A Bear In the Honey (BBW Unintentional Mail-Order-Bride Paranormal Shifter Romance) Read Online Free Page A

either, and as soon as I was old enough to drive I would take my parent's car and hit the road.  It didn’t matter if it was two hours or two days, I simply liked to be far away from the raucous crowds, and totally immersed in the solitude of nature.  Something about the smell of the good earth, the sound of the wind in the trees, or the infinite sky made nature simply vital to my well-being. 
     
    When I turned twenty-two my mind was made up: there was no future for me in the big city.  So I packed up my little blue pickup truck, researched a list of rural towns that I thought might be for me, and let fate have her way with my destiny.   Reaching into my favorite winter hat, I fished around through the strips of paper I had cut up with names of the towns I had chosen on one side of them.  I crossed my fingers with my free hand, and with my other randomly pulled out a single sliver.  It read:
     
    “BEAR CREEK”
     
    So that's how I happened to find myself in Bear Creek, a small, middle-of-nowhere mountain town in northern Montana, not far from the Canadian border.  Driving into the snowy little hamlet I stopped into the first establishment that appeared to have any life.   It was getting dark, and I was hungry and ready to get out of the truck.  The door of The Watering Hole jingled as it opened, and I entered into cozy, inviting tavern.  The bustling place grew silent as the dozen or so patrons stopped what they were doing to look at me, as if I had walked in with a ski mask and gun.  I coyly lifted a gloved hand and did my best to flash a friendly smile, and then made my way to a stool at the bar.  Gradually they lost interest, and eventually the din of laughter and chatter filled the air once again. 
     
    ' So much for fitting in , ' I thought as I sat alone, sipping a Coke and perusing the classifieds for a place to call home. 
     
    The bells of the door jingled as someone entered the bar.  But this time, not a soul seemed to notice but me.  He was something to look at: tall, muscular, and for the weather being as cold as it was tonight, foolishly underdressed.  He wore only jeans and a thin white T-shirt which clung to his rock hard chest.  His head was covered by a thick wool cap, which hung low over his brow and perfectly accented his light green eyes.  He seemed frustrated, or even angry as he marched straight towards the little door marked ‘Employees Only.’ 
     
    His determined steps came suddenly to a halt and his head turned to the side, his eyes landing directly on mine, so suddenly that it startled me.  His gaze somehow made me feel as if I had intruded on his privacy.  His unfaltering eyes were intimidating and alluring all at once, and I struggled to both look away and match his stare; I finally looked away, flustered and somewhat alarmed.  Out of the corner of my eye he started to move again towards the 'Employees Only' doors, although this time I didn’t dare take a second look.
     
                                        ****
     
     
    I was just about to leave when the stranger stepped back out into the bar.  Keeping my head low, I furtively glanced his way without him noticing.  He had stopped in front of a table with several other men.
     
    “Emerson,” an older man greeted him with reservation in his voice. 
     
    The man across the table tapped his nails loudly against the wood and said, “I don’t expect we’ll have any trouble from you now that Judge Pool signed off on the hunt?” He shifted slightly in his chair, and a little ray of light reflected from the small, silver star he wore over his right breast pocket. 
     
    Emerson shook his head, “I’ve never given you a lick of trouble, Sheriff, and I’m not about to start.  Just make sure your boys stick to the boundaries that Pool drew out; anything closer than five miles is off limits and my problem.” 
     
    Emerson nodded a farewell and walked slowly towards the door.