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“What was that?” Tea panicked.
Archer’s arms were tight around her. “Oh fuck.”
“Archer, is that…?”
The sound of a claw scrapping metal came next, followed by the ping of a lid hitting the dirt.
Terror seized her entire body. “Oh my god.”
“Shh.” Archer got up from the bed and peeked outside the window. She followed closely behind, peering around his broad back to get a glimpse. When he felt her behind him, he held his arm out as if to block her and keep her safe.
They watched in silence as a black bear shoved its nose inside the open dumpster.
“B-bear,” she muttered, stupidly.
“So…I forgot to secure the dumpster tonight,” he whispered.
“You think?” she whisper-screamed.
He moved his lips to her right ear. “Yeah, and who’s fault was that?”
“Yours, obviously.”
The bear continued to rummage through the trash, oblivious to the people whispering by the window ten yards away.
She scanned the screen. “Can it rip through this? Should we close the window?”
“I think it will hear us.”
“Isn’t that a good thing? Won’t that scare it away?”
“If it isn’t threatened, yes.” He loosened his hold on her. “I need to tell everyone.”
She followed him out to the living room. “I’ll help make some calls.”
Fifteen minutes later, the Wild Pines resort was flooded with light. Everyone was making loud noises to scare the bear. Music blasted, wooden spoons banging on pots and pans in kitchens, lots of yelling and shouting.
Archer watched the bear descend deep into the woods before quickly securing the dumpster and running back to the cabin. He locked the door, something they never did at Wild Pines—why would you need to?—then pointed in her direction. “You are not leaving my sight tonight.”
She feigned irritation and droned, “Oh no, how awful.”
He shook his head and stormed up to her, then kissed her on the mouth and walked her backward, returning them to his bed.
Chapter 22
Archer
He woke up the next morning feeling like he was still dreaming. Tea lay asleep beside him, her bare back exposed, her hair covering the surface of the pillow. He remained there for a beat, listening to her soft breathing, marveling at how any of this could actually be real.
He slid closer to her, gliding a hand around her stomach and pulling her to his chest. He kissed her shoulder, then her neck, then her cheek.
“Ergggh,” she groaned.
He smiled. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
“Too. Early.”
He looked out the window at the sun, already well above the lake, the morning underway. He combed her hair with his fingers. “The princess still loves to sleep in.”
