Boarlander Cursed Bear (Boarlander Bears Book 5) by T. S. Joyce Page A

back into his life. He was a broken vase, shattered on the floor, and she was his glue. She made him think about what he wanted. Made him think about goals and improvement since he wouldn’t be able to keep her like he was.
    Shae pulled her cell phone from her pocket and frowned at the screen.
    “Who is it?” he asked. Nosy? Probably, but he liked to know everything about her.
    “My parents.” Shae shrugged. “They have been calling a lot, which means they found out I came here, but I don’t want the lectures.”
    “What lectures?”
    “They raised me in a bubble. Small town, and while I was recovering, they had a tendency to alienate me. My old friends never came around, and my parents got paranoid every time I tried to take a risk. And I love them, so eventually, I just stopped worrying them by becoming the most boring creature on the face of the planet. They’ll tell me to come back home if I open up a line of communication.”
    “You should answer. They worry. You’re a grown-ass woman on vacation. They can’t keep you from that stuff, but you can let them know you’re safe.”
    Shae snorted. “My parents would love you.”
    Clinton allowed a dark chuckle. “I don’t know about that.” They had loved him once, but then everything had gone to hell.
    Shae pouted up at him, her eyes so big and beautiful, her cheeks glowing with the pulsing light of the fire. Unable to help himself, he dipped his lips to hers and sucked that pout gently from her bottom lip. He loved the way she melted against him in an instant, like they were meant to be one person. Good mate, always reacting to him and making it easy to lose himself in touching her. He’d been afraid Amber’s damage would reach its inky tendrils from his hardened heart right into Shae’s, but so far, it had been the easiest thing in the world to trust his mate with his body.
    When he eased away—mostly because he was now rocking one enormous boner—she let off a happy little noise and smiled drunkenly at him, her eyelids heavy. “I’m going to call my mom real quick.”
    Clinton bit her neck gently until she giggled and eased back. “I’ll keep your spot warm. Good luck.”
    And a few minutes later, she returned with a slight frown marring her pretty face. As she settled back beside him, she said, “Huh. They told me they loved me and were proud of me, and that they hoped I had fun for the rest of my trip.”
    “That’s good.” Phew, because he had been a little worried Dana would let it slip about Shae’s past.
    “And then they said they were really sorry, but when I asked what for, they clammed up and said their goodbyes.” Her dark eyebrows arched high. “That was weird, right?”
    “You’re asking Crazy Clinton if something is weird?” Kirk slurred. “He’s not going to be your best gauge of normalcy.”
    Ally had her legs draped across her mate’s legs and was cuddled against his side, but at Kirk’s insult she said, “Hey now. I’ve literally never seen Clinton so un-crazy as he has been tonight. Alyssa is magic. She is Clinton’s ten-ten.”
    “I’m gonna check the border of the campsite,” Harrison announced, standing. “Clinton, why don’t you come?”
    “No, thank you. Go take a piss by yourself, alpha. Girls go to the bathroom in herds. I ain’t a woman, and you don’t need protection from the bogeyman.”
    Harrison’s lips thinned into a pissed-off line, and Clinton already knew what was coming next—the order. “Now, Clinton.”
    The power of his words wafted across Clinton’s skin and cowed his animal. Damn it all, he hated when Harrison pulled this crap. Clinton didn’t hold back the snarl in his chest, but he kicked out of the blanket and stood. “Fine. I’ll be right back,” he told Shae, then followed Harrison out into the dark woods.
    “Look, if you want someone to hold your dick for you, you should know I don’t touch anything in miniature—”
    “Who is she?” Harrison asked low.
    Clinton