AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The snow continued to fall, predicted to continue on and off throughout the week. The sun shone brightly overhead, the woods beyond his home inviting. He lifted his nose and sniffed, catching Laura’s inviting scent easily.
He found her ambling toward a thick group of common snowberry bushes, though she didn’t eat any, no doubt full from breakfast. He hurried to catch up and skirted around her, stopping in front of her.
She was beautiful in either form, but he had to admit she made a majestic vision in thick brownish-black fur, her paws huge, her muzzle long and lifted into the air, taking in the smells all around.
She stopped in her tracks when he made a play bow in front of her, daring her to take him on. Chuffing with amusement, she started for him, as if to attack. But the lumbering grizzly was no match for his speed and agility.
They ran around in the snow, a bear in pursuit of a red fox, working off the large meal they’d just consumed. But the play felt like something more, a challenge Gerald wanted her to accept.
He yipped and ran around her in circles, leaving her laughing as she sagged dizzily to the snow-covered ground. Victorious, Gerald jumped onto her flank and raced up her back to settle just behind her ears. He licked her cheek before curling into a ball on her back, tucking his tail around so he could bury his face in the bushy fur.
Then he sighed with contentment as his ride rose on all four legs and continued to walk through the woods. It felt as natural as breathing to take in her scent as they moved together.
Just a fox and his bear walking through the white-glazed forest.
Chapter Fifteen
Laura had no idea how much time had passed, but she’d had a fantastic time walking through the woods with Gerald on her back. It hadn’t been strange to carry him around, and it hadn’t been weird to accept the stick of winterberry Gerald found and laid at her feet like a gift.
She carried it back in her teeth while her fox—not her fox, Gerald—raced around her on the way back.
She loved the large stretch of woods bordering his home. She hadn’t thought he’d had much room to roam, but it turned out the woods abutted the larger section of forest on the western part of town.
Once back at his house, she waited for him to enter and shift back to human. As she’d gotten older, she’d become self-conscious about being naked in front of others. Plus, it was Gerald, who could have starred in any Hot Man of the Month calendar. No sense in stirring herself up for nothing.
She felt she’d given him enough time to change when she entered the house…only to find him dressed in nothing but boxer briefs.
“Oh, hey, Laura. Sorry. Got sidetracked by a phone call.”
Distracted by his washboard stomach, muscular torso and large, surprisingly graceful feet, it took her a moment to realize what he’d said. Though only animal spirits of the same kind could communicate telepathically, shared body language made it clear she was interested in what he was—actually, wasn’t—wearing.
He gave her an innocent look. “I hope I’m not embarrassing you by being half-dressed.”
More like a quarter-dressed, but she had no intention of arguing. She did her best to pretend she wasn’t affected. Except he was making no move to cover up.
“I mean, I hadn’t planned on facing you in nothing but my underwear.” He shrugged. “You know how it is. You get busy and things like clothes don’t seem to matter.”
Didn’t matter? Was he serious?
When she continued to stare at him, unable to help herself, he slowly pulled on his clothes, that sexy—annoying—smirk on his face. “So, okay then. Once you get changed, we can talk about dinner with my parents.”
She waited for him to leave.
He blinked. “Oh, right. I’ll be in the living room. Take your time.”
He left, finally, and she shifted to human and hurried into her clothes, shivering without that heavy fur coat to keep her warm.
Dressed once more in her jeans and blue sweater, she joined him in the living room, where he waited with two mugs of hot cocoa and a small bowl of marshmallows. “That was a great walk, wasn’t it?”
“It was. Those woods are beautiful.” She accepted the mug he handed her, doing her best not to react when his fingers brushed her own. But man oh man, it felt like she’d been struck by lightning, her entire body tingling. “Thanks. I needed that.”
“Your bear is beautiful.”
She blushed though she shouldn’t have. “Thanks. Your fox has lovely colors.”
“I am amazing, aren’t I?” He winked.
“And you’re full of yourself, but okay.”
