Page 8 of Reckless (Adventures in Love 3)
Shoving the front door open, I curse when I find Jade, in nothing but a long T-shirt with an oversize flannel over it, chasing her dog around the base of a tree and a black bear clinging to one of the upper branches like he might take out the dog and Jade with one swipe of his claws if given the chance.
Without thinking, I rush through the snow, sweep an arm around Jade’s waist, lift her up off the ground, and carry her kicking and screaming for her dog to the porch. “Stay,” I order her and catch her eyes widening right before I spin around and head back into the snow. “Pebbles,” I clip, and her dog stops barking and drops to all fours to focus on me. “Come.” Like he doesn’t know which to choose, his gaze swings between the bear and me. “Now,” I bark. That gets his attention, and with his head ducked he hops toward me through snow almost taller than he is. When he gets close enough to grab, I pick him up, head up to the front porch, and pass him off to Jade before urging her into the house and closing the door.
“He’s never done that before,” she whispers, holding her pup against her chest, her body shaking from either the cold or the adrenaline dump. Probably both.
“What were you thinking, running around outside half-dressed without shoes?” I ask as I place my gun up on the shelf above the coat rack before I turn to face her.
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not.” My jaw twitches as I take in the sight of her smooth, creamy skin, which is red from the cold, and her feet, which look burnt from the freezing temperatures outside.
“I’m fine,” she repeats, and I meet her gaze, feeling anger like I haven’t felt before. Irrational maybe, but then again, maybe not; who knows what the fuck could have happened if I hadn’t heard her yelling.
“There was a fucking bear out there, Jade. What the fuck was that?” I shout, pointing at her.
“I obviously didn’t know there was a bear out there, Maverick, or I wouldn’t have let my dog outside,” she shouts back, then slaps my finger away. “Don’t point at me.”
“Use your brain.”
“You did not just say that.” She takes a step toward me, putting a finger against my bare chest. “I didn’t ask you to come out there, and you don’t need to be a jerk to me. Do you think I wanted to run outside when there was a fricking bear out there?” She shakes her head from side to side, causing her wild red curls to swing this way and that. “No, I fricking didn’t, but I also didn’t want that bear to eat my dog.” Her voice cracks on the word dog, and tears fill her eyes. “Great, now I’m crying, you jerk.”
Cursing under my breath, I yank her against my chest and circle my arms around her, ignoring the urge I have to wrap my hand in her long hair, tip her head back, and kiss her. “It’s okay, it’s done, you’re safe, and so is Pebbles.”
“There was a bear,” she says to me or herself as she burrows her face into my chest. “Aren’t they supposed to be hibernating?”
“It’s too early in the year yet for them to hibernate. They don’t bed down until November, December.”
“Oh.” She leans back and wipes the tears from her cheeks; then her eyes go from my abs down to my bare feet. “You came out without shoes.”
“I didn’t have time to get any on. You scared the shit out of me.”
“Sorry about that.” She takes a step back, her gaze shooting to my chest and abs before her eyes lock with mine once more, and she fiddles with the bottom edge of her shirt. “I think . . . I think I’m going to take a shower to see if I can warm up.”
“Did you eat breakfast?”
“No.” She shakes her head and glances around like she’s suddenly nervous. “Not yet. I just got up.”
“I’ll make some coffee and find some food for us. Did you talk to Cybil last night?”
“I did; she said she was going to find a tow truck company to pick up my car and take it to her place, since it might not make it with the little bit of gas in it.”
“All right, I’ll check the weather and see if I can find out how the roads are.”
“Cool . . . awesome.” She licks her lips, her eyes dropping once more as she takes another step back. “I’m just going to get some clothes.”
“Sure.” I watch her rush away and bite my bottom lip to keep from laughing. Fuck, but she’s cute when she’s flustered, but there is no fucking way I’m going there. Not with her.
