Free Bear Bound (California Bears #3) by Rachel Real Page A

honey farm you owned, was under some serious debt to the state so I paid it off. Which means—the farm is now in my name,” Cade said turning his fierce red eyes on to her.
    Everly’s family had owned that honey farm for generations. And now it’s gone. In a snap—just like that.
    “ No , wait. That can’t be right. My father gave it to me. You can’t just claim it as your own,” Everly cried snatching the finalized paperwork from Cade’s grasp.
    Her bottom lip trembled with rage, but before she could blurt out an insult... Cade offered a suggestion.
    “I might consider reselling you the property under one condition...” Cade growled.
    Everly did her very best to not let her pride get in the way.
    “What sort of condition?” she asked, surveying his burly muscles that bulged as Cade folded his arms. He just looked so solid. Like a human carved from stone. He had a well-built body of the likes she’d never seen on any man.
    “I want to take you out for dinner,” Cade commanded, leaning in close enough that Everly could see the forbidding crimson color of his mysterious eyes.
    Hold on a sec, is this guy asking me...on a date?
    With so few options left, deep down Everly knew that she’d have no other choice than to begrudgingly accept Cade’s offer.
    She gulped down most of her anger. “Pick me up at 8:00,” Everly sighed.
    A smile stretched across Cade’s strong jaw, he definitely had big plans for Everly.

Chapter Three
    E verly preened in her bathroom mirror. For a second, she paused. Everly, this isn’t really a date. So, you don’t need to fry your hair with the flat iron and please go easy on the blush... It’s been so long since anyone had asked her to do...well—anything. To most people she just kept to herself, and occasionally sold honey at the local farmer’s market.
    Everly preferred the solitude. It meant less people judging her and less people gawking at her. But she couldn’t ever avoid being gabbed about by everyone in her town. Her eyes glanced over to the clock on her cell phone.
    8:10. It blinked.
    Cade was running late. Everly surprised herself. She didn’t expect to feel this disappointed.
    Don’t be foolish! It’s not like you didn’t already know what kind of a man you were dealing with. Does this really come as a surprise?
    R-I-N-G!
    A sudden ring of Everly’s doorbell startled her. She took one last deep breath, trying to quell her anxious nerves. Swinging open her door, Everly fully regarded Cade’s well-groomed appearance, despite his ferocious wild eyes. Cade wore this casual flax colored button down with dark denim jeans.
    Cade did the same, taking a look at how nicely her saffron yellow sundress hugged her well-proportioned curves.
    “You dress up nicely...” Cade said, approving of Everly’s frock with a slow nod.
    “I guess you don’t look too bad yourself... unfortunately, that’s pretty much where my compliments end,” Everly replied, holding her arms in tight to her body. At her age, thirty-three, she was no prude—exactly. But she didn’t feel one hundred percent in her own skin.
    “So, is this how it’s going to be all night? Are you going to cop an attitude with me the entire time?” Cade asked not really threatened but also trying to see how much more he could turn Everly’s tightly wound screws.
    Everly didn’t even bother to respond. She simply flicked her purse under her arm and ducked into Cade’s black luxury sedan. It occurred to Cade that Everly’s walls were built much higher than he thought.
    *
    E verly hated dinner dates. Usually, she got tongue tied when trying to make pointless blather. Cade noticed her fidgeting relentlessly in her chair.
    “Well, don’t you look comfortable?” he growled sarcastically, watching her with predatory eyes.
    Everly wanted to point the attention away from her.
    “You clearly aren’t hurting for money,” Everly muffled while perusing her menu. “What do you do for a living?”
    Cade reclined