Bearly Hers: A Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance Read Online Free Page A

charming her way into a man’s wallet. Which was it? Looking away, he downed his drink and contemplated how he could be so conflicted over one small woman. Usually his instincts were spot on, but Gia had him all tangled up.
    Movement from the corner of the room caught his attention. A woman had her arm around a shifter, her brown hair swaying as she tossed her head back and laughed. He cupped her face, leaned down to kiss her and she strained on tiptoe to reach him. Burning anger flashed through him, until he realized the woman’s dress was blue, not red.
    It wasn’t Gia, and, even if it had been, what right did he have to be so pissed? Because he wanted her. Shit.
    He caught her scent before he saw her. “Okay, cowboy, you have a deal.” Gia moved next to him and pulled out her chair. Trey burst to his feet, taking her upper arm and turning her to him. Without a moment’s thought, he took her face between his hands.
    “Excellent,” he murmured, bringing his mouth to hers. Gia gasped, stiffening before she melted, leaning into him as her lips parted to receive him. Her taste flooded him, all woman and sweet champagne. Treading his fingers into her hair, he deepened the kiss, his tongue meeting hers with a flurry of sensation that made them both moan.
    “Wow.” She pulled back, a smart thing, Trey supposed, before this desire got out of hand. They shared a smile before she turned to the table and pulled a pen from her clutch and scribbled on a napkin.
    “Here’s my cell number. Call me with details?”
    Nice. She was putting the ball fully in his court. He’d call her all right, because it was game on.
    *
    “What do you mean,you’re not coming?” Gia looked at the small suitcase in the back seat of her SUV, wanting to suddenly yank it out of there.
    “I’m sorry, G. One of the women at the mixer coughed all over me and now I can’t keep anything down.” Bitches and their stomach viruses had just vacation-blocked her big time. Gia ran a hand over her forehead. She still trembled thinking about Trey and that damn kiss. How was she going to handle a weekend alone with him without a Hope buffer? What if the retreat was a mistake? She didn’t know anything about horseback riding or cattle or ranch things…
    “You’re going.” Hope said firmly. “I swear I can hear all the doubt rolling around in your head. Stop it. Shit, G, he could be the one . Right?”
    She twirled a foot along the driveway. “I don’t know.” There had been a lot of chemistry between them, that’s for sure. But she couldn’t help but sense that something was a little off. He’d been watching her a little too intently, as if her every move was under scrutiny. Still, it hadn’t erased any of the attraction she’d felt for him.
    “If you get uncomfortable at all, leave. Just pack up and go. Call me when you get there and check in every day. Okay? Text me.” Hope made a dry-heaving sound and Gia pulled the phone away from her ear with a frown.
    “I will. Go. Back to bed.”
    Hope hung up without a response, leaving Gia to stare at her vehicle with equal parts trepidation and excitement. Trey had called her two nights ago and given her all the details. The sound of his voice sent her into overdrive, and the tingly sensation still hadn’t faded. When was the last time she’d felt this much excitement over a guy?
    There wasn’t any harm in going, she supposed. There would be other people there, and if she found it wasn’t for her, she’d gracefully exit. Besides, the thought of giving up her vacation days to go back to the lab was a sour one. The sun was shining, the air heavy with warmth. No, she was doing this.
    Mind made up, she slid into the driver’s seat and took a deep breath. Trey. He was an hour away. A little giddy with the thought, she put the SUV in reverse just as her phone rang. Recognizing the unknown number as the same that had called three times in as many days and hung up each time, she ignored it. The call