Mating Dance Read Online Free PDF Page B

a running joke
within the Clan.
    “Just think of all those poor, ignorant
tourists, totally unaware that they’re stuck with a self-portrait
of your brother-in-law on their front lawn.”
    This time, she laughed outright. Tom liked
making her laugh. He enjoyed the cheerful tones of her amusement
and the way her eyes lit up.
    Unable to let the moment pass, Tom followed
his instincts and leaned over to cover her smiling lips with his.
Their first kiss, and it was one of joy.
    It quickly turned into something much
sultrier as she turned into his arms, and he drew her against his
body. She tasted of the peppery wine they’d had with dinner and her
own unique essence. He couldn’t get enough.
    Tom’s inner bear wanted to lick her all over
and learn her different tastes, but it was too soon for that. He
counseled the grizzly to patience while his human form got to know
her responses, cataloging each one and learning what made her
tremble.
    Her passion was as quick to ignite as his,
which was good. It meant they were a good match, and that she was
as attracted to him as he was to her. So far, so good.
    Tom lifted her legs so they stretched across
his lap. She let him move her around to suit his mood, her
cooperation making him want to growl in victory. She was with him.
She was part of this seduction, this initiation, this getting to
know each other.
    Her tiny hands roamed over his back and then
his shoulders and arms, learning him, testing the feel of his
muscles against her fingers. He damned the cloth that separated his
skin from her touch, but he had to be patient. She was human. He
had to let things progress at a slower pace. He didn’t want to
scare her off.
    She was quickly becoming much too important
to him for him to mess this up. He told himself again, to be
patient. And when she pushed eagerly at his clothing, he wanted to
go with her instincts and get them both naked on the roof, under
the stars.
    But he heard noises in the apartment below.
It was late. Tina had closed the bakery and was making a lot of
noise—probably to give them fair warning that she was in the
apartment.
    It was time to end their first date, even
though he didn’t want to go. Not now. But he had to.
    Reluctantly, he caught her fingers and
stilled her movements, ending their kisses.
    “I’ve got to go,” he said, hating every
word, but knowing it was the right thing. For now. “But I want to
see you again. Are we still on for tomorrow? My place? I’ll pick
you up.”
    He held her hands gently between his own,
raising them to place little kisses on her fingertips. He couldn’t
help himself. If she was near, he wanted to touch her. To kiss
her.
    A bang came from downstairs, loud enough for
Ashley to hear.
    “Damn, it must be later than I realized,”
she said, blushing prettily now that the dazed confusion was slowly
leaving her gaze. He liked that he’d put that dreamy expression on
her face. “Tina’s downstairs.”
    “I know.” He kissed her knuckles gently.
“That’s why I stopped us from going any further.”
    She blushed even more. Tom could see it in
the faint light. His night vision was pretty good. And her response
made him want to cuddle her.
    “I’m glad one of us kept a level head,” she
muttered as she allowed him to hug her against his chest. Her head
fit nicely into the crook of his neck, as if made to belong there.
To belong to him, and him alone.
    “I will always protect you, Ashley. In every
situation. It’s part of my instincts. Hard-wired, if you will.” He
rubbed his hand down her arm from shoulder to wrist and back again
in soothing motions. He loved touching her.
    “You know, that could sound stalker-ish, but
I find it comforting. I feel like I’ve known you a lot longer than
just a day.” Her words slipped quietly into the evening breeze, and
straight into his heart.
    “I feel the same way, honey. Sometimes it
happens like that for my kind. Courtships can be a bit…accelerated.
But I give you my