I was in a full-blown panic.

The bar had never been so clean, and I couldn’t stop. Wiping down tables, cleaning the floors until they sparkled, hell, I’d even organized the supply closet.

I was freaking out.

One look, one touch, and, shit, my system had gone haywire.

I’d never felt anything like it before in my life and it scared the beejesus out of me.

I wiped the bar furiously as I tried to block the image of Logan. God, he was big. Bigger than Mateo, who was huge. Maple brown hair that was just a little too long, strong, striking features, and the most intense eyes I’d ever seen.

He was… magnetic.

My body tingled with awareness at the memory of his face, of his hand brushing against my skin, of the way he’d looked at me, like I was the answer to life’s questions.

Was it any wonder that I’d run out of Mateo’s like my ass was on fire? Something had been on fire, but it wasn’t my ass…

I was so caught up in my thoughts and feelings, that I didn’t realise someone had entered the bar, which was closed, until a hand touched my shoulder.

I screamed and whirled, my rag flying into Brick’s face.

“Jesus,” my brother cried, pulling the rag off with one hand, while clutching his chest with the other. “Are you trying to kill me?”

The breath rushed back into my lungs and I looked at my brother dryly.

“With a rag?” I asked with a chuff. “You’re such a drama queen.”

“No shit,” was Brick’s response as he watched me with wide eyes. “I called your name three times when I walked in, so there was no reason for you to attack me with cleaning supplies.”

“Sorry, I didn’t hear you,” I said, my voice evening out along with my heart rate.

We stood there staring at each other for a couple beats, then started laughing.

“You should’ve seen your face,” Brick managed through his laughter.

We laughed until the nerves were gone, then I put my arms around my brother and squeezed.

“Thanks, I needed that,” I told him.

“The shit scared out of you, or the laugh?”

“Both,” I admitted, feeling decidedly better in the comfort of his arms.

Brick held me close for a minute, then pulled back and looked down at me.

“What’s up, Tash? Why’d you run out of the party like that? Logan?” he asked. Brick had always been a perceptive bastard.

I let out a deep sigh and let my head fall forward onto his chest.

“Yes,” I whispered, and just the sound of his name made me tremble. Brick let the silence fall around us until I was ready to say more. My brother was good like that. Patient, kind, intuitive. I tilted my head back to look up at him and admitted, “He’s the one.”

Brick dipped his chin, to let me know he understood, but to go on.

“I had no idea it would be that way… I mean, we grew up hearing the stories and all, but nothing prepared me for the jolt. The absolute certainty,” I took a deep breath. “The second my eyes landed on his face, I knew. I didn’t know what I knew, not yet, just that he was someone very special… Then he touched me, and it was unlike anything I’d ever felt. An electric current, and at the same time, a sense of calm. Of rightness. I didn’t know what to do, or how to handle it, so I ran.”

I stepped back and ran my hands over my biceps, watching my brother warily to try and decipher his thoughts.

When a look of total understanding crossed his face and he nodded and said, “I know…” my wariness turned to suspicion.

“How, do you know?” I asked, watching him closely.

“I know what you felt, what Gilly feels with Maximus, because I’ve felt it too. The stories are all true… maybe not in the way mom and dad made us believe, and probably believed themselves, but true all the same.”

“What? When? Who?” I stuttered.

Brick’s face turned sad as he shook his head slightly.

“Let’s just focus on you tonight, huh? Save mine for another day.”

His eyes were pleading as he spoke, so I nodded, agreeing to put a pin in it for now, but vowing to get to the bottom of it sooner or later.

“Thanks, Tash, how about a beer?”

“Sounds perfect,” I said, turning to grab two cold ones out of the refrigerator.

I walked around the bar and sat across from Brick at the table he’d chosen, popping the cap before setting the beer in front of him.

“I actually talked to Logan for a while tonight,” Brick said carefully, eyes on me.

“Oh, yeah?” I asked, hoping I sounded nonchalant when inside I was dying to beg for every minute detail.

“Yeah,” Brick replied with a grin, not fooled in the least.

I sat down with a thud, took a long drink of my beer then let out a long sigh before saying, “Fine, tell me.”

“Well, you already know he’s F-I-N-E fine, but he’s also a really good dude. Yes, he’s hugemongous, and carries himself in that self-assured cocky way that Alpha’s are known to do, but let’s face it, we totally dig that…” When he paused, I nodded my agreement. “But underneath all that surface shit, he seems kind, smart and funny. He obviously cares for his pack, or clan, or whatever they call it in the bear world, and he’s very open-minded. I have to say, even after just talking to him for a little while, I really like him. And, Tash, I think I really like him for you.”

“Really?” I asked, wondering if Logan could really be as great as all that, even as I felt panic bubbling within me.

“Yeah, and damn, I would have had to be blind not to see the sparks flying between you two. I can’t wait to see what happens next time you’re together.”

I nodded noncommittally and took a swig, but my heart was pounding at the thought of being in the same room as Logan again.