Free A Mate for The Werebear (A Billionaire Bear Shifter Menage Romance) (One Night Stand Book 3) by Sherry Wasson Page B

bitter and all consuming. He couldn’t even read the wash of emotions from the crowd of human beings with the overwhelming smell of coffee clogging his senses.
    Anthony ordered a cup of black coffee then took it to a table with metal chairs in the corner. There were much comfier armchairs scattered around the place, but Anthony didn’t care for indulgence. He needed to stay sharp. The woman was dulling him enough as it was.
    He’d see her this morning when she wandered in and he’d be able to see her without the distress radiating off of her. That should be sufficient for him to realize he was obsessing over nothing and leave.
    He didn’t need her complicating his life. She was only a brief obsession, nothing more. She wouldn’t even be worth mentioning when he got back to his tribe, partially because they would disapprove of him delaying his trip back to dally with a human.
    The coffee was ridiculously bitter, but Anthony didn’t add any cream or sugar. Those things had always seemed like weaknesses to him, an admission of not being able to handle the strong flavor of coffee.
    He was a werebear, and he prided himself on being able to handle anything.
    Then the woman walked through the door, and for the first time in a long time, he felt fear.

Chapter Three
     
    There he was again. Emily recognized the man from the parking lot immediately. She almost turned right back around and left the coffeehouse, but she really wanted a cup of coffee and this was her favorite spot. He hadn’t done anything that was actually threatening. The only crime he could be convicted of was loitering.
    Emily took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down as she stepped up to the counter to order.
    “Fancy meeting you here,” Mystery Man said.
    Emily’s hand jerked, sending her credit card skittering down the counter.
    “Sorry,” the man said quickly.
    Emily shook her head. “It’s fine. You startled me, is all.” She snatched her credit card back and handed it to the woman behind the cash register.
    “I’m Anthony,” he said, holding out a hand for her to shake.
    Emily bit her lip. She couldn’t run screaming in the other direction because a man introduced himself to her. “Emily.” She shook his hand quickly. Or at least, she meant to be quick. The moment her skin touched his, electricity shot through her system. Emily gasped and looked up into his eyes.
    His pupils were dilated and his lips were open slightly as if he was about to say something, or kiss her.
    Emily flushed and pulled her hand back. “Did you just move into the apartment building?” she asked. It would explain why she kept seeing him in the parking lot. Was that him last night, or was her mind playing tricks on her?
    “No. I’m only in town for a few days.”
    “Oh.” Emily moved down to the pickup counter. Anthony followed her. Emily’s skin prickled. She was attracted to him, she couldn’t deny it, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that if he didn’t leave soon her entire life was going to change.
    Not that change was necessarily a bad thing at this point, but the prospect was still frightening. The last time her life had changed, she’d lost everything.
    The espresso machine whistled. Emily fidgeted. “I’m on break from work,” she said to fill the silence between them. “Are you in town for a conference or something?” She couldn’t imagine he was here on vacation. This wasn’t exactly a prime tourist spot.
    “No. Just passing through. I’m meeting up with family a little south of here.”
    “Why are you in town for a couple days then? If you’re just passing through, I mean.” Stop talking, Emily . It was none of her business why he was staying a couple days instead of immediately pushing on.
    “Thought I’d stop to see the sights,” Anthony said. His expression looked strangely sincere.
    “The sights in Seattle?”
    “It doesn’t look it, but Seattle is home to great beauty.”
    He was looking at her too intensely.