His Purrfect Mate Read Online Free PDF Page A

it?”
    “ It’s like that. I don’t
need a man; I’m surviving just fine by myself. I have the perfect
life.” Aida turned away and walked to the door, a miniscule hand
gesture bringing the dogs to her side instantly.
    “ I’m of the mind that you
do, Aida,” Dane murmured, watching her stride away. But need one or not, you have one now.
    When the door closed
behind her, Dane looked around and took a deep breath. It took him
a moment to figure out what it was that was different. But then it
hit him. There was more than just contentment. I’m at peace . The inner turmoil that
had boiled within him for centuries had quieted. It wasn’t gone—he
could feel the darkness lurking—but it seemed more controllable.
Less of a strain to keep it at bay.
    Good news is such a
double-edged sword. Yet he smiled again.
Something he’d been doing a lot more of ever since meeting Aida
Roberts.
    “ You coming in, Dane? Or
were you planning on staying out there?” Aida’s voice reached
him.
    “ On my way,” he called out
and headed for the door. Stepping through, he saw her placing some
plates on a table.
    “ Chow’s on,” she said
without looking up.
    His smile caught when he noticed the way the
dogs watched him. “Great. And after, if you want, I can fix the
rest of the roof. I noticed you have everything needed.”
    “ Hey,” she commented,
glancing up and smiling. “If you want to fix that, I’ll not argue
with you.”
    “ I love working with my
hands,” he said, holding her gaze.

    Aida shivered at the promise lacing his
words. Grateful to have something to do, she faced away from him,
grabbed the plate of fruit she’d cut up, and placed it on the
table. His eyes were still on her when she snuck a peek up at him,
and they still brimmed with unwavering promise.
    Her body temperature
skyrocketed. Even a damn ice bath wouldn’t
cool me down any. She gestured to a chair.
“Grab a seat and dig in. I don’t stand much on formality
here.”
    From beneath lowered
lashes, she watched him pull out a seat and sit. Heat welled up in
her belly as his muscled legs settled him gently in the
chair. It’s like there’s no effort at all,
and sweet goddess, does he have to be so damn fine and
strong?
    “ Tell me about yourself,
Aida,” he said, reaching for the salad prongs and dishing some up
for her then him.
    Needing a moment, Aida glanced down at her
dogs who kept an eye on her guest as if unsure on whether or not he
was friend or foe. “Not much to tell, really. I’m an only child,
born and raised here, educated in the United States and came back
here as fast as I could.” She kept her shudder in check as she
recalled the last time she had been in the United States.
    “ And your
parents?”
    “ Alive and well in the
American Southwest. I miss them but don’t go to the States very
often. They’ll be coming here soon, so it will be wonderful to see
them.” She shrugged and ate some salad. “What about
you?”
    Aida watched him. His eyes closed briefly
before he placed his gaze back on her.
    “ I have two brothers,
Heller and Ryinier, and two sisters, Tairen and Sirantha. I’m the
eldest, then the order is: Sirantha, Heller, Tairen, and Ryinier.”
His voice was deeper and thick with unspoken emotion. “Haven’t seen
any of them in a while either.”
    “ You’re a military man. It
comes with the territory.”
    His black brows converged, and he tilted his
head before asking, “What makes you say that?”
    Aida smiled slightly. “I’ve met a lot of
them in my time. You tend to carry yourselves in the same manner.
There is an assuredness about you. Couldn’t tell if you still
serve, but you have had some time in the service.”
    His face softened totally when he smiled at
her, and Aida felt her insides melt. “You are a very observant
woman, Aida.”
    Determined to ignore how he made her feel,
Aida asked, “What brought you here? To South Africa?”
    Those amazing eyes of his filled with a
flash of pain,