Tempting The Bear: Paranormal Bear Shifter Romance (Gray Bears Book 4) Read Online Free Page A

today.
    Harper thought of her cramped,
dingy apartment and wondered how she could make it cozy and
comfortable for her baby. Jackson had offered to let her live in his
house, but surely the guy was just joking. He had only just met her.
And he had done enough for her. She shouldn't trouble him any more.
    “ Um...about the hospital
bill.” Harper turned to a matronly, smiling nurse. “Can
I pay...by installments? I'm afraid...”
    “ Your bill's been fully
settled,” the nurse answered. “You don't have to worry
about it.”
    Harper was about to ask
another question when the door opened and Jackson strode into the
room.
    “ All ready to go home?”
he beamed.
    “ Jackson...”
    “ Jeremy's room is all
ready! Gramma, Ne-ma and Elle repainted the entire room. They used
a Quick-Paint spell, but...” Jackson began to laugh. “You
should see it for yourself.”
    “ Jeremy's room? I...”
    “ Yeah. It's my room
actually, but now...it's a nursery!”
    Harper swallowed hard.
Jackson and his family had gone to such lengths for her. They were
welcoming her into their home without even having met her.
    Overwhelmed, Harper wiped her
eyes quickly and whispered, “Thank you, Jackson. Thank you...”
    He smiled and touched her
son's soft, downy hair very gently. “I'm sure Jeremy will love
his room.”
    “ Would you like to hold
him?” she asked quietly.
    Jackson sucked in a breath.
“Can I? You'd let me?”
    “ Of course.”
    Carefully, she placed her son
in Jackson's huge hands and watched the smile spread across his face.
Jackson's eyes shone with wonder and joy as he cradled the sleeping
infant. “You're safe, Jeremy,” Jackson muttered softly.
“I'll keep you safe. I promise.”
    He handed the baby back to
Harper and said, “Thank you.”
    “ Thank you ,”
she replied. “You made my son feel safe and loved.”
    He ushered her out the door
and towards the lift lobby. “I've parked my car in the lot
nearest the entrance. You won't have far to walk,” he assured
her.
    “ Oh, I can walk.”
Harper laughed. “I've traveled far and long to reach this
town, you know.”
    “ I know.” He
sighed softly. “I know, Harper.”
    He led her to his car and
opened the back door. Harper gasped when she saw a baby seat all
securely strapped in and ready to go. There was even a cushy little
pillow on the seat and a baby rattle.
    Jackson shrugged. “In
case he gets bored during the ride.”
    Harper started to thank him
again, but he stopped her. “I don't want to hear you say thank
you,” he said simply. “I want to hear you laugh. I want
to hear Jeremy's laughter and yours, every day.”
    Harper blinked hard. Tears
sprang to her eyes and she couldn't hold back her sob. Holding
Jeremy in one arm, she wrapped her other arm around Jackson's burly
frame and squeezed him tight.
    Very gently, Jackson's strong
arms encircled Harper and Jeremy. A few nurses smiled at them as
they walked past.
    Harper knew that they looked
like a young, happy family. For a moment, Harper leaned into
Jackson's embrace and allowed herself to imagine that she and her son
were safe, wanted and loved.

CHAPTER
EIGHT

    Jackson pulled up to the
driveway but before he could kill the engine. Gramma and Ne-ma were
already rushing down the front steps of the house towards his car.
    “ Ooh, where is she?”
    “ Where is the little
darling?”
    “ Oh, look at him,
Glynda! He's just waking up!”
    “ Isn't he adorable?”
    Jackson shook his head as
Gramma and Ne-ma hugged Harper and gushed and cooed over her baby.
The two of them were doing more drooling than little Jeremy, who had
opened one eye to see what the fuss was about and promptly fell
asleep again.
    “ Come, come, you must be
tired...”
    “ There's soup and
noodles in the kitchen. And cake and ice-cream...”
    “ Come see your room!”
    “ Yes, we'll get you
settled in then we'll feed you!”
    Harper looked a little
bewildered as Gramma and Ne-ma hurried her into the house.