“None of your business,” Murphy snapped. Running a hand through his hair, he sighed lowly. “I need you to do me a favor. Drive to Nessa’s work, pick up her car, and take it to the repair shop in our territory. See if Sabine and Michael can fix the mess I made of her driver’s side door.”
Sabine and Michael were an older bear couple who’d transferred from an Alabama bear clan to Murphy’s a few years ago, hoping to reconnect with their adopted human daughter, who’d moved nearby for medical school nearly a decade prior. They were solid people, and as they’d owned their own repair shop before moving, it seemed only natural for them to own one here. And luckily for Murphy, it was situated on Bear lands in the Montana wilderness.
Jasper was silent for a handful of seconds, and then he all but shouted, “What the hell did you do to your mate?!”
“Nessa is fine. Her SUV isn’t. My bear got a little excited to see her and kind of crushed some of the metal. Ensure it gets fixed by tonight, and I’ll consider your voyeurism over the last few weeks a non-issue.”
“Crazy bastard. Just wait until I tell Mom you’re out there harassing that poor human,” Jasper muttered before hanging up the phone, leaving Murphy to his thoughts. Not that he wantedto think at all; he was still furious with himself for giving into his urges so totally, putting whatever relationship he had with Nessa at risk.
There was only one thing to do: apologize. And as he pulled into a parking spot in front of her teahouse, he intended to do just that.
She’d been right when she told him it likely wouldn’t be busy in the morning—there was only one other car in the lot, and it belonged to the beauty who’d fled his sight less than ten minutes ago.
Turning off his SUV and hopping out, Murphy reached the front door to the building in a handful of long strides, his steps deliberate and purposeful. Despite his odd behavior over the past few months, he was normally a male of strength, determination, and integrity. Essential traits in an Alpha. Traits that also included owning up to his mistakes and taking accountability for his actions.
Opening the glass door to Nessa’s shop, Murphy stepped inside, following the sounds of his mate’s movements. He found her behind the counter in the lobby, bent at the waist as she fiddled with something in a cabinet. He cleared his throat, not wanting to startle her.
Nessa’s head shot up as she tensed, wary eyes locking onto him. Then she relaxed, releasing a small breath. “Considering you’re a billion feet tall, you’re really quiet.”
“I’m not a billion feet tall,” he argued lightly. They needed to talk about the moment that had passed between them, but bantering with her was easy. Fun, too. He didn’t want to ruin it by making her uncomfortable again.
So much for being a male of strength, you coward,he chided himself.
Nessa’s brow rose before her focus drifted from him and back to her task. “So how tall are you then?”
“Just over six and a half feet.”
She snorted as she pulled out display racks holding different tea boxes, setting them onto the counter. “Yeah, you’re a billion feet tall. So is your brother.”
“Tank?” he asked, a bit of a rumble in his voice. He didn’t want to talk about his brother or his physical traits;hewanted all of her attention.
His bear chuffed in agreement.
“That’s the only brother I’ve met,” Nessa informed him absentmindedly, pulling out another display rack and placing it on the other end of the counter, the cash register nestled in between both. She kept her gaze downcast.Avoidinghis gaze. His gut twisted into a thick knot of unease. He’d ruined everything, and it hadn’t even been twenty-four hours. “Hunny mentioned you had a few more.”
Murphy furrowed his brow. “You’ve seen Jasper, though you might not remember him.” He hoped not, because the only time she’d seen his brother, he’d been naked as the day he was born. “Do you need help with anything?”
Nessa shook her head quickly, still not looking at him. “Nope.”
“Nes,” Murphy uttered quietly, unable to keep quiet about their situation for another second. It was clearly bothering her.
“Hm?” She fiddled with a pen and notepad by the register, feigning busyness.
“Will you look at me?”
Nessa bit the inside of her cheek and then she squared her shoulders, her gaze clashing with his and holding him hostage.
“I’m sorry for what happened in my driveway,” she answered resolutely. “I didn’t mean to lead you on or to cause more conflict with your … bear …” She trailed off.
She was apologizing to him? Murphy couldn’t believe it.
Unable to stay away a moment longer, he slowly approached, her scent strengthening as he closed the distance betweenthem. He didn’t stop until his legs brushed against the counter separating them.
“Ineed to apologize to you. You’ve done nothing wrong,” Murphy grated out, miffed that she would ever think she was to blame for anything. “I know how you feel about us, and I completely disrespected your boundaries. It won’t happen again.” He grimaced as his bear growled in disagreement. “I’ll try my best to not let it happen again.”
“Because your bear might make it difficult?” she quipped, her nostrils flaring slightly, like that fact irritated her.
Did it?
