Bear Naked (Halle Shifters) (3 page)

The sandwich paused halfway to her mouth. “If you hadn’t you wouldn’t be back here with me.” She bit into the ham and cheese with all the concentration she usually gave to her craft.

Glory was the piercer for Cynful Tattoos, and she took her job seriously. It might sound like a simple little job that didn’t require much thought, but Glory was always looking for a way to improve not only her skills but her stock. She attended conventions held just for piercers to learn new techniques and was utterly dedicated to her craft. She kept abreast of all the safety and health regulations, and stayed on top of the latest trends. She’d had to learn anatomy to determine where to safely pierce, such as where saliva glands and ducts were, and where nerves ran so that she wouldn’t do any permanent damage to her clients.

Ryan was in awe of her. She worked just as hard as he did at something she loved, and didn’t let anyone give her crap for it.

Her own piercings were subtle. She had a pretty, glittery diamond nose stud, a delicate silver ring in her eyebrow, tiny silver rings up her right ear and another diamond stud he’d heard called a Monroe, right above her upper lip on the right side. As far as he was concerned each piercing only enhanced her beauty, made her more exotic. He wanted to lick each one, to strip her and see if she had any piercings in places he hadn’t discovered yet. Did she sport studs in her nipples, or little hoops he could tug on? Were her labia pierced, or her clit? He shuddered with need just picturing her sweet pink flesh decorated with gold and silver.

Speaking of piercings, perhaps it was time he asked for one. “If you were going to pierce me, where would you do it?”

The grin she shot him was so full of evil he nearly backed up. “You sure you want me to answer that?”

“I’m serious.” He sighed, not sure how to get through to her. It always felt like he took one step forward, but she’d take two steps back. “I want you to give me a piercing, but it will be my first one. What should I get?”

She sat back, her expression becoming serious, professional. “How adventurous are you feeling, and how will a piercing affect your work?”

“I’m pretty much stuck in the office, doing paperwork.” He was the head accountant for Bunsun Exteriors, Pennsylvania branch. Thanks to Bunny, he didn’t have to return to Oregon. When Bunny opened the Pennsylvania branch he’d brought Ryan in as the money man and head paper pusher. So far, business was slowly growing, partly on the reputation of Bunsun Exteriors and partly due to the hard work of Bunny, Ryan and Eric.

She studied him intensely.

He decided to push a little bit. “Pick something you’d like to look at.”

She gave him that innocent look that always spelled trouble. “But, Ryan, they don’t make a Chris Hemsworth piercing.”

He growled, but she just laughed. “Think of something else, SG.”

She grumbled a bit under her breath at the familiar nickname. Her head tilted left, then right, then left again, and all the while she just…stared. He squirmed under her gaze, wondering how she’d try and emasculate him
this
time. But instead she surprised him. “I think, considering what you do for a living, we should keep it simple. Do you want one ear done, or both?”

He was almost disappointed. He’d thought she’d suggest an eyebrow ring or a nipple piercing, though he’d probably balk at a Jacob’s Ladder. “That’s it? An ear piercing?”

She giggled, the sweetest sound he’d ever heard. He could listen to Glory’s laughter for the rest of his life and never get tired of it. “You want a gauge? I can get one that looks like a tire rim.”

“Those are the huge ear piercings, right?” That was one piercing he knew he didn’t want. While he didn’t mind the look on other people, it just wasn’t him. “I think if I’m doing my ear we’ll stick to a stud.”

She made a face, and he wondered if he’d picked wrong. Maybe she’d been testing him, seeing how far he’d go to fit in with her life. “Any particular kind of stud?”

He shrugged. On this, he could be flexible. “You pick.”

Glory bit her lip. “I…”

“You?”

“I have something. Wait here.” She got up, her sandwich half finished, to root around in her piercing stores. She pulled out little drawers, rooting through the jewelry within them until she pulled something out with a satisfied “Ha! Found it.” She held out the little stud by his eye, nodding in satisfaction. “It’s a titanium stud with a London blue topaz. What do you think?”

