Page 23 of Honey for the Bear

And then the door opens.

Cameron stands in the doorway, and my breath catches in my throat.

He looks like hell.

His hair is messy, sticking up in all directions like he’s spent the last few days running his hands through it.His face is shadowed with stubble, and dark circles sit under his eyes, as if sleep is something he gave up on a long time ago.

But then his eyes meet mine, and everything else fades away.

“Hannah,” he says, his voice low and rough, like he hasn’t spoken in hours.

“Hi,” I say softly.

For a moment, we just stand there, staring at each other.The tension between us is thick, heavy, but underneath it is something warmer.Something that feels like relief.

“I wasn’t sure if…” He trails off, his hand gripping the edge of the doorframe like it’s the only thing holding him up.

I hold up the carved bear, my fingers tightening around it.“You left this on my porch.”

He nods, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows.“I didn’t know what else to do.”

My chest tightens, and I take a step closer, holding the bear out toward him.“Why, Cameron?Why now?”

He hesitates, his gaze dropping to the ground.“Because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.About everything I said, everything I didn’t say.”

I wait, letting the silence stretch between us, until he finally looks up again.

“I left because I thought it was the right thing to do,” he says quietly.“Because I thought I was protecting you.But all I did was hurt you.”

“You did,” I say, my voice trembling.“You hurt me, Cameron.You shut me out when all I wanted was to be let in.”

He flinches, as if the words physically hit him, and I take another step closer, closing the distance between us.

“But then you left this,” I say, holding up the bear again.“And now I don’t know what to feel.I don’t know what you want from me.”

“I want you,” he says, the words tumbling out in a rush.“I’ve always wanted you, Hannah.From the first moment I saw you at the farmers market, I knew you were different.I knew I couldn’t have you, but I couldn’t stay away.”

His voice breaks, and he takes a step back, running a hand through his hair.“But I’m not good at this.I don’t know how to let someone in without screwing it up.”

I stare at him, my heart pounding.“Then stop running.Stop shutting me out.Stop deciding for me what I can or can’t handle.”

He looks at me, his eyes filled with something raw and vulnerable, and I take a shaky breath.

“I don’t care what you are, Cameron,” I say softly.“Bear, human, whatever.That’s not what matters to me.What matters is that you trust me enough to let me see all of you—even the parts you’re scared of.”

The silence that follows is heavy, charged, and I feel like I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to say something, anything.

Finally, he steps forward, his hand reaching out to cup my cheek.His touch is warm, rough, and it sends a shiver down my spine.

“I love you,” he says, his voice barely above a whisper.“I know I don’t deserve you, but I love you, Hannah.All of you.”

My chest tightens, and I feel tears prick at the corners of my eyes.“Then show me, Cameron.Show me you mean it.”

He leans in slowly, his lips brushing against mine, and I close my eyes, melting into his touch.The kiss is soft at first, tentative, but it quickly deepens, his hands sliding around my waist to pull me closer.

I cling to him, my fingers tangling in his hair, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the tension between us eases.

When we finally pull apart, his forehead rests against mine, and I feel his breath warm against my skin.

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