Read Online Bearllionaire: (BWWM) Paranormal BBW Bear Shifter Romance Standalone by Terry Bolryder - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Terry Bolryder
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into a firm line, and she thought she saw him shift slightly, as if he were instantly aroused by her. She pushed away the thought and swept into the room and headed for a cupboard. She pulled out a mug and filled it with ice water from the fridge and sat down at the table to look out the window at the snow as if nothing were wrong.
Ryder let out a little huff and sat across from her. There was silence for a moment, and she could tell it bothered him more than it bothered her. So she sipped her water annoyingly and waited for him to say something. It was more entertaining that way.
“I was thinking we could head up to the lodge at eight in the morning tomorrow. Get started on the books.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said, not looking at him.
He cleared his throat. Even that sound was enough to send shockwaves down to her toes. “Does that sound okay? And then I arranged for a special lunch.”
She turned to him. “Special?”
It was his turn to grin slyly, a knowing look in those beautiful eyes. He brushed dark hair off his forehead. “You’ll see. I want it to be a surprise.”
She shrugged. “I guess so. After tonight, that’s some big shoes to fill.”
He coughed. “Excuse me?”
She laughed, trying to hide her nerves at blurting that out. “I just mean, after what happened this evening, it’ll be difficult to surprise me.”
“Oh,” he said simply, sounding baffled. “Well, I hope this surprise is better.”
“That’d be hard,” she retorted.
He shifted in his chair and she stifled a laugh by putting her water to her lips again.
“Well, we’ll see,” he said. “Anyway, I ordered dinner. I hope you like steak.”
“Who doesn’t?” she said glibly. The longer she was near him, the more nervous she felt, even when she wasn’t looking at him.
“The lodge restaurant has been impressive so far. And I told them it was a special occasion. I expect they won’t disappoint.”
“When will they be coming?”
“Ten minutes or so,” he said. “It took you a few minutes to get ready. Not that I mind.” His eyes ran over her slowly, taking in every inch like he wanted to strip the clothing right off of her and start all over again.
She wriggled in her chair, a little uncomfortable in the Spanx. He eyed her midsection, as if he could tell something wasn’t quite right, but then decided not to say anything about it.
“So tell me about you, Janna. Despite my rather rude attempts so far, I really do want to get to know you. I promise.”
She sighed. “All right. Since I have nothing else to do right now, I’ll give you a chance. I mean, I have to say, what we just did? I’d be lying if I didn’t say it blew my mind.”
“I’m glad,” he said, and the warmth was back between them, melting away the awkwardness like sun on spring snow. “It blew my mind, too.”
“What do you want to know?”
“What are your hopes and dreams?” he asked, leaning forward on his impressive forearms. “What do you want more than anything in the world?”
Safety , she thought to herself. A little place with someone I can trust, who sees me for who I am, and who accepts me and would never leave.
But didn’t every woman want that? The fairytale? She could take care of herself; she knew that. But she still wanted a partner who could do it for her sometimes. When she was tired. Someone she could care for too.
But looking into Ryder’s handsome, striking face, she couldn’t say it.
“I guess I’d like to own my own business. Pay the mortgage off, you know?”
“Would you want to stay here in town if you did?”
She shrugged. “Depends who is here.” She blushed because she knew that was too obvious. If Ryder Hart settled here, then yes, she’d be tempted to stay. That is if things worked out between them. Which she knew she was crazy to hope for. “I’d like to be independent. And at some point, I guess I would like a family.”
“Kids?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said.
“How many?”
“I
Ryder let out a little huff and sat across from her. There was silence for a moment, and she could tell it bothered him more than it bothered her. So she sipped her water annoyingly and waited for him to say something. It was more entertaining that way.
“I was thinking we could head up to the lodge at eight in the morning tomorrow. Get started on the books.”
“Mm-hmm,” she said, not looking at him.
He cleared his throat. Even that sound was enough to send shockwaves down to her toes. “Does that sound okay? And then I arranged for a special lunch.”
She turned to him. “Special?”
It was his turn to grin slyly, a knowing look in those beautiful eyes. He brushed dark hair off his forehead. “You’ll see. I want it to be a surprise.”
She shrugged. “I guess so. After tonight, that’s some big shoes to fill.”
He coughed. “Excuse me?”
She laughed, trying to hide her nerves at blurting that out. “I just mean, after what happened this evening, it’ll be difficult to surprise me.”
“Oh,” he said simply, sounding baffled. “Well, I hope this surprise is better.”
“That’d be hard,” she retorted.
He shifted in his chair and she stifled a laugh by putting her water to her lips again.
“Well, we’ll see,” he said. “Anyway, I ordered dinner. I hope you like steak.”
“Who doesn’t?” she said glibly. The longer she was near him, the more nervous she felt, even when she wasn’t looking at him.
“The lodge restaurant has been impressive so far. And I told them it was a special occasion. I expect they won’t disappoint.”
“When will they be coming?”
“Ten minutes or so,” he said. “It took you a few minutes to get ready. Not that I mind.” His eyes ran over her slowly, taking in every inch like he wanted to strip the clothing right off of her and start all over again.
She wriggled in her chair, a little uncomfortable in the Spanx. He eyed her midsection, as if he could tell something wasn’t quite right, but then decided not to say anything about it.
“So tell me about you, Janna. Despite my rather rude attempts so far, I really do want to get to know you. I promise.”
She sighed. “All right. Since I have nothing else to do right now, I’ll give you a chance. I mean, I have to say, what we just did? I’d be lying if I didn’t say it blew my mind.”
“I’m glad,” he said, and the warmth was back between them, melting away the awkwardness like sun on spring snow. “It blew my mind, too.”
“What do you want to know?”
“What are your hopes and dreams?” he asked, leaning forward on his impressive forearms. “What do you want more than anything in the world?”
Safety , she thought to herself. A little place with someone I can trust, who sees me for who I am, and who accepts me and would never leave.
But didn’t every woman want that? The fairytale? She could take care of herself; she knew that. But she still wanted a partner who could do it for her sometimes. When she was tired. Someone she could care for too.
But looking into Ryder’s handsome, striking face, she couldn’t say it.
“I guess I’d like to own my own business. Pay the mortgage off, you know?”
“Would you want to stay here in town if you did?”
She shrugged. “Depends who is here.” She blushed because she knew that was too obvious. If Ryder Hart settled here, then yes, she’d be tempted to stay. That is if things worked out between them. Which she knew she was crazy to hope for. “I’d like to be independent. And at some point, I guess I would like a family.”
“Kids?” he asked.
“Sure,” she said.
“How many?”
“I
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