Free Roar For More (Online Shifter Dating Agency Romance) by Sasha Winter Page B

of self-indulgence, recalling the dream-like image of Jesse in his tiger form, riding the current on his way to saving her. Strange that this tiger fantasy would grow wings just as she thought her number was up. Maybe she could ask Jesse if there was some secret fact or behavior that only a real tiger shifter would know of and catch this J2Oh out, although it would be a shame to bring an end to the fantasy.
    Then again, what were websites like Roar4More for, if not for playing along and imagining the user on the other end might be the guy of your dreams? J2Oh might be some IT-addicted geek getting cheap nightly thrills from a virtual world, but she liked his wit. If there was any sincerity there, then he really couldn’t be that bad.
    And yet, she still found her mind mostly occupied with thoughts of Jesse McCoy, a man she knew was really a tiger shifter, unlike her online friend…
    Thanks to their earlier trek, a sense of adventure was still upon her, despite it all very nearly ending in her demise. But the Colorado hinterland had not been a disappointment; the experience had brought her back in touch with old memories of her father and caused her to realize just why the possibility that she might be chatting online with a rare and dangerous tiger shifter appealed to her. Medical research placed her life within four walls most of the time. That had been her decision, but clearly there was a part of her that wanted to get back out there in the wilderness, and she felt that longing more than ever now, like a childhood instinct wrongly presumed dead.
    It wasn’t just having her life saved that had caused her to kiss Jesse, or the fact that she found him so attractive. The place, the situation and the memories were all crucial factors, but she was the one responsible, of course. There was no getting past that, and if she was not in the process of saving his skin, Aubrey doubted she could look him in the eyes without blushing when they met up again in the morning. Back when they had met she had never thought that within just a day, they’d be kissing like that. They seemed so unlike each other, but even before that and early on in their trek, she had begun to like him. His self-confidence had not been overwhelming, after all, and he had the ability to laugh at himself, which had been a nice surprise.
    Looking forward to seeing him again, Aubrey finally went to bed, but she was awoken a few minutes later by the buzzing of her phone to discover that Jesse had actually contacted her again.
    So I’ll meet you outside the Valley café tomorrow at ten, the message read. And thanks, by the way, for the tip about broccoli. Can’t pretend it tasted good, but I do feel that some strength is returning to my bones. Lunch is on me – no arguments.
    Aubrey lay back down with a tired smile on her face as her eyes closed. If he insisted, she would not argue. Sounds a little like a date , she thought. A little too much like a date…

 
     
    Chapter 8
    After he had sent that text to Aubrey the night before, Jesse had felt cool and confident. Strength had returned to his tired limbs after the awful plate of broccoli, which he also had to thank Claire for, as she’d tracked it down so late. The shift into a tiger had drained his reserves more than he let on, but he had gone from feeling almost faint to developing clearer thought and vision. Though his limbs still ached, a fresh dose of clarity found him, but he was surprised to find that it did not only refer to his need to get well and help Aubrey on her mission. This clarity also caused him to recall the passionate kiss they had shared and how right it felt, and how if he had felt better at the time, he would have been happy just to be kissed by her regardless of what else she wished to do.
    This girl held a special place in his mind already. He had never met anyone quite like her but, largely due to mental numbness, had failed to recognize how much of an impact her arrival had on his