Free A Blaze To Bear (Fire Bear Shifters Book 1) by Sloane Meyers Page B

streak of dirt off of Ian’s face. Ian felt a familiar, comforting heat as her finger grazed his face. Guilt washed over him as he thought about how much she cared for him already, without having a chance to see his true nature. He had to come clean with her, before her feelings grew any deeper.
    “Charlotte, listen, there’s something I need to tell you,” Ian said, his voice sounding strained. But before Ian could get any more words out, Zach broke into the conversation.
    “No!” Zach said, obviously realizing that Ian was about to tell Charlotte he was a shifter. “Not until after this mission. You promised me.”
    Ian bit his bottom lip. It was true. He had given his word to Zach, and he couldn’t go back on it. He needed to be an alpha that his men could respect and trust. Charlotte looked back and forth between Ian and Zach with a confused expression. Tension hung heavy in the air.
    “What do you need to tell me?” Charlotte asked, her voice wary.
    “It’s complicated,” Ian said.
    “That seems to be a theme with you guys,” Charlotte said, unable to hide the traces of annoyance in her voice. “Every time I ask a question you don’t want to answer, you just say it’s complicated, or you’re different. Like that somehow explains everything.”
    “I’m sorry. I promise I’ll explain everything clearly once we get back to base,” Ian said.
    Zach and Charlotte each glared at him, and Ian threw his hands above his head in frustration. “I can’t win with you two. A moment ago you were relieved I was alive. Now you both look like you want to kill me.”
    Charlotte sighed, but still looked annoyed. “I’m going to help Hunter set up camp. Maybe you two can have some boy time and work out whatever is causing all this hostility between you.”
    Ian watched as Charlotte stormed off through the forest. She looked amazing, even in the flame retardant suits, which were about the most unflattering outfits possible. He felt his bear clawing at him, wanting her. But he couldn’t have her right now. This fire was quickly spiraling out of control, and the crew needed to act quickly if they were going to slow it down.
    Besides, Ian couldn’t sleep with Charlotte again until he had a chance to confess to her that he was shifter. He hated to even think of it in terms of “confessing.” That made it sound like his secret was a bad thing. Ian wished that more humans could just accept shifters for who they were. What was so wrong about being part bear? He and his men had never hurt another human. In fact, they were using their superior strength to help humans by combating these wildfires. But many full humans seemed to have some sort of mental block that automatically characterized a shifter as dangerous and unpredictable.
    “You promised,” Zach said crossing his arms. He looked like he was daring Ian to disagree with him.
    “I know,” Ian said wearily, then started walking in the same direction Charlotte had headed. His gear weighed heavily on him and the heat and smoke made him feel like he was walking toward a giant oven, but there was no point in dwelling on that. He had a job to do, and the sooner it was done, the sooner he could sit down and tell Charlotte the truth.

Chapter Eight
    Charlotte stormed across the forest toward their base camp, her face flushed from a mixture of heat, anger, and self-righteousness. She’d had about all she could take of these men talking in circles. She had spent so much time with them, sharing with them her extensive knowledge on parachute control, laughing at their bad jokes, and helping them grill meals under the Northern California stars. And still, they treated her like an outsider. Even Ian, whom she’d had sex with on the freaking picnic table, still acted like she didn’t belong. Maybe sleeping with him had been a mistake, after all. He was hot as hell, and she still felt herself irresistibly drawn to him. But he didn’t want to open up to her. He had obviously