Bear Exposure (Highland Brothers 3) Read Online Free

needed warmth. She needed protection. She needed rest.
    As her head rested against his heart he felt her relax into his arms. “I know it’s crazy, but I can’t stop shaking.”
    “Shh…no, it’s not crazy. You were in an accident. That would rattle anyone.” He brushed her hair from her face. “My room is the next one over. Why don’t you get changed?”
    She pushed off his body. For a second he thought maybe she had changed her mind. That all she really needed was a hug.
    “I’ll be in in a few minutes.” She pulled the suitcases into her room, then closed the door.
    Striker looked at the closed door. His bear grumbled. He didn’t want to cuddle and comfort. He wanted to claim the woman that was meant to be his.
    Striker walked down the hall. His room was at the opposite end from his brother Crawford’s suite. Crawford had practically taken one whole end of the upstairs converting one of the adjoining rooms into his design studio.
    Hudson’s suite was on the first floor. That left this wing for Striker to convert to his master bedroom. He shoved the door open. It had been awhile since he had been here. The room felt cold.
    There was enough wood in the hearth to get a fire going. He stacked the logs and within minutes stood back to admire the blaze. He listened for Presley’s footsteps and then ducked into the bathroom.
    He turned the shower on. If he was going to make it through the night without taking her, he needed a cold shower. He opened the glass door to turn the handle.
    He imagined what it would be like with Presley as his mate. He knew nothing about her, only that his bear was aching for her. It was more primal than anything he had ever felt.
    He stepped into the cool water and waited for it to ease the heat being near her created.

8
    Presley
    S he crept down the hall , looking for Striker’s room. There had to be a hundred rooms in this place. It was silly and desperate, but the only time the fear didn’t rip through her was when he held her. She needed that tonight. Maybe more.
    She had slipped into a thin T-shirt and a pair of boxer shorts she liked to sleep in.
    She tapped on the door.
    “Come in,” he called.
    The door squeaked open. Striker sat on the edge of the bed. His pajama pants fastened low on his hips. No shirt. He wasn’t wearing a shirt. Holy hell.
    Presley felt the heat from the fireplace. “You built a fire?”
    “I didn’t want you to be cold. It looks like we’ve lost power.” He flipped the light switch as if to prove there was no electricity.
    If he was trying to quietly seduce her, he was doing it. She felt her heart melt into a puddle.
    “Thanks.”
    She walked to the bed. It was huge. Plenty of room to sleep on one side.
    She pulled back the covers. She had never done anything like this before. She had never slept with a stranger. She had never had a one-night stand. She barely kissed guys on the first date. Although, she didn’t know how to categorize any of this.
    Striker turned off the lamp and wiggled in next to her. She wasn’t expecting him to pull her against his body. She immediately felt the hard ridges of his shoulders. The strong planks of his chest. She sighed.
    “Does this help?” he asked, tucking a hand around her waist. “Is the shaking getting any better?”
    She nodded. She felt safe. She felt completely protected. But she also felt something else. Her body was tingling. Firing all over. She tried to quiet the nerves in her core.
    She took a deep breath.
    “Thank you,” she whispered.
    He brushed her hair from her neck. His breath gliding over her skin. “I want you to feel safe.”
    She closed her eyes. She was reacting just from his words. Her hips lightly scooted back, so she was touching his waist.
    He inhaled sharply. The hand Striker had wrapped around her waist began to move. It was slow at first, as if he was trying to soothe her, but within seconds it was sliding below the band on her shorts.
    Presley caught her breath. Could she