Free Nighttime at Willow Bay by Kasey Moone Page B

mind.”             
    “Like what?”
    “Like Malcolm.”
    He snarled. Malcolm again.  “Who is he?” he demanded.
    “An ex…clarification, a jerk.”
    He snarled…again, and concentrated on the path.  Somehow he’d make the bastard pay for hurting his Naomi.
    “What’d he do?”
    She stopped walking and spun around.  “He didn’t understand that I’m my own woman. He tried to change me. He didn’t like my big behind or my braids. But see, he got it twisted, ’cause I’m not going to let anyone change me. Be sure that you don’t get it twisted, too.”
    Of course he wouldn’t get it twisted, whatever that meant. He didn’t want to change her. She was perfect. To think that someone out there hadn’t seen her for the incredible, fearsome creature she was, was sacrilege.
    He reach ed out and pulled her close.              “Darling, ain’t a thing I want to change about you.”
    “I have a big mouth, Ryder.”
    “You surely do. I want to kiss it.”
    “No, not that type of mouth. Like, I talk too much.”
    He hid a smile . Hell yeah she did. “So what?”
    “M ost men resent it.”
    “I ’m not most men, darling.”
    Her breathing slowed. “That’s right. You’re a werewolf.”
    “I am.”
    “Could you…show me? Could you shift?”
    “What? Now?”
    “Well, yeah! You already deprived me of seeing a merman and centaur.”
    “Naomi.”
    “C’mon, what’s the harm? Unless you’re scared.”
    He blinked. Scared? The little vixen was trying him. He walked a little ahead of her, and started to strip.
    “What are you doing ?”
    “I got to undress first, darling.”
    “Oh.” They both looked at each other, and Naomi was the first to look away. A bright blush burned her pretty dark skin. A minute later, he had undressed and had shifted into a great American gray wolf. When he yelped for Naomi to turn around, she turned and her eyes became huge.
    “Wow,” she said. “You’re big.”
    He snorted, and padded closer, lowering his head submissively. He didn’t want to frighten her. He frightened most people. Eventually her hand reached out and patted his head.
    “Your fur is so silky.”
    Lord, her hands were soft and her face so pretty. In his wolf form, he could smell every bit of her honey scent, and it was driving him insane.
    “It must be amazing to have the ability to shift.”
    He couldn’t resist licking her thighs.
    “You are so freaky , Jory.”
    His laugh came out as a chortle.
    “Was that a laugh?”
    He chortled again.
    “I’m getting sick and tired of you laughing at me, Jory.” Before he knew it, she was reaching behind him to give his rear a solid smack. “Now you’re the one getting spanked.”
    Enough.
    She was a bold little vixen who had to be taught a lesson.
    In a flash of light, he shifted back into his human form , and crowded her space, not caring that he was naked. Then he took her in his arms. He had to have her.

    Chapter T hirteen
     
     
     
    His hand slipped inside her shirt and down her sides.
    “Oh!” she squeaked. “ You’re naked. And touching me. And touching, my jelly rolls!”
    “Be still,” he ordered. For a moment, he massaged her back and sides loving the exquisite moans that came from her. Deciding to test her resolve even more, his hands roamed upward to cup a breast.
    She tensed, but didn’t push away .
    “Naomi ---”
    “Just kiss me.”
    Well, when she put it that way.  Ryder framed her face with his hands, and leaned down, stopping just before his lips touched her mouth. It felt good. The anticipation. The sexual heat swirling between them.
    Her hands gripped his biceps, fingers digging into his muscle s. Her breath came out in airy spurts. Yeah, she wanted him.
    Unable to hold out any longer, he kissed her. She tasted of honey and jerky. A tangy sweet aphrodisiac. He ’d never get enough.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her h ead to the side so that he could go deeper. He did.