She held out a stud much larger than he’d thought it would be. The dark metal made the blue of the gem stand out. It was unique, just like his mate. “I like it.”

“It matches your hair and eyes.” Her startled expression was quickly suppressed. She must not have meant to tell him that.

“I’ll wear your stud with pride.”

She rolled her eyes at him, but that delicious pink tone raced across her cheeks again. “It’s not an engagement ring, Mr. Williams.”

He kissed the fingers holding the stud. “Not yet, anyway.”

She snatched her hand back, but he could tell she was wavering in her resolve not to go out with him. “I’m
so
charging you full price.”

He grabbed her hand and held it between her own, the stud digging into both their palms. “Go out with me.”

“Ryan…”

“Please. We’ll make it a lunch date rather than a dinner date, something nice and casual.” He put some of the desperation he’d been feeling for months behind the plea. “Please, Glory.”

Her shoulders slumped. “I’m going to regret this.”

“Yes?”

Those pale blue eyes were full of uncertainty. “Yes.”

Ryan leapt from the table with a war cry. “She said yes!”

Immediately Glory was surrounded by her friends, all three women chattering a mile a minute. Ryan stumbled as Alex pounded him on the back. “Congratulations, cuz. How did you get her to agree?”

“I used the Williams charm.”

“Oh,” Alex drawled. “You dazzled her with bullshit.”

“Exactly.” Because if Glory thought Ryan was going to stop at a single date, she had another think coming.

Ryan didn’t stay in the back for long. Oh, no. He had that look in his eye, the one that said he was up to something and Glory had better watch out. The last time he’d gotten that determined look he’d nearly ripped the head off of Cyn’s ex-boyfriend, the one Glory had chosen to flirt with.

Glory pretended not to notice when Ryan pulled Tabby aside for a little chat. Too bad she didn’t have that super-shifter hearing her friends now had, because she’d love to know why Tabby suddenly shot her a sly look before whispering in Ryan’s ear.

This couldn’t be good.

It got worse when Cyn joined them, also whispering in Ryan’s ear. Ryan grinned at something Cyn said, laughing out loud when Tabby added a quiet remark that Glory barely heard.

So Glory pasted on her most innocent smile and strolled over to them. “What are you three talking about?”

“Uh…” Tabby shot Ryan a look chock full of guilt.

Ryan took hold of her hand. “I have to go home to Oregon for a week or so, and I was asking them to keep an eye on you.”

Glory’s blood ran cold. He was leaving her again.

“Glory?”

She could barely hear him over the roaring in her ears. Her chest hurt, her hands and feet tingled. God. She hadn’t had one of these in years, but she recognized all the signs. She had to calm down.

“Shit. What’s happening?” Ryan’s voice, so distant, was thick with fear.

She doubled over, unable to catch her breath, nausea racking her until she began to dry heave.

“Glory!”

She couldn’t catch her breath, damn it.

“…panic attack…”

Spots danced before her eyes, blocking her vision. The edges went dark, and Glory knew she was about to pass out. Cyn and Tabby must be freaking the hell out.

“…lay her down…”

The voices of her friends barely registered, but Ryan’s arms, his scent, enveloped her. Dizzy, she clung to his shoulders, barely aware he’d picked her up.

No. She had to leave, had to find a place that was safe. Ryan was leaving.

Leaving.

She needed to get away.

She began struggling violently, desperate to run, to flee from the knowledge that the man who was supposed to stay by her side, had
promised her
he wouldn’t leave, was once again going away.

A deep hum shattered the fear, the notes off-key yet soothing, a masculine lullaby that slowly but surely chipped away at the edges of her terror. Glory blinked, the spots receding, her breath coming easier as that hum enveloped her in warmth. She could feel it moving inside her, soothing her pain, helping her find her center.

