Page 49 of Bear and Book

I wanted to believe it. I wanted to fall into it, to stop second-guessing. But even as his warmth pressed against me, the shadows of doubt whispered in the back of my mind.

What if I hurt him? What if the bond made us reckless? What if my past crept back in and ruined this too?

Leo’s thumb brushed the back of my hand, pulling me back to the present. His gaze searched mine, steady and patient.

“Hey. You’re in your head again,” Leo said.

I let out a shaky laugh.

“Hard to avoid, with you looking at me like that,” I admitted.

“Like what?” His grin was soft, teasing, but there was heat behind it too.

“Like I’m…” I faltered, the words catching in my throat. “…yours.”

His grin softened into something else, something that made my chest ache and my knees weak. Leo stepped in, closing the space between us, and cupped my jaw with one warm, calloused hand.

“You are,” Leo whispered.

The world seemed to stop. My fox surged, pushing hard, and before I could talk myself out of it, I leaned in. Our lips met.

The kiss was slow, deep, and so full of energy it felt like the earth itself tilted under us. Heat flared, fierce and undeniable. His kiss wasn’t just want; it was promise, it was claiming.

I melted into it, fingers fisting in his shirt as I pulled him closer. He groaned low in his throat, deep and hungry, and the sound shot straight through me.

My doubts quieted, silenced by the certainty in his touch, the way he held me like I was something precious instead of breakable.

When we finally pulled back, breath ragged, I rested my forehead against his. My chest heaved, but for the first time in years, I felt steady. Anchored.

“Leo,” I whispered.

“Yeah?” His hand slid to the back of my neck, thumb stroking lightly.

I swallowed hard, the words catching but true. “You feel like everything I thought I lost.”

His arms tightened around me, pulling me against his chest.

“Then let’s not lose it. Not again,” he said.

I let myself sink into him, into the warmth of his hold, the steady beat of his heart against mine. My fox settled with a deep, contented sigh, curling around his bear like it had always been meant to.

For a while, we just stood there under the stars, breathing each other in. No past and no doubts. Just us.

* * *

The walk back to my apartment felt different after the run. My legs still hummed with the echo of the shift, every nerve in my body awake, alive.

My fox was quieter now, not pushing, not restless.

He felt settled, curled up deep inside me like it had finally found where it belonged. Every time Leo’s shoulder brushed mine as we walked, the hum in my chest grew stronger.

I shouldn’t have wanted him this much. But gods, the way his bear’s presence wrapped around me, steady and certain, it was hard not to lean in, hard not to believe this was where I was supposed to be.

By the time we reached my building, my palms were damp and my chest tight. Leo’s hand brushed mine again, casual, almost accidental, but my fingers caught his before I could think.

His grip was warm, solid, grounding, and he squeezed once before letting me lead us inside. The climb up the stairs felt longer than usual, my pulse thundering with every step.

Inside my apartment, the air was familiar but charged. The faint scent of old books and cedar polish clung to the space, but underneath it now was the sharp edge of anticipation.