Shifter's Dance Read Online Free PDF

and I swear,
I will leave you alone when we get back to the hotel, but Romy, I
can’t leave you alone out here on the grounds. Let me keep you
safe.”
    The more rational his words sounded, the more
irrational she felt. She felt the rage boiling over, bubbling up in
her, and she couldn’t even run to get away from it, so she let it
over take her, and she swung around toward his voice, the anger
inside her finally—after eight weeks of “dealing with it like a
professional”— finally breaking free.
    “Dammit, Stephen, I didn’t come here to be coddled.
I told you yesterday, I don’t need anyone to take care of me!” She
flung her cane in his direction, heard it crash into a bush.
    “Romy, please. I’m not coddling you. There are
things you don’t know about, things you couldn’t know about, and
damn the Rowans for letting someone like you be exposed to them.
Honey, I don’t want to take care of you because I think you’re
weak. I think you’re amazing, and I think I’m not the only one to
see that. I wish I could, but I can’t explain it—I just need you to
be safe. I need it more than I need anything right now.”
    “I don’t care what kind of hero complex you’re
sporting, big guy, but I didn’t come here to fulfill it for you.”
She turned back away from the path, and with her hands out in front
of her, she started to move away from him, panic welling up.
    “Romy, please don’t!” he shouted after her.
    She sped up, running straight into an unyielding
bulk that didn’t feel anything like Stephen.
    “Well, hello, lovely.” The arms that came around her
were cold and the voice colder still.
    “Who are you?” She pushed against the cold chest,
struggling to break away.
    “You smell nice.” The grip around her arms
tightened, and her skin crawled. The man who had been trying to get
her to have dinner with him, the one who had been pushy when she’d
said no. This man was not here to help her.
    “Leave her alone.”
    She could have wept with relief when she realized
Stephen had followed her. The cold arms loosened slightly, not
enough for her to break free.
    “You don’t have to go with him.” A cold voice, a
gentle caress at her ear. “Stay with me. I’ll see you safely home
for dessert.”
    “Let her go.”
    “Please. Stephen and I were just arguing. I’m
perfectly safe with him.” This time, when she pushed away from the
cold chest, the man let her go. She spun around, straight into
Stephen’s waiting arms. She didn’t want to feel the rush of relief,
but she did.
    “Who was that?” she asked as he half-carried,
half-dragged her back toward the path.
    “Not anyone you want to know.” He pushed the cane
into her hand. “I’m sorry Romy. I don’t know what I did, what I
said, that made you feel threatened, or coddled, or whatever. But
please, don’t run off like that alone. Not ever.”
    What was this? Just minutes before she’d felt
panicked, needing to get away, and now she was so relieved she
wanted to climb up him like a cat up a tree. Why did she need him
like this?
    “Kiss me,” she demanded. “Please, I don’t know
what’s going on, but I feel crazy. I have to know why you make me
feel this way.” Her hands tightened in the front of his shirt and
the cane fell to the ground. She heard him growl, a rough
exhalation before he hauled her body tight to him.
    “I didn’t want to—”
    “I don’t care. Kiss me, Stephen.”
    His lips crushed down over hers, igniting fires
she’d been trying to keep banked. Yes! Her body tightened in
response as his big hands ran down her back from shoulders to waist
and tugged her tight against him. His sweet tongue swept through
her mouth, his beard soft against her chin. A delicious tingling
tightened her breasts and her spine seemed to dissolve into pure
heat as she arched into his body.
    Dragging her lips from his, Romy clung to his chest,
burying her face into that tender warm spot where his shoulder and
neck came