Page 14 of Having the Bear's Baby

“I am actually starting to feel some decent hunger,” Liam told Emma. “How about we head back and check on mom’s maelstrom of food festivities?”

“I like the way you think,” Emma said.

SIX

LIAM

“You did what?” Liam asked, laughing.

Emma was crying due to her own bouts of laughter. She was trying to catch her breath.

“You heard me,” was all that she was managing to get out. They were slowly making their way back to the house.

“You did not.”

She laughed harder and nodded.

Liam’s deep laugh erupted through his chest as he thought about the image that Emma had created with her story.

When he finally calmed down, he had to clarify.

“Wait, wait, wait. So, you’re telling me that if I get you drunk enough, I not only get to watch you try to race everyone you meet, but if someone agrees, you strip down because you’re, and I quote, ‘faster naked’?”

Emma’s perfectly shaped lips pursed shut as she held back a laugh and simply shrugged. She kept her pace and walked on, but Liam noticed her shoulders shaking, trying not to give away her silent laughter.

This woman was undoubtedly the best thing that had ever happened to him. With each step she took, her sexiness grew, her qualities shining like beacons in the night. Witty and intelligent, she possessed a personality that was as captivating as it was endearing.

Her willingness to share her past and to open up was a testament to her caring heart … a trait that Liam found both refreshing and irresistible.

As they continued on their path, Emma leading the way, his thoughts strayed. A restlessness stirred within him, his bear’s primal instincts awakening with an intensity that caught him off guard. He longed for her more than he had expected. The sensation tugged at him, a reminder that their connection ran deeper than he could have foreseen.

Shaking himself from his reverie, Liam quickened his pace, closing the distance between them. He couldn’t deny the reluctance he felt about returning to the party, the idea of having to share Emma’s company with a crowd leaving a sour taste in his mouth.

His ears perked as they neared his home. To his surprise, even his bear’s senses detected nothing … a rare occurrence. Emma must’ve noticed the furrow in his brow.

“What?” she inquired, her concern evident.

“I don’t hear anyone,” Liam said, his voice carrying a note of concern.

As his home came into view, there were no telltale signs of a gathering, except for his sister’s car parked nearby.

Pulling out his phone, he realized with a start just how much time had passed since they had left. “Holy shit. Well, it looks like we missed the rest of the party.”

Emma’s disappointment scented the air, her distress causing him to chuckle. “It’s okay.”

Concern etched her features. “No, I don’t want your family to think less of me or that I was trying to ditch them.”

Liam’s smile softened as he reassured her, finding it endearing that she cared about his family’s opinion.

“They won’t think anything of it, especially since I was gone with you, and I am, in fact, the one who whisked you away,” he said, hoping to ease her worries.

Her shoulders relaxed, a tentative smile replacing her initial concern. “You promise?”

With an exaggerated gesture, Liam crossed his heart, the gesture carrying both amusement and sincerity.

Their return to the house brought them face-to-face with his sister, Lillian, who wore a knowing smile. “Oh, hey, you two. I was just heading out,” she greeted, her smirking gaze flitting between them.

“Did everyone else leave?” Liam asked, still skeptical as he looked around.

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