When she could focus enough to see past the panic, she realized she was firmly on Ryan’s lap, being rocked like a child. He held her close, her head under his chin, her arms firmly around his waist. He was humming something that was probably a lullaby but sounded more like a cat with a hairball trying to purr.

“You okay, sugar?” Tabby was kneeling beside Ryan, her hand stroking Glory’s curls.

Glory’s breath was coming a bit easier now. “How long?” When Tabby frowned, she explained. “I lose my sense of time when…” She couldn’t finish. She was just too embarrassed that this had happened again, especially after such a long period of time had passed since the last attack.

“When you have a panic attack.” Cyn’s no-nonsense tone was almost as soothing as Ryan’s off-key hum.

“Yeah.” There was no sense in denying it. She’d had panic attacks frequently when she first moved in with Cyn and her family. Cyn knew the signs of one, and had helped head one off while Glory was in the hospital. Hell, she’d helped calm Glory down when they’d met with the Halle Puma Alpha and Curana, Max and Emma Cannon, to discuss how to deal with the man who’d shot Glory.

Ryan hadn’t been there, either.

“What happened?” Alex, his hand on Tabby’s shoulder, was studying her closely. “I get you had a panic attack, but why? What set it off?”

Glory refused to answer. There was no need to share her shame.

“Ryan talked about leaving.” Cyn sighed as Glory started to lose her breath again. “Glory, he’s not going anywhere.”

Glory flinched. She couldn’t let Ryan know he was the reason she’d—

“I did this?” Ryan tucked his fingers under her chin and gently lifted her face to his. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry.”

She struggled again to get out of his lap, but he held fast, refusing to let her go. “Let. Me. Go.”

“No.” He began rocking again, humming under his breath.

Damn it. Why did the sound of his voice, the way his chest vibrated against her cheek, soothe her so much? Not even her mother, who’d left soon after Hope disappeared and divorced her father in a bitter battle that left the family in ruins, had been able to calm her the way Ryan did.

“I won’t leave you. I give you my word, Glory.” Ryan’s vow was made in a voice that could have chipped diamonds. “I’ll stay here and get someone else to take care of the problem.”

She took a deep breath, aware that Ryan understood what had set her off. Damn it, she didn’t need to be even weaker in front of him. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit.” Cyn scowled down at her, but Glory could see the concern. “Glory, you have an anxiety disorder. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”

Yeah, right. Glory didn’t see Cyn panicking every time Julian went somewhere.

Cyn growled. “Ryan, Glory’s had episodes off and on for years. They’re always triggered by the fear that she’ll be abandoned.”

“I’m
fine
.” Glory was going to kill Cyn.

He tilted her face up again. “No. You’re not. But I’m okay with that.”

“Ryan…” She sighed, cuddling up against him. The sound of his heartbeat, the knowledge that he was right there, solid and real, began to destroy the last of the fear. “I’ll be all right.” She had to be. She’d gone through this before, and she’d live through it again.

Everyone left her eventually.

Everyone.

Her heart pounding, Glory shook her head. “I can’t.”

“Can’t what, SG?”

Part of her was humiliated that she’d had an episode. The other part was so relieved he wasn’t leaving she was almost giddy with it. “I can’t do this. I need… I need to go.”

The low, feral growl was barely audible, but it rumbled through his chest and shook her to the core. “You aren’t going anywhere.”

She risked looking up and found his normally blue eyes had gone dark brown. Fangs peeked over the edge of his bottom lip. Five-inch black claws scraped across her gauzy top, catching in the thin fibers. “Um. Down, boy.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “I won’t leave you alone.”

Now she was going to panic for a whole other reason. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

“Watch me.” His voice was low, gravelly. Ryan must be close to losing to his Bear.

“Calm down, Rye. She’s fine, she’s in your lap. It’s a panic attack, nothing more.” Alex helped Tabby to her feet. “Take her into the back room and get her some water.”