Page 17 of The Bear's Chosen Mate
“Well, since we don’t really have anywhere to go for the next while, maybe we should talk about all the things that have you tensing up like a bowstring.”
“You’re going to be stubborn about this, aren’t you?”she complained.
“Stubborn as a bear,” he teased back.
The phrase was familiar and so theirs that Kaylee pushed away from him.She hauled out her phone and turned on the screen so she could see his face.
He was smiling.Or at least his lips were curled upward, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes that made her heart ache.“Why are you looking at me like that?”she asked sincerely.
“Because I’m glad to be here with you, but I’m sorry I scared you away.We could be enjoying the blackout in the safety of my suite right now.”
“Staying with you wasn’t a good idea,” she said drolly.And sitting on him wasn’t too smart, either.He didn’t seem to be acting weird anymore, but he was still fiery hot.
Surely he couldn’t just turn off the mating fever?
Kaylee wiggled with the intention of moving to her own corner of the space.
Nope.His arms locked tighter.“Stay where you are.You’re cold, and we can talk with you sitting where you are just as easily as with you freezing all by your lonesome.”
She growled at him in frustration.“Bossy bastard.”
“You ain’t seen nothing, Banks.Now let’s go through your bullshit list of what’s currently not okay in your world, shall we?”
Bullshit list?She tilted her phone to shine at her face so he could see her glare of disapproval.
James snorted.
Fine.He was going to be an asshole when she’d been trying to save him from himself?“We’re trapped in an elevator, and it could fall and kill us any moment.”
“We’re currently locked in place by the best backup system my overbearing oldest brother could purchase,” he countered.“Cooper paid extra to have emergency double redundancy systems in place for exactly this kind of circumstance.”
She pondered that, blinking when James snorted in obvious amusement.
“I still think my idea of a backup power source would have been even handier, but that’ll be an argument for the next time I see him.”
Oh.“So, we’re safe?”
“Safe and sound.But trapped, at least until Cooper finds a way to turn the power back on.”
At least she could put dying off her list of concerns.
The rest of it—
She took a deep breath and blurted it all out.
“You have mating fever, or you did, and you were raving about wanting me for a mate.And you can’t.I mean, you’re my best friend, and I like you tons.I do think you’re attractive, sexy even, but there’s no way you can be with me forever.You’re…you.I’m…me.I’d be terrible for you as a mate.”
He rubbed his chin against the top of her head and hummed happily.“You think I’m sexy?”
Arghhh.“That’sall you pulled out of my confession?”she snapped.
“Other than the bit about me being your best friend, it was the only part worth listening to.”
Oh.Hell.No.
She grabbed hold of the front of his shirt with both hands and shook him.She had to make him understand.“I’m scared to death of so many things, and you’re the public face of your family’s company.I can’t talk to strangers.I can’t go to business meetings in all parts of the world because I’m scared to fly.I woulddieif I had to get up beside you on a stage and schmooze with people.”
“Is that what’s got your knickers in a twist?”
