When she pulled back, he traced the edge of her jaw with his thumb.
“I want more,” she whispered, the admission tumbling out before she could stop it. “I wanted to come up to your place because…I wantmore.”
“Yes.” Bear exhaled sharply, his forehead pressing against hers. “But not here.”
Joy’s pulse tripped. “Why not?”
His voice was rough, edged with something strained. “Because when I finally have you, when I finally get to show you how much I want you, it’s not going to be in a cramped playhouse where half the damn town can hear us. The same way it wasn’t going to be on the floor of a garage this afternoon.”
A shiver ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the cold.
She should argue. Tell him she didn’t care. But deep down, she knew he was right.
And that terrified her. Because she knew Bear. When he made a promise, he kept it. And the kiss they’d just shared had been a promise.
One she desperately wanted him to keep.
She let out a slow breath, nodding against him.
He pressed a lingering kiss to her temple before pulling her into his arms, tucking her against his chest like it was the most natural thing in the world—the two of them on this tiny little cot that might collapse at any moment.
Joy closed her eyes, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat against her ear. His warmth surrounded her, chasing away the cold that had seeped into her bones—not just from the November night, but from the fear that had been her constant companion for too long.
For the first time in days, she felt safe.
And she slept.
Chapter14
Joy’s hands trembled the next day as she scrubbed at the already spotless table surface. She’d been watching the whole scene unfold for thirty minutes, and every second made her jaw clench tighter.
The Friday night rush at the Eagle’s Nest was in full swing, the familiar aromas of burgers and fries mingling with the sounds of clinking glasses and laughter. It should have been just another shift, but nothing about today felt normal. Not after waking up this morning tangled around Bear on that ridiculously small cot in her playhouse, their bodies pressed together by necessity, leaving her frustrated and wanting.
God, she’d cursed herself a hundred times today for not making it up those damn stairs to his apartment. She could’ve been savoring the memory of his hands on her body instead of trying to restore circulation to her numb extremities after a night in the cramped playhouse.
“More water, please, when you get a chance.”
Joy startled, blinking at the middle-aged couple smiling up at her.
“Of course. Coming right up.” She plastered on a smile that didn’t reach her eyes and headed toward the bar.
Which meant walking directly past the scene that had been eating her alive for the last half hour.
Three women in scrubs sat perched at the bar—travel nurses on short-term contracts at Oak Creek Medical. Joy had served them dinner earlier. Two seemed nice enough. But the blond one—Cassie—hadn’t stopped flirting with Bear since he’d come in from the garage for an after-work beer.
Joy gripped her serving tray so tightly her knuckles went white. Bear wasn’t even working as a bartender tonight. He was just a customer sitting at the bar in a worn Henley that hugged his broad shoulders, nursing a beer and looking perfectly relaxed despite Cassie’s transparent attempts to flirt.
“You must be the best mechanic in town,” Cassie purred, twirling her martini glass between manicured fingers. She leaned forward, giving Bear an unobstructed view of her cleavage. “My car’s been making this weird noise. Maybe you could take a look at it for me?”
Joy bit the inside of her cheek, hovering near the water station as she filled glasses with exaggerated concentration.
“Bring it by the garage,” Bear replied, his tone even and professional. “I’ll get you scheduled.”
Joy caught the subtle shift in his posture—turning slightly away, keeping his beer between them. He wasn’t interested. Not even a little.
But Cassie wasn’t deterred. “I was hoping for a private consultation.”
The water glass nearly overflowed in Joy’s hand. Seriously?Private consultation?
