Ignite: A Werebear + BBW Paranormal Romance (Bearpaw Ridge Firefighters Book 3) Page 13

  This was just the first step. If he played this right, he'd have other chances to kiss her. A lot of other chances.

  But it was difficult. His bear wanted to pin her up against the car, pull up the hem of the her dress, and make her his, completely and forever.

  At this thought, Evan felt a cold chill run down his spine. Not forever. I don't do forever, remember?

  He wanted to taste her again but stopped himself. Instead, he stroked his thumb lightly across her kiss-swollen lips and noted how her eyelids fluttered shut at the caress. "Oh yeah, you're definitely my type, Steffi."

  Her eyes flew open, and her expression instantly went from "dazed with pleasure" to annoyed. Oops.

  "One of many, or so I hear," she shot back.

  Evan cursed his family for ruining his reputation. Someone must have told Steffi about his speed-dating habits. He was betting that it had either been Mark or Aunt Margaret.

  "Give me a little credit for good taste," he retorted. "Look, I think you're really hot, and I think we both enjoyed ourselves just now. Why not give it a shot?"

  He could almost see the gears turning inside her head and guessed that she was torn between wanting to refuse him out of sheer stubbornness and being tempted by the heat between them.

  "It would be the perfect vacation fling for both of us," he added. "A week or two, and then you head back to California while I go back to doing my fieldwork in the Bitterroot National Forest." His bear growled its displeasure at the idea of Steffi leaving. "We'd stay friends afterwards…I promise."

  Then he waited while she thought about it some more.

  A guy's feelings could be hurt by the amount of time she's taking to say yes or no, he mused. He usually got a yes with kisses with only fraction of the heat of the one he and Steffi had just shared.

  Why was she overthinking this?

  Finally, not quite meeting his eyes, she said, "You're right—it might be fun."

  Evan raised his brows at her. "Might be fun?" He shook his head. "Okay then. Challenge accepted."

  And he finally got the laugh he'd been hoping for. "Does that mean I should be worried?"

  "Maybe. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow."

  He stepped close and kissed her again, enjoying the taste of her lips and the sound of her heartbeat accelerating.

  This time, she went up on tiptoes and put her arms around his neck with no hesitation.

  And he finally got to experience the full effect of having those glorious curves pressed up tight against him. Hot damn. He couldn't wait for their date.

  When the kiss finally ended, he said, "Until tomorrow, then. I'll come by after work."

  "I don't know if I can get a babysitter on such short no—" Steffi began, but he cut her off with a finger lightly laid across her lips…her sweet, oh-so-kissable lips.

  "No babysitter needed. I'll bring all the fixings for dinner and cook for you. And we can watch a movie afterwards—I've seen the big-ass TV that Dane bought for that apartment. And Annabeth mentioned that there's a popcorn popper in one of the cabinets."

  "Dinner and a movie sound like a good first date," Steffi agreed. "Annabeth told me that they subscribe to a couple of movie channels. I'm sure we can find something to watch." She gave him a sexy smile filled with promises. "I promise it won't be a chick flick."

  "And I thank you for your excellent taste in movies," Evan responded.

  Not that he really cared what she picked, because he intended to do everything in his power to distract her from paying attention to anything on the screen.

  "Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Say, six p.m.?" He opened the Forester's door for her and waited as she slid behind the wheel.

  "Six p.m. sounds great. See you then."

  She started the car, and Evan watched her drive away, her taillights receding into glowing red pinpoints in the dusk.

  Triumph filled him. She'd finally agreed on a date!

  He couldn't wait until tomorrow night.

  Chapter 13

  What have I done? Steffi kept asking herself all through the next day.

  She kept alternating between giddy anticipation and annoyance that her resolution not to get involved with Evan Swanson had lasted exactly as long as it had taken for him to kiss her.

  But that kiss…Oh. My. God.

  And when he had told her that she was his type, she had believed him.

  No one could kiss you like that if they weren't attracted to you.

