Rancher Bear: BBW Bear Shifter Romance (Bear Haven Book 2) (2 page)

She followed Mav off the main path in front of the lodge and toward some trees that grouped up over a road that headed up to wind around the front of the mountain after going through a wide, grassy plain.

As they walked, she enjoyed the clomp-clomp of the hooves and the gentle side-to-side sway of riding. It had been too long. Maverick made awesome, quiet company, and she guessed this was exactly what she needed.

As they progressed farther on the trail, she felt the sun occasionally hidden by clouds and an occasional gust that felt cool. She looked up at the gray clouds above her and wondered if maybe they should head back. They’d ridden for at least an hour, and it would take time to get to shelter.

She didn’t know how Willow would take to getting caught in the rain, and Bonnie didn’t feel confident enough as a rider to guide her through it.

She turned in her saddle to ask Maverick whether they should go and gaped when she saw nothing behind her. Just a wide-open plain in front of her and trees all around. She couldn’t even make out the lodge in the distance, and she wasn’t sure exactly the right direction to turn in.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she considered her predicament.

Maverick had left her.

J
esse beat
his hat against his leg in frustration as he walked out of the office where he’d just had a conference call with one of his restaurant managers.

He didn’t know why he’d gotten into the business in the first place, except that he wanted to raise cattle fairly and humanely and sell high-quality beef without cutting corners or hurting animals.

But at times like this, when the whole thing just seemed like a load of trouble and he couldn’t get the image of a pair of wild green eyes and soft pink lips out of his mind, he needed to go to the stables.

The animals there calmed him. Seemed to sense his unease and want to do something about it, not that it was their job. He felt in his jacket pocket for sugar cubes he would feed to the horses. He liked the feel of their grasping lips scraping eagerly over his palm. Liked the way they seemed happy about the smallest things.

Unlike humans, who seemed like nothing could make them happy.

He was surprised to see Maverick headed back toward the barn, leading one of their gentle horses, Maple, by the reins.

Jesse gave him a once-over, wondering what was up. Mav never took the trail horses out without a customer. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Mav looked up, startled, at Jesse’s words, and for a moment, he forgot to hide the guilty look in his eyes.

Jesse’s guts tightened in suspicion. “Where’s Bonnie? You seen her around?”

Maverick scratched his head and tried to get around Jesse to get in the barn. “Maybe.”

Jesse’s jaw went taut and he got in front of his brother, blocking him off with his large form. Mav was big, but Jesse was massive, and he wasn’t going to let Mav get out of his sight until he explained.

“She wanted to ride,” Mav said, sliding Jesse a shrewd look as he handed him Maple’s reins. Mav then folded his arms and looked up at the sky. “Looks like rain.” His dark eyes met Jesse’s. “Hope she heads back soon.”

Jesse scented the air and faintly caught wildflowers after a summer rain. Bonnie’s scent. He reached out and grabbed his brother by the collar. “What did you do?”

Mav struggled to get free halfheartedly. “Nothing. I put her on Willow. She’s a good horse. She’ll be fine.” He eyed the skies. “Provided someone gets her back here soon.”

Jesse let him go with a shove and ran a hand through his blond hair. “Where did you take her?”

Mav shrugged. “I didn’t say I took her anywhere. You jumped to that conclusion on your own.” He turned his back on his brother, and Jesse could almost sense his self-satisfaction.

Damn Maverick, always doing stupid things and thinking he was right about it.

“I was just saying I think someone should go after her,” he said, raising his hands innocently. “Maybe it oughta be you.”

Jesse sighed in resignation. He didn’t mind going out after his mate—the woman he wanted for his mate. It was just that he didn’t need Maverick interfering and messing things up. And he definitely didn’t need him to put Bonnie in danger.

He caught Maverick by the arm and swung him around, getting right up in his face and finally making Mav lose the smirk he’d been sporting. “I’m going after her, all right. But I don’t need your help to do it, and if anything happens to my mate because of your stupid trick, you’re worse than dead when I get back.”

Maverick just laughed nervously, shook himself free, and walked off. “You got a mate to catch. I’d hurry if I were you.”

Jesse looked at the sky and then down at the reins in his hand. Then he cursed, mounted the pony, and kicked lightly on the sides, urging it forward in the direction of Bonnie’s scent.

If anything happened to her…

But he’d find her. And he had to do it quick, before the rain fell, obscuring her scent or startling her horse.

