Page 25 of Stout Bear

“We have,” he agreed. “And I want you to be part of it.”

Her eyes widened slightly, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she leaned her head against his chest as they swayed to the music. Max closed his eyes briefly, committing this feeling to memory. As the song ended, Max noticed Laney stifling a yawn. “I should get home,” she said. The evening had grown late.

“Let me walk you.”

“You don’t have to leave your own festival,” she said. “I can make it home fine.”

“I want to,” Max insisted. “The staff can handle things here.”

They said goodbye to various townspeople as they made their way toward the festival exit. The music gradually faded behind them as they walked the quiet streets to her apartment.

“I had a wonderful time tonight,” Laney said as they reached her building.

“Even with my parents telling embarrassing stories about me?”

“Especially with that part,” she teased.

They climbed the short flight of steps to her door. Laney fished her keys from her purse, but didn’t immediately unlock the door. She turned to face him, her expression soft in the porch light.

“Thank you for rescuing me from that guy at the jewelry booth,” she said. “And for the adorable figurines.”

“Anytime,” Max replied, suddenly aware of how close they were standing.

He wanted to kiss her more than he’d ever wanted anything. His bear nearly roared with the need to claim her lips, to mark her as his own. But he hesitated, remembering how she had run away after their last kiss in the brewing room.

Laney solved his dilemma by rising slightly on her toes, her eyes meeting his with a question that needed no words, the porch lights catching the gold flecks in her blue irises. Max didn't need a second invitation. His bear rumbled as he leaned down and pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss was soft at first, tentative and questioning, the warmth of her breath mingling with his in the cool evening air. Then Laney's arms slid around his neck, her fingers threading through the hair at his nape, sending shivers down his spine. Max deepened the kiss, pulling her closer until he could feel the rapidbeating of her heart against his chest. The curve of her petite little body fit perfectly against his larger frame.

His heart hammered against his ribs, every nerve ending alive with sensation. His bear sang with satisfaction, a primal recognition that hummed through his veins. This was right, this was perfect, this was everything.

They finally pulled apart, both slightly breathless. His lips tingled and his body was flushed with heat. Max rested his forehead against hers, inhaling the lingering scent of her perfume. “Goodnight, Laney,” he whispered.

“Goodnight, Max.”

He waited as she unlocked her door and stepped inside, turning to give him one last smile before closing it. Max stood on the porch for a moment longer, his lips still tingling from their kiss.

As he walked back toward the festival, Max felt lighter than he had in months. The brewery issue earlier seemed distant and manageable. Tonight had confirmed what his bear had known from the beginning. Laney was his mate, his future, his everything. And somehow, he would find a way to claim her.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Laney stepped inside her apartment,cheeks flushed. She set down her purse and leaned against the door, replaying the goodnight kiss with Max. Her lips tingled from the pressure of his lips, and the memory of his strong arms around her waist sent a flutter through her stomach.

“Oh my goodness,” she whispered to the empty room, touching her fingers to her mouth.

The night had been magical from start to finish. Meeting his parents, dancing under the festival lights, and that perfect kiss at her doorstep. She closed her eyes, savoring how safe and cherished she had felt when Max intervened with that pushy stranger at the jewelry booth. The possessive way he had slid his arm around her waist had thrilled her to her core.

Yet an old insecurity nagged at her. Did he only like her new look? Was it just the fancy dress and professional styling that had caught his attention?

Still wearing her festival outfit, Laney paced her small living room. The blue dress swished around her legs as she moved, areminder of how different she looked tonight compared to her usual self. The memory of Max’s possessive gesture stirred both excitement and anxiety inside her.

Her inner fox whined, wanting to trust the mate bond, but her rational side fretted over whether the novelty would fade. She took the little figurines out of her purse and put them on an empty shelf. Max still didn’t know the truth about her half-shifter status. When he’d given her the gift, it had made her feel exposed. Memories of being called a freak had filled her mind, and she might have run away again if Max hadn’t pulled her onto the dance floor.

Laney sighed and headed to the bathroom. She carefully removed her makeup, watching as the enhanced version of herself disappeared with each swipe of the cleansing cloth. The woman who emerged looked familiar but somehow changed. Was it confidence that made her eyes seem brighter, her smile more natural?

She changed into pajamas, her mind racing with excitement and leftover nerves. The soft cotton felt comfortable against her skin after hours in the dress. As she brushed her teeth, she replayed their slow dance, her heart fluttering each time she pictured Max’s intense gaze looking down at her.

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