest, and will be the nicest room in the hotel once we get it finished.I think the owners plan to refer to it as a honeymoon suite.The views of Ravenhart Mountain are gorgeous from this angle.It would definitely be a romantic place to spend several snowed-in-days after marrying the love of your life.
“So, we just stand in here?”Enid says, looking out the window.
“I guess?At least we have a beautiful view.”
I walk up behind her and look out at the jagged cliffs and tall trees.A couple of ravens swoop by us.Enid turns toward me, so close I can feel her body heat.That sizzle of electricity is there, which I keep feeling whenever I am close to her.She looks up at me, her light blue eyes searching my face, and I fight the urge to ask her out right here and now.She reaches up and picks something off of my shoulder.
“Fuzzy,” she says, shyly, with cold air coming out of her mouth.
“It’s getting even colder in here,” I say, turning to see if I can spot the reason.
“What the…”
I turn around to see Enid’s blue eyes widen when the window behind her flings open and she falls backward, as if she is being pushed.I grab her wrists as her head flings backwards through the window and yank her back inside.This causes me to lose my footing and I fall over onto my ass, with Enid following.When she lands on me, my back slams into the wood floor.
The two of us lie there for a moment, both stunned by what just happened.She tries to push herself off of me, but her hand slips and her buxom chest whams back down onto my clavicle.Enid’s face is just above mine, our eyes meeting.I can’t help but look down at her full lips.She bites her lower lip while her eyes flicker to my mouth.
In unison, we grab each other, kissing with a wild passion that has been missing in my life for too long.She tastes like cherry lip balm and I can’t help but suck on her lower lip because of it.This makes her giggle and we continue to kiss, in between laughs.But we freeze in place when the door opens, revealing a smug-looking Doris.
“As expected.OK, my dears, please leave the hotel now so that I can banish this spirit.”
7
Enid
Bernieand I stand awkwardly with his brother in front of the hotel while we wait for Doris.My lips still burn from his stubble, and the taste of him lingers on my tongue.
I feel my cheeks burn when his brother sniffs him and says, “Is that cherry lip balm?”
Before Bernie answers, the front door swings open and a pleased Doris, with her Blue Persian, walks out.She looks over at the jar Barrett is holding and shrugs.
“No luck in capturing it?Oh well.”
“That’s, that’s it?You were alone in there for less than ten minutes.”Bernie says.
“That’s it!And I’m beat.Take me home, please.”
Doris and Sterling hop into the truck and look out the window expectantly at us.I look up at the brothers, who both burst into laughter.
“This Doris woman is a trip,” Barrett says.
Bernie looks at his watch and says, “I figured she’d stay at the hotel for the night, but it’s early enough.I can drive her home.”
“I’ll join you,” I say, feeling his brother shoot me a curious grin, so I quickly add, “Since I promised her I would.”
* * *
The drive back to Joshua Tree which was, yet again, filled with Doris’s storytelling, is overall uneventful.When we pull up in front of her cottage, the witch follows her familiar out of the truck with barely a goodbye.
When she reaches her front door, Doris turns to us and gestures for me to roll down my window.
“Now, you two, drive safe and I hope it’s an interesting trip!”she says with a snort, before entering her home and leaving us to wonder what the heck she meant.
Bernie laughs to himself as he begins the descent down the windy hill.
“You know, I wouldn’t have thought much about that last comment of hers, but she is a witch.So, like, what the hell?”
I laugh and shrug.