Jesse already knew he cared about Bonnie, but it was never clearer than at that moment.

There was a particular kind of fear at thinking your mate was in danger, and right now, it was slicing Jesse straight to the bone. He didn’t know what he’d do with her when he got back, but he’d get her back all the same.

“Hah!” he said, and the mare took off at a gallop.

B
onnie held
the reins in her hand and gently but persistently tried to lead Willow back in the direction she thought they’d come in.

“Come on, girl,” she said. “The sooner we get back, the sooner you’re safe and warm in your stall.”

The horse didn’t seem to care what Bonnie said, and the rain that had been a light drizzle began to fall more heavily as another crack of thunder sounded overhead, booming over the remote land around them.

Bonnie sighed as Willow pawed at the ground, tossing her head. She was getting antsy, and she’d only get worse if the sounds got louder. But she was digging in when Bonnie tried to lead her. Bonnie guessed she might as well try to ride at that point, but when she swung a foot into the stirrup and was about to get on, a louder crack of thunder boomed and the horse whinnied and reared, dropping Bonnie to the ground with an, "Oof."

Bonnie rolled to her side and raised her hand to shade her eyes from the rain just in time to see Willow galloping off in the distance, presumably in the direction of home.

At least Willow probably knew where she was going and would get home safely soon.

That thought made Bonnie feel better, despite a sharp pain in her ankle that made her wince as she tried to move it.
Just a sprain,
she thought, as she tenderly moved it with her hand. And it would be gone in a few hours for someone of her species.

She was no bear, but she had shifter healing all the same.

She pushed herself to her feet and limped toward the trees where the horse had disappeared but felt her foot give out underneath her as she tripped forward onto the tall grass in front of her.

Tears bit her eyes as she put both hands on the ground and considered her predicament. She was really and truly alone.

And Maverick was right.

Seth didn’t care if she was in trouble.

She could die out here on this grass and no one would know. Well, that was overdramatic. She would hopefully be fine, despite the ever increasing rain and the louder and closer lightning and thunder.

She decided lying down flat so the trees were a better target than her was a good idea, at least while she waited for her foot to heal, and she put her hand over her eyes to stare up at the sky.

If one had to be stranded in the middle of a field alone, feeling like no one cared, they might as well be looking at a beautiful Montana sky with great, thundering storm clouds rising like grey, powerful ships in a stormy blue sky. Smaller, smoky clouds swirled around the big giants, and in the distance, the huge mountains around the ranch rose up as if trying to reach the sky.

Rain fell over her face, wetting her, cleansing her of any silent tears of self-pity, and she found a kind of peace as she lay there, listening to the pitter-patter of the drops.

She was so involved in listening to the rain that she didn’t hear the approach of hooves in the distance.

Not until she heard the thud of someone dismounting nearby and running toward her. She didn’t have time to sit up before huge, soaked arms wrapped around her and hugged her against a warm chest.

“Thank goodness you’re all right,” a gruff, masculine, familiar voice said. The scent of pines and smoke surrounded her.
Jesse
.

She put her hands around him tentatively, thinking that if someone was going to come find her after all, it was odd it had to be him.

Then again, maybe Maverick had planned it this way after all. She was going to give that big bear a piece of her mind when she got back to the ranch.

Jesse pulled her into his lap, brushing her soaking wet hair out of her face. Rivulets of rain ran down around his perfect nose and curved lips as his solemn, pale-blue eyes studied her. “You okay? What were you doing out here?”

“I hurt my foot. I was just waiting in a low position until it felt better and then I was going to go back to the ranch.”

His eyes met hers, and they shared a look of knowing something no one else did. About what she was. “You haven’t even told Ruby, have you?” he asked.

She shook her head.

“You know you could, now that she knows about us bears.”

Bonnie shook her head again, more violently this time. Then she winced because the motion made her foot twist slightly and that still hurt. Maybe she’d injured it worse than she thought.

Jesse stroked her cheek. “Stubborn little wildcat.”

She flushed, hating how easily he affected her. “I don’t want it to affect our friendship. I don’t want her mad at me for not telling. I don’t want any more stress right at this moment. Not now.”

Her voice broke on the last words, and she pushed against his chest, trying to get back on the ground. She didn’t need to be close to this dangerous man right now.

“Hush, wait,” he said, pulling her in and ignoring her struggles as he held her tight against him. “I’ll get you back. Shh. It’s okay.”

