Read Online Bearlebrity: (BWWM) Paranormal BBW Bear Shifter Romance Standalone by Terry Bolryder - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Terry Bolryder
Ads: Link
settling down. And she’s not it, so I’m not interested.”
This time, Leslie and Riley shared a look at Ryan’s expense. So he was aware of other people’s feelings, but not his own. Just the way he tried to ignore and brush off Kylie in a way he didn’t do with any other human seemed to be a big flashing sign to everyone else that Kylie was special.
But they let it drop, because Ryan seemed to be muttering to himself darkly.
Riley leaned over the counter to whisper so that only Leslie could hear him. “You aren’t going to let him hit on you, right?”
She raised an eyebrow carefully, took a cherry from behind the counter, and bit into it. “And what if I did? We aren’t together, right?”
Riley blinked and then his expression hardened. “Trying to make me jealous won’t work.”
“Who’s trying to make you jealous?” she said, throwing the stem away. “You seem to be forgetting that it’s you who came on to me.”
“Bullshit,” he said. “You came on to me.”
“Well, whatever. We both wanted it, it was great as a one-time thing—”
“Ha!” he retorted, taking a cherry for himself. “That’s one thing we don’t agree on. What happened between us, Les? That’s definitely too good to be a one-time thing.” He held out the cherry stem tied in a knot, winked at her, and strode away from the counter to finish taking chairs down from tables.
Damn, the man knew how to work a room.
----
W hen closing time came around , Leslie felt nervousness creep up on her again.
The bar had been quiet, just a few friends from town, including Ryder and Janna, had stopped in. And she’d heard from a friend in a nearby town that a tourist bus was coming through soon, so she figured the break wasn’t a bad thing since it gave her a time to rest before the storm of people hit.
Everyone else had long since gone home, and she found herself alone with Riley, who was happily bantering as she showed him how to go through closing the bar.
She had to admit he’d worked really hard, digging in with both hands and doing whatever he could to make life easier on her. And his friendly personality seemed to really love talking to the people who came in, getting to know them, and quickly helping them get over the fact that he was a celebrity.
She could almost imagine how it would be if he settled here. Them working together everyday. She could actually see him enjoying it, despite the superstar world he came from.
Then again, he’d originally come from Bearstone Park. And Bearstone Park was a hard place not to fall in love with.
He was truly one of a kind. But he wasn’t hers, she acknowledged with a heavy heart. Maybe hers for now, based on how much he kept eyeing her between tasks and during their conversation.
His hot gaze would glide over her body, heating her skin and speeding up her pulse. Just his attention was enough to send her heart rate soaring.
“So,” he said, leaning on the bar in that sexy way that let him come a little too close with those long-lashed, hazel-green eyes. “Any plans tonight?”
“Just to get some rest,” she said, tossing a rag in the sink and folding her arms as she arched her back to stretch out her spine. “How about you?”
Shoot , she thought. Now he’ll think I’m asking him out. I don’t want to come across like I’m expecting something. I’m not.
But I wouldn’t mind if he handled me like he handled that cherry stem earlier. That turned me on and he knew it.
“Whatcha thinking?” he asked, resting his firm chin on his palm. “What’s going behind those big brown eyes?”
She felt heat rush over her neck and into her cheeks. “Nothing, just wondering how I’m going to shower tomorrow.”
Damn, why did her mouth keep saying stupid things when she hadn’t asked it to?
His face drew into an expression of concern that only made him look more serious and handsome, and he walked around the bar to her. “What happened? I told you that I would help with
This time, Leslie and Riley shared a look at Ryan’s expense. So he was aware of other people’s feelings, but not his own. Just the way he tried to ignore and brush off Kylie in a way he didn’t do with any other human seemed to be a big flashing sign to everyone else that Kylie was special.
But they let it drop, because Ryan seemed to be muttering to himself darkly.
Riley leaned over the counter to whisper so that only Leslie could hear him. “You aren’t going to let him hit on you, right?”
She raised an eyebrow carefully, took a cherry from behind the counter, and bit into it. “And what if I did? We aren’t together, right?”
Riley blinked and then his expression hardened. “Trying to make me jealous won’t work.”
“Who’s trying to make you jealous?” she said, throwing the stem away. “You seem to be forgetting that it’s you who came on to me.”
“Bullshit,” he said. “You came on to me.”
“Well, whatever. We both wanted it, it was great as a one-time thing—”
“Ha!” he retorted, taking a cherry for himself. “That’s one thing we don’t agree on. What happened between us, Les? That’s definitely too good to be a one-time thing.” He held out the cherry stem tied in a knot, winked at her, and strode away from the counter to finish taking chairs down from tables.
Damn, the man knew how to work a room.
----
W hen closing time came around , Leslie felt nervousness creep up on her again.
The bar had been quiet, just a few friends from town, including Ryder and Janna, had stopped in. And she’d heard from a friend in a nearby town that a tourist bus was coming through soon, so she figured the break wasn’t a bad thing since it gave her a time to rest before the storm of people hit.
Everyone else had long since gone home, and she found herself alone with Riley, who was happily bantering as she showed him how to go through closing the bar.
She had to admit he’d worked really hard, digging in with both hands and doing whatever he could to make life easier on her. And his friendly personality seemed to really love talking to the people who came in, getting to know them, and quickly helping them get over the fact that he was a celebrity.
She could almost imagine how it would be if he settled here. Them working together everyday. She could actually see him enjoying it, despite the superstar world he came from.
Then again, he’d originally come from Bearstone Park. And Bearstone Park was a hard place not to fall in love with.
He was truly one of a kind. But he wasn’t hers, she acknowledged with a heavy heart. Maybe hers for now, based on how much he kept eyeing her between tasks and during their conversation.
His hot gaze would glide over her body, heating her skin and speeding up her pulse. Just his attention was enough to send her heart rate soaring.
“So,” he said, leaning on the bar in that sexy way that let him come a little too close with those long-lashed, hazel-green eyes. “Any plans tonight?”
“Just to get some rest,” she said, tossing a rag in the sink and folding her arms as she arched her back to stretch out her spine. “How about you?”
Shoot , she thought. Now he’ll think I’m asking him out. I don’t want to come across like I’m expecting something. I’m not.
But I wouldn’t mind if he handled me like he handled that cherry stem earlier. That turned me on and he knew it.
“Whatcha thinking?” he asked, resting his firm chin on his palm. “What’s going behind those big brown eyes?”
She felt heat rush over her neck and into her cheeks. “Nothing, just wondering how I’m going to shower tomorrow.”
Damn, why did her mouth keep saying stupid things when she hadn’t asked it to?
His face drew into an expression of concern that only made him look more serious and handsome, and he walked around the bar to her. “What happened? I told you that I would help with
Similar Books
