He nodded, glanced around, then pointed to the bar where the stools that lined the counter had an open view of the hotel lobby.
“Okay. I’ll try to be quick, then we can find something to eat.” I couldn’t resist leaning up and giving his cheek a kiss.
He blinked, then the corner of his mouth curled into a smile.
My heart swelling at that small expression, I squeezed his hand and headed toward the boutique. I hoped they would have everything I needed.
They did. It was perfect. They even sold undergarments. I knew I should pick more practical things but couldn’t stop from buying over-the-top sexy lingerie. Every time I picked up something new, I thought of how Kane would look at me when I wore them, the intense expression he would give me. I shivered.
Clothing wasn’t the only thing I needed. When I asked the sales associates to help me track down some other items, they jumped to it. They didn’t even blink at some of my odder requests, just phoned the concierge, who’d assured me he could take care of everything.
It paid to be inside the world of the richy-rich. Eccentricities were expected. Everything would be delivered to our room by six in the morning.
When I finally stepped out into the lobby, I found Kane with a half-drank pint of beer in front of him, his face in a glower, and everyone giving him a wide berth.
His expression cleared when he saw me. He stayed put as I advanced, and I didn’t stop until I stood between his knees. His hand skimmed my hip to the small of my back, pulling me close. A sigh slipped through my lips. I’d known he remained close throughout my whole time in the shop, but standing next to him now gave me relief.
We had dinner on the third floor of hotel, an Italian place that made a simple carbonara perfectly. The view of the harbor made me think of the view of the lake during our first meal out together in La Ronge. Then, the decor in the restaurant had been simple and a little rundown. Now I was sure we sat in a five-star restaurant, its tablecloths a pristine white, the servers all dressed in matching brocade vests and collared shirts.
Throughout supper, it was almost like I could feel Kane’s rage beginning to boil again. He became more closed off with each passing minute, his movements becoming robotic. I touched his hand, I made small talk, I asked him questions about Vancouver, where he’d been before. He used sign, but just gave me short answers. I thought it was more about him not wanting to talk than him trying to keep his answers simple because I was still learning. Nothing pulled him out of it, not even being together once back at our room.
When I woke up in the middle of the night, the space beside me was empty. The time on the bedside clock said three in the morning. The tug in my chest told me Kane had moved away from me, downward a few floors, but remained in the hotel.
What was he doing? I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep until I found out.
Sliding out of bed, I found my key card and put on the complementary bathrobe hanging in the bathroom. The tug in my chest led me to the fifth floor.
A weight room was encased in glass on two sides, giving a full view of anyone within. Kane was the only one there, running on a treadmill wearing a pair of athletic shorts and no shirt.
For long minutes, I watched him. The treadmill droned in a high-pitched whine, the sound carrying through the glass. It must be set to max from the way he was running so fast. It was almost hard to watch in its intensity—the same way he’d been running after me when I’d been trapped in the back of that SUV, right before he shifted.
My man. My bear.
My breaths became short. Possessiveness sliced through me like a blade, startling in its severity. I’d never felt anything like it before. If a guy I had in my sights at the club turned to another woman, I couldn’t have cared less. If he didn’t want me, then he wasn’t worth my time.
But with Kane, I wanted all of him, and God help anyone who stood in my way. There was no stopping these emotions, and I didn’t know if I wanted to. They kept escalating, consuming me.
Even though I could see him right in front of me and knew he was fine, the tug in my chest told me to go to him. I stared at the keycard in my hand. It was impossible to walk away. Swiping it, I stepped inside. The room smelled like sweat and Kane.
He must have scented me or felt the permanent tug between us, because he lowered the speed and glanced over his shoulder. As soon as it slowed enough, he jumped off. His breathing was labored, the sheen of sweat over his body glistening in the fluorescent lights. He took a drink from his water bottle, his eyes never leaving mine. Whatever focus he’d had on his run now switched to me.
I shivered and held out my hand to him. “I’m lonely. Come back to bed.”
A sudden flutter of nerves danced in my stomach. Not because I knew what would happen once we made it back upstairs, but because I was offering him my hand. I’d never done that before with a guy. A prickle of apprehension snaked its way up my spine, but I didn’t lower my hand, didn’t give into my need to protect myself from rejection.
With our gazes locked, Kane took a towel from the shelf, wiped the sweat from his chest and neck, then tossed it in the bin on the wall. His hand clasped mine, and he didn’t hesitate to follow when I tugged him along. Our hands remained joined until we made it back to the room where they became occupied with other pursuits.
31
KANE
The knockon the door woke us at six the next morning.
A towel wrapped around my hips, I answered with a frown, intent on growling at whoever it was. After taking Brooke to bed post-run, I’d only had a couple hours sleep.
Ever since leaving La Ronge, I’d been promising myself not to touch her. The more we sank into regular civilization, the more I understood she needed a fast-paced life. Brooke was made for cities and creature comforts.
As much as I wanted to take her back to my cabin to spend the rest of my days making her happy in simple ways, the more time we spent in the city, the more I knew it would never work. Once we found her sister, I’d go back to my solitary life, and she’d go back to hers, filled with shopping and people. The bear inside me was too volatile to live in a dense population.
