Page 7 of A Beary Merry Christmas

Grabbing my phone off of the passenger seat, I let out a groan as my service abruptly disappeared. He wasn’t kidding about the bad cell reception. I had been paranoid most of the drive, randomly checking my signal. The closer I got to Black Fall, the fewer bars I had.

And now I had none, not even a roaming or extended network available.

Looking at my dash, I carefully watched the odometer. Coming to a crawl at the stoplight, I peered right and then left, trying to determine which way to go. Unease slid through me. There seemed to be more businesses to the right, but that didn’t mean much.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, I cringed as I saw an SUV. It had appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Crap.

On a wing and a prayer, I swung my car to the right, letting out a small growl of frustration as the vehicle quickly followed me. Trying to think on my toes, I did the only thing I could do: pull over and let them pass.

Maneuvering my car into the small passage meant for bicyclists, I turned on my flashers, signaling for the truck to move beyond me. To my utter shock and dismay, the SUV parked right behind me. My angst multiplied. I was in a strange place with no reception and no clue as to where I was going.

A well-built male with rich chocolate skin stepped out of the vehicle. He was shorter than most men I knew yet he seemed twice as intimidating.

Pressing the automatic lock button on my door panel, I made sure there was at least some semblance of safety to the situation.

Steadily, he approached my Nissan, his jeans and sweater moving with his lean frame, giving hints at the muscle beneath them. Coming to the driver’s side, he tapped on my window, immediately stepping back, putting space between himself and my car.

Reaching for the panel on the door, I pushed the appropriate button, cracking my window just enough to communicate.

“I haven’t seen you in town before, and you look a little lost. Where are you headed?” His voice was velvety, with the perfect amount of rasp, in a baritone sort of way.

I watched as he kept his distance, standing a few feet away, as if he knew I was unsure of him. “Um, Beast Mode.”

His brows furrowed momentarily, his gaze analyzing me. Smoothing his features, he nodded. “Drive about a mile down this road, following the curve. At the fork, stay right and Beast Mode will about a quarter mile down on the left.”

“Thanks.” I gave him an appreciative smile. Maybe I had been jaded these last few years. I didn’t live in the city, but Montgomery was certainly bigger than Black Fall. You had Southern hospitality in my town, but safety precautions were still required.

He beamed, revealing a set of pearly whites. “You moving here?”

Studying him, I debated how much to reveal. He seemed friendly enough, but I sucked at reading men. “No.” I shook my head negatively.

Standing patiently, he openly assessed me, as if he could see through my tinted windows. Cocking his head slightly, he narrowed his gape. “You here to meet Stone?”

Feeling my brows rise, surprise setting in, I conceded. “Yes.” Idly I wondered if Stone got a lot of out-of-town visitors. This whole time I’d thought I was special; he made me feel special, but maybe I was one of a dozen. That should have made this easier emotionally, but it only made it worse, compounded the throbbing in my chest.

He stared at me for a long minute, his grin broadening. “You must be Lora.”

Confusion washed through me. Okay, so maybe I’m not one of a dozen, but then, how does he know who I am? I shifted uncomfortably in my seat.

“Shit. Sorry, love. Forgot my manners.” He took a careful step forward, towards my car. “I’m Nate, the deputy sheriff of Black Fall, and Stone’s best friend.” He added that last part at the final second, realizing I would need the information to make the connection.

The moment he said it, it clicked in my brain. I recalled Stone talking about his best friend on several occasions. Seeing him in person, I finally understood what he meant when he said they were opposites in looks but shared the same brain and the same heart for extra curvy women.

Relief washed through me, my nerves settling for a brief moment. At least one part of Stone’s story checked out.

Suddenly realizing I was staring at him and hadn’t responded, I unbuckled. I was comfortable enough with Nate, based on his considerations and precautions in not encroaching on me too fast, to properly greet him. And, for some odd reason, I felt like he deserved it. He’d saved me from driving aimlessly through unfamiliar territory. Opening my door, I stepped out of my sedan. The cold air instantly brushed every exposed inch of my flesh. Extending a hand towards him, I met his gaze. “It’s nice to meet you, Nate. And yes, I’m Lora.”

His eyes widened as he took me in, an awkward silence stretching between us as I held my hand out. Visibly shaking himself, he scrubbed his face before taking my hand. “Damn. Stone’s one lucky beast.”

Biting my lower lip, I felt my cheeks rouge. “Thank you, I think.”

A dimple appeared in his cheek as he smiled. “Oh, that was definitely a compliment, love. But, I’m not looking to get my ass kicked by a good friend today, so I’m going to leave it at that.” He chuckled softly.

Suddenly, a breeze blew through. I shuddered as a chill chased down my spine. Stuffing my hands in the large front pocket of my pullover hoodie, I curled inwards.

Nate jumped forward, reaching around me and opening my car door. “Do you need me to show you the way to Beast Mode?”

Taking a blind step backwards, I gripped the door’s frame before dropping into the driver’s seat. “I think I can find it with your directions, thanks.”

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