Animal Prints: Sweet Small Town Contemporary Romance (Michigan Moonlight Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

old are you?” He asked abruptly.
    “Twenty-eight.” She flicked her eyes to his quickly and gave him a saucy look. “You?”
    “Thirty-two. You seem young to be so advanced in your career.”
    “I fast-tracked college a bit. I knew what I wanted and went after it.” She put her bowl back on the table.  
    “So now you want a successful animal rescue center and what else?”  
    She gave him an enigmatic smile. “Well, you’re nearly my age, and you’ve already finished one career! So what do you want, Ian?”
    “Several things.” He paused, edging a little closer to her. “Like I want to see you again after tonight.”
    “Yeah?” She leaned away from him to study his face. What was she looking for there? He kept his gaze steady on hers and waited. She seemed to hesitate like she was making a decision. “You’ll certainly see me tomorrow. I assume you’re coming to breakfast,” she said at last and stood, breaking the tension.
    “Right.” His eyes traveled up the length of her bare leg, not quite ready to let the moment go. “I’ll catch the first ferry back to the mainland in the morning. When is that?” He forced himself to focus on her face and pretended to ignore the sexy body right in front of him.
    “Nine, but I’m not leaving until the five-thirty.” She walked over to lock the door to the screened porch. “You’re welcome to stay and look around the island. I’ll probably take a kayak out early before the waves come up. Do you kayak?”
    “I canoed in summer camp about twenty years ago. Does that count?” An invitation to stay longer would certainly work in his favor, but maybe it was best not to push.
    “Not exactly, but it’s not hard.” She put the last of the dishes on the tray.  
    At least something’s not hard, he thought, looking at her bend over like that. The situation was so not smart, considering his objective. “I don’t know. I should probably get out of your way.” He scrambled to his feet to stand beside her and put his hand on her arm. “Colette, I want to thank you for giving me a place to stay tonight. Not many women would trust a strange man.” He couldn’t resist sliding his hand over the muscles of her upper arm.
    “I have a habit of taking in homeless creatures.” She glanced down to where he touched her, then back at his face. “Although most of them aren’t as…” His light kiss on her lips stopped the rest of her words. He wanted more from the kiss, a lot more, and was considering taking it when a warm, furry pressure on his leg forced him to take a step back. Romeo had worked his way between them. Colette’s hand dropped to stroke the dog’s head. “Sorry. He’s a little jealous.”
    “Can’t blame him for that.”  
    “I think I better say goodnight.” Colette picked up the tray and headed for the kitchen, quickly putting distance between them.  
    “Can I help you finish cleaning up?” He asked to hold her in the room for a little longer so he could gauge her emotions. She was nervous now, skittish, a bit like a frightened animal.
    “No, I’ve got it.” She reached the kitchen door and backed against it. “Just bank the fire, would you?”
    “Sure. Good night.”
    “Good night, Ian.”  

Chapter Three
    Colette woke early when a slight glow tinged the eastern sky, but the birds were still silent. She pulled a light sweatshirt over her tank top. Her legs were cold in the thin flannel pants as she opened the door to the small porch off her room and slipped out to wait for the sun. She dropped into a simple yoga pose to wake her muscles.
    In a moment, her blood flowed, warming her limbs in the chilly morning air while she looked toward the lake. She loved the island. It was beautiful, but it was the absolute peace that always amazed her. No sounds of traffic, no hum of tires on pavement, no voices—nothing. Just quiet. The rest of the world might as well not exist. She’d felt that way here since she was a little girl. She