Bearly Hanging On (A Werebear Shifter BBW Romance) (Laid Bear Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page A

in a ratty old swing, laughing her head off. She wasn’t afraid of being herself, but she refused to hurt those she loved out of spite. Besides, all the window dressing in the world — be it punk or yuppie — couldn’t hide who she really was on the inside: A funny, caring vixen who’d completely stolen his heart over the course of an hour.
    Deep inside, his bear grumbled at him for taking so long to come to the conclusion it had made the moment she climbed into the seat next to him on the ferry. Regret dampened his humor, and he waited until Crystal’s guffaws had subsided to the occasional gulp for air before speaking.
    “Crystal, I need to apologize. I was a complete dickweed on the ferry and I’m sorry.”
    Her smile faltered a fraction, just barely, but he noticed, and his gut clenched at the idea he’d hurt her. “Don’t worry about it, Tubbs.”
    He wouldn’t let her just wave it away. He couldn’t. She needed to know how he truly felt, not what his messed up pride had shown her on the ferry. Hopping down from his swing, he knelt down in front of her at eye level, wrapping his hands around hers on the swing’s chains and capturing her gaze with his.  
    “No, I will worry about it, Crystal. I’ll worry that, somewhere deep inside, you’ll think I don’t find you to be the most gorgeous creature I’ve ever met. I’ll worry that you won’t want to spend every waking minute with me like I do you. I’ll worry that you’ll think I’m only interested in sleeping with you. I’ll worry that you won’t know — I mean know all the way down to the toes of your soul — that I’m completely and totally crazy about you.”
    Blinking at his surprise confession, all she could do was gape. He’d overstepped, moved too soon. He wasn’t even entirely sure why he’d told her all of that or how it was possible he felt it so quickly after meeting her, but he did. The deed was done and the only thing he could do was wait for her to formulate a response.
    “Tubbs, I…”
    “Well, isn’t this a cozy sight,” came a voice from behind them. “What kind of happy horse shit is this?”
    Chet wheeled around to find a very large human male looming over them, and flanked by two other big-ass dudes. His skin rippled with his bear’s rage at being taken by surprise. A light dusting of fur started to sprout from his arms and neck. Not now , he thought, trying to calm down his bear.
    He stood slowly so he wouldn’t spook the obviously angry bohunk, and kept Crystal safely tucked behind him. “And you are?” he asked quietly.
    The guy puffed his chest out and glared menacingly at Chet. “I’m her boyfriend, buttwad!”
    ~ * ~ * ~
    “Shit,” Crystal mumbled from behind Chet. Why was he blocking her view? God, if he’d just get out of the way… She scrabbled out of the swing and tried to step around him but he put an arm out, trying to keep her behind him.  
    “Knock it off, Chet,” she fumed, shoving his arm down. Was that…fur? “Derek, what are you doing?”
    Storming around Chet, she stepped up toe-to-toe with Derek, trying to melt the behemoth of a redneck with a death stare. It worked enough to get him to take a step or two backward. His toadies weren’t sure what to do, and kept glancing at each other nervously. It tickled her that she had the power to make big boys cower.  
    “I could ask the same of you, Crystal,” he barked back, a distinct whine to his tone. “Who is this guy?”
    “None of your damn business, that’s who! I’ve had enough of your bullshit, Derek. One date doesn’t make me your girlfriend. It was weeks ago, man. Get a grip!”
    “But I love you, Crystal…”
    She laughed cruelly. She hated to be so mean but the gentle approach she’d been trying for weeks hadn’t worked. Every time he called, she nicely told him no thanks. When he’d stalk her around town, she’d give him a small wave and walk away. If he tried to talk to her, she’d make some excuse to escape.