He looked between the two of us, sitting reluctantly. Bear, grumbling under his breath, returned to his meal.
The rest of dinner was strained, Aiden staying, even walking me to my car and opening my door for me. Once Chaucer and I were inside, Aiden and Bear had what looked to be a strained conversation. I’m a pretty good lip-reader, and I’m almost positive Bear called Aiden a cock-blocking asshole, but I couldn’t be sure. Afterward, both men turned to me and smiled. Aiden walked back to his cruiser, and Bear circled around to the passenger door of my car.
He climbed in, buckled up, and we were off.
“I honestly have no idea what that just was. I’m sorry dinner got weird.” He shook his head as though trying to clear it. “I don’t think he’s been on a real date since his fiancée ran out on him a year ago. Maybe he’s forgotten how they work.” He mumbled what sounded like asshole.
“Did you know her?” It was none of my business, but I was curious.
Bear nodded. “Yeah, Alice seemed nice enough.”
“And?” That could not have been all he had to say on the subject.
He blew out a breath. “And I never liked her. It’s easy to say that now, knowing what she did, but I didn’t like her. She was sweet to Aiden, but she seemed, I don’t know, open to the possibility of someone better. You know?”
I nodded, understanding exactly the kind of person he was describing.
“Aiden’s my friend.” He rolled his eyes. “Usually. Anyway, she kept touching me. You know, I’d make a joke and she’d laugh, grabbing my arm or running her hand down my back. Sure, she could have just been a touchy person, but I noticed she didn’t do it with everyone. Aiden? All the time. Me? Most of the time. Women or random dorky guys, not at all. When he learned that she’d dumped him for another guy, it crushed him. So maybe I gave Aiden a little more leeway than I would someone else busting into my dinner date.” He shrugged. “He’s still an asshole, though.”
I laughed and glanced over at Bear. He was gorgeous and sweet. What was he doing here with me? “Bear, why aren’t you married?”
“Aunt Sarah?” He looked around in the back seat and then smirked. “Sorry, that’s how most of my conversations with my aunt begin.” He shifted in his seat. “Damn, I was supposed to sit in the back. I forgot.” He looked longingly at the big bench seat Chaucer was stretched over. “The usual reasons. Haven’t met, or convinced, the right one. Not yet, anyway.”
When we arrived back at Gran’s, Bear walked me to the door, stopping two steps down from the porch. I kept walking, pulling out my key before I realized he’d stopped. I turned to find him watching me.
“C’mere, Red.”
When I stepped back toward him, I understood why he’d stopped. Two steps down put us at almost the same height. He grinned, holding out his arms, and I stepped right into them. A Bear hug was an amazing experience. It was just the right combination of warm affection, comfort, and protection, without a skeezy side of grope.
When he loosened his hold, I moved back. “Hmm, that was nice. You give a good hug, Bear.”
“So I’m told. Would a goodnight kiss be out of the question?”
Bear made me feel good about myself, about life in general—which was on my list—so I didn’t think twice about leaning in to him for a kiss. He framed my face with his massive hands. I felt the heat down to my bones. His kiss was soft and sweet. I enjoyed it, but it gave me no sexy-time tingles.
He broke the kiss, leaning his forehead against mine. “Damn,” he breathed.
“Right?”
“Maybe we should try one more time, hit each other with the hottest kiss in our arsenals.”
I couldn’t help grinning. “Let’s do this.”
We flew into a passionate embrace, hands roamed, tongues met, but after a few short moments, we both started laughing.
Bear shook his head, rubbing his hands over his face. “Well, this is disappointing.” He turned and dropped heavily onto the top step.
“I’m pretty sure it’s you, not me.” I sat next to him, bumping his shoulder with my own.
He studied me and shook his head again. “Someone up there hates me. The hottest, most beautiful woman I’ve met in far too long and it’s like kissing my sister. If I had one.”
I shrugged, apologetically. “Maybe you’re just not that good of a kisser?”
He put one of his huge hands on my knee and squeezed. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
I giggled, squirming away from him.
“Okay, that’s it. There’s only one thing to do.” He stood, grabbed me, and threw me over his shoulder in a fireman’s lift. “We need to have sex and make sure.”
