Read Puck Bear Brides: Complete Series (BBW Werebear Paranormal Sport Romance Boxed Set) for Free Online Page A

gaze down to her cup and taking another swig.
    “Can’t argue with that,” he noted, feeling bile rise in his throat.
    He’d hurt this girl badly and now he was sitting at a table with her, about to put a knife in her hands. He wasn’t entirely sure if she’d keep from shoving it in his chest. But then again, bleeding out on the floor of a diner in Idaho still might have felt better than going without her for the rest of his life, so he was willing to take his chances here.
    Cerise was back fast enough with his usual: mashed potatoes, gravy, and a thick slab of beef. It was his go-to meal after every workout because of how well Cerise made it—always have to trust the predators to cook your meat, if that’s your style. He dug in, giving Kimberley an encouraging look to do the same. She gave him a questioning glance, but picked up her knife and fork with a slight sigh.
    By the end of the first bite, she was looking at him and then her food like she’d just seen a vision. Cerise’s cooking could do that to a person.
    “Still want to fight?” he asked, cocking a brow.
    “Sure. But after we eat,” Kimberley said, giving him a glare that was only halfhearted.
    By the end of the main course, Cerise had already shown up with a big cherry pie with whipped cream and two forks, clearing the plates with a knowing wink tossed in Cannon’s direction. Usually, he and Cerise would chit-chat a bit, but she was being an excellent wing-woman today and just letting Cannon dig his own grave. Or shovel his own grave, whatever.
    “So, did you find a place to stay?” Cannon queried, deciding to ease into the conversation.
    Not that he’d been able to look away. Kimberley was… well, radiant. She’d always been curvy but she’d really filled out over the years he hadn’t seen her, no longer an awkward girl, but now a beautiful woman. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a messy ponytail and her lips were plump with this deliciously arched Cupid ’s bow that begged to be smothered in kisses. She had a heart-shaped face and her body screamed to be held. By him. No one else.
    Just the thought of her having been with others—and he knew there had to have been boyfriends because she was far too hot to have been alone—made his blood boil. Cannon found himself clutching the fork so hard he feared he might snap it in half. He relaxed his grip as she looked at his fingers flexing around the fork, a little smile on her lips.
    “No,” she admitted with a sigh. “Apparently your new hometown doesn’t even have a hotel. Some locals with a big compound out of town were offering lodging to everyone who got stuck because of the storm, but their rooms are filled up.”
    “Great! You’re staying with me then,” Cannon said, smelling an opportunity and giving her a winning smile.
    “Oh, am I?” Kimberley asked with a cocked brow, looking at him dubiously.
    “Well, unless you have an insulated tent in that bag of yours, and I suspect you don’t, I think I’m your best option of not dying in the snow. What would the Montreal Sabres do without their plucky PR rep, after all? I’m being a good Samaritan here.”
    Kimberley snorted, but she smiled, shaking her head. Good. She hadn’t shoved that fork in his chest yet and he’d gotten her to smile. Not that it made up for anything, but it was a start.
    Cub steps.
    “Fine. Just one night. And no funny business, okay?”
    “Cross my heart and hope to die,” Cannon said solemnly, raising one hand and putting the one still clinging to the fork over his heart.
    Next order of business—letting Heath know he was going to have to sleep in a pile of snow and getting Kimberley back to his little cabin without her running off on him again. If he could have, he would have gone back in time to have one serious talk with his past self about not being a goddamn idiot and treating this girl like she was supposed to be treated!
    Too little, too late. But maybe I can make up for it.
 

CHAPTER