A Fox Between the Bear's Sheets (12 page)

mouth, but Talia didn’t want to hear anything. Besides, there was nothing that could make this

situation comfortable for her. She needed to just chalk this whole experience up to one night of bliss

with the Wylde bear. Talia had seen and felt enough. She was an unwelcome guest here, and it wasn’t

as if she wanted to be here any longer anyway. Nodding once, she turned and grabbed her purse.

Keeping her eyes trained to the floor, she mumbled her goodbye and got the hell out of there. She

passed the other bear shifter who had come in with Ford, and now that she was close enough that the

scent of coffee beans didn’t fill her nose she could tell they were brothers. Some kind of realization

came from Ford’s brother, but Talia didn’t stop. She let her feet carry her right outside the café and

down the sidewalk until she was far enough away that she could actually take in a deep breath. She

knew what she sensed from Mina, could tell the woman still wanted Ford. Talia should reveal this to

her brother, although she really didn’t know what good it would do. Wanting a male was not the same

as cheating, and even if she wanted Mina out of her brother’s life, stirring the pot when there wasn’t

anything that pointed in the direction that Mina didn’t truly love Luke was not something Talia was

going to mess with. Although, she really hated the bitch, had told Luke plenty of times, and realized

no, she sure as hell wasn’t going to keep this inside.

She darted behind a smaller building and leaned against the side of it. Closing her eyes she

tried to rein in her emotions. She shouldn’t have this kind of reaction to Ford, not only because they

were in essence virtual strangers, but because they were also not right for each other. She was not a

strong female, not physically or emotionally. She never had been, and had also considered herself the

introverted and quiet type. But then there was Ford Wylde, a male that had her pushing all of her

reservations aside. She had gone home with him, not caring that her actions were far from what was

normal with her. Her human and fox had both wanted him, and although she had been with men

before, that had been the first time her inner animal had urged her with tooth and claw to go after him.

She had never been in love, didn’t even know what the signs of that emotion were, but what she felt

for him went beyond anything she was familiar or even comfortable with.

Could I be in love with a male that I have just met?

It seemed ludicrous at every level, but she knew it wasn’t just simply lust. It couldn’t be, not

with how much he consumed her. It was a good thing she was leaving after the wedding, because no

way in hell did she want to go through something like this again. She and Ford were at totally different

ends of the spectrum, and it was best if she left well enough alone. She just needed to understand this

experience was one she wouldn’t forget. That was the safe thing to do, and maybe the one that would

keep her sane.

****

Ford still stared at the door where Talia had just left. His reaction to her was instantaneous

when he first saw her, and after speaking with his brothers there was no fucking doubt she was his

mate. He had sensed her in the café as soon as he stepped inside. Her scent was a powerful aphrodisiac

that had him, as well as his bear, growing instantly aroused. He would have taken her right then and

there, and fuck anyone who saw. He had even moved toward her to ease his intense need to kiss her,

but then he had seen Mina right behind her and everything had stopped. There were no feelings for her

that had come up, but the ugliness that she had inside him by her betrayal had most certainly made

itself known. The shock of actually seeing Mina after ten years had made everything come crashing

back. At one point in his life she had been it for him. Ford hadn’t thought about another female, hadn’t

wanted to have a family or marry anyone aside from her. The image of Talia came to mind, and he

couldn’t help but smile. There had been many females in his life, all nameless and faceless, ones that

had warmed his bed, and ones that had brought him only pleasure. Talia had brought him more than

just a quick fuck, had been more than a female to warm his bed. She made his heart race and his blood

sing. She had taken away the darkness that had been his friend and enemy this whole time. His bear

roared out to claim her, mark her, and let every other male know that she was his. He had known he

wanted to tell her all of that, but it wasn’t until he had seen her at the café that he had known without a

doubt that she would be his.

“God, Ford. It has been so long.” Mina’s voice brought him back to the present, and he realized

he much preferred his inner musings to being with Mina in reality. She took hold of his hand, and

instantly a low growl left him. Her eyes widened, and she dropped her hold on him. He was surprised

his bear rose up that quickly. He hadn’t liked the feel of her touch, and neither had his inner animal,

which had been made perfectly clear when it decided to make its presence known.

She sat down and gestured for him to take the seat across from her. Ford didn’t have time for

this, and when he opened his mouth to tell her just that she started speaking.

“Please, Ford, just talk to me. I know everything ended on bad terms, but it has been ten years.

You wouldn’t talk to me when I called you about the wedding, and I know I have grown in the last ten

years.”

The fact she was basically telling him he was immature for holding onto the past pissed him

the fuck off. The bear in him wanted to bare its teeth and remind her she screwed him over and broke

his heart, but the human part of him did want that closure they never got. He pulled the seat out and

sat down, and her smile grew wide.

“Don’t misunderstand this for something it isn’t. Yeah, it has been ten years, and I’ll be

completely honest when I say I just want to keep things in the past.” The words fell from his mouth

without emotion. “You fucked me over, Mina, and there is no amount of time that would make that

right.”

“Ford, I understand you still have feelings for me, and I want to talk about that.”

Hold on just a fucking minute.

“What?” He was shocked by what she’d just said. “Are you out of your fucking mind?” He

hadn’t meant to be so coarse, but fuck, what in the hell was she thinking that he still wanted her?

