Page 56 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
She felt Michael’s eyes on her, though she couldn’t tear her gaze from the celestial display. They stood side by side, shoulders touching, sharing the moment in comfortable silence. The cold numbed her cheeks, but Sarah barely noticed, too entranced by the stars above.
Finally, she tore her eyes away from the sky and looked at Michael. His face was illuminated by starlight, his expression soft as he watched her. Something in her chest tightened at the tenderness in his gaze.
Sarah clutched his arm, suddenly overwhelmed by the beauty of the night, by his presence, by everything that had happened between them. “Thank you for bringing me here. I have never seen such a display of stars. Well worth braving the cold for a few minutes.”
Michael’s eyes held hers for a long moment. “Sarah,” he said, his voice low and serious, “the stars are not what I wanted to show you.”
“It’s not?” She blinked in surprise, searching his face.
“No.” He shook his head and gently pulled his hand from hers, stepping away.
Sarah watched, confused, as Michael moved to the edge of the clearing. He kneeled and lit two lanterns she hadn’t noticed before. They cast a golden glow across the snow, creating a small circle of warmth in the winter night.
Michael straightened, his tall frame silhouetted against the lantern light. “There’s something else,” he said, his voice tight with what sounded like nervousness. “And I want you to promise me you will stay right there.”
He held up his hands, palms out, his eyes fixed on her face as if searching for any sign of fear.
Sarah’s heart pounded against her ribs. What could he possibly want to show her that required such a warning? Part of her wanted to step back, to return to the safety of the cabin, but a stronger part—the part that had been drawn to Michael from the first moment—kept her rooted to the spot.
“Okay,” she said, her voice small against the vastness of the night sky and the mountains and forests.
Michael took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with the motion. Then, with one last look at her, he closed his eyes.
What happened next defied everything Sarah thought she knew about reality. The air around Michael seemed to ripple, then pop and fizz like static electricity. For a split second, he appeared to blur at the edges, and then…
He was gone.
Then, a moment later, in place of the man stood an enormous bear, its dark fur gleaming in the lantern light, its massive head turned toward her.
Sarah’s breath caught in her throat. Her mind struggled to process what she was seeing. One moment, Michael had been standing there, and now...this wasn’t possible. It couldn’t be real.
But it was. The bear…Michael?…lowered its head and huffed softly, its breath visible in the cold night air. It remained where it was, as if giving her time to absorb what she was seeing.
Sarah stood frozen, not from fear but from pure astonishment. The bear took a tentative step forward, then another, moving with surprising grace for such a massive creature. Its eyes—dark, intelligent eyes that somehow looked familiar—never left her face.
Instead of running, Sarah sank to her knees in the snow. “Well,” she said, her voice steadier than she would have expected, “this is more spectacular than any starry display.”
The bear huffed again, coming closer until it was standing right in front of her. It lowered its massive head, blowing warm breath on her hands as she reached out.
Sarah’s fingers sank into thick, soft fur. The bear’s coat was warmer than she expected, radiating heat in the frosty night. She rubbed behind its ears, marveling at the softness, at the impossible reality of what was happening.
“You’re beautiful,” she whispered, running her hands along the bear’s muzzle. “Absolutely magnificent.”
The bear leaned into her touch, making a rumbling sound deep in its chest that felt almost like purring. Sarah laughed, the sound almost too loud in the quiet night. She stroked the bear’smassive head, scratched under its chin, and then pressed a quick kiss to its broad snout.
“I can’t believe this is real,” she said, her voice filled with wonder. “You’re really Michael, aren’t you? How is this possible?”
The bear nuzzled against her hand, its eyes—Michael’s eyes—warm and intelligent. She could see recognition there, understanding. This wasn’t just an animal; this was Michael, somehow transformed yet still himself.
“This is incredible,” she continued, unable to stop touching him, reassuring herself that he was real. “You’re incredible.”
A shiver ran through her, though whether from the cold or from the enormity of what she was witnessing, Sarah couldn’t tell. The bear seemed to notice immediately. It backed away, giving her space, and then the air crackled and popped again.
The bear disappeared, and Michael stood in its place, fully clothed just as he had been before. His face was uncertain as he watched her, waiting for her reaction.
Sarah rose slowly to her feet, snow clinging to her jeans. Her mind raced with questions, with implications, with wonder. But beneath all that was a certainty she couldn’t explain. That this changed nothing about how she felt for Michael. If anything, it only deepened the connection she’d sensed from the beginning.
“You’re shivering,” Michael said, his voice gentle as he took a step toward her. “We should get you back inside.”
