Bearly Contained: A Short Steamy Fairytale Monster Romance by Viv Thorne

Author:Viv Thorne [Thorne, Viv]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 239675223
Published: 2025-09-03T07:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 4

SECRETS IN THE SHADOWS

After my encounters with Knox and Ranger, I should be exhausted. Instead, I'm buzzing with energy and questions. The crash we heard turned out to be Flint accidentally breaking some dishes. At least that's what Ranger claimed it was when he returned to the library, looking suspiciously distracted.

I've spent the afternoon hiding in my room, alternating between furiously writing steamy scenes for my novel and wondering what the hell is happening to me. I've never been the type to fall into bed with a man I just met, let alone two men…and thinking about doing the same with the third.

Yet here I am, unable to stop thinking about Knox's intensity, Ranger's tenderness, and Flint's playful grin that promises all kinds of trouble.

"Get it together, Goldy," I mutter to myself as I close my laptop. I need fresh air and space to think.

Slipping downstairs, I find the great room empty. A note on the kitchen counter catches my eye:

Had to check the property after the storm. Back soon. Help yourself to anything. - K, R, & F

Perfect. Some alone time.

I rummage through the kitchen for a water bottle and snacks, then head out the back door. The afternoon sun has burned away the storm clouds, leaving the sky a brilliant blue. The air smells fresh and damp, with that particular cool bite that only comes after rain.

I follow a different trail than the one Flint showed me yesterday. This one winds deeper into the woods, climbing gently before leveling off along a ridge. After about twenty minutes of walking, I hear it—the soft burble of water.

Curious, I veer off the trail, pushing through a stand of evergreens until the trees suddenly open.

"Wow.." I take in the sight before me.

A steaming pool of crystalline water sits nestled in a rocky basin, fed by a small waterfall trickling down stones. Steam rises from the surface, curling into the cool air. It's like something from a fantasy novel…a secret hot spring in the middle of nowhere.

I dip my fingers in the water. It's deliciously warm, the perfect temperature for a quick soak. A glance around confirms I'm completely alone, hidden from the trail and the lodge by the surrounding trees.

Before I can talk myself out of it, I'm stripping off my clothes, folding them neatly on a rock. The cool air pebbles my skin as I stand naked at the edge of the pool, taking a deep breath before stepping in.

"Oh my god," I sigh as the water envelops me. It's silky-smooth—warm enough to make me melt but not overly hot. I wade deeper until I'm submerged to my shoulders, my hair piled messily on top of my head to keep it dry.

For several minutes, I just float, letting the water work its magic on my muscles. All the tension from the last few days…the confusion, the arousal, the questions…seems to dissolve. I close my eyes, tilting my face toward the patches of sunlight filtering through the trees.

"I should have known you'd find this place.

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