Page 28 of Bear and Book

Cassian didn’t let that happen.

“What happened?” he asked, sounding concerned.

I froze with my hand on the fridge door.

“What makes you think something happened?” I answered.

Cassian finally looked up, brow arched. “Because you usually come back from seeing bookstore guy smelling like you got into trouble but are proud of yourself. Tonight you just smell irritated.”

I didn’t know whether to laugh or growl. “I’m not irritated.”

“Uh-huh. So nothing happened at all?” Cassian pressed.

I shut the fridge without taking anything out, leaning back against the counter. I could’ve lied. Should’ve, maybe. But my bear didn’t like lying and honestly, I wanted to tell someone.

“We kissed,” I said.

That got his full attention. He sat up, his phone slipping to the cushion beside him. “You kissed Elias?”

“Yeah,” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. “Well we kissed each other.”

Cassian grinned, slow and knowing. “And?”

“And then he pulled away and told me it was a bad idea.”

Cassian whistled low, leaning back against the couch cushions like he was settling in for a show.

“Well, that explains why you’re walking around like you just got hit with a tranquilizer dart. He kissed you, then bailed,” Cassian said.

“Pretty much,” I grumbled.

I dropped into the armchair opposite him, slouching so I wouldn’t look like I was bracing for a fight.

Except I was, a little. Not with him, but with myself. My bear wanted to be in the bookstore right now, hauling Elias against the wall until he admitted he wanted me too.

Cassian was quiet for a beat, studying me in that unblinking way he had. “You want my advice?”

I made a face. “Not really.”

“Too bad. I think you need to be careful,” Cassian said.

That hit like a jab to the ribs. “Careful?”

“Yeah. You’re already half-gone on him.” Cassian tipped his head. “You know it, I know it, probably the guys at the bakery know it. But Elias? He’s still somewhere else. Not with you, not fully. And I’m guessing that somewhere else has teeth.”

The words stuck in my head, heavier than I expected.

“Teeth,” I repeated, though I knew what he meant.

Cassian shrugged.

“Bad breakup, bad memories, bad something. I like him, don’t get me wrong. I suspect the guy’s a lot warmer than he pretends, but there’s a line he’s not ready to cross. And you, my friend, don’t exactly do half-measures,” Cassian said.

“I can,” I said, a little too fast.

He gave me a look like I’d just said I could stop breathing if I wanted to.

“You can’t,” Cassian said. “Not when it comes to people you care about. And that’s fine. It’s one of your better qualities, honestly. But if you push him too hard before he’s ready, he’s gonna bolt. And then you’re gonna mope, and I’m gonna have to deal with you baking breakup bread in the middle of the night.”