Hers (7 page)

“Yes. Slater’s in the kitchen driving Richard
crazy.”

Anna dragged her through the throng of people, who
gave her dirty looks and mumbled complaints as she skipped the queue and made
her way to the front. Anna got behind the reception desk and pointed her to the
kitchen.

“Just go in the kitchen. Slater will be up the front
with Richard.”

“Thanks.” Sammy weaved her way through the crowed
restaurant astounded at how many people were there. She couldn’t see an empty
seat in sight.
 

Before she reached the kitchen doors she took a deep
breath in and hoped Slater didn’t mind her just turning up here. Pushing the
kitchen door open she stared at the controlled chaos around her and the two men
standing at the front of the room towards the food bay arguing.

Sammy watched the fierce look on Richard’s face as
he stood up to a furious Slater, who stood over him yelling. Sammy backed up
and hit the door as Slater’s voice boomed through the kitchen. Her body started
to shake, and her mind told her to run, to leave, and that Slater was someone
she didn’t want to know. This was the second time he’d reminded her of Greg. Sammy
had barely lived through her last relationship. She wasn’t risking herself
again.

Taking a deep breath to calm herself she stepped
away from the door, and as she looked up and was about to turn Sammy noticed
Slater’s eyes on her. Her heartbeat picked up as his green eyes flashed, and
she saw the bear come through. Nodding to him, she turned still firm on her
decision, after seeing him yelling and towering over someone, that he wasn’t
right for her and she wasn’t going to be in a relationship with someone like
that again. Opening the door she walked out of the kitchen hoping the packed
restaurant would stop any pursuit from Slater.

Sammy made it halfway through the restaurant before
arms circled her waist, and she was carried back through the kitchen and out
the back. When Sammy felt the cool night air on her she struggled to get out of
Slater’s hold.

“Let me go now, Slater.”

Slater eased her to the ground and turned her so she
stared up at him. The backdoor light shone on his face as Slater tucked a piece
of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail behind her ear. “Did you come
because you forgive me?”

“I did, but I don’t like what I just saw or what you
did. Slater, I’m not going back to being in a relationship where I’m walked all
over and yelled at. I can’t do it, and I won’t.” Sammy moved back. “I’m
surprised actually. I thought Brock would be the one of you who terrifies me,
but it’s you. What you did the other day and what I just saw is not for me. I’m
sorry.”

Easing by him she walked down the alley towards the bus-stop.
Sammy was surprised when he didn’t chase after her or even comment. She sat at
the bus-stop, and for some weird reason her heart felt like it was hurting.

Sammy had a good fifteen minutes to wait until the
bus came. She got out her phone and started playing one of her games, but as
the minutes ticked by and Slater never came and the fifteen minutes felt like a
lot longer she wondered if she’d been too rash.

Slater hadn’t been yelling at her at the restaurant,
and the other day he’d been stressed with her driving and his safety. Sammy
felt annoyed that after months and month of Slater and Brock begging her to go
out with them Slater gave up on her so easily. The old Sammy, the Sammy before
Greg, screamed at her to go back and fight with him and find out why he didn’t come
after her and what he had to say about everything. But another part of her told
her that she didn’t need this drama in her life and to stay safe and not take
such a major chance.

Looking down at her phone Sammy saw she had five
minutes until the bus arrived. She groaned because she knew if she didn’t get
this thing with Slater resolved she wouldn’t sleep. Getting up she slowly
walked back to Glaser only this time she went the back way.
 

When she turned down the alley way she noticed something
massive hovering in the shadows whining. Moving closer at first thinking it was
a hurt dog she gasped when the closer she got the bigger the shadow became.
Halfway down the alley the huge form whining stopped and came charging at her.
Sammy screamed as the animal dropped to all fours and came at her.

A bear.
A
big brown bear blocked her exit and rubbed itself against her. Sammy stood
frozen as the soft rough fur brushed against her hands. The bear’s head nudged
her hand, and his big wet tongue came out to lick it.
 
Sammy shivered and came out of her shocked
state.

“Oh gross. Well at least I know why you didn’t come
after me. A massive hulking brown bear running after a woman might raise some
eyebrows.”
 
Sammy stroked Slater’s fur.
“Do you understand me in this form?” The massive bear head went up and down.
“Can you sit?”

Slater sat on his big bear hide, and Sammy got her
first good look at his bear face in the backdoor light of the restaurant.
 
“The only thing that gives you away from a
real wild bear is that your eyes aren’t brown. They are a dark green with brown
flecks.”

Sammy was surprised she wasn’t terrified, but oddly
enough she felt safe. She glanced around the ally and saw the remains of
Slater’s clothes. Reaching for a piece she placed it down and sat on it. Slater
came down on all fours and rested his massive head on her lap.

“Is safe for us to just sit out here? Won’t someone
came out and see?”

The bear
huffed
a couple of
times and nudged her hand that had stopped patting him. “I’ll take that as a
no.” Sammy ran her fingers through the soft fur.
 
“I like you this way better.”

Slater growled. His lips pulled back slightly, and
she saw sharp white teeth. Sammy knew he was playing with her as she didn’t see
the full length of his teeth, and he didn’t bother to lift his head.
 

“I think you’re really cute, too. I mean how many
women say they want a cuddly bear and actually get it. How lucky am I?”

She chuckled as Slater blew out a big puff of
breath. His eyes stared up at her, and she fell under his spell.

“Wow. You’re deadly. That look is adorable.” Sammy
squealed as massive bear paws pushed her back against the kitchen door and a
bear face came up to hers and a tongue came out and licked her from chin to
hairline.

Pushing at the heavy mass she got up and laughed.
“That was just wrong. Change back now. Your bear has softened me up enough.”

