NocC 024 - Katie Reus - A Jaguar's Kiss - Harlequin 2012-10 Read Online Free PDF Page A

shown up so he’d gone to her house, but she’d refused to talk to him. Her father had practically threatened him with physical violence if he didn’t get off their property, and had even called his father and told him to keep Owen away from Gabriela. Since he didn’t attend the local high school that she did, he hadn’t even had the excuse of seeing her at school.
    Overnight it was like someone had cut his heart out. He’d forced himself to forget all the good times, all the damn memories he’d shared with her over a decade of their friendship. When she’d made it clear he meant nothing to her, he’d had to compartmentalize all his feelings or he would have gone crazy. But the moment he’d seen her again today all that emotion had come rushing back with the force of an avalanche. Now he felt like he was suffocating under the weight of it.
    His paws pounded against the cold ground, the icy sensation almost distracting him from his inner pain. There was a foreign ache in his chest he figured would never truly go away after today. Not unless he could convince Gabriela to give him a second chance. God, did he want one even if he didn’t deserve it.
    When they finally reached the front porch he underwent the change, shifting back to his human form with a loud growl. There was always a slight discomfort during the change. He pushed up from all fours, breathing hard as he looked down at Gabriela still in her feline form.
    Her coat was darker than the rest of her family’s and he’d always thought how gorgeous she was. Unlike her family members who had that brighter orange coat with the black spots covering them, she had an almost all black coat. Her spots could only faintly be seen if you were up really close, which made her even harder to find in the woods. But he would always be able to find her. All he had to do was follow that sweet scent.
    Opening the door, he motioned for her to go inside. There wasn’t anyone around but on the off chance someone came to the house, he figured she wouldn’t want to shift in front of them. And even though he didn’t care about nudity, the thought of anyone seeing her naked made his canines and claws pulse with the need to shred into someone.
    Even in animal form she barely glanced at him. Just trotted past him with her head held high and her tail swishing. She smacked him with it as she entered his house and he was pretty sure it had been intentional.
    As he shut the door behind him she turned to face him. He stood there expectantly, hoping she’d change back to her human form. Owen had forced himself not to look at her naked body when he’d pressed her up against the door. He’d somehow held on to a thin thread of control and given her his shirt so she wouldn’t feel awkward. But he desperately wanted to see all of her now.
    See her stretched out naked on his bed or on the forest floor. Didn’t matter where as long as they were alone.
    Gabriela lay down on the hardwood floor of the foyer and put her head on her paws, as if she knew exactly what he was thinking and refused to change forms. There was a silent defiance in her dark eyes.
    “I’ll grab some of Skyler’s clothes,” he muttered and stalked toward the stairs. He knew his younger sister wouldn’t mind if Gabriela borrowed anything. Skyler was shorter but he figured he could find something that would fit well enough for Gabriela to drive home.
    And away from him. Ignoring that heavy weight pushing at his chest, he put on clothes, then dug around his sister’s room before returning to Gabriela. She still hadn’t moved from her spot. In her animal form she was slightly bigger than regular jaguars and her sleek, almost all-black coat was beautiful. Though it pained him to do so, he set the clothes in front of her then turned his back to give her privacy.
    Seconds later she said, “I’m done.”
    Damn, the woman was stealth personified. Her shift from animal to human form was just as quick in reversal. When he