Mating Dance Read Online Free PDF

took it as a good sign.
    “I even have the beginnings of a small wine
cellar,” he told her with a knowing nod as he raised his glass to
her. She’d paired the roast with a very nice red wine that he truly
appreciated. Wine was one of his little hobbies.
    “I’m impressed. Are you going to offer to
show me your etchings next?” She was still flirting with him. A
tiny bubble of joy rose up from the center of his being. He
couldn’t remember having this much fun with anyone in a good, long
time.
    “No etchings, but I do have a studio
overlooking the cove. In fact…” he said, getting excited as he
looked at the view from the rooftop, “I’d love to paint the cove
from up here sometime. It’s a unique perspective, and the light is
phenomenal.”
    They’d moved to sit on a bench the sisters
had placed at the front of the roof where they could look out over
the cove. The dusk had given way to dark, and the only illumination
was the soft twinkle of the fairy lights in the garden behind them,
the dusting of stars and quarter moon overhead, and the occasional
flutter of the lights from a ship out at sea.
    The cove itself wasn’t large or deep enough
for any serious docks. There were a few small boats, at least one
of which was used exclusively for fishing by the same shifter who
owned the fish market. He supplied everyone who didn’t want to do
their own fishing. The other boats belonged to various residents
who enjoyed occasional sport fishing or just sailing along the
coast.
    “You could,” Ashley said softly. “I mean, I
don’t think my sisters would mind if you wanted to use our garden
as your studio for a little while. I’ve seen some of your work in
the gallery next door, and it’s very powerful.”
    She’d seen his art? And liked it? That
touched him more than he thought it would.
    “I never really painted much before coming
here,” he admitted. “But I’ve discovered a passion for it.” He had
to laugh. “I thought John’s idea of disguising ourselves as artists
was a little nuts at first, but the man has vision. A lot of us
have discovered hidden talents and a real joy in creating things.
It’s somewhat therapeutic, and while my inner bear doesn’t truly
understand the point of it all, it does appreciate beauty. Painting
calms the beast a bit, which is a nice added benefit. Having so
many of us living in such close proximity could have been
disastrous otherwise. Usually, we don’t group together like a lot
of other shifters do. Mostly we just have our small family units as
part of a larger Clan that we see every once in a while, but we
don’t all live together in the same place.”
    “So this place is a sort of social
experiment,” Ashley mused.
    “In more than one way,” Tom agreed. “John’s
also managed to turn us all into artists. That was a pretty massive
undertaking in itself. I honestly thought—if anything—we’d have an
entire community of chainsaw carvers.”
    Ashley laughed, and the sound warmed Tom’s
soul. There was something so enchanting about this woman, and he
wanted to get closer to her.
    Trying out one of his rusty moves, he put
his arm along the back of the bench, behind her. When she didn’t
object, he relaxed, enjoying her nearness.
    “Brody carves with a chainsaw,” she said
quietly, her tone amused as she moved closer and practically
snuggled into his side.
    “Don’t get me wrong; I like your sister’s
mate. Brody and I go way back. But applying the term art to
those tree stumps he attacks with a chainsaw isn’t something I care
to do. Besides, all he does are self-portraits.” Tom liked being
close to Ashley. She smelled divine, and his inner bear grumbled
happily in the back of his mind.
    “He does seem to carve a lot of bears,” she
allowed.
    “Look closer. They’re all the same bear.”
    She chuckled, and he felt a small sense of
triumph that he’d been able to make her laugh. Brody’s ongoing
series of self-portraits had become something of