Loving the Bear Read Online Free PDF Page B

overthinking this and it was downright silly.
    “You okay L illy?” asked Rose. “You look a little red in the face.”
    “I’m fine, just hot. We’re certainly busy this morning.”
    “Just how I like things. By the way, you have an admirer.”
    Lilly swallowed. “I do?”
    “Yes. The very handsome young man sitting out there in the brown jacket.” Lilly swallowed again. It was Christopher who Rose was referring to.
    “I told him as he was on his own I could seat him straight away in Jackie’s section but he insisted on waiting until something opens in your area. Do you know him or is he a secret admirer?”
    “I met him the other day.”
    “Lucky you, he’s gorgeous. Only wish I was thirty years younger.” She winked and walked away.
    She’d have to serve him. What was she going to say? Was she going to apologize for her irrational behavior?
    I should have called in sick this morning.
    ****
    Christopher’s stomach rumbled. He was hungrier than hell, but he wasn’t going to give up. He’d wait until a table was open in Lilly’s section. He watched her taking the order for a table of four guys. One was eyeing her up and looking at her ass.
    Hands off buddy. I saw her first. She’s destined to be my mate.
    If he was in his bear form and outside, he’d been rubbing himself up and down a tree, leaving his fur high up to show he was the dominant bear in this neighborhood. Lilly wouldn’t be anyone’s mate but his.
    The second guy at the table was also eyeing her as she walked away. Christopher glared at him, but he couldn’t blame the guy for looking at Lilly. She had her hair tied up in a ponytail today and looked so beautiful. When he’d first spotted her this morning, she’d literally taken his breath away. He watched as she leaned over a table and wiped it down before placing new flatware and napkins on top of it.
    “Renner, party of one.”
    Music to his ears. Christopher stood. The party of one thing sounded so sad and lonely but maybe things would be changing shortly. He smiled at the hostess and she walked him over to the table that Lilly had just cleaned.
    “Your waitress will be right with you.”
    He sat, took off his jacket, and hung it on the back of the chair. The place had thinned out a bit now. He’d waited twenty-five minutes for this table, but it had been worth every second.
    Christopher smelled her before he saw her. It was the same perfume she’d been wearing the other day. He looked up when she stood by the table. He swallowed. He’d been positive he knew what he was going to say, but now the words wouldn’t slip out of his mouth.
    Is this what happened to a bear when he found his mate? Aiden hadn’t mentioned acting like a complete fool when he’d found Charlotte. Damn, his brother should have warned him.
    “How are you this morning?” Lilly asked him.
    “I’m just great and I’m going to have the $1.99 breakfast special.”
    Shit, was that all he could manage to say? Not you look beautiful. What was happening to Christopher Renner, master of communicating with the opposite sex?
    “How do you want the eggs cooked?”
    “Scrambled.”
    “White or whole wheat toast?”
    “Whole wheat, and I’ll have tea and I’d like some honey for it and my toast.”
    “I’ll put that order in for you straight away and I’ll be right back with your tea.”
    He nodded. This wasn’t going how he’d planned. She turned. He almost grabbed her arm but then remembered how she’d reacted when he’d done that the other day.
    Baby steps.
    “Lilly,” he called to her.
    She turned back . “It’s great seeing you again,” he said
    “You too, Christopher.”
    She walked toward the back of the café and he sipped the glass of water she’d placed on the table. Her scent still clung in the air. It wasn’t until he dribbled some water on his leg that he realized his hands were shaking. Lilly’s presence turned him onto a bumbling bear.
    He placed the glass back on the table,