One in a Bear-llion (Polar Heat Book 3) Read Online Free PDF

so.
    “I’m pretty sure if we’re together, things are going to be complicated,” he said, reaching for a strand of her hair. Her full lips parted as he came close. “But I can promise you it’ll be a much more fun kind of complicated than the one you’ve been living.”
    “But you don’t want a mate,” she said softly, lips still parted.
    “I know what I said,” he conceded. “But I also know I can’t leave you alone to deal with this on your own. And my body just really responds to you.” He stroked a finger down her cheek. “And I know yours responds to me.”
    “I don’t want to get hurt,” she said. “I’m not in a good place for it.” She tried to turn away, but he held her gaze. “I just… Things have been such a mess. You’re the first person I’ve told in a long time. If you get involved and then you decide to just leave…”
    “I won’t,” he said. “Not until we get this sorted out. I promise I won’t let you go until you’re safe again.” She frowned, and he realized that wasn’t a good enough offer. But it was all he had at the moment. “I’m sorry I can’t give more.”
    She took in a large breath and let it out in a slow sigh. “It’s more than I guess I expected. So thank you.” She gave him a small smile and put her arms around her legs and looked out at the ocean, and he turned to look as well.
    Damn, he wanted to kiss her.
    But he’d try to resist it as much as possible, for their sanity.
    He didn’t think he’d be very successful, though.

4
    S cott dropped off Mara at her room, saying he had some things to do and she could either come or he’d come over when he was done.
    She told him to get work done and said good-bye before taking a nap in her room.
    A knock on the door several hours later woke her. She yawned, stretched, and looked out the window at the ocean, which was a dusky blue-gray in the waning light.
    It’d been a long day, and she could still feel the salty feel from the water on her skin. She should have showered before getting into bed.
    She stood and walked into her bathroom, started the water running, and checked the temp with her hand.
    Tonight, Scott would brainstorm with her about ways to deal with her stalker. She had to admit he was attacking it more head on than anyone else had. She’d gotten the police involved, but that had offered no protection whatsoever.
    Plus, since her stalker hadn’t ever hurt her physically, she got the feeling the police and some family members didn’t take her seriously about what was happening.
    But by the intensity of his obsession, she couldn’t help feeling things were escalating, and no matter how it ended, it wouldn’t be good for her.
    She pulled off the clothes she’d changed into after the day at the beach and looked at her naked body in the mirror. There was something empowering about simply looking at her nakedness without fear. When she was home, she could never know if she was being watched.
    Here on this island, far away from anything troubling her, she almost felt she could paint again.
    Almost.
    It hadn’t surprised her that she couldn’t paint once the stalking had gotten bad. Painting was something that came out of the freedom of her soul, and when she felt trapped, she could raise her brush to canvas as much as she wanted, but no beauty would flow.
    And she ached to create her art again. In the past three years, she’d thrown herself into other hobbies and even taken a job assisting her mother at her art gallery. But that had been a painful reminder of everything she’d been missing.
    If it were a gift, something she’d always been able to do and worked so hard to be good at, then how could it be taken away so easily?
    If there were such a thing as painter’s block, she had it.
    The shower area was large and encased in glass. She stepped inside and sighed as the steam surrounded her. She poured body wash on her hands and started lathering. As her slick hands moved over her flesh,