Wild Bear Read Online Free Page A

dick.”
    “It also means being able to grow a beard!” Mav said. “I can’t go around with this sissy-pants face. I’m not one of you.” Then with a glare at both of his brothers, who still seemed stunned, he whirled on his feet and came face to face with Harmony.
    When their gazes locked across the room, it gave Harmony a chance to see more detail.
    Stunning. That’s what he was. Stunning .
    A movie star jaw, wide and squared off as if with a ruler to come to a stubborn, pointed chin, strong and beautiful at the same time. Full lips, with a carved, defined profile and a prominent cupid’s bow. High brow and cheekbones. Rugged and beautiful at the same time. With his hair out of the way, his dark eyes sparkled, framed by beautiful, arched dark brows.
    His hair was cut short but was thick and shiny, perfect for putting her hands in.
    She would have guessed he looked more like Shane, but his features were just the slightest bit sharper. Striking. Like a runway model. One who modeled for lumberjack magazines or something.
    She didn’t even know what to say.
    His eyes narrowed as he met hers, and then after a moment of awkward staring, he turned on his heel and was gone, out the front door and storming away toward the woods.
    She looked over at her friends, still standing in the dining room in various levels of shock.
    Bonnie looked her way and just shrugged.
    No one seemed to know what to do except Harmony. She had only one thing she could do.
    She had to follow that handsome lumberjack back to his cabin and have him for her own.
    Her semi-fragile hold on her libido had snapped, and it was Maverick’s handsome face that had done it.
    She ran for the door before anyone could stop her, yanked it open, and ran out down the front path, chasing after the wide back of the man that was trying to disappear into the left side of the forest.

----
    M averick didn’t know what to do.
    He was disgraced.
    And he didn’t have time to let it grow back. He needed to win his mate over soon or lose the ranch. It wouldn’t be easy to win Harmony over, and he couldn’t lose the time it would take to grow the beard and his hair again.
    He couldn’t believe the face he’d seen in the mirror.
    So hairless and pale. So human. And maybe a little part of him did think perhaps he was at least a good-looking human and hoped his mate would like it against all odds.
    But then he’d turned and seen her, standing twenty feet away, staring at him like he’d grown two heads.
    So he’d left before she could get much of a look at him. He stormed up the steps to his cabin, yanked open the door, and stomped inside, not paying much attention to closing and locking the door behind him.
    He went straight to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, which was really overdue for a cleaning.
    The face staring back at him was a stranger. Except for the eyes. And the mouth. Maverick was used to those parts of himself. But the rest…
    He let out a deep sigh, touching the sharp planes of his freshly shaved face. His facial hair grew quick. He should have at least a good shadow of stubble in a day or two, but would that be enough? His hair was done like one of those city boys, all tousled and short.
    It wouldn’t shade his neck at all. He swore and thumped a hand on the sink, wondering what to do now. How did he explain to Harmony he’d only been trying to be sexy for her?
    He’d gone to Ruby and asked her to make him sexy to human females. He blinked at the mirror. Was this really what they liked? More likely, she’d taken the chance to play a trick on him to pay him back for all the trouble he caused them.
    Well, the joke was on them, because when Harmony rejected him and no one could save the ranch, they would be the ones out on their asses.
    It was all their fault. Maverick had plans. Everything had been going fine.
    He was still pouting and stomping when he heard someone twisting the handle of his door. It opened with a creak just as he ran into the