Read Online A Burn To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters Book 3) by Sloane Meyers - Free Book Online

vacant area next to the couch, which was really the only spot in River’s tiny apartment where the case would fit. The smooth, honey-colored wood shone brilliantly in the morning sunshine, and Luke admired his work with pleasure.
    On a whim, he decided to start putting some of River’s books on the shelves. She would probably want to rearrange them herself in her own particular way, but he thought the bookcase would make a great impression if her first full view of it was with books stacked neatly on its shelves. Luke gathered several of the book stacks from River’s floor and started shelving the books. He shook his head in wonder at the sheer number and variety of books that River owned. Some of the volumes he recognized from his school days. He vaguely remembered reading classics like Moby Dick or Great Expectations. But many of the books he had never heard of before.
    When he finished loading the bookshelf, a few stacks of books still remained on the floor. But at least the large shelf held the majority of River’s collection. Luke smiled at the impressive sight of the beautiful handmade, hand carved shelf, loaded with River’s most treasured possessions. Even if he didn’t share her love of reading, at least he had shown her that he appreciated the things that she thought were important.
    As Luke surveyed his handiwork, he made the decision not to tell River yet that he was a bear shifter. Things were finally going well between them, and it made more sense to let her get to know him better before gently breaking the news.
    Feeling relieved at his choice to postpone revealing his shifter status, Luke cleaned up the small mess he had made from using the coffee machine, and then put his shirt on. He left River’s apartment, locking the door behind him, and headed back to base. He turned the radio up to a country station and rolled the windows down, singing at the top of his lungs and enjoying the almost summery breeze blowing in his face.
    When he pulled the SUV into the parking lot in front of the hangar, he saw Trevor hanging out by the front door, oiling some hinges that had been squeaking incessantly for months. With the slowdown in fires, everyone on the crew was looking for ways to fill their time.
    “Well, well, well,” Trevor said, his voice taking on the singsong quality it always did when he was about to make fun of someone. “Look who finally decided to return my SUV. Delivering that bookcase must have been a big job, since you were gone all night long.”
    “Shut up,” Luke said, hopping out of the SUV and glaring at Trevor. He wished he could think of a wittier retort, but his one mug of coffee was already wearing off, and he was starting to feel the effects of not sleeping enough last night.
    “Hey, that’s no way to thank your buddy for letting you borrow his car,” Trevor said, crossing his arms and pretending to be angry.
    “Whatever. You’re just jealous because I got some and you didn’t,” Luke said.
    Trevor threw back his head and laughed. “Oh, now that’s rich. Let’s add up how many times I’ve ‘gotten some’ over the last several years and compare it to your number. I’m definitely not jealous.”
    Luke glared at Trevor. “You’re ruining my good mood.”
    Trevor put his hands up in surrender. “Sorry, man. Just giving you a good, old-fashioned ribbing. I take it your plan to win River back with a handcrafted bookshelf worked out pretty well for you.”
    “Yeah, it did. I’d venture to say you’re going to be seeing a lot more of River around here now.”
    “Good. We need more pretty around these parts. I’m tired of looking at your ugly face all the time.”
    Luke rolled his eyes and shoved his way past Trevor, making his way into the main hangar. Hunter and Zach were sitting at two of the sewing machines, making some sort of modifications to their parachutes. Since the Burning Claws Crew didn’t have their own permanent airplane, they used the hangar as a space