Animal Attraction Read Online Free PDF

Zach frowned at me. “Foxglove is poisonous, too, unless you have a heart condition. Then digitalis can save your life.”
    “Thanks, but I don’t want a botany lecture. I want an antidote.” My voice rose in both pitch and volume. David’s hold on me tightened as if he thought I might be planning to lunge at Zach.
    “Easy.” David’s voice was low and gruff behind me. “It helps with the transition, that’s all.”
    “Transition?” I practiced deep breathing and tried to calm down. Panic wouldn’t help me. I needed to think. Starting with paying attention to my surroundings.
    A look around told me we were still in the solarium. Now that I wasn’t fainting, the room took my breath away. Terra-cotta tile floor, trees and flowers in decorative pots and planters, deep-cushioned chairs and sofas scattered around in the sort of inviting casual arrangement that takes a professional to create.
    It was like sitting in a magazine spread. If this was Zach’s house, I’d been right. He did have money. I felt a twist of envy, not so much for his bank account but for this room. It was exactly what I’d want if money were no object.
    It was what I’d dreamed of. Last night.
    I blinked and turned my head, half-hoping I wouldn’t see blue tiles in a series that showed the phases of the moon making a staggered path along the floor. I did. My heart thudded and my skin prickled in recognition while my brain scrambled for a rational explanation.
    One came almost instantly and I clung to it in relief. I probably  was   sitting in a magazine spread. This was the kind of house that got featured in  Architectural Digest and  Better Homes and Gardens . Some time in the past, I’d seen a picture of this room, and the image had stuck in my head. Zach asking me if I dreamed of them had combined with the odd moon tiles to trigger last night’s episode.
    “Do you like it?” Zach asked. “I like to start the day in here.”
    I loved it. I coveted it. Out loud I said, “It’s nice. Unusual design on the tile.” Then I waited to see what he’d do with the opening I’d given him.
    He didn’t mention the moon motif. Instead, he stood up and extended a hand toward me. “Would you like to see the gardens? You’re dressed for it.”
    Sure, why not? I could have a nice tour of the grounds before I keeled over. Except I didn’t feel unwell. I felt like I could run a marathon. Had he lied about giving me wolfsbane?
    My jeans, fleece pullover, and cross-trainers were warm enough for the sunny day and comfortable for walking. I put my hand in Zach’s for an answer, and David let me go.
    It was an odd feeling, as if I’d been passed between them. Then again, I hadn’t exactly been invited over for lunch. They probably wanted to keep ahold of me in case I decided to bolt for my car. It might be awkward for Zach if I turned up at an emergency room claiming he’d given me a deadly dose.
    Zach’s grip was warm and strong. He led me through the solarium to the door that opened out into a garden that looked spectacular even in winter. A fountain decorated with stone figures stood in front of us. We took a gravel path that led around it. Zach’s stride was energetic, and I realized I had no trouble matching him. David kept pace behind us. We passed low benches, arbors, and what looked like an honest-to-God hedge maze, and then there was an open field ahead of us with woods on the far side.
    “Want to race?” Zach asked me, challenge gleaming in his amber eyes.
    “So the poison can go through my system and kill me faster?”
    “I didn’t poison you. Do you feel poisoned?”
    “No.” I didn’t want to admit it to either of them, but I hadn’t felt this good all month. Energy sang in my veins and my muscles quivered with the urge to move.
    “Run with us.” Zach dropped my hand and waited to see what I’d do. David came up to stand on my other side, so the three of us formed a loose starting line.
    I turned to look at David.