  She knew she might regret this afterwards. Evan was just the type of man who could break her heart…and even if he didn't, she would have to leave Bearpaw Ridge and return home sooner or later. She'd already agreed to extend her stay a week or two, in hopes that Olivia's shapeshifting would stabilize by then.

  Rajesh was a great boss, and he'd been incredibly understanding up to this point, but truth was, she couldn't put her life—and her job—on hold indefinitely.

  So she had better enjoy herself now.

  After all, how often did someone like Evan come along? Someone like Evan who was interested in someone like her, she amended.

  Up until now, his type had always gone straight for Jessica. It seemed almost inconceivable that Evan was actually interested in Steffi.

  And yet, everything he said and did supported that he was, in fact, attracted to her.

  A part of Steffi was bracing herself for the moment when she found out that this was all some cruel practical joke, but the rest of her was buzzing with excitement.

  She was in the middle of feeding Olivia her breakfast—rice cereal, baby-food peaches, and a bit of formula—when a FedEx van pulled up in front of the bakery.

  Five minutes later, Steffi was holding her replacement laptop, courtesy of Rajesh. She had called him on Friday and told him about the motel fire.

  Good! Now I can get some work done…as soon as we return from visiting Margaret.

  * * *

  It was getting close to noon by the time Steffi and Margaret finished a pot of tea and a plate of huckleberry jam cookies. Steffi had picked up a box of the cookies from Cinnamon + Sugar on her way to Margaret's house.

  "I really need to get some work done today," Steffi said regretfully as she rose and prepared to make her goodbyes. "I promised my boss I'd send out a major customer communication on Wednesday morning and post an announcement on the company website."

  It had been a mostly pleasant visit with Olivia's grandmother, though Margaret had tried yet again to convince Steffi that staying at the ranch would be much safer and more convenient than Annabeth's apartment in town.

  "So, I heard that Evan managed to talk you into going out with him, after all," Margaret said with a sly smile as she lifted Olivia from her lap and handed her to Steffi. Without waiting for Steffi's reply, she shook her head ruefully. "I've always thought that boy is far too charming for his own good."

  "We're supposed to have dinner tonight," Steffi answered, a little shocked that Margaret had already heard. "He offered to cook."

  Sheesh. They really weren't kidding about the "small town" thing! Does anyone actually have any secrets around here?

  Margaret chuckled. "Well, you're in luck, dear. All of the Swanson men are excellent cooks." She gave Steffi a conspiratorial smile. "Evan probably wouldn't want me to say this, but he was positively glowing when he came back in last night. He told us that he'd finally convinced you to go out on a date with him."

  Steffi blinked. Evan had told his family that she'd agreed to go out on a date?

  Huh, she thought, bemused, as she made her goodbyes and walked out to the car. Whatever happens, I guess I'm not going to be his dirty little secret.

  It felt good.

  Steffi found herself grinning like an idiot as the Subaru bumped its way down the long gravel drive to the highway. She wondered how on earth she was going to be able to concentrate on catching up with her work this afternoon.

  * * *

  Evan knocked on the apartment's door at exactly six p.m. Royce barked
once, then trotted over to stand in front of the door, tail wagging furiously.

  Feeling a burst of excitement, Steffi put down the spoon she was using to feed Olivia her dinner and went to answer the door.

  Her breath caught in her throat as she opened the door and saw him standing there, looking sinfully sexy in worn jeans and a tight T-shirt printed with a picture of a lynx.

  "Hi," she said, because she probably looked weird, just standing there and staring at him.

  Evan grinned and hefted the two big cloth shopping bags he was carrying. "I hope you like beef stroganoff." He looked down. "Hi, Royce. Are you being a good dog?"

  In response, Royce's tail doubled its wagging speed. His jaws parted in a doggy smile as he looked up at Evan.

  "I live alone, and I like pretty much anything that I don't have to cook myself," Steffi said honestly. "Please, come in."

  He laughed as he headed for the kitchen, Royce at his heels.