“Let’s get one thing straight, I’ve moved on, Mina, like the moment you fucking walked out of my

house for that other man.” Her eyes were wide, but he wasn’t surprised that she was so conceited she

actually thought he had been pining over her for all these years. He may have held onto the hatred and

pain she’d caused within him, but no way in hell was he going to let her think he had been sitting

around Sweet Water just waiting for her to come back.

“I saw the way you looked at me when you came in, though.”
Oh, hell no.
There was no

fucking way she was going to take what he felt for Talia for herself.

“I assure you that wasn’t for you.” Her once aroused-filled expression fell, and she looked

down. Ford let his gaze drop down to the very thick prenuptial book in front of her. For years after

their break-up Ford had thought about this moment, the one where he would see Mina again. The only

thing he had felt was the pain that Talia had been there, that she had been mixed in with his sour

feelings toward his ex. In fact, why was Talia with Mina in the first place? Before he could broach the

question Mina started talking again as if he hadn’t just been totally honest about his feelings for her,

or lack thereof.

Without lifting her eyes from the wedding book she said, “I know what I did was wrong, and I

wish I could take it back. I have regretted it for years, Ford.” She looked up at him, but she had to

think he was a stupid fucking fool to fall for that. There was no sincerity in her words, not the genuine

kind. Her lust was still there, even though she wore a big fucking engagement ring. She looked the

same, with her overly made-up face, her too blonde hair that was a bit too perfect, and clothing that

showed off her toned body. Those had all been qualities he loved about her, but the only thing he could

think of, the only thing he felt aroused by, was the image of a fiery little redheaded fox with curves

that went on for miles and wide, light blue eyes. She was the complete opposite of Mina, and

everything he wanted.

“I just...” Mina leaned back in her seat and smiled. He knew that look. It had been one that

drove him wild a thousand times, but now all he felt was an empty, disgusting pit in his stomach. “I

have missed you so much. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought about you.” She reached across

the table, and he knew she was about to grab for him, but he moved his hands onto his lap. Her desire

for him left a bitter taste in his mouth. She was the one who cheated on him, had called him up only

weeks ago after no contact in ten years, and was set to marry another male, but here she was, throwing

all kinds of fucked up signals that had him wanting to leave and not look back. If he didn’t want to

finally get this closure he would have hauled ass out of the café and gone to Talia. He would have

taken her and never looked back.

Talia. Mina. The wedding she was in Sweet Water for. All of those points came crashing into

him. Well, fuck, Mina was marrying Talia’s brother? The fates really could be some fucked-up bitches

to throw that on his plate as well. “I’m happy for you, but I’ve moved on to better things, Mina.” Of

course Ford kept quiet the fact he had been vicious in the years after their relationship ended, and even

though he had grown numb to most things around, well up until Talia had entered his life, he was not

about to share any of that with Mina.

“Ford, I really don’t want any of this tension between us.”

“There is no tension, not from my end at least. I just don’t care, Mina. You’re a part of my

past, and that is exactly where I want to keep you.”

He had since moved on with his life, had put everything else behind him, and just wanted to get

the fuck out of the cafe and go to his mate.

His mate.

He had once thought of Mina as his mate, but now thinking back to all of that he realized his

bear had never risen as it did with Talia. Perhaps everything that had happened: the pain, anger, and

hatred he felt, had all been worth it if it meant Talia would come walking into his life ten years later.

“I have to go.”

Mina stuttered out something, but he didn’t give her a chance to call him back. Bram didn’t

bother stopping him as he tore out of there. He didn’t know where she was, but she couldn’t have

gotten far since he hadn’t been in the café for very long. He had seen her take a right out of the café,

so he headed that way. He needed to get to her and tell her that she was his, and nothing would change

that. They may have only shared one night together, and they may have only known each other for

twenty-four hours, but Talia Landon was his, and he was about to find his mate and claim her.

Talia pushed away from the side of the building after her heart finally slowed. She looked

around, watched the people walk up and down the sidewalk, and realized life went on even when her

mind and body were at war with each other. She stepped back onto the cobblestoned sidewalk and

tightened her hand on the strap of her purse. Next weekend couldn’t come soon enough, because then

she could leave Sweet Water and everything that came with it. She needed to tell Luke what she

sensed, and how Mina had been insanely aroused for Ford. Her brother would believe her, no doubt

about that, but it was the fact that he seemed to only see the positive and good in Mina that pissed

Talia off. If this was what love did to someone she would be content in the life she currently led.

As that thought went through her mind she realized that she may be already doomed. Her

feelings for Ford were far from logical or sane, but maybe when one found her mate this was how it

worked? The thought that Ford could be her mate, that he would take her as such, sent a hard wave of

emotions through her. The hair on her arms and the back of her neck stood up, and instantly her fox

rose. Ford was close, she could sense it, and her body and fox knew that as well. Talia stopped and

slowly turned around. Pedestrians parted as he made his way down the center of the sidewalk. Even

from where she stood she could see he was more bear than man at that moment. His eyes were no

longer blue, but as dark as the night. He even seemed bigger, more muscular, and everything inside of

her melted at the sight of him.

There was a look of determination on his face, and it was directed right at her. Everything