Free Hunting Human by Amanda E. Alvarez Page A

aren’t you in some office somewhere, designing suburban America?”
    Beth shrugged. What could she say to that? She didn’t want to lie and she didn’t want to leave the question between them. Whether it was pride or the desire to share something with him, she wasn’t quite sure. “I’d planned on continuing school, getting my master’s. I never thought I’d end up taking time off, working odd jobs.” Beth took a moment and collected her thoughts. “Some days it still surprises me, but I didn’t see a lot of things coming and after…” Oh, God, she wasn’t sure she could say it. “After…”
    His hand, warm and steady, squeezed her shoulder. “I can’t imagine how hard it must have been when your mom died. That kind of loss would derail anyone’s plans.”
    Beth glanced up, surprised at the gentle concern in his expression. Even if his assumptions weren’t exactly accurate, they were close enough. It was easy to reach up and press the hand he had draped around her shoulders. “Thank you.”
    Silence fell between them and though she knew he would drop the conversation, Beth found, much to her surprise, that she wasn’t ready. “A lot of people didn’t understand why I just couldn’t go ahead with my plans. But I just…” She blew out a frustrated breath.
    “Couldn’t go forward as though your world hadn’t completely shifted?” They rounded the corner and entered the parking lot, Beth’s Jeep the only car left.
    “Yeah. It just felt wrong. Like that future wasn’t there anymore.” She shrugged a little. “That must sound ridiculous.”
    “Not at all. Losing your mom was a major change in your life, it would take a pretty cold person to move forward as though it hadn’t happened.”
    “I guess. I think I needed a little time to adjust, to figure things out. I’ve been pretty restless since. Moved around, took a few different types of jobs. Just recently I’ve started thinking about staying in one place, maybe going back to school.” She stopped next to her Jeep, pulling her keys out of her purse. “Small steps, I guess.”
    “You’ll figure it out.” His fingertips brushed her cheek as he pushed an escaping tendril of hair behind her ear. “No matter the circumstances, I’m glad you’re here.”
    She seized a moment of bravery and allowed her hand to curl around the soft silk of his tie and pull him closer, pressing her mouth against his. His lips were warm and pliant against hers, but the way he held himself perfectly still broadcasted his surprise. Beth eased down off her toes and let the cool silk slip through her fingers, ending the kiss on a soft sigh. “Thanks.”
    His brow settled into a line of confusion and it took a moment for his gaze to focus on her face again. “What for?”
    Beth let a little shrug escape her. “Tonight. Listening.”
    “Uh-huh.” His warm hands slid around her, one settling at the hollow of her back and the other sliding up, a warm caress against the thin material of her dress. “I’ve wanted to do this again all night.” His lips, still stretched in a smile, found hers. Beth tilted her head, letting her arms settle around his neck, one hand threading through the thick hair just above his collar. That small action snapped his restraint; warm and gentle slipped quickly into hot and consuming. It was the sort of kiss that simultaneously managed to fire every nerve in her body and completely fade the rest of the world away, leaving her senses to focus exclusively on the long, male body, warm and solid against hers.
    Everywhere they touched left a focused impression of heat. She was intensely aware of his hands, they way the left one warmed her skin at the small of her back and the way the right one tangled in the hair at the nape of her neck. She was excruciatingly self-conscious of the way her breasts pressed flush against the smooth planes of his chest, aching with arousal. The cool night air that rushed between them when he finally pulled