Page 21 of His to Defend

Dammit. Nina hadn’t wanted to say anything. She didn’t want to worry Harper, who, of course, being her best friend, would worry. “It’s nothing,” Nina lied. “And it’s really nothing you need to be worrying about right now. Not with your wedding only a few days away.”

But Harper was not to be so easily deterred. She put her hand on Nina’s arm, preventing her from getting up. “Talk to me, Nina. You know that there’s nothing you can’t tell me. Wedding or not.”

Nina hesitated again, but when she looked at her best friend’s face so full of concern, she couldn’t not tell her. “I was fired,” she said. “From Lifestyle. I stood up for myself and the other writers. It was time. It’s not a huge deal. I mean, I have some savings so it’s not like I’m broke or anything, but—”

“You loved that job.”

That was it. And Harper knew it. Nina nodded slowly. “I did.”

“I’m so sorry, Nina.” With one arm, Harper reached over and squeezed her in a hug, the baby between them. “But I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself. That’s important.”

Nina nodded.

“But…have you thought about what you’re going to do?”

Nina forced a smile. “I’m going to enjoy the hell out of my best friend’s wedding,” she said. “That’s what I’m going to do.” She didn’t bother to add that she also planned to enjoy more of Ryker Jackson while she was there, too. But judging by Harper’s smirk, that was a given.

“Well, I think that’s a great idea.”

“What’s a great idea?” Axel’s voice boomed from the front door.

How had he heard them from so far away?

Nina shook her head. Sometimes it felt as if the men around Grizzly Ridge had some type of super powers.

Like the super powers of seduction.

Nina almost laughed at her thought, until a second later, when the subject of her thoughts walked in behind Axel.

On some level, Ryker had known he was playing with fire when it came to Nina. How could he not be? Every time she was around, he couldn’t formulate a clear thought. His bear was continually clawing at him to get out. His senses were full of her.

But he had never expected his bear to take over while he was having sex.

Never.

It had never happened before. Hell, it had never even come close.

And it had been way too close earlier while he was buried inside the sweet heat of Nina.

Hell, he’d almost bitten her. He’d almost mated her.

The thought of it had been making him crazy ever since. Not because he hated the idea, but quite the opposite really.

He’d liked the idea. Or at least, he hadn’t immediately rejected it.

Not the way he would have even twenty-four hours earlier.

What he needed was distance from her, which was why just as soon as they got back to the ridge, Ryker had made up some bullshit story about helping Axel get the rooms ready for the guests.

He hadn’t planned on walking into the Den and seeing her there.

But it wasn’t the sight of her that hit him first.

It was that damn intoxicating combination of honey and crisp green apples that filled him. Only this time it was different, because she also smelled of sex. Their coupling. Her arousal laced through the already sweet scent of her and damn near drove him to distraction.

“Ryker?”

He blinked and Axel’s face came clear in his vision.