Billionaire Bear Shifters A Paranormal Romance Complete Series Boxset - Brittany White Page 0,18

sell some gloves just a little nicer than work gloves but not too fancy and they were lined with nice insulation so they weren’t overly padded. Nathan felt underdressed as usual in the promenade.

“Lisa!” The leather goods store was empty when Nathan got there and that wouldn’t be true for long. Lisa, the owner’s assistant came out and lit up when Nathan entered. Like most of the other boutiques on the promenade, it was fairly small and it had more of a ‘shopping in Vegas’ feel than the lodge did with faux marble tile and windows everywhere to open up the space.

Nathan picked up a wallet and examined it as Lisa came over to greet him. “Nate! Did you wear your gloves out again?”

“Guilty.”

“What are you doing with those things?”

“I just don’t know.”

Lisa set him up with a new pair of gloves, but not before she flirted with him. It felt different than it had before Alanna. The two of them had always flirted for fun, but Nathan had never felt driven to push things beyond that. Partly because he didn’t want to endanger his source of new gloves. But the interest just hadn’t been there even though she was quite attractive. Not like it was already there for Alanna even after only a few days.

He was obsessing about Alanna yet again as he made his way back through the promenade when he happened to see the woman herself in one of the shops.

The Black Bear Lake Lodge promenade had a number of rather spectacular clothing shops and this one, in particular, was high end. That was notable to Nathan’s mind. Alanna certainly hadn’t looked like a rich girl when she’d checked in, although her sweater the night before had looked like real cashmere if he thought about it.

Nathan ducked behind a pillar nearby and told himself that he wasn’t a stalker as he observed her. A clerk was showing Alanna cocktail dresses. She didn’t look very excited about them, but she just kept nodding and smiling slightly in response to everything the clerk said. Nathan looked around and sniffed the air.

John was not close by.

Nathan decided to take a chance.

He didn’t creep up on her or come from behind. Nathan shoved his hands in his pockets and tried to look as non-threatening as possible as he entered the shop and nodded hello at Dorine, the older woman who ran the store.

He raised a hand in Alanna’s direction when she saw him and he definitely noticed the way she smiled and then tried to pull it back immediately. Her first instinct was to be happy he’d showed up, but she was trying to quell that instinct. Interesting.

Nathan shoved his hands back in his pockets. “Alanna, hey.” He nodded at Dorine. “Hey there, Dorine.”

“Hellooo,” Dorine cooed. She was always fluttering around, her hands waving a little in the air as if always searching for some business. She grabbed the three black cocktail dresses on hangers back from Alanna. “You know Alanna? We’re trying on some dresses. What do you think of these, dear? Money is no object from what I understand.”

“Yes,” Alanna said, her gaze darted around, avoiding Nathan. “That’s right. Just um...charge it to the room.”

“Lucky girl,” Nathan said. “Shopping spree.”

“Yeah, sure,” Alanna said, rolling her eyes. “Lucky. What have you got there?” She poked his little shopping bag that hung from his wrist. “Silk underwear?”

“Ha!” Nathan blurted and shook his head. “Hardly. Just new gloves. I’m always wearing mine out. It’s my zest for life. It’s hard on my hands.”

“Aw, I want that.”

“What?” He tilted his head, a bit baffled.

“A zest for life,” she said, sighing. “I used to have one. Can’t think of where I put it.”

“Well, they’re easily lost.” Somehow they’d inched a little closer, the only obstacle between them the three dresses on hangers. Dorine had left them alone but Nathan didn’t miss her raised eyebrows as she watched them from behind the register while she spoke to another customer. “One minute you have a zest and then something just happens and poof.”

“Something happens, alright,” Alanna muttered.

Nathan took a deep breath and then he took a plunge. “Are you alright? Seriously.”

She tensed up immediately and nodded. “Yes. Yeah.” She reached out and clutched his arm. It was meant to be a gesture of reassurance but the simple touch heated Nathan’s blood. Her skin was soft, her hand cool. He dropped his gaze and watched her delicate pale fingers that moved to absently stroke his arm. “Don’t