Cougar's Conquest Read Online Free PDF Page A

had to get her into a position to join in the first place.
    “What do you think, Gwynn?” he prompted.
    “Let me think about it.” Her tone sounded so strained that he went against his best judgment and turned in the car seat to face her.
    Oh, yes. No matter how much he argued with himself, he still wanted her. Bad idea.
    He tamped the feeling down once more, even as his eyes moved over her body, from her gorgeous, clearly worried face to her breasts hidden by her shirt.
    “You’ve got to at least try,” he insisted, knowing that coming off as demanding wasn’t likely to convince her. “You’ve got nothing to lose and a whole lot to gain. I’ve heard the shifters in Alpha Force remark over and over about how great their elixir and its benefits are. Plus, they seem to get along so well together. Camaraderie and all that. And they do so much for our country—covertly, of course.”
    Damn. He sounded just like a recruiter. And why not? That was what he was.
    “I understand,” she said. “And I’m definitely interested in finding out more. But…well, there are other factors I need to consider.”
    Once again the vulnerability that had always attracted him, brought out his protective instinct, showed in her wide-eyed expression.
    Made him want to fix things for her, whatever they were.
    “What factors?” he asked, knowing from her sorrowful yet secretive gaze that she was as unlikely to explain today as before. At least now he had a hint, but her shifting clearly wasn’t all of it.
    “Never mind,” she whispered. Her eyes remained on his like a deer’s caught in headlights. Only it wasn’t just vulnerability he saw there now.
    No, there was something more. Was he reading her correctly?
    Time to find out. He reached across the seat, leaning so he could place his hand at the back of her long, lovely neck. As he did so, he felt the knot of her hair. Gently, he removed some of the pins holding it there, all the while staring into her eyes.
    She didn’t object. In fact, whatever he had seen there before seemed to melt into an expression a lot more heated, more suggestive.
    More of what he remembered from their prior time together.
    “Gwynn,” he breathed, then moved enough to cover her mouth with his once more.
     
    So foolish. She was being so foolish to allow herself to be seduced by his suggestions of how her future could be improved.
    Even worse, she was allowing herself to be seduced by Brett’s very presence.
    But his kiss…again. How could she resist it?
    His taste was so familiar yet so rare. So different. It made her want to cast all sense aside and tear off his clothes. Her own, too.
    But they were in a car. And…
    “My room isn’t far,” Brett said as if he read her mind. His voice was husky. His hands remained in motion, stroking her back outside her shirt.
    Moving downward, caressing just the top of her buttocks over her pants.
    “Show me,” she breathed.
    In moments, they were outside the car, walking hand in hand into the hotel lobby. It was crowded but Gwynn was barely aware of the people at the desk, near the bar, even with them in the elevator.
    She was only conscious of Brett, close at her side. Holding on as if he were worried she’d slip away and disappear. Again.
    But that was not about to happen, at least not at this moment. And if she shoved him away from her once more, she would at least tell him about it this time.
    If? No, when.
    And then, there they were. Exiting the elevator. Hurrying down the wide hotel hall nearly to the end.
    The delay felt excruciating. And exciting.
    Brett used his card key to open the door. He held it open and she entered.
    Before she could do more than inhale, the door was closed behind them. She was once more in Brett’s arms.
    His mouth again met hers, and his tongue entered her mouth, teasing and exploring and igniting her so much that her knees nearly buckled.
    He expertly lifted her into his arms and deposited her on the fancy gold-and-brown