Free WereCat Fever by Eliza March

not quite ready to deal with you.”
    “Ready or not, she’s going to have to deal with me.”
    “She’s been feeling poorly, lately.” Thomas put a restraining hand on Bryan’s arm, but dropped it when Bryan snarled. “Hey, just give her some time.”
    “She’s had five years. Time’s up.”
    Bryan left her because he wanted to save her from what he was. Walking away… No, running away without a word had almost killed him. Now he was back because he had infected her. She was running out of time, and time was something they didn’t have. Her change was imminent. After touching her, he was more certain than ever. Her body temperature was rising. The change was on her already.
    “I don’t know how I’m going to get her to listen. If looks could kill, she would’ve done me in when I walked up to her. Hell, I only asked her to dance. What’s she going to do when I tell her she has to marry me?”
    “Marry you?” Thomas laughed and gave Bryan a wry smile. “That may take some fast talkin’. Let me give you some advice. I’d suggest when the time comes, you ‘ask’ her—don’t think to ‘tell’ her anything.”
    “She doesn’t know what’s good for her.”
    “Well, I’d say she made her feelings pretty damn clear about what she doesn’t think is good for her.”
    “Right. Anything to do with me.”
    Hunter slapped Bryan on the shoulder while he and Thomas laughed it up at his expense.
    “She is still Lacey, and she has a million reasons to be angry, Bryan. Your dad was an ass to her when you disappeared. If not that, then she certainly has cause about her father’s killing. I guess you showin’ up took her off guard. She’s hurtin’.”
    “I’ll find out what happened to her father, I swear.”
    “We better do some checking. Early tomorrow we’ll start with old man Cauldwell.” Hunter added, low enough so Thomas couldn’t hear, “Full moon’s coming soon, Bryan. There’s not much time left to convince her.”
    “Your father’s out of town until tomorrow,” Thomas said. “Your brother is out at the ranch keeping an eye on things until he gets back. Tory may have more answers than your old man.”
    “Then we better work fast. We can pressure Tory and the men before he gets back.” Bryan brushed himself off and took his beer off the table. “Thanks, Thomas. I’ll check back with you later and let you know how things went with Lacey.”
    “You know where she’s going? Right?”
    “Yeah. I know where she’s headed and why.” He emptied the drink. “I’ll give her a little time to cool off before I go after her.”

Chapter Eight
     
    Lacey picked up her rifle when she heard the horses acknowledge each other at the mouth of the cave. The crunch of boots on leaves and gravel sounded familiar, but there were two of them.
    She knew Bryan would come. The surprise was that he’d waited so long.
    Smart man. She’d been mad enough to have shot him if he’d shown up sooner. He’d figured out that much. Or maybe it took him all this time to retrieve his balls.
    Without turning around, she released the breath she’d been holding and sighed. He stepped into the dim light at the mouth of the cave.
    “You a glutton for punishment, Bryan?” She put the rifle against the wall so as not to be tempted and refused to look at him. “What are you doing here?”
    “I’m here for the reunion. I emailed you—”
    “Yeah, got it, old friend ,” Lacey snapped.
    “Then you know why I’m here.”
    She inhaled and turned, glaring at him with all the anger she could muster. Meeting his earnest, golden eyes leached the air from her lungs. Being near him never failed to turn her into a quivering mound of sexual need. Lust warred with anger and pain, and dammit…hope.
    “You know what I mean. Don’t act dense,” she snarled between tight lips and ground her teeth. “Why are you here? At the grotto?”
    At our place, she added to herself. She wanted to turn away before the sting of seeing