Bear Necessities

“Remember the whole woof-woof thing?”

“Yeah.”

“That guy out there?”

Glory’s eyes widened. “He’s a woof-woof too?”

“Er, no. More like grrr-grrr.”

Glory blinked.

Tabby shook her head. “Never mind. That whole werewolf mate thing in romance novels?”

Glory’s mouth did that really wide “O” thing. “Really? He’s your mate?”

“Yes! And I am having serious hair issues.” She put on her best pleading look.

“So, tell him I’ve been killed in a horrible vegetable-dye accident.”

“Tabby!”

She held up her hands in mock-prayer. “Pleeeease?” She blinked, trying to look desperate. Hell, she probably did look desperate.

“Excuse me.”

Tabby quivered. That deep, rich voice rolled over her, making her think of wicked things involving dark, melted chocolate and lit candles. “No customers allowed in the back room!”

Glory, bless her heart, threw a towel over her face, hiding her hair. “Sorry, you’ll have to wait out front.” Of course, now the towel was soaking up the still-ru

“Is everything all right in here?” The man’s voice was pure sin, deep and slightly gravelly. “Why is her head covered in a towel?”

“Please. Tabby will…be a while.” She could hear Glory clap her hands and tugged on her shirt, desperate to have the water turned off. She was spitting water back out onto the already-soaked towel. “Why don’t you hit one of the diners in the area for lunch? Maybe do a little shopping? Um, oh! Frank’s Diner has the best burgers in town!” Finally, someone turned the faucet off, saving her from a watery grave. She could just see the obituary. Woman Drowns In Towel With Horrible Hair. Film at Eleven.

There was a deep, happy sigh. “All right, if…Tabby, was it?…will be more comfortable.”

He sounded like he was choking back a laugh when he said her name. Tabby snarled, knowing he’d hear it even if he couldn’t see it.

Mr. Melted Chocolate coughed. “When can I return?”

“Uh…” Glory was obviously at a loss. Cyn was the one who usually took care of Tabby’s hair.

“Try around seven.” Cyn sounded amused, the bitch. “You can take her out to di

I do?

“But she has to be back at work by two tomorrow afternoon. Oh, and the lady loves steak.” Tabby groaned behind her towel. That’s an understatement. “Glory, see to it he has our address, okay?”

“But—”

“Trust me, just do it.”

“Okay, boss.” The curtain swished, but the scent of Bear remained. Glory must have stepped through the curtain.

“Ladies, it was a pleasure meeting you.” The curtain swished again. The Bear was gone.

“Oh, honey. You are so screwed. Literally.”

“Cyn. ”

The towel was whisked off her head. Glory bunched it up, wringing the water out over Tabby’s face. “You always were a greedy bitch. I should get Cyn to leave you with orange roots.”

Tabby sputtered and wiped the water away from her eyes. “Don’t worry, Glory.

Some day your prince will come.”

Glory blinked her big blue eyes, trying to look i

“God, I hope so. What would be the point otherwise?”

“You are so bad.”

Glory smiled her sweet, happy smile. “I know.”

Bu

How screwed up was that?

It had been pure impulse that made him wander the town. Ryan was off looking for his sister again, but Bu

He’d felt the urge to roam, discover the town his cousins were pla

If the Alpha had been a Wolf, they wouldn’t even be thinking about it. They’d have avoided Halle and looked for another place to live. Wolves hated having other shifters in their territory, even Bears who didn’t give a rat’s ass about that kind of thing.

He’d found the tattoo parlor almost by accident, the sound of feminine laughter faint through the picture window. He’d caught a glimpse of three women and gone in expecting to find three lovely ladies, perhaps even a date for the night.

Instead he’d found his future.

“Can I help you?”

Bu

Sheriff Anderson winced, but visibly relaxed. “No, actually, I’m not. Never was.

Chloe and I are just friends.”

Bu

The sheriff sighed. “Common problem. Trust me, we’ve never dated.” He shook his head. “Are you here to see Chloe?” He led the way into the diner and guided Bu

Looked like he was having lunch with the sheriff. Now to see if the man would try and run him off. “Yup. Her brother is heading to the university as we speak.” He’d have to ask Ryan to find out what had happened between Chloe and the sheriff.

Why had Chloe made it sound like they were together if they weren’t?

“That sucks, because she’s here right now.” Anderson pointed toward a bright red ponytail bopping behind a counter. “She always works Monday afternoons.”

“Oh.” Bu

Anderson grimaced. “Long story short, Chloe and I are friends. Just friends.”

“Really?” One of Bu

Anderson winced again. “Let’s just say my wife wasn’t happy with the amount of attention I paid to Chloe and let me know about it. It took me a while to prove that Chloe doesn’t mean nearly as much to me as Sarah does.”

Ouch. He hoped the man’s mate hadn’t given him too hard a time. A jealous mate on the warpath was nothing to sneeze at. “I’ll call Ryan and let him know Chloe’s here.” He pulled out his phone but hesitated. “Do you know anything about a woman named Tabby? She works over at the tattoo parlor.” She’d carried the vague whiff of the sheriff’s scent. Getting some information from the sheriff seemed like a good idea.

“Tabby?” Anderson eyed the triskelion tattoo on Bu

Bu

“She’s my mate.”

“Oh? Oh. ” Bu

Bu

Anderson’s brows rose. “Live here? In Halle? I knew Chloe’s family was coming, but I didn’t know that included her cousins.”