Read The Write Bear (Highland Brothers 1) for Free Online

slammed the door behind him, leaving her in the middle of the beautiful rows of books.

6
    Hudson
    H udson slammed the garage door behind him, grabbing the ax as he burst into the daylight. He stomped to the back of the house near the woodshed, heaved a log onto its end, and hurled the ax over his head, splitting the log in half.
    “Fuck,” he growled. His bear was taking over. His bear was aching to get to her. He had actually succeeded, pulling her into his clutches and tasted her.
    He propped another log on its butt, then swung the ax, slicing through the thick wood. There wasn’t enough wood in the pile to ease the sexual tension building in his body. He had to get her out of here.
    One kiss. One fucking kiss. He groaned. She tasted like sweet spicy cinnamon. He could only imagine what the rest of her would taste like on his tongue.
    He looked up at the guestroom window. He hoped like hell she was packing her bag. She needed to get out of her. Drive far away from Highland House and any chance of being trapped in his shifter world.
    The problem was he didn’t want her to leave. She was funny, smart, and a book geek just like he was. And when she talked, he loved the way her Southern words lit on his ears like smooth molasses. Bear or not, he was attracted to her on every level and that was the problem. His bear wanted to claim her body. The man wanted to talk to her, laugh with her, explore the world with her.
    He tossed the ax aside as if it were a hammer and trudged into the woods. There was serenity here. It calmed his bear. He hiked over the ridges he explored at night when he could be in his true form. The deeper he trekked into the woods, the more control he felt surfacing. Maybe she’d be gone by the time he got back. He’d stay away long enough for her to pack and drive out here.

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    Riley

    R iley shoved her makeup bag in the suitcase and zipped up the side. She hadn’t seen or heard Hudson since he left her in the library. It was as if he had disappeared. It was odd how she knew if he was in the house. The air was cooler, the spaces wider.
    She ran her fingers over her lips. Her mind was still spinning. Spinning from the kiss. Spinning from his words. Spinning from being fired from her first big gig.
    She lugged the suitcase along the hallway and down the steps. She didn’t want to leave. It wasn’t only the failure from losing the client, it was more than that. It was him. Everything about him. It felt right being next to him. His warmth, his towering body, even his gruff conversations—she was pulled toward him like the stream running into the lake. It was if there wasn’t another way.
    She was about to open the front door, but stopped. There was more to say. More to this conversation and she wasn’t going to tuck her tail between her legs and leave Highland House until she had answers. Hudson was either crazy as hell or scared as hell. She knew there was a possibility it might be a little bit of both.
    She turned toward the fireplace. He had loaded the hearth with a fresh pile of logs this morning. She tipped one into the center of the dying flames and grabbed the poker to stoke the fire back to life.
    She watched, pleased with herself as the flames grew slowly at first, then crackled as the blaze took hold of the logs. The house was magnificent. Massive rooms that somehow made her feel cozy and safe. Exquisite paintings and sculptures, but not ostentatious. They blended into the walls and shelves as if they had roots and grew there on their own.
    Riley hoped this was the last time she would drag her suitcase back to the guestroom. She left it at the foot of the bed, picked up her copy of Pride and Prejudice , and traipsed down the staircase once more.
    She settled on the couch, pulling a blanket over her body. The fire crackled while she read Mr. Darcy’s words. Her eyelids grey heavy, until finally they closed with restless sleep.

7
    Hudson
    I t was dark in the forest, but Hudson could see