Free Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) by Brenda Sparks Page B

fell into the sapphire depths of his intense gaze and then the moment was broken by him giving her shoulders a squeeze before releasing her to fling the quilt onto the floor of the canyon. The fluffy white quilt was a stark contrast, in both color and texture, to the hard, red canyon floor.
    Kat sat on the soft quilt listening to the sound of the rushing water, watching as Stephan withdrew the items from the cooler. He removed the contents one by one and laid each carefully on the quilt before Kat.
    It looked amazing. He’d brought all her favorite foods. For the appetizer, Stephan produced a nutty Manchego cheese with crisp apples. He followed that by a loaf of French bread with a bruschetta made of diced tomatoes with onion and basil. A vinaigrette-based potato salad and cold sliced ham with a fruit glaze comprised the main course.
    Katrina licked her lips and wondered how he knew just what she liked most. She didn’t miss the knowing smile that graced Stephan’s face. It was as if he had read her mind.
    The food tasted delicious. As Stephan fed her, Kat chewed each bite slowly, savoring the exquisite taste. The conversation remained light while they ate, Stephan alternating between feeding her and himself.
    Sated, Katrina leaned back on her arms. “I’m stuffed. I can’t eat any more,” she said as Stephan tried to feed her another bite of the glazed ham.
    He dusted off his hand. “Want to walk off our dinner? We could explore the canyon,” he offered, rising to his full height beside her.
    “That sounds lovely.” She allowed him to take her hand in his. The warmth from his large hand encircled her delicate appendage as they walked.
    They strolled along the shore of the Colorado, hand in hand. Katrina took in her surroundings. The walls of the canyon rose around them, the jagged rock face casting shadows under the moonlight. The aromatic smell of shale and limestone mixed with the river to create a primal, outdoorsy scent that surrounded them as they wandered.
    The soft scuffling sound brought them to a stop when they came upon a tan and black coyote with her three pups. Stephan squeezed her hand in a friendly gesture, as she watched the three pups nuzzle into their mother. A smile graced Katrina’s face when she heard one of the pups sing out, his cry high pitched and long, almost joyful.
    Stephan stepped up behind Kat, his arm tightening around her waist, as he rested his chin on her shoulder to watch. She couldn’t ignore the fact that her back pressed firmly against his perfect, muscular body. The scents of dark sandalwood and honeysuckle mingled, surrounding her while they watched the coyotes. The feel of him mixed with his unique scent in a heady combination that made white-hot desire course through her veins. Kat sighed, her body screaming with the need to turn in his arms and feel his lips on hers.
    His lips brushed her ear as he whispered, “They are beautiful, aren’t they?”
    “They are so cute,” she replied, careful to keep her voice low. “Why is that one crying?”
    “They’re singing. Coyotes love to sing. They sing to each other, at the moon, to show emotions.” The feel of his hot breath ghosting over her sensitive ear sent a tremor through her body.
    “Oh look,” she practically squealed.
    The couple watched as the pups began to wrestle. On shaky legs they stumbled over one another, nipping each other’s ears and paws. Stephan laughed, the sound stirring something within her chest that caused her heart to flutter. Katrina tilted her head, looking up at him. “I love the way you laugh,” she said on a sigh. He didn’t do that nearly enough.
    The look on his face softened, making butterflies dance in her stomach. She pulled her eyes away from his and gazed on the coyotes as a flush heated her cheeks.
    The mother coyote ended the match when she noticed they had an audience. With a quick nip she brought the wrestling to a halt and led the pups into an opening in the canyon