Savage Bear: BBW Paranormal Shape Shifter Romance Read Online Free PDF Page A

to understand his feelings wordlessly.
    The same had been true when she’d surveyed his apartment.
    After sitting in his truck, she hadn’t expected anything elaborate from his home, and she’d been right. Except for the flat screen TV and game console, the few pieces of furniture were a mash-up of hand-me-downs and garage sale finds. The surprise was the condition of each piece.
    Though the fabric on the couch was worn, it wasn’t dirty or tattered, and the table tops were clean and unstained. He’d obviously taken care when choosing his pieces, and maintained them the same way he did his truck.
    His attention to detail impressed her, and she hadn’t been lying when she’d complimented him on his minimal expression.
    The living room had a couch, an end table, a coffee table and a TV stand; and the kitchen had a square table with a speckled top surrounded by three yellow chairs. The TV stand held the TV, game console and remotes, but she didn’t see any games or movies and she had a feeling he didn’t own any.
    The bedroom contained a bed and nightstand, and when she’d glanced in his open closet, she’d only seen a small dresser, clothes and shoes. There weren’t any boxes possibly stuffed with mementoes or other things from his past.
    Jared didn’t do fear, or worry, but she’d immediately understood her opinion of his home meant something, even though he didn’t come right out and admit it. It was another testament to the fact that she could read him, even when he tried to mask his emotions.
    She risked waking him to glance up at his handsome face, and when he didn’t stir, she took the time to study him up close.
    His features were strong, with sharp angles, but she’d never seen a more attractive man. He had a strong forehead, high cheek bones, and a nearly straight nose. In fact, considering how many fights he’d been in, his nose looked pretty damn good.
    She looked harder, searching for hidden scars or blemishes, but she couldn’t find a flaw anywhere on his face. Even the beginning of a five o’clock shadow couldn’t extinguish her attraction, and she’d never been a fan of facial hair.
    His steady breathing lifted his chest in a calm, steady rhythm, and she slowly outlined the bear claw tattoo that covered his heart. The art suited him, especially because he was a bear shifter, but she didn’t think that was the reason he’d chosen it.
    The bear’s paw seemed to rip through the skin, as if escaping from its human confines, and she didn’t miss the fact that it had been done in several shades of gray and black without an ounce of color.
    She returned her head to his chest and thought about his other tattoos. The only visible one was the tribal skull on his left forearm, but the other two followed the same theme. His left bicep had an image of the Grimm Reaper laughing while surrounded in flames, and his right showed off a more elegant skull and crossbones encircled by an oval frame.
    Both pieces of art were stunning, more so because they had been done using only black and shades of gray, but the implied evil of the images wasn’t lost on her. Jared considered himself evil, unworthy of color for some reason, and the art reflected those views.
    She knew he wasn’t perfect, but he was far from evil.
    A few fights didn’t equate to evil.
    Whatever it was, it was in the past, and she knew he’d never willingly tell her. Could she live with not knowing? Even if he decided to take their relationship to the next level? She didn’t have to think about it, because she already knew the answer. The connection they shared was strong and she believed they were meant to be together.
    If he let her, she could handle his past, and help him find a brighter future.
    A life with him was nice to think about, but she needed to remember the reality. He’d been honest with her the night before in the parking lot, and she had no right to hope for anything more. They wouldn’t mate, they wouldn’t date and she