Sammy watched in amazement as lights swirled around
the bear and the form morphed and changed to a gorgeous naked muscled man.
 
Sammy might be scared of Slater and his
temper, but he was magnificent, with his broad shoulders, tanned skin and tall
frame.
 

“Do you have clothes I can get from somewhere?”

Slater stood straight and didn’t bother to cover his
cock, which Sammy tried really hard not to look at.

“In my car I have some clothes. It’s parked down the
end of the alley.”

Nodding, Sammy started walking down towards where he
said his car was.

“Why’d you come back?”

Sammy stopped to see Slater standing behind her
waiting for his answer. She shrugged. “I need to stop running scared. I didn’t
give you a chance to explain yourself, and I was angry that after how much you
pursued me you just let me go.” Sammy put her hand up as she saw his mouth open
to interrupt. “I know I said I didn’t want you, but I sat at the bus-stop and I
didn’t feel good. Something didn’t feel right, and I got angry wondering why
you hadn’t said anything, so I came back to argue or at least figure out what
was going on. I know I’m confusing and difficult, and really I don’t know how
you put up with me always changing my mind, but you and Brock have this hold
over me like no other ever has. I like being with you two even after I thought
I could never be with men again.”

“You sounded pretty final earlier, and after the
week I’ve had I didn’t want to risk going after you and somehow making this all
worse.” He ran his fingers through his short hair. “I’ve never been this grumpy
in my life. I’m usually the calm and collected one.
The easy-going
guy in the Bear clan.”
Slater leaned forward and took a deep breath in.
“I know it’s no excuse for my behavior, but you make me crazy. I want you so
bad, and not being with you, touching you, is killing me.”

Sammy took a step away from him as her heart felt
like it was about to beat right out of her chest. She clenched her thighs as
his honey and chocolate scent surrounded her reminding her of the connection
they had and that he was naked.

Turning back around she walked toward where he had
said his car was and took a deep breath of air that didn’t smell of Slater. “I
overreacted the other day. I’m sorry for my behavior with the driving lessons.
Now that I’ve had a couple of lessons with Brock, I understand how bad I was
the day I was with you. I still feel you shouldn’t have yelled though, but I
understand more now. Reading about driving and doing the test is a lot
different than being behind the wheel. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to
handle yelling and someone grabbing and yanking me about ever again. I know I
keep saying this, but I’m trying. I’ll keep trying. I want to be normal or some
kind of in-between, but I don’t know if I’ll ever be.”

Slater stopped and she turned to him. “It hasn’t
even been a year since what that bastard did to you, and I think you’re doing
better than most people. You’ve got a job. You see your friends, and you have
not one but two men. I think you’re doing really well. We just need to learn to
communicate better.”

She smiled up at him. “Thanks. Let’s get some
clothes on you.” Sammy turned and walked again. She could see the car now. It was
a nice blue sports car. She turned to the very naked Slater and looked him up
and down. “How are you going to get your clothes if you don’t have keys?”

“What makes you think I don’t have keys?”

Sammy stood by the car and bit her lip as she
blatantly studied Slater’s muscled body. Unless he had a key stuck in his hair
there was nowhere for him to have put it. “You being completely naked might
have something to do with it.”

Slater grinned, then bent down and reached under the
back car wheel. Sammy’s couldn’t stop her gaze zoning in on the tight, round,
squeezable butt in front of her.

“I hide a key under a wheel in case I get stuck like
I am now.” Slater straightened, holding up a car key.

Sammy shook her head. “This is an expensive sports car,
and you have a key so easy access?”

“The car is insured, and when you’re a shifter you
need a backup.” Slater went to the boot and opened it. He pulled out black
tracksuit pants and a white top.

“When you go back in the restaurant won’t they
notice you’re not wearing the same clothes?”

Slater leaned down and put the key back. “Yes, but
no one will say anything to me because I’m the boss.”
 

They walked back to the restaurant’s back door.
Sammy waited for him to say something more. When he didn’t she smiled up at him
as she said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at Sandy’s wedding.” She turned to walk to
the bus stop when he tapped her back.

“Wait. Please wait. Can I give you a lift home? I’ll
just pop in and grab my wallet and car keys.”

Sammy studied him. She’d felt comfortable with him
now, and she’d loved seeing him in bear form. Also she had come all this way to
see him and accept his apologies and apologize herself, even if she’d run
scared when she’d seen him arguing and towering over his head chef. Not everyone
was Greg, she reminded herself.

“Okay. I’ll wait right here while you go get and do
what you have to do.”

Her heart melted as Slater’s eyes shone, and his
smile took her breath away. “Give me five or so minutes.” He opened the door,
and Sammy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

****

Slater went straight to Richard his head chef and
told him he wouldn’t be back tonight and he was in charge and lock-up was his.
Slater grabbed what he needed from his office eager to get back to Sammy and
the second chance she’d given him. He wouldn’t stuff this one up.

He couldn’t believe Sammy had come to see him, and
she’d come to apologize. Slater had almost lost himself in a shift when she’d seen
him arguing with Richard and run off. His bear was on edge already from going
so long without seeing Sammy and angry with him for what he’d said.

Slater’s bear was content and happy at the moment
thanks to Sammy’s affection when she’d come back after he’d lost it over her
leaving. Slater knew he would have to talk to Sammy in the car, because as good
as he was he couldn’t watch everything he did around her forever, and he didn’t
feel he should pretend to be someone he wasn’t.

Opening the back door again he saw Sammy stood by
the door playing a game on her phone. Upon seeing him she put her phone in her
pocket and walked towards his car. Slater reached for her hand and held it in
his as they walked to the car.