Page 19 of So I Banged Bigfoot
Chapter Nine
CHAPTER NINE
Lars
Hannah clutched my wet fur, those blue eyes wide with fear. “There are wolves in here.”
I should’ve scented them before they ever got this far into the mountain. But I’d let myself indulge in Hannah. The way the water looked when it beaded over her tattoos. The way the honeyberry mixed with her scent.
It wasn’t unusual for a wolf to cold call, to try to get me involved in their trouble.
I rose from the water, a growl rumbling from my throat. I didn’t want to show Hannah what it was like when I had to fight. I was bigger and stronger than most beasts in these mountains, but I was slower too.
“It’s Bibi—" the host ofThe Mating Game—"and Hugo—" the Head of Security, my boss, stood at the edge of the room, tense.
“Thank the moon Hannah’s with you.”Bibi trotted forward.“I was worried sick when I didn’t hear from her about our girls’ night.”
“We got word from the Colorado State Patrol that her car was found deep in the mountains, destroyed, and she was nowhere to be found,”Hugo added.“We came to ask for your help finding her, because you’re able to get places we aren’t—”
“And I have to say, we were a little alarmed when we found her clothes scattered all over the main room, but it looks like we have nothing to be alarmed about.”Bibi wandered over to the bath.
Hannah sunk lower into the water. Bibi nudged her with her snout.
“I don’t know what to do. I can’t understand them like this.” Hannah considered Bibi. “Should I pet her? That seems wrong.”
“She’s glad you’re okay,” I said, trying to keep emotion out of my voice. My time with Hannah was coming to an end. No matter how Bibi and Hugo found Hannah, their end goal was the same—to bring her back to safety.
I could keep her safe, but could I make her happy for longer than a night?
“Do they think you hurt me?” Hannah gasped and rose from the water, crossing one hand over her breasts and the other over her mound. “Oh! Sweet moon, I’m naked.”
“Shifters don’t care,” I reminded her. “We’re all naked.”
“That’s true.” But she didn’t move her hands as she walked over to Hugo and Bibi. “Lars didn’t hurt me. He saved my life! If it wasn’t for him, I would have suffocated. Died of carbon monoxide poisoning. Whatever horrible thing that would’ve happened under a huge pile of snow. He brought me back here. Kept me warm. We—”
A blush crept over her cheeks and down her body. Hugo and Bibi shared a knowing look.
“They know what we did,” I said. “And they’ve come to bring you home.”
She came over to me, wrapping her arms around my midsection. Her body was warm and wet and divine. “I don’t want to go home. I want to stay here with you.”
I shook my head. “This isn’t any place for a human. Not in the winter.”
Her body tensed. “You can keep me warm.”
“Yes, I could.” I put my giant finger under her chin to tip her gaze to meet mine. “What we shared was special because we’ve never experienced it before. None of your familiar comforts are here.”
“No,” she said softly.
“I don’t want you to resent me, Hannah. Trust me, it’s better this way.”
“Will I see you again?” Her words shook.
The little human wanted me. A warm feeling started in my chest and spread over my body. One I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in far too long.
The smart thing was to let her go. It really was. As much as it would hurt. “Of course. This isn’t goodbye. All I wanted to do is keep you safe, and to do that, I need to bring you back to your life.”
Her fists tightened defiantly. A part of me wanted her to storm off into some deep, dark recess of this castle and make them drag her out of here.