It was a happy furry-tale ending after all.
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Something Witchy This Way Comes - available now "All sobered up, are you?" Hayden asked, eyes narrowed.
"Yes, completely." I backed up so he didn't have to worry about hitting me with the car. "I'll see you guys later."
As if waiting for me to say that, he jumped out of the car and slinked toward me like a panther - never taking his eyes off me. The look on his face was anything but mild. Uh-oh. What was up with that? He'd been pretty cool all night, hadn't flirted and had only touched me to lead me somewhere.
Hayden didn't slow down as he passed me. Instead, he gripped my hand again and dragged me along. Leaving the partiers behind, we went back up the driveway, and into the garage. He left the door slightly ajar, letting in a sliver of light so we didn't have to fumble. He finally stopped in a secluded spot in the far corner of the garage and leaned against a work table. "I'm going to kiss you now."
Refusing never occurred to me. Like a pliant doll, I lifted my chin and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him to me. He swooped and covered my mouth with his, his hot tongue assaulting mine.
Oh, crap. It was perfect - like his fantasies had melded with mine.
Except this was better.
I drowned in the feel of his lips, and his hands brought shivers as they skated up my back. When his mouth deserted mine, his eyes seemed to absorb the details of my face, his hands planted firmly on my hips. Then, in one swift move, he lifted me up onto the work table and kissed me again. Harder, hungrier...
I set my purse aside to free my hands. They skimmed his bare arms, moving on to explore his naked chest, my thumb sneaking into the waistband of his jeans.
What was I doing?
I couldn't let him get any more than he'd already gotten from me. With my palms flat against his chest, I shoved him away. "Uh... I have to go." Jumping off the table, I bolted.
Blind Date, Checkmate - available now "I never stopped loving you," Logan said as we both got to the door.
Liar. I whirled around and glared. "I was seventeen and it's been nine years. We've both grown up. I'm not the same stupid kid and I won't be so gullible this time." Why did he keep drawing me into these conversations? "So far, Logan, you're all talk and no action. The story of your life. No follow-through." I tried to get past him but he blocked the door. I backed up when I noticed his eyes ablaze, thinking maybe I'd pushed him too far.
As if I were his prey, he caged me against the wall with his arms. I pressed my back into the cold plaster so I wouldn't feel his thighs brushing mine. He only moved closer, a breath away, the friction of our bodies sending an inferno through me.
Oh, yes, that had definitely been missing in my life.
"You want me to follow through, Shelby, I'm ready right now," he growled softly.
Me too. But Logan was the last guy I'd go there with. Although it wouldn't exactly be a hardship re-enacting certain moments with someone that gorgeous, deep down I was still bruised by his past rejection.
But I couldn't deny I was tempted.
I'd never had a relationship that lasted. If I was doomed to a life of loneliness, it almost seemed justifiable to take happiness where I could find it, even if only temporarily.
Logan inched toward me, his lips at my temple. My pulse spiked as he sucked my earlobe between his lips and I shuddered.
"I knew you still loved me," he whispered in my ear.
His words slapped me back to reality. A temporary fling with him would only bring me a lifetime of more pain. No. Way. "Oh, honey, you're confusing love with lust." I patted his cheek a little harder than necessary and pushed on his chest. "A guy like you should know better. Let's go eat. I'm hungry." I sailed past him knowing I'd thrown him a nice curve.
I'd just taken his bishop. Score one point for me.
My Wolf's Bane (Shapes of Autumn, book one) - available Spring 2012 With my heightened senses, I drew in the scent of pine and earth. Stars glowed and twinkled in the dark above as I reveled in the crisp night air. My ears picked up the chirps of crickets and the rustling of a small animal in the nearby brush.
What undiscovered abilities might I have? With my body's ability to heal rapidly, could I be killed? Would I require a stake through the heart like a vampire or a silver bullet like a werewolf? Werewolves, vampires and leprechauns... They were probably in the forest right now, watching me.
I laughed. Sure, Autumn.
But Zack was real and he'd been unusually agreeable earlier. Why the sudden change? How long would it last?
Racing between trees, I worked off my frustration at him and the events of the past week. Like lightening, I charged through the forest, furry little animals scampering in my wake. As my lungs effortlessly took in air, a familiar scent met me and I slid to a halt, bits of dirt spraying the nearby shrubs.
Wolf.
He came into view beyond a clump of trees, black and magnificent. A few yards away, he hesitated, almost as though he didn't want to scare me. I can't explain why I suddenly felt so comfortable with this wild beast, but I did.
end.