Page 9 of Guard Bear (Return To Fate Mountain #5)

Chapter

Eight

Andre pulled into Joy's driveway at three o'clock sharp, his patrol vehicle loaded with security equipment and something else—a sturdy plastic container with a secure lid on the passenger seat beside a drink carrier from Sweet Summit Café.

The sweet scent of cinnamon and warm frosting filled the cab, making his bear rumble with nervous anticipation.

He'd been up since noon, baking like his life depended on it.

Through the windshield, he watched her front door.

His hands trembled. Not from caffeine or lack of sleep, though he'd barely managed four hours.

No, this was pure anticipation. Need. The memory of her last night—fierce and determined despite scratched hands and exhaustion—had played on repeat in his mind.

The door opened. Joy emerged, and his bear surged so hard he had to lock his muscles to stay seated.

She'd changed into clean jeans that hugged her curves and a soft blue flannel that brought out flecks of gold in her brown eyes. Her hair was still damp from a shower, curling slightly at the ends.

Andre climbed out, balancing the container in one hand and the coffee carrier in the other while trying to grab his equipment checklist. Her eyes tracked to the container, curiosity flickering across her face.

"Thought you might need an afternoon pick-me-up." He held up his offerings, feeling suddenly unsure. "Coffee from Sweet Summit and... I made cinnamon rolls."

Something shifted in her expression—surprise melting into something softer. "You baked? This morning? After last night?"

"Couldn't sleep past noon anyway." He shifted the container to one arm, suddenly aware of how domestic this felt.

"That's..." She seemed to search for words. "Really thoughtful. Why don't we go over everything at my picnic table?" She gestured toward a weathered table beside her tiny house.

Joy led the way, and he followed, trying not to notice how her careful gait favored her left foot.

She sat on one side of the table while he took the other, spreading out his installation checklist and tablet between them.

He set the coffee carrier to one side and placed the container in the middle.

"I should probably grab plates—" Joy started to rise.

"Already thought of that." Andre pulled napkins, plastic forks, and paper plates from a cloth shopping bag, feeling like an overprepared idiot.

He popped the lid off the container, releasing the concentrated scent of cinnamon and warm frosting. Joy's eyes widened at the sight of perfectly spiraled rolls nestled inside.

"These look good,” she purred.

"I'd actually started the dough last night before... everything. Seemed a shame to waste it."

Joy paused with her hand hovering over the container. "Before everything? So that was before you were stalking my property at two in the morning?"

Heat flooded his face. His bear cringed. "I wasn't stalking. I was doing a routine patrol?—"

"At two forty-seven AM. On my property. Without permission." She took a deliberate bite of the cinnamon roll, watching him squirm. "That's the definition of stalking, Andre."

"I was worried. After our coffee meeting, after seeing those tampered hives..." He trailed off, knowing how weak it sounded.

"So, you decided to patrol my property in the middle of the night?" But her tone had shifted slightly, less accusatory and more resigned. "How long were you watching before the goats got out?"

"Maybe an hour." The admission scraped his throat. "I couldn't sleep. Kept thinking about the pattern of escalation. My bear wouldn't settle."

She studied him over her coffee cup. "Your bear, or you?"

"Both." He met her eyes, trying for honesty. "I know it was wrong. I know I violated your boundaries. Again. I just... I can't turn off the need to make sure you're safe."

Joy sighed, taking another bite. The silence stretched, broken only by birds calling in the afternoon sun. Finally, she said, "These cinnamon rolls are probably the only reason I'm not kicking you off my property right now."

"They're that good?"

"Don't push it." But the corner of her mouth twitched. "One more unauthorized patrol and we're done, Andre. I mean it."

"Understood." Relief flooded through him. A second chance he probably didn't deserve.

"Now show me these cameras before I change my mind." She took another bite of her roll. "And explain how they work so I don't have to depend on my stalker for security."