Her heart pounded as she sank in against him and rested in his warmth. The panic in her, the loneliness, all of it seemed to subside as he stayed in the rain with her and held her.

A loud boom sounded overhead. “We’d better head out,” he said.

“Okay,” she croaked, still keeping her head bowed and her eyes averted.

He reached down and tipped up her chin with one calloused hand. “Were you crying? What’s wrong?”

She shook her head. “That’s ludicrous. I’m from New York. A little busted ankle isn’t going to ruin me.”

He laughed. “I know. But it seems like something upset you. You didn’t exactly look happy when I saw you lying there staring at the sky.”

“I felt peaceful,” she said. “It was just before that when I felt mad.”

He just listened quietly, keeping those huge, reassuring arms around her.

“I guess when I realized Seth really isn’t coming. That everyone is right and he doesn’t care like I thought he did. And if he doesn’t, nobody does.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Jesse said. “Your friends care, your family—”

She waved a hand. “You don’t know my family. I do have good friends. But I mean, someone to care for me… like that.”

She felt a blush heat her face and turned in against him, not wanting him to see it. But he seemed to understand her need for privacy and didn’t push her harder at that moment.

Instead, he called for Maple, gesturing for the horse to come forward. She nickered and then did as he asked, coming over so Jesse could stand with Bonnie in his arms and walk over to her.

He helped her onto the saddle, sitting with both feet over one side, and then swung up behind her in one graceful, strong movement.

Jesse was somewhat like the rain. Bothersome, catching her when she least expected it, but also clarifying and cool and calming. Her rainstorm on a cloudy day.

Jesse situated her in front of him and then started the horse moving. It sped up to a slow trot that carried them back toward the trees.

He was good with animals. Perhaps that’s why he could handle Maverick so well.

“I’m going to kill my stupid brother when I get back,” he said. “Though I promise you he’s just shortsighted. He wouldn’t ever want you to get hurt. Still, he’s not getting away with it. He went too far this time.”

“I’m just glad someone came for me,” she said. She wouldn’t say what her heart was begging her to. That she was glad
he
had come.

“Anytime,” Jesse said, keeping the horse calm and moving as they entered the woods and the trees shuddered around them, dropping huge plops of water from overhead and trying to startle the horse.

But Jesse’s calming presence was enough to keep things okay.

“I’m sorry for what I said. When we kissed in the barn, I mean.”

“It’s okay,” Jesse said. “I should have been more patient. I didn’t realize how much you were going through.”

Bonnie laughed. “You’re very patient. I can tell. It’s just, when you’ve been thinking you were meant for someone your whole life, it’s hard to let it go.”

Jesse was quiet, almost as if he were waiting for her to say something, but she only shook her head with another resigned laugh.

“Anyway, you don’t need to hear about this. I’m just going to rest now, if that’s okay.”

Jesse nodded, and Bonnie closed her eyes for a moment. For the first time, in Jesse’s arms, she felt totally safe and accepted.

The thought bothered her more than it should have.

J
esse had held his breath
, wondering if she was possibly going to say what he’d been hoping she’d say from the minute he met her. That she was done with the bastard who kept hurting her.

But she hadn’t. She’d simply wanted to rest, and after the day she’d had, he could appreciate that.

Still, he wanted to go track the bastard down for making her cry. He’d assumed she wasn’t that into the man, based on how normal she’d been acting since she came back after the breakup. He’d thought he could just move in now that the other man was out of the way.

But it was more complicated than he’d thought. Even if being out in the rain had made things a little clearer for her.

Jesse didn’t want any woman to feel alone and unprotected, but if that was what it took to see the truth so she could let a good man in who
would
protect her, then so be it.

And he’d be there to rescue her whenever she needed it. Come hell or high water. He wasn’t the smartest of his brothers; that was Shane. And he wasn’t the roughest; that was Maverick. But in his own way, he was the strongest. The most even-keeled. The most patient.

All of these things could help him win Bonnie, he hoped.

When they got back to the ranch, Ruby came running out to meet them, Shane following right behind.

“Oh my gosh, Bonnie! What happened?” Ruby cried out, running up to the horse and coming to a halt as Shane pulled his mate back against his chest to give the horse room as Jesse carefully dismounted with Bonnie in his arms.

“She’s okay,” Jesse said. “Just fell off a horse.”