Free Romance: Wanted by the Alpha Lion (A BBW Paranormal Suspense Romance) (Heroes of Shifter Creek Book 2) by Clara Moore Page A

the times I’ve been on probation, you know how many times my officer came all the way out to check on me?” He held up his hand with his fingers and thumb curled together to make a circle. “That would be zero.”
                  “What’s that, the number of girlfriends you’ve got?” Sean said, settling onto a bench beside his friend.
                  “Ha, very funny!” Freddie said. “I was just telling Matthew he should enjoy a drink.”
                  “Well, are we going out in the morning after those coyotes or not?” Matthew said. He really didn’t want to get into discussing his history with Saba sitting there with her beautiful, curious eyes. She wasn’t looking around too much, but Matthew could see that she heard every word. There was an alertness about Saba that he’d never seen before; a poise that came with being entirely in the moment. “If we are, the last thing I want to be is hung over.”
                  “What coyotes?” David asked.
                  This gave Charlie the opportunity to tell of his hunting triumph once again. Matthew watched Saba while his brothers talked. The way she sat there, quietly receptive, entranced him. It was the opposite of being with Jenn; spending time with the horse trainer meant hardly ever being able to get a word in edgewise.
                  He hadn’t called Jenn after talking to Ada. That had turned out not to matter, Jenn had called him.
                  “How’d the coyote hunt go?” she asked.
                  “All right,” Matthew had replied. The conversation he’d had with his sister in law was running through his mind; there was no way he was ready to have children with anyone. The thought of it made him want to throw the phone across the room. He knew he had to get out of this relationship. “We got five of the eight.”
                  “Can they do that without you?” Jenn had asked. “I was hoping you’d come spend some time with me tonight.”
                  Matthew sighed. He wasn’t sure what to say, and didn’t want to hurt the pretty horse trainer’s feelings. “Jenn…”
                  Jenn heard the sigh. “So we’re done?” she asked. “Well, it was fun while it lasted.”
                  “It’s just…” Matthew began.
                  “How about we try not having this conversation?” Jenn snapped. “It was a good ride, it’s over, good bye.”
                  “It’s not…” Matthew said, only to find himself talking to the dial tone. He felt both relieved and sad; Jenn deserved an explanation, but he didn’t know that he was in a position to give it. 
                  After, he told Ada that Jenn wasn’t coming by for dinner. That simple sentence seemed to convey everything his sister in law wanted to know. Her smile was sad when she said, “That’s too bad,” but she didn’t say anything else.
                  Ada was a funny woman,  Matthew thought. She’d fallen for Charlie hard and fast, deciding to loan him ten thousand dollars to save the ranch from being seized for back taxes. The wedding had followed soon after, and ever since, she’d devoted herself to building a strong life with his brother.
    Nothing seemed to rattle Ada. Finding out her older brother in law was headed to jail for embezzlement? Didn’t slow her down a bit. Having her younger brother in law return from overseas with a wife and child? Filled her with joy instead of angst or apprehension. That unflappability was a good counter to his brother’s increasing agitation.
    Maybe Saba was right, Matthew thought. Perhaps it was the knowledge that his child would soon be born that had his little brother so worked up. Charlie loved Ada immensely. It was evident every time he looked at his bride that his heart was full of love. He