Detective Bear (Bear Shifter Paranormal Romance) (Bear Patrol Book 2) by Scarlett Grove

wearing a beautiful dress, and he had promised to take her shopping for even more fabulous things. She could barely contain her joy.
    Gauge and Lola went outside and stood on the porch. It was a warm sunny day with a slight breeze that ruffled the maple leaves. Gauge locked up the house before they climbed into his pickup truck and started down the highway to Portland.
    Gauge put some high-energy music on the radio and Lola felt it radiate through her body, making her want to dance. She felt so giddy and good that the hour-long trip to Portland felt like it only took a few minutes.
    They parked in the parking lot downtown and walked along the street where happy people strolled together and popped in and out of interesting little shops. Gauge was looking at his cell phone, trying to find the best clothing stores in the area, and she had to giggle at how dedicated he was to taking her shopping.
    "I thought men didn't like going shopping," she said. "That's what I learned on TV yesterday anyway."
    "Those men are probably human. I’m a shifter taking my sweet little mate shopping for the first time in forever," he said.
    She threaded her fingers through his and smiled up at him as they walked hand-in-hand down the street.
    "Ah, here it is," he said, leading her into a designer boutique.
    The shop was filled with beautiful clothes, filling racks along the walls and throughout the main floor. There were bright festive colors and patterns of every kind and the explosion of color and pattern brought absolute delight to her eyes. She and Gauge walked together, pulling things off that they both liked. The sales girl walked over and was immediately caught by their infectious enthusiasm.
    "This is my mate, Lola," Gauge said. "Isn't she beautiful?" The salesgirl nodded. "She’s been trapped at a secluded compound in the mountains for the last year. And I am going to buy her an entirely new wardrobe today. Only the best for my mate," he said. His voice full of enthusiasm and humor.
    "I see," the salesgirl said, clearly unsure whether or not she should believe everything he had just said.
    Lola couldn't help but giggle at Gauge’s enthusiasm for buying her clothes.
    "She’s going to need shoes and handbags as well. If I know anything about women's clothing. Which I don't really,” he finally admitted.
    Lola giggled again and the salesgirl began helping Lola pick out the best colors and shapes for her body type. By the time they were done in that shop she had a smart little skirt suit that's made her look professional. Several gorgeous and girly summer dresses. Three pairs of shoes, and two new handbags. One for the day and one for the evening.
    Lola hadn't been so spoiled in her entire life. Before her mother married her stepfather they’d been poor. After her mother married her stepfather, all frills and girly accessorizing was essentially banned from the household. She'd been wearing camo almost exclusively since she was ten years old.
    Gauge paid for Lola's clothes, and they left the shop, bags filling their hands. They took their loot back to the truck and locked it in the back seats before going out to lunch at an adorable little café.
    They had the most delicate sandwiches with feta cheese and spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. The flavors on Lola's palette were bursting inside her mouth. All of the sensations she was experiencing that day were swirling around her and with so much intensity it almost felt as if she was in an alternate universe.
    The sights of the city, the sounds of the people talking all around her, the feeling of her new clothes against her skin, the smell of the delicious food, and the taste of fresh brewed coffee.
    Together it created an experience for Lola that she didn't even know existed. To think, people experienced this life every day and took it for granted. She vowed she would never take it for granted as long as she lived.

15
    " N ow , I know that you grew up an outdoors woman. And all those pretty