When the morning rush finally slowed, Joy found Andre behind her truck. He leaned against the tailgate, hands shoved deep in his pockets. The golden tinge had left his eyes, but tension still rolled off him in waves.
"We need to talk about what just happened."
His shoulders hunched. "I know."
"You went full territorial. At my business." She kept her voice low, aware of how sound carried between booths. "Mr. Patterson has been shopping with me for three years. He's seventy-eight and is an unrepentant charmer. He talks that way to literally everyone.”
"The way that man looked at you?—"
"What man? That businessman, Ryan?” Joy pulled the business card from her pocket. "Yes, he was calculating something. Yes, my lion didn't like him. But you know what? I handled it fine before you showed up."
Andre's hands came out of his pockets, clenching and unclenching. "I can't just stand there while some stranger?—"
"You have to." She stepped closer, meeting his gaze. "I'm yours. You know that. I know that. But you can't mark territory every time a customer talks to me."
His control cracked. "When he called you beautiful, when he looked at you like something he wanted to acquire, my bear?—"
"Your bear needs to trust that I can handle myself." She softened her voice, seeing the genuine struggle in his expression. "I run a business, Andre. I talk to strangers every day. Some of them are men. Some of them even think I'm pretty."
He scrubbed a hand over his face. The gesture made him look younger, uncertain. "I'm trying."
"I know." Joy slipped the business card back in her pocket. Something about Pacific Northwest Investments bothered her,but that was a problem for later. "But trying isn't enough when you're costing me customers."
Andre reached into his back pocket, pulling out a cream-colored envelope. "Holly and Elias gave me this. Said you needed to relax."
Joy recognized the Fate Mountain Lodge stationary. "Andre..."
"It's an overnight package, meals included." He held it out like a peace offering. "I thought maybe we could go tomorrow night. Get away from all this."
She took the envelope, feeling the quality paper between her fingers. "This is really sweet."
"I'm not trying to fix us," he said quietly. "I know I messed up today. I just... when I saw how he looked at you, all I could think about was claiming you. Making sure everyone knew you were mine."
Joy's chest tightened at his honesty. “Okay. We can go. But no claiming and no growling at hotel staff."
A surprised laugh rumbled through his chest. "I promise. Unless they look at you like?—"
"Andre."
"Kidding." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Mostly."
Chapter
Fifteen
Andre stoodon Joy’s porch holding two dozen roses in red, pink, yellow, and white. "I couldn't pick just one color," he admitted when Joy opened the door.
She inhaled the heady fragrance. "Oh, Andre. These are beautiful.”
She wore a deep blue dress, her strong shoulders bare, hair pulled back with pieces framing her face. She looked... he didn't have words for it. The light fabric of the dress skimmed her curves when she moved. She'd done something to her eyes that made them stand out. He’d never seen her in heels before, and they were doing something to her calves that had his bear rolling over.
"That dress…" he said, the words rough with truth.
Joy's smile warmed him from the inside out. She gave him a quick kiss, her lips soft against his. The familiar spark jumped between them, electric and so real it hurt.
The drive to Fate Mountain Lodge wound through towering pines, the road familiar now after weeks of patrol. But tonightfelt different. Tonight was just them, no threats or investigations or overprotective instincts getting in the way. At least, that was the plan.
The lodge rose before them like something from a postcard, all gleaming logs and soaring windows. After they checked in, the porter carried their bags to their suite, and Andre tipped the man.
