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“Thank you.” I kiss his chest.
We just stay there like that for a minute, me inhaling his yummy, sweaty, man smell, him stroking my shoulder blade.
I look up at him. “You like this?” I ask softly.
“What?” His mouth curves slightly in one of his small, sweet smiles.
“Being at my house.”
The smile widens. “Maybe a little.”
I nip at his chest. His big hand smooths over my hair. “Gwennie…”
“Don’t call me that.”
“Piglet…” His eyes briefly close. When they open, he looks more content than I’ve ever seen him. The knowledge brings a flutter to my stomach.
We get up and start grabbing for clothes. We’ve been holed up in my house for four days now, reveling in the newness of…whatever this is.
“I have to go to the enclosure later. Want to come?” I ask him.
“Sure.” He smiles. “I want to see Papa in action.”
I snort.
“What? I mean it.”
“You better mean it,” I tease.
“Go with me on a hike?” he asks, pulling his shirt on.
“Now?”
He nods. “You want to go to that rock way up there on my side of the line?”
The property line. I realize after a second what he means. “That little cave place? I always loved that place, but once I saw a coyote there and I haven’t gone back since.”
“Bear keeper can’t handle a coyote?” he teases.
“Unlike you, I’m not some crazy, badass gunman.” As soon as the words flow from my lips, I flinch.
Barrett steps to me and frames my face with his hands. “Gwen?”
“Yes.” My eyes on him are wide.
He whispers, “I’m not going to break.”
I nod slowly. “I know.”
He pulls me against him. I have the sense he’s going to say something, but he never does. We both finish dressing, and while we’re eating protein bars—two for him and one for me—we talk about my bear babies.
I can’t help admiring Barrett’s body as we stretch outside. I get a cramp and he kneels, propping my foot on his shoulder as his fingers… I groan. “God—you’re good.”
“Important skill.”
“For…?”
“Staying alive.”
