Page 24 of Flare (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters #17)

Conundrum

Ward kept his senses on high alert for any sign of Andrew Brunborn as he walked at Emily ’ s side. He ’ d already decided he would buy her a portable panic button first thing tomorrow.

The Lavender & Lilacs Festival had finally wound down for the night. He ’ d helped Maggie, Violet, and Emily with booth cleanup before escorting Emily back to his place.

Maggie had been beyond pleased with the first day ’ s festival attendance. She and Violet had excitedly discussed their plans to return to the bakery early tomorrow morning to bake extra batches of the lavender shortbread, macarons, and cinnamon rolls.

Clearly unnerved by Andrew ’ s appearance this afternoon, Emily stuck close to Ward, her gaze darting nervously to every shadow beyond the reach of her flashlight.

Other than Main Street, Bearpaw Ridge didn ’ t have streetlights. Porch lights from the houses lining Cedar Street provided more than enough light for Ward ’ s enhanced eyesight, but Emily needed extra illumination.

As they walked, Ward savored Emily ’ s nearness, her sweet scent of her hair, and the sight of his carved pendant hanging against her purple t-shirt.

“ Do you think he ’ s still around?” she murmured, her eyes darting to the shadows between buildings.

Ward shook his head. “ I think he hightailed it out of town the minute he realized we were on to him. He ’ d be a fool to come back.”

“ You ’ d be surprised what Andrew thinks he can get away with,” she said, wrapping her arms around herself.

Without thinking, Ward slipped his arm around her shoulders. “ I won ’ t let him near you,” he promised. His bear huffed in agreement.

Emily leaned into him and slipped her arm around his waist, accepting his protection. “ Thank you,” she said simply.

They walked in comfortable silence for a few moments.

“ And thank you again for the pendant,” Emily said, her fingers rising to touch the carved bear that hung from the leather cord.

“ It looks good on you,” he said, his voice deeper than he intended.

Emily smiled shyly. Her fingers traced the outline of the bear against her collarbone, and Ward couldn ’ t tear his eyes away from the movement. Her skin looked soft in the dim light, and he itched to run his fingers over it.

“ Almost home,” he said.

“ It ’ s starting to feel that way to me,” she said, surprising him. “ Like home, I mean.”

Her words sent a wave of pleasure through Ward. He wanted her to feel at home here—in Bearpaw Ridge, in his house, in his life.

As they approached his house, Ward scanned the surroundings with sharp eyes. Besides the security cameras, he ’ d installed motion-sensor lights this morning to illuminate the yard and driveway, leaving no shadowy places for anyone to lurk.

Everything looked undisturbed, exactly as he ’ d left it an hour ago.

“ Wait here,” he said, reluctantly disentangling himself from Emily as they reached the porch steps.

She nodded. Ward quickly checked around the house, using his nose to search for any unfamiliar scents. Finding nothing but the usual smells of visiting cats, raccoons, and deer, he returned to the porch where Emily waited patiently.

“ All clear,” he said, unlocking his front door and ushering her inside.

Ward had left a lamp on in the living room, and it cast a soft glow. Emily set her purse on the side table and toed off her sneakers with a soft sigh.

He noticed the shadows of fatigue under her eyes.

“ Long day,” Ward observed, watching as she rolled her shoulders to release the tension there.

“ But a good one,” she said, smiling. “ We sold out of the macarons and the lavender shortbread.”

“ I ’ m not surprised. They were delicious.”

“ I should probably get some sleep,” Emily said, though she made no move toward the guest room.

She stood close to him, close enough that Ward could feel the warmth radiating from her body, could see the rise and fall of her breasts as she breathed.

“ It ’ s probably going to be another busy day tomorrow,” he agreed, his voice rough.

He ached to pull her into his arms and see if they could repeat the amazing chemistry of their first kiss on Thursday night.

Her hand went to the pendant again, caressing it. “ Thank you for everything today. For lunch, for coming by after Andrew showed up, for walking me home. And for this.”

She looked up at him, tapping the pendant, and he smelled something unexpected.

She wanted him?

Oh, God. You ’ re making this impossible for me, he thought, desperately jamming his hands in his pockets to avoid spooking her.

“ You don ’ t need to thank me,” Ward rasped.

She stepped right up to him, and he couldn ’ t control himself any longer.

