Free Bear Essentials by Mary Wine Page A

groan rose from him as he pulled his hips back. “Tell me to forget the
condom.” His eyes were bright with need as he framed her head with his hands.
    “Tell me the idea of getting married and having babies isn’t
a fate worse than death in your opinion.”
    His voice broke, betraying the fact that he’d heard just
that from too many women in the past.
    “I love family. But I’ve got to warn you, the color scheme
in this house is not toddler friendly. Besides, we just met.”
    The phone started ringing again. Granger groaned before
placing a hard kiss against her mouth. His tongue thrust deep, stroking hers as
he held her head in place for the invasion. Sensation spread across her skin,
drawing her nipples taut.
    “So change the colors.”
    His gaze looked hopeful. It was so tempting. He flashed her
a grin before rising off her. “I guess you’re right about the timing. I’ll
invest a few more days in trying to sweep you off your feet.”
    He left the bed, taking his coffee with him. Roslyn indulged
herself in watching his nude body move across the carpeting.
    “Just a few days? Lucky me.”
    He shot her a glance over the rim of his coffee mug. “I
think I was born in the wrong century. I want to keep you. Like some prize of
feuding families.” One dark eyebrow rose as the phone began ringing again.
“Tonight?”
    His hand was poised over the ringing phone as he waited for
her to answer. Maybe he couldn’t keep her in the modern era, but the fact that
he was placing her answer above his incoming call meant a whole lot.
    “Tonight.” Rolling out of the bed, she enjoyed the way his
eyes followed her. Heat flickered across his face as he pressed his lips into a
firm line.
    “The day is too damn long. Who made the day so long anyway?”
He picked up a set of car keys and tossed them to her.
    “I can’t take your car.” She’d never driven anything so
expensive.
    “I’m just trying to make sure you don’t chicken out on
tonight because you get back to your plant and remember that good girls don’t
commit on the first date.”
    “Except among feuding families.”
    He laughed at her and his face transformed. The man was at
ease and she decided he looked damn good that way.
    “Works for me, I’ll tie you to the bed until you contract
whatever that syndrome is that causes kidnap victims to fall in love with their
captors.”
    Roslyn put the keys against her chest in a protective
gesture. “I have a business to run too.”
    His gaze sharpened with respect. “I love that about you.”
    The phone rang and he silenced it by picking it up. His
voice was rich and deep as he slid into his world. He bent over a computer as
he spoke on that line, his attention shifting towards his work.
    A little hum came from her lips as she went towards the
front door. A man like Granger had his life and so did she.
    But the day dawned, and with it, reality. There were bills
to pay and orders to fill. Her own goals and responsibilities awaited, just as
Granger’s did.
    She made her way into the garage and stared at the three
cars. She’d been babying her truck for the last year and she didn’t think any
of Granger’s cars was more than a year old. But he respected her. That was
worth more than she could express, especially when she considered just how
impulsive she’d behaved. It conflicted with all the rules she’d been raised
with. Good girls didn’t kiss on the first date.
    They’d done a hell of a lot more.
    But she wasn’t sorry.
    She climbed into the sedan and adjusted the seat and
mirrors.
    It was time to go back to the patterns of life that would
make the memory of last night so much dearer.
    A few more days of seduction?
    Well, that was an idea sure to drive her insane before noon.
    A smile sat on her face as she contemplated it.
    Maybe fate wasn’t so bad after all.
    * * * * *
    “Ms. Gregory! Look at what the handsome man has sent you!”
    Marta’s words came through a huge bouquet of flowers.