Bear West: BBW Bear Shifter Mail Order Bride Romance Read Online Free Page A

remember which. Seattle, maybe, or Portland.” Diego took a few steps closer to her, and reached out and took her hand. His thumb rubbed across the back of her hand, and she wanted to take that thumb and put it in her mouth, suck hard on it.
    He tugged on her hand, pulling her with him – but, to her disappointment, toward the kitchen instead of the bedroom.
    She shook her head. Get ahold of yourself, Carla! , she thought, and forced herself to pay attention to what Diego was saying.
    “You must be hungry, after that long flight. Can I cook you something?”
    Carla took a seat at the table and stopped herself from saying what she most wanted had nothing to do with food. Sure, she was attracted to Diego, but she needed to get to know him better before she jumped into bed with him. “That’s a good idea,” she said. “I’d appreciate it.”
    Diego opened the refrigerator and examined its contents with a frown. “I forgot to pick up groceries. I’m sorry that I don’t have much to offer you – ”
    “Whatever you have is fine!” Carla didn’t want him to think that she was high-maintenance. This meal was sort of like their first date after all, even if the knowledge that they’d already agreed to marry was lurking in the back of her mind – and surely Diego’s too. She should try harder to make a good impression. “I’m not a picky eater.”
    “How do you feel about breakfast for dinner?” Diego asked, coming up with a carton of eggs in one hand and a loaf of bread in the other.
    Carla smiled. “That sounds wonderful.”
    Diego wouldn’t let her help him cook, but insisted that she stay in her seat. They talked while he whisked the eggs and toasted the bread, then flipped open cabinets and yanked out drawers to find plates and utensils, butter, jam, salt, and cheese. She’d expected only fried eggs, or maybe scrambled, but when he slid her plate to her across the table, she instead found a gorgeous-looking french omelet.
    Diego noticed her look of surprise and grinned, one corner of his mouth turning up in a boyishly handsome expression. “Ain’t what you thought a country boy like me could make?”
    “I – oh, no – it’s just – ” Carla looked down to hide her embarrassment. The omelet was a creamy pale yellow, sprinkled with some green herb she didn’t recognize. She picked up her fork and knife to cut off a bite, and a soft white cheese oozed out of the slice. “ I don’t even know how to cook like this! It looks amazing.”
    “It tastes even better,” Diego said. “Go on, start eating. Don’t wait for me.”
    Carla was glad that he’d given her permission, because she wasn’t sure how long she could have resisted the delicious smells rising off her plate. She placed the first bite in her mouth while Diego dished up his own serving, then sat in the only other chair. Carla’s eyes fell closed to focus on the tastes. Rich butter, tart goat cheese, the grassy hint of the herbs... the whole thing was light and airy and melted in her mouth, and she melted with it, sinking into her chair.
    “Here, have this with it,” Diego said. She opened her eyes again to find him holding out a piece of toast, thickly spread with a dark red jam. “They go better together.”
    After that omelet, she was willing to eat anything he offered, so Carla grabbed it and took a big bite without even asking what it was. The bread was thick, obviously from a bakery instead of mass-produced, but it was the jam that made her groan in pleasure. The flavor was intense, the perfect contrast to the mildness of the omelet, and was sweet and sharp and full of tiny seeds that crunched between her teeth.
    “Oh my god,” she said. “This is incredible!”
    “Wild strawberry jam. My neighbors gave it to me as a housewarming gift, but it’s so good I’m gonna have to find a way to get more from them.”
    “You absolutely have to do that,” Carla agreed. “I want to eat this every day for the rest of my