He reached out and tucked a stray lock of her silky hair behind her ear. As he did so, he brushed the warm upper shell of her ear. Her pulse sped up, and goosebumps raced across her skin.

The air between them seemed to thicken. Emily ’ s gaze dropped to his mouth, and Ward ’ s heart hammered against his ribs.

He leaned in, drawn by an invisible force, moving slowly enough that she could stop him if she wanted to.

Their faces were inches apart, her breath warm against his skin. Ward inhaled her sweet scent and could almost taste her on his tongue.

His bear pushed forward, eager and demanding, but Ward restrained it with a desperate grip.

What happened next had to be Emily ’ s choice.

But, dammit, he wanted to kiss her again more than he ’ d ever wanted anything.

Her pupils were dilated, and her lips parted slightly. For a breathless moment, he thought she would close the distance between them.

But then uncertainty flickered across her expression, and her glance slid away from his.

Instead of kissing him, like he so desperately hoped, Emily reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, giving him a tight hug.

Ward swallowed his disappointment and returned the embrace.

She felt so damned good in his arms, like she belonged there. He buried his nose in her hair and breathed deeply, enjoying the feeling of her soft breasts pressing against chest.

“ Goodnight, Ward,” she murmured, her breath hot against his cheek.

“ Sleep tight, Emily,” he replied, forcing himself to release her when she pulled away.

His bear howled with disappointment.

She gave him a small smile, somewhere between apologetic and grateful, before turning and heading down the hallway to the guest bathroom.

The door closed with a soft click, and Ward heard the water running as she began her nighttime routine.

He stood motionless in the living room, his body still humming with unreleased tension.

She ’ d told him she needed time, and Ward would honor that. He ’ d give her all the time in the world if that ’ s what it took.

But understanding didn ’ t make the wanting any easier.

Ward moved through his own evening routine mechanically, locking up, turning off lights, plugging in his phone to charge. He brushed his teeth in the primary bathroom, trying not to think about Emily just down the hall, getting ready for bed.

By the time he climbed into his king-size bed, the house had gone quiet.

Ward stared at the ceiling, listening to the familiar creaks and settles of his house. His bear paced restlessly beneath his skin, dissatisfied with the slow progress of the courtship.

His animal half didn ’ t understand the need for patience, for healing. It only knew that their mate was sleeping under their roof, but not in Ward ’ s bed, where she belonged.

Ward shifted, punching his pillow into a more comfortable shape.

The memory of Emily ’ s body pressed against his in that hug lingered, tormenting him with what could have been.

He imagined how it would feel to kiss her again.

To slowly undress her, revealing inch by inch of soft skin.

To lay her down on his bed and worship her body until she screamed his name.

He groaned and shoved his hand down the front of his pajama pants. His cock was rock hard, and it would keep him awake unless he took care of things.

As he stroked himself, his mind kept circling back to the way she ’ d looked at him as they stood in his living room, the trust in her eyes, the way her fingers had traced the bear pendant he ’ d carved. She ’ d been wearing his gift all day, keeping a piece of him close to her heart.

He imagined her small, soft hands on his cock, working him while they kissed.

Ward groaned and came hard, panting as his orgasm tore through him and coated his fist.

As he rolled out of bed and went to his bathroom to clean up, he realized he ’ d never reacted to a woman the way he reacted to Emily. None of the women he ’ d dated, shifter or Ordinary, had gotten under his skin like this.

He ’ d heard the stories from his dad and his uncles, about the moment they ’ d found their true mates, about the instant recognition, the overwhelming need to claim and protect.

He ’ d thought they were exaggerating. Until Emily walked back into his life.

Had it been like that for Andrew Brunborn, too?

The thought made Ward uneasy. He wiped himself down with a damp washcloth and padded back to bed. He was intensely aware that Emily ’ s bedroom was just down the hall.

The difference between Andrew and him, Ward told himself firmly, was that he would never trick or force Emily into anything.

And if she never wanted more than friendship from him, he would accept that, painful as it might be. Her happiness and well-being mattered more than his bear ’ s impatience or his own desires.

But God, he wanted her so badly. Wanted to protect her, to make her smile, to see her blue eyes darken with desire for him.

Wanted to show her what it really meant to be loved.

∞∞∞

Sunday, May 17

The Lavender & Lilacs Festival had ended at four o ’ clock, and all along Main Street, vendors were packing up their goods and tents as the last visitors straggled back to their cars.