Waking the Bear (Shifter Wars) Read Online Free PDF

avoiding eye contact. Men rarely dismissed her at eighty-five. Even Darren.
    “Maybe.”
    “Are you having second thoughts about renting to me?” She couldn’t decide if he was worried about her or what. She wasn’t scared, and he wasn’t going to scare her away from the first place she’d felt comfortable in months. No, she was renting this cabin and painting for the next two months. He could get over it. She didn’t plan to find herself at the bottom of any rockslides anytime soon.
    “He said he thought you’d be a great tenant.” Jill raised her voice.
    “A couple more questions. No pets? Dogs, cats, other?” He yanked out the chair across from her and sat down. “No parties, no drugs...” He yawned again, then tugged at his beard.
    “No, just me.” Amy reached for the papers the Realtor held out. “Plus my paint set and camera. What you see is what you get.”
    He nodded slowly, lost in thought as his gaze raked over her.
    Amy fidgeted in her chair. He certainly stared a lot. Did he think she looked odd? She’d brushed her hair. She crossed her hands on her lap. “Oh, occasionally I might have a beer, if that’s okay.”
    “Yup.” He jerked his gaze away and looked out the window and tapped his fingers on the table. “Of course. Why would I care if you had a beer?”
    “I don’t know. I’m just trying to understand your rules.” It was her turn to feel powerful over the big guy.
    He turned to look her in the eye for a second and she swallowed hard. She gave him a ninety-cent smile and the look in his eyes softened.
    The moment was gone as quickly as it came and he was back to all business.
    “Fine on all the other, then.” He rubbed his hands together then began rolling up his sleeves. “Let’s do this.”
    Seems the man couldn’t be still for a moment. He revealed his forearms bit by bit as the blue fabric of the shirt inched up his arm. He was kinda hairy but she guessed that was normal for men raised in the mountains.
    “You mentioned paying two months’ rent?” Jill leaned in and pointed to the lease. “In full?”
    “Yes. Makes me commit.” Amy signed her name on the line labeled tenant .
    “You have problems committing, Miss Francis?” The smile that slid across Griff’s face was as obvious as his nose. He wasn’t hiding a thing with his teasing jab.
    Jill inhaled sharply.
    Amy looked down. No way was the sexy ranger flirting with her. She must be interpreting it wrong. “Sometimes, Mr. Martin, but that wouldn’t be appropriate conversation for people who just met, would it? Unless you want to lead?” She surprised herself with her brazenness. Being on her own was agreeing with her already.
    “No.” He leaned back in his chair.
    “Fine. Check okay?” She flashed a full-on one-hundred percenter, complete with a couple of bats of her eyes. Why the hell was she flirting with the landlord? This was Amy time, dammit!
    “Long as it’s a valid one, right, Griff?” Jill laughed and stepped closer to Griff. “Make it payable to me.”
    Amy had flirted with the landlord more than once. Jill was probably embarrassed by the tone of the conversation. “I have it prepared.”
    She signed the check. When she set the pen down, Griff closed his larger hand over hers and squeezed. Warm and strong, just as she’d imagined. She looked into his eyes, a hazel green—as green as the dark pines that lined the road on her way up—and blinked. He leaned in.
    “Stay near the cabin or in town. Plenty of things to paint close by.” His voice vibrated her insides and sent a shiver up her back. “Please. Don’t go wandering in the forest on your own, okay? People go missing out there, and though it’s my job to search for them, I don’t always find them in time. Or ever.”
    He pulled his hand away and a chill passed over her.
    Mesmerized by his gaze, she nodded, even though she had no intention of following his order. She knew her mouth hung open and it took every bit of will to snap