  "Yeah, I know the feeling," Evan said over his shoulder. "And I'm gone so often that my fridge is usually pretty empty. Nothing like coming home after three weeks in the wilderness and having to invite yourself over to your one of your brothers' places for breakfast because you don't have any food in the house and you forgot to stop at the grocery store on the way to the ranch."

  "I'm sure they don't mind," Steffi said, following him as far as the breakfast bar.

  Olivia had the spoon in her chubby fist and was banging it against the tray of her high chair. Looks like someone is cranky about having her dinner interrupted.

  "Things got better once Dane married Annabeth," Evan said as Steffi stopped in front of the high chair and prepared to resume feeding her niece.

  "If I remember to text her when I'm on my way home, she leaves a care package in my kitchen. And I gotta tell you, after living on canned beef stew and instant coffee, Annabeth's honey-wheat bread and cinnamon rolls taste like heaven. And it's nice to come home to fresh milk, OJ, and a dozen eggs in the fridge."

  Royce made a hopeful circuit of the kitchen, managing to get in the way of Evan opening cabinets and drawers in search of pots, pans, and cooking utensils.

  Then the dog resumed his post at the base of Olivia's high chair.

  Evan unloaded his shopping bags onto the counter and began slicing mushrooms.

  "Do you need any help?" Steffi asked as she scraped the last spoonful of baby food from the little plastic tub.

  "I think I've got everything under control." Evan flashed her a smile and lifted a clean washcloth from the stack she'd put next to the sink. "Want me to wet this for you?"

  "Please," she said.

  As usual, Olivia had ended up wearing nearly as much food as she'd eaten. Thank goodness for bibs, or she'd be going through several onesies per day.

  Evan tossed her a damp washcloth, and Steffi went to work on cleaning up her niece. He continued wielding his knife at the counter, and soon the smell of onions and garlic joined the earthy scent of the mushrooms.

  He heated oil in a skillet and began sautéing the ingredients.

  "That smells delicious," Steffi said. She gave Olivia's face one final wipe with the washcloth, then lifted the baby out of the high chair.

  "Beef stroganoff is my go-to meal when you can't spend all afternoon cooking," Evan said, hefting a large package wrapped in butcher paper. "Featuring Grizzly Creek Ranch's grass-fed antibiotic-free beef."

  "I haven't had stroganoff in years," Steffi commented, carrying Olivia over to her playpen and setting her down. "Are you sure I can't give you a hand? Why don't I set the table?"

  "Well, if you insist…" Evan said. "But I was hoping to pamper you a bit."

  "Believe me, when you live alone, just having someone cook you a meal is pampering," she assured him. "And I'd feel bad if I just sat here and watched you work."

  Once she'd put the plates, glasses, and silverware on the apartment's dining table, she opened the bottle of red wine he'd brought and poured two glasses.

  Handing Evan one, she stationed herself at the counter next to him and began rinsing the head of lettuce he'd brought.

  "Hey," he said in mock dismay. "I think I need to teach you what pampering means."

  He nudged her with his hip. She nudged back and pulled a vegetable peeler out of a drawer so that she could get started with the carrots.

  "Hey, so what's it like, being a wildlife biologist?" she asked, after a few minutes of their working companionably side-by-side.

  She realized that she was already enjoying this dinner date more than she had any others. Plus, she could covertly watch him as he worked. He looked good enough to eat in those jeans, and he had biceps to die for.

  "Would you believe I just spent six weeks building 'rubbing stations' for lynx, then mounting the stations on trees at suitably spaced intervals?” He grinned. "Sounds fascinating, huh?"

  "What on earth is a rubbing station?" Steffi asked.

  "Well, let me give you a little backstory first," Evan said as he began to add bite-sized chunks of beef to the savory combination of mushrooms, onions, and garlic in the skillet. "I'm part of a project team that's been trying to do a genetic survey of wild Canada lynx populations. The problem with trying to get samples is that lynx are extremely shy and hard to catch. That's normally not a problem for me—I can just shift into bear form and track down whatever critter I need—but I wasn't having much luck with the lynx. They hate bears more than they hate humans."

  "So did you ever manage to catch any lynx?" she asked, continuing to put together the salad.