Andre forced himself to focus on his checklist instead of the way she licked frosting from her lips. "So, eight cameras total. Full perimeter coverage." He turned the tablet toward her, showing the property map he'd created. "Night vision, motion sensors, cellular backup."

Joy leaned forward to see better, and her knee brushed his under the table. The contact sent lightning up his spine.

"Show me where each one goes." She took another sip of coffee, studying the diagram with sharp attention.

He pointed to each location, trying to ignore how her scent—lavender and honey and sex—wrapped around him in the small space between them. "Goat pen here, overlapping coverage. Workshop needs three angles because of the blind spots."

"Special consideration there." His voice came out rougher than intended. "We'll set the sensors to ignore the flight paths during active hours."

She nodded, taking a bite of the cinnamon roll. A drop of glaze clung to her thumb, and she licked it off absently. Andre's bear whined at the sight of her pink tongue.

"Battery backup?" she asked, either oblivious to his torture or enjoying it.

"Seventy-two hours minimum." He grabbed a cinnamon roll, just to give his hands something to do. "Solar trickle chargers for normal operation."

"I can't remember the last time someone baked for me," she admitted, pulling apart the soft layers of her second roll. "These are dangerous."

"Good dangerous?" His voice came out rougher than intended.

She caught his expression, and something shifted in hers. Awareness crackled between them like electricity. "Very good dangerous."

By the time they'd covered all the technical details, half the pan was empty, and their coffees were done. Joy had a tiny smear of frosting at the corner of her mouth that Andre desperately wanted to kiss away.

"Ready to start?" She stood, gathering the papers.

"Ready." He stood too, catching her slight wince. She stood carefully, favoring her left foot for just a moment before straightening.

Andre gathered his equipment from the truck while his bear purred with satisfaction. She'd shared a meal with him. Let him into her space. The installation work ahead would be torture, being so close but unable to touch, but this moment—sunshine and sweetness and Joy—was worth it.

She took the camera from him, their fingers brushing. The contact lasted maybe two seconds. His bear counted each millisecond, cataloguing the softness of her skin against his, the way her breath caught almost imperceptibly.

Joy turned the camera over in her bandaged hands, studying every angle. Competent. Thorough. The kind of attention to detail that would keep her safe when he wasn't here.

When he wasn't here. His bear snarled at the thought.

"Where do we start?" she asked.

"The goat pen."

They walked together, and Andre noticed the careful way she placed her feet, avoiding the rougher ground. "Your feet?"

"Blisters." She admitted.

Every protective instinct flared. "Let me?—"

"I'm a shifter. They'll be fine by morning." Steel entered her voice, but she softened it with, "Come on. Let's go protect my goats."

The pen's new gate gleamed in the afternoon sun, but the twisted metal of the old one lay against the barn like a threat. Andre's bear growled, remembering. Someone had been here. Touched what was his.

He forced the possessive rage down and focused on mounting the first camera. Up on the ladder, he felt her eyes on him. The hairs on the back of his neck prickled with awareness—she was definitely watching him work. When he glanced down, their eyes met.

"See something interesting?" The words slipped out before he could stop them.

Color bloomed across her cheeks. "Just making sure you're installing it correctly."

"Mmm-hmm." He turned back to the camera, grinning. "This angle covers both the pen entrance and the approach from the main road."

"Good. What's next?"

They worked their way around her property. When she stumbled on uneven ground near the workshop, his hands caught her waist automatically. The full body contact—her back against his chest, his arms around her—lasted maybe three seconds.

His bear roared MINE so loud he winced.

"Thanks." She didn't immediately pull away, both of them breathing harder than the stumble warranted.

"Careful." The word came out as a growl.

"It's just the blisters. I'm fine." She stepped away then, not meeting his eyes.

He wanted to argue. Wanted to carry her to the workshop and tend her feet. But she was already moving toward the building, pointing out the best angles for camera placement.

Andre installed the workshop cameras while hyperaware of her presence. Her scent concentrated here, layered into the very walls. His bear wanted to rub against every surface, mark this space as under his protection.

By the time they reached the bee yard, afternoon sun slanted across the rows of hives. Joy explained the hives' flight patterns, when the bees departed, when they returned. She demonstrated with her hands, and Andre found himself fixated on their graceful movement despite the bandages.

As afternoon shadows lengthened, they reached her tiny house. One camera left. Joy had resisted cameras here, but after last night...

"Just covering the approach," he promised, positioning the ladder. "Your privacy stays intact."

She nodded, but he caught her watching him again. This time, when their eyes met, neither looked away. The golden light made her olive skin glow, turned her eyes to molten honey. His hands shook as he tightened the final screw.

"All done. Want to check the app? Make sure you can see everything?"

She pulled out her phone, moving close to see the screen in the slanting light. Andre stepped behind her to point out the different views, and the torture began anew.

This close, he could see the delicate curve where her neck met her shoulder. Count the tiny freckles scattered across her skin. Feel the heat radiating from her body mere inches from his. Her scent made his head spin.

"This night vision setting," she said, voice slightly breathless. "Show me again?"

He reached around her to touch the screen, bringing their bodies even closer. Not quite touching, but the space between them felt charged. His bear pushed against his control, wanting to press against her, to feel her soft curves against his body.

"Touch here to switch modes." The words came out rough, barely human. "See how it adjusts?"

She turned to respond, not realizing how close he stood.

Time stopped.

Her face was merely inches from his. Close enough to see the gold flecks dancing in her brown eyes. Close enough to count each individual eyelash. Close enough to feel her breath against his lips.

Her pupils dilated, black swallowing the brown. Those perfect lips parted on a soft exhale that feathered across his mouth. The phone slipped forgotten from loose fingers as her gaze dropped to his mouth.

CLAIM. MATE. NOW. His bear roared so loud his vision edged with red.

"Joy." Her name emerged as pure gravel, more growl than word.

She swayed toward him, eyes heavy-lidded. His hand rose without conscious thought, hovering near her cheek. Not touching. Asking. Begging.

Her eyes fluttered closed. Permission granted.

Andre leaned in slowly, fighting every instinct screaming at him to claim hard and fast. Their breath mingled in the shrinking space. Her scent nearly buckled his knees.

So close. Her lips right there. One more inch and he'd taste her, know if she tasted as sweet as she smelled. His bear clawed for freedom, demanding he close the distance, bite down, make her his forever.

Blazing white light flooded the yard. The motion sensor screamed to life, bathing them in harsh LED brightness.

They jerked apart like they'd been electrocuted. Joy's hand flew to her throat, cheeks flushed deep rose. Andre's hands clenched into fists, claws threatening to emerge as his bear howled at the interruption.

"The system. It works great." Her voice came out breathless, carefully controlled. "Thank you."

Every cell in his body screamed to pull her back. To finish what they'd started. To say fuck the lights and claim his mate against the side of her tiny house until she screamed his name.

"I should go." The words tasted like ash. "You need rest."

She nodded, not meeting his eyes. She wrapped her arms around herself for protection. Or maybe she was holding herself back, just like he was.

Andre forced himself to pack up. Each movement felt like swimming through concrete. The ladder folded with sharp metallic protests. Extension cords coiled with mechanical precision. His tablet tucked away safe. These normal actions were made surreal by the taste of her breath still on his lips.

"Thank you," she said as he loaded the last box. "For everything. Last night, today. The coffee. I... appreciate it."

He wanted to say so much. Wanted to tell her how she was breaking him apart with need. How his bear clawed at him every second he wasn't touching her. How he'd install a thousand cameras if it kept her safe.

"Call if you need anything. Any questions about the system."

"I will."

Andre climbed into the patrol vehicle, every movement mechanical. Professional. The opposite of what roared through his blood. He reversed out of her driveway, gravel crunching under his tires.

At the main road, he let himself look back. She stood exactly where he'd left her, bathed in the motion sensor's glow. One hand pressed to her lips like she was holding in words. Or maybe remembering the kiss that almost was.