Page 37 of Sweet Heart for the Bear

Haven’t spoken.

Just sat here like astar struck idiot, openly gawking at her while my brain went completely off the rails.

Smooth, Horace.

Real smooth.

I shake myself out of it, forcing words past the absolute chaos in my head.

“You look beautiful,” I say—because,hell, how could I not?

Her cheeks flush pink.

A soft blush.

And I like it.

I like that I did that.

That I made her cheeks go pink.

That it was me.

She smiles—shy, pleased—and murmurs, “Thank you.”

I’m on my feet in an instant, moving before I even think about it, reaching for her chair and pulling it out for her, effectively shoving the waiter out of the way in the process.

Mine.

She’s mine.

She just doesn’t know it yet.

Chapter13

Carina

My pulse is racing like mad.

Butwho could blame me?

It’s him.

Him.

Big, beautiful, burly Horace—the upstairs neighbor I’ve been not-so-secretly fantasizing about for weeks.

And now?

Now he’s sitting across from me in this intimate, candlelit restaurant, ordering wine like a damn romance novel hero.

Dark red wine.

My favorite.

Does hesomehow know?

His deep, gravelly voice pulls me out of my daze.

---