Free The Shifters by Alexandra Sokoloff Page B

arm of the sofa to sit down.
    And then Case was striding toward her, pulling her into his arms, holding her. “I’m sorry,” he whispered into her hair. “I’m sorry you had to see that.”
    Her instinct was to pull away, but to her vast surprise, he didn’t try to kiss her, didn’t make any moves, just stood holding her, his arms strong and sure around her, and suddenly she felt warm and comforted and not so alone.
    Case was stroking her hair, and she found feelings stirring she wasn’t aware she still had. Attraction, for the first time in years. Confusing, conflicting…
    As if feeling the change in her, Case tipped her head up to his and moved to kiss her, but she turned quickly, and he only caught her on the cheek.
    â€œNo,” she murmured, without pulling away.
    â€œWe’re alike, Caitlin. We understand each other.” He kissed her mouth this time, and in spite of awarning voice in her head, she felt herself starting to respond, her body moving against his.
    He was so familiar. They’d known each other for years, after all.
    He’d been her teacher, her companion, her lover….
    She raised her hands weakly to push him away, and he took her wrists in a strong grip and pinned them behind her back as he moved against her, opening her mouth under his.
    His shoulders were so broad…and his thighs were thick, roped with muscle….
    Not Case …she realized. The body against hers was not Case.
    She opened her eyes and looked into his and saw not blue, but green.
    And at that moment she wrested her wrists away and shoved him savagely. “No.”
    The air around him shimmered, shifted…and the illusion was gone. Ryder stood in front of her, his shirt half open, revealing a man’s body, not a boy’s.
    â€œLiar. Cheat.” She practically snarled at him, fumbling to close her robe, still panting, her heart racing with desire—and fury.
    For the first time he looked flustered himself. “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend… I was… I got caught up.”
    Â 
    Ryder was mortified. He’d intended only to get information from her, taking the form of the youngshifter she obviously, foolishly, trusted enough that she was willing to spill any amount of information. But then she’d started to cry, and once he had her in his arms…
    She was plainly furious, flushed with anger—and desire, he noted, her skin rosy with unmistakable arousal, and that made him harden again with the desire to finish what they’d started.
    He moved toward her again, and she backed away from him.
    â€œI want you out.”
    â€œThere’s one false word in that sentence,” he said, and caught her around the waist to kiss her roughly again, backing her against the wall and grinding himself slowly against her as he crushed her mouth under his…hearing her gasp and feeling her trembling under him, the fire racing through her body, meeting the fire in his.
    Then he released her abruptly. He stared down at her where she stood flushed and shaking against the wall…felt his own heart racing….
    â€œI think you knew that was me,” he told her. “And I think you know what you want.”
    Then he turned and walked out of her house.
    Â 
    Caitlin slammed the door hard behind him. She was in a fever pitch of anger—and just plain fever. She refused to think of what he’d said to her orwhether it was true. He’d used his Other skills to deceive and seduce. He was entirely in the wrong.
    And yet her face burned, remembering his quiet accusation that she had known it was him making love to her…and she felt his body against hers again, his mouth crushing hers….
    Stop it, she ordered herself. He’s a shifter. He tricked you. This is war.

Chapter 9
    F our sleepless hours later, Caitlin dragged herself out of the shambles of the bed she’d done nothing but toss and turn in all through the