Page 13 of The Bear's Fated Mate
He shook his head to rid himself of the sexual images bombarding his brain.Shut up now, or I will go on a vegan diet for a month.
His bear growled.
Only a few feet away from him, Lara braced as if preparing for an attack. “Alex?”
“Sorry. Bear issue. He’s being a bastard.” He was a little shocked to have blurted out the explanation so quickly.
Understanding and a wry smile softened her features and made her look playful instead of sad. “My wolf does that to me too.”
His brothers’ command to be pleasant rang loudly in his brain. Along with everything else going on that he didn’t understand, the assumption he needed the warning offered a firm place to restart the evening.
He and Lara weren’t friends, but he wasn’t certain yet that they were truly enemies. Maybe there was a middle ground?
One that involves sex?His bear offered the comment then wisely vanished.
Alex eased forward onto his elbows, taking another deep breath and soaking in her amazing scent. He took one final appreciative glance over her curves before lifting his gaze to meet hers.
“Honest truth? It’s not that I don’t like you, Lara. It’s that I might appreciate your…assets…a little more than is appropriate, all things considered.”
Her mouth opened in a small O of surprise.
He was going straight to hell for the dirty things he’d like to do to that sweet mouth.
The limo pulled up in front of the Grande Hotel and halted all further conversation regarding his bombshell of a comment.
Alex hurried around to open her door, enjoying her sexy glide to vertical. His bear agreed, rumbling happily as they stared at her legs and the killer stilettos gracing her feet.
His voice came out one step away from a growl. “I’d warn you to be careful on the cobblestones, but I bet you could climb a mountain in those sexy things.”
Lara eased closer, politely slipping her fingers around his elbow. “Another compliment. Alex Borealis, if you’re not careful, I’m going to suspect you’ve been kidnapped and brainwashed.”
He chuckled then guided her through the mass of people milling around the entrance, drawn by the cameras and lights set up for what appeared to be a film crew.
The main foyer of the building was all rich wood tones and vast spaces overhead, impressive and bold in an overwhelming display of northern architecture. Elegantly dressed couples stood in small clusters as they waited for the organizers to call them into the main room.
A familiar couple stood to one side of the door, chatting with the others. His gramps and grandmother both wore fancy duds and were obviously ready for an evening out.
Confusion struck. The chances of them being here tonight andnotattending the event? Slim to none. Which meant Alex had gotten all gussied up for nothing, not to mention the lectures he’d endured from his brothers and the sexual torment during the limo ride. Either James had screwed up—not likely—or Gramps had.Again.
Fine. Everyone made mistakes, but between this one and the previous one, both of which had sent him on a collision course with Lara, Alex needed to either goad the old man or check closer for the onset of senility.
Distraction arrived in the form of a massive man lingering at the edge of the room. The behemoth seemed familiar, but it wasn’t until the man’s gaze settled on Lara and narrowed into a glare that Alex recognized him. It was one of the men who’d instigated a brawl at the Diamond Tavern the previous month and come out the loser to Lara’s powerhouse skills.
Mr. Troublemaker shouldered forward, nothing welcoming in his approach.
Lara spotted him as well, a soft curse slipping from her lips as she glanced up at Alex. Her expression tightened then seemed resigned. “Play along, please,” she murmured a second before plastering her torso tighter against his.
Instinctively, Alex wrapped a hand around her, his palm firmly planted on her lower back. When she twisted, he went with her, and the next moment they faced the belligerent shifter as if a unified front.
Considering the size of potential trouble in front of them, Alex really should’ve had more of his attention on the man, but the distraction of honey-scented skin was surprisingly strong. The heat and pleasure of contact with her bare skin scampered through him. Desire struck, along with an equal spike of adrenaline. A remote part of him prepared for a fight.
The man was nearly on top of Lara before he stumbled to a stop, eyes darting to the side to take in Alex. Assessing their close position. Definitely noticing the bared teeth Alex presented in a very fake smile.
The man glanced back and forth between the two of them before offering a frustrated growl. Then sadly, he adjusted course and kept walking out of the group and into the shadows.
Lara let out a slow breath before leaning against Alex. Her lips brushed his ear as she whispered her thanks then added, “I didn’t really want to deal with that right now.”
Usually he would have felt annoyed at the lack of fight, but for some reason, this time he didn’t mind. In fact, if this kept her pressed up against him all night, he wouldn’t mind one bit.