  "One of my senior colleagues has pet cats. After I'd only gotten one sample in my first week in the field, he suggested that maybe a better approach would be to treat the lynx like kitties. Put out toys and lures for them to get them to visit sampling sites, then build a rubbing station they could use to scratch themselves. The rubbing stations were pretty simple—someone drove to the nearest big town and bought a bunch of those carpet sample squares and a bucket of nails. We embedded the nails in the carpet squares, sort of like big brushes, and impregnated the squares with a scent that lynx find irresistible."

  "Did that work?" Steffi asked, fascinated. She had always enjoyed watching wildlife documentaries on TV. And here was Evan, who actually worked doing the things she saw in those documentaries.

  "Yep," said Evan. He reached for a bottle of Worcestershire sauce sitting on the counter and added some to the skillet. "The lynx would come around to investigate the lures we left for them, then they'd usually take advantage of the rubbing station to give themselves a nice scratch before moving on, leaving plenty of nice hair samples stuck to the carpet."

  "That sounds like a win-win situation," Steffi observed. "You got what you wanted, and the lynx didn't feel like they were being hunted by a big, scary bear."

  "Yeah, I'm scary, all right. Grrr." Evan playfully bared his teeth, then leaned over to nip her earlobe.

  She inhaled sharply at the erotic sensation. Do that again!

  He noticed and gave her one of those slow smiles that told her that he was storing away the information for future use. She couldn't wait.

  "Once I'd finished installing the rubbing stations, it was easy going," he continued as he poured what looked like homemade beef broth from a Tupperware container into the skillet. "Instead of spending days tracking a single lynx and then trying to trap it, all I had to do was hike a circuit to each station every day or two and collect the hair samples for genetic analysis."

  He stirred vigorously as he brought the delicious-smelling mixture in the skillet up to a bubbling boil; then he turned down the heat and covered the skillet with a lid.

  "Okay, that needs to simmer for a little while," he said. "Time to get the water going for the noodles. Then let's take our wine over to the sofa and relax a little before dinner."

  Steffi liked that plan, especially when Evan put one arm around her shoulders once they were seated.

  "So, now that you've let me talk your ear off about my job, tell m
e something about your job," he suggested. "You work with computers, right?"

  "I work for a software company, but I'm not a developer like your brother Ash," she hastened to correct him. "I work on the Product Marketing team."

  He raised his dark brows. "What does that mean?"

  At the same time, he began stroking the skin of her bare arm with his callused fingertips, tracing curving lines from her bicep down to the tender skin on the inside of her elbow. Each caress raised pleasant shivers that ran down Steffi's spine.

  "I work on everything from doing user surveys to figure who's using our products and how they're using them, to developing marketing plans for new products and new releases that target those types of users," she answered, trying to concentrate on sounding normal when she was rapidly melting into a puddle of goo on the sofa. "The company is still pretty small, so my boss Rajesh and the rest of our team do whatever's needed."

  "Mmm," Evan murmured encouragingly, just before he dipped his head and began outlining her curve of her ear with tiny, nibbling kisses. "Tell me more."

  She wondered if he knew what effect his caresses were having on her, and then remembered he had mentioned having super-senses. Of course he knows. And he's enjoying this.

  Well, so am I.

  "Right now, our company has a new security product about to be released as a beta-test, so we're finalizing the list of customers who have agreed to install the beta, and we’re setting up a schedule of feedback meetings with them." Steffi was surprised that she could still string words together to form coherent sentences.

  She tilted her head to give him better access and felt her heartrate accelerate when he began to use his teeth to lightly nip his way down to her lobe.

  "What else?" he breathed, and a warm, wet stroke of his tongue made her stiffen with a sudden jolt of pleasure.

  I'm going to come if he keeps this up, she realized. And he hadn't even really done anything yet.

  "I—I'm also working with an advertising agency on messaging for an ad campaign for the product launch. Our CEO wants to make the announcement at the Black Hat USA conference in August. Oh God, don't stop," she finished with a moan as Evan bit down on her lobe.