Free Tempted by the Jaguar #2: Revelation (Riverford Shifters) by Cristina Rayne Page B

was waiting for her in his living
room, still dressed in the t-shirt and boxers he had slipped on, and casually
sprawled out on the couch with a rather peaceful expression. However, when she
approached, his nostril flared and his eyes zeroed onto the gym bag.
    Kylie had been counting on this
reaction. “That bad, huh? I was afraid of that. The clothes inside should be
okay, but do you have a trash bag I can put this in until I can wash it? I’d
throw it out, but it’s my dad’s.”
    “Under the sink,” Hunter replied in a
strained voice, obviously trying not to breathe.
    Kylie hurried over to the kitchen and
located a box of black, heavy duty trash bags. She pulled out everything in the
gym bag except for the white paper sack and its secrets, placing the clothing
on the counter before securing it inside the large trash bag.
    The whole time, she could feel Hunter’s
eyes on her back. It made the jaguar within bristle. Having your back to a
predator, even if that predator was your lover, was never comfortable.
    “Put it in the guest room just to be
safe,” Hunter instructed once she turned around, his voice just a tad bit
deeper than usual. “I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.”
    A wave of arousal washed through her at
his words even though she knew he probably hadn’t meant them to be suggestive. She
sighed. Her entire body was still incredibly sore both inside and out, so no
matter how hot she was getting for him, her body needed to rest.
    She put the bag inside the closet in the
guest room just for a little more added peace of mind before climbing back into
bed with Hunter, his arms enveloping her into a warm, fragrant cocoon as she
snuggled up to his chest. Who would have thought after the hellish way the
night had begun that it would end on such a fantastic note?
    Hunter kissed the top of her head
tenderly. “Try to get some sleep. We’ll patrol my territory together tomorrow
morning. It’s about time I took you on that run I promised.”
    “It’s a date,” Kylie replied, and then
added amusedly, “just as long as the date doesn’t end with you bringing me a
dead rabbit for lunch instead of taking me to a restaurant.”
    A snort was his only reply.
     

CHAPTER ELEVEN
     
     
    The eastern horizon had barely begun to
lighten as Hunter and Kylie walked hand-in-hand into the forest behind Hunter’s
apartment complex.
    “When you said a morning run, I was
expecting a bit more light,” Kylie teased with a yawn.
    Although she had already witnessed the
incredible healing speed of a shifter body, Kylie was still impressed that even
the teeth marks in her shoulder were gone, replaced by a faint purple bruise
that would probably disappear completely by the afternoon. They had been able
to enjoy a bit of bed play before getting ready to head out into the forest.
    Without Kylie’s pheromones to enflame him
beyond reason, Hunter had opted for a more leisurely rhythm that was less
urgency and more worship that had Kylie screaming nonetheless. Even now, