Instead of heading straight to my sleeping quarters behind the station, I retraced my steps toward the bar, teeth gritted with determination.
If I had to shove that curvy box of chocolates back into her rental car myself, I would. Imost definitelywould...
Big mistake. Just the thought of touching her again made my stomach cramp with need and my heart static like something electrocuted.
"I’ve never felt anything like this before! It feels like my heart is about to explode out of my chest!"
I wished to Ursa I had no idea what Björn was talking about. But that wasexactlyhow it felt when I’d physically shoved her out of my station house earlier. How could one person—one completely unwanted and unexpected human—smellthatgood?
My normally reserved bear clawed at my chest, growling, threatening to rise if I didn’t track her down and...
A series of lewd, obscene, completely wrong images filled my head. Both of them. My mind swam, drowning in carnal thoughts, while the head below my riding breeches stirred to life despite being eight days away from my next scheduled “hand release.”
I stopped in my tracks and squeezed my eyes shut until the pictures subsided. Until my bear backed down enough for me to regain control.
But it had been close—tooclose for a lone bear who no longer desired a mate or a maul.
I had to get her out of here.
Get her on the road and out of my life so that I could get on with pretending she’d never walked into town.
But something caught my eye halfway to the bar: a scarf. Bright red, lying in the snow.
I bent down and brushed white powder from the soft fabric. Her scent hit me instantly. Caramel wrapped in rich chocolate.
Holly.
I’d never had a sweet tooth, but my bear growled low, rolling around in the scent like it had just claimed some great prize. The smell of her wrapped around me, tugging at my hunger receptors. And my teeth.
I should have left it there. Dropped it in the snow and kept walking. But my hand clenched tighter, betraying me.
More dark, unwanted thoughts uncoiled before I could stop them. Taking the scarf back to my apartment. Pushing down my pants. Wrapping her sweet scent around my?—
No.
Shame twisted in my gut as I ground my teeth and shoved those thoughts away. But I still couldn’t let go of the scarf. Instead, I looped it around my neck in an automatic, helpless motion. My bear rumbled in approval, but I hated it.
This was pathetic. Weak.
If I didn’t find her and get that human-shaped blizzard of temptation out of town, then?—
I froze, the thought falling away.
Next to the Ayaska Village boundary sign, a trail of prints broke the pristine snow.
Small, shaped like those ridiculous trainers Holly had worn into the mountains.
But they weren’t alone.
Two sets of motorcycle tracks accompanied by much larger impressions in the snow followed the same path. Precise. Deliberate. Predatory.
The other two Iron Claw bikers from the bar.
They’d followed her. Quietly walking their bikes up the Ayaska Village path so they wouldn’t be heard. By the sleeping villagers—or the prey they were stalking.
Holly hadn’t gone home like I’d told her.
And those criminal MCs? They were right behind her.
