His breath caught. His lips parted. I thought, if you’re not ready, just say it. But he didn’t move. So I kissed him. Gently, at first. A question.
He stiffened for a heartbeat, like he wasn’t sure this was real, and then melted against me, mouth soft and eager.
His hands gripped the front of my jacket, pulling me closer, and I didn’t hesitate.
I wrapped my arms around him, held him tight, like maybe if I pressed hard enough, I could anchor both of us. The kiss deepened.
His tongue brushed mine and the spark that passed between us felt like a fuse catching fire. His body against mine was warm, solid, and right in a way that made me ache.
I didn’t want to stop. But I knew if I didn’t, I’d want more than he was ready to give. So I forced myself to pull away. His breath was ragged. Mine wasn’t much better.
“Good night,” I murmured, voice hoarse.
Sean’s eyes searched mine. “Good night,” he whispered. “And… sweet dreams, Beau.”
The door clicked shut behind him, and I stood there for a long minute, heart racing.
The warmth of his mouth still lingered on mine, the taste of coffee and cinnamon on his lips. My pulse thudded in my ears, loud enough to drown out the quiet hallway around me.
My inner bear paced just beneath my skin, restless and buzzing, stirred up by the heat of that kiss. He urged me to knock again, to take things further.
To follow that scent of longing, of home, and close the distance that still lingered between us. To press his body against mine again, to feel Sean melt into me with the same quiet desperation.
Claim him, my bear growled in the back of my mind.He wants you. Let him.
But I clenched my jaw and stayed still, knuckles brushing the smooth wood of the door. My breath was shallow, chest tight with wanting.
“No,” I whispered under my breath. “Not like this.”
Because Sean wasn’t ready. Not fully. I’d seen the hesitation in his eyes before the kiss, that flicker of surprise when I leaned in.
The way his body froze for just a breath before he returned the kiss with trembling lips and fingers that clung to the edge of my shirt like a lifeline.
He wanted me. But he was still learning to trust me. Still figuring out if I was a safe place, or just another mistake waiting to happen.
The last thing I’d ever want was to scare him off. To make him think I needed more from him than he was ready to give. Patience, I reminded myself.
He’d come this far, let me in this much. That had to count for something.
I let my hand fall away from the door, flexing my fingers to shake the tension out of them. My heart still thundered, but I forced a long, slow breath through my lungs, willing my bear to settle.
Not tonight. But maybe… soon.
Chapter 8
Sean
I wokeup with a knot already twisted in my stomach.
Sunlight filtered in through the half-open blinds of my tiny apartment, catching on the flour-dusted countertop and the chaos I’d left behind in the kitchen.
Bowls, spatulas, and trays of cookies lined every available surface like evidence of my insomnia. Stress-baking. Again.
I sat up, scrubbing my hands down my face. Today was training day.
I was supposed to run a little session at Bear and Bun, showing Beau and the others a few baking techniques I’d learned at culinary school.
It wasn’t a huge deal. Beau had said it would be low-key, casual, but still. The idea of standing in front of them, especially Cassian, who already knew his way around a kitchen?
