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a handful of our kind. I’m not sure if it’s an expanded olfactory sense or if she’s psychic, but I can tell you one thing, I sure watch my step around her.” He slid his arm around her and pulled her close as he pressed a kiss to her temple.
    “Well, you’re mistaken in this case. I’m here to do a job. That’s it.” Rose’s cheeks grew warm as she remembered the sensation of Marty’s touch, how his breath sent sizzles through every nerve ending she possessed. She had credited that to the fact she hadn’t dated for a long while, not that she had met her mate, the one she was fated to be with the rest of her life.
    “It’s almost dark. Why don’t we go run off this meal and slip back to the house later to poke around? We can check into the motel later.”
    Rose wasn’t sure if Marty changed the subject to make her more comfortable or not but she was grateful.
    The two pickup trucks rolled to a stop in the parking lot of a local strip mall. The park, just north of Memphis, closed at dark and vehicles spotted in the lot at the entrance would arouse suspicion. Parked at the mall, they wouldn’t expose themselves to any questions. They would be patrons doing what patrons do . . . shopping, going to the movies, or enjoying dinner out. The edge of Meeman Shelby Forest State Park was easily accessible from behind the mall. The two couples wandered behind the anchor store and eased unseen into the edge of the woods.
    “Don’t be afraid to make some noise. Cats have made the riverbanks their home for years. No one will be suspicious. We’ll meet back here in a couple of hours.” Logan and June waved as they slipped behind a tree to make their changes.
    Rose and Marty watched as two large jaguars slinked from behind the trees and glanced in their direction. The larger cat growled low in his throat as if speaking to them. The sleeker female nipped at his neck, tugging him toward the woods. The jags padded away and disappeared into the night.
    “Rose, I want you to know I had nothing to do with what June said back there in the café.” He had been on the receiving end of the silent treatment for over a half hour and he didn’t want anything to ruin his chances to get to know Rose better. He was enormously attracted to her but being mates never entered his mind. Sure, the desire was stronger than he had ever experienced in his life, and his gut said he’d risk it all to protect this woman, but he’d never put two and two together.
    Mates. That had to be the answer. He worried how Rose would take to the news.
    “I need to be alone. I need to think.” She stared at the ground and worried a rock with the toe of her sneaker as she spoke.
    “A good run will clear your head and help you sort things out. Come on, I’ll race you. I’ll even hold back.” He reached out to touch her elbow hoping she would accept his offer.
    Her head snapped to attention. She glared in his direction. “Hold back? Because I’m little and weak? I don’t need you to hold back for me, Mr. Brown, I need you to back the hell off.” With her fists clenched into tight balls, she whirled on her heels, and stomped off in the opposite direction.
    Marty wasn’t sure how to shift into his animal form with his foot in his mouth but he had to try. Somehow, he had to release some of his frustration at not being able to come up with the right words to say to Rose. He eased around a large pine tree, removed and folded his clothes, and placed them with his boots in a neat pile. He covered them with several fallen twigs to camouflage the stack. It would prove quite an embarrassment if for some reason they were gone when he returned from his run.
    He dropped to all fours and concentrated to bring his inner animal out. With his transformation into a muscular, caramel colored cougar complete, he stretched out his muscles before breaking into a full run. The wind breezed past him. His muscles relaxed. He drew in cleansing breaths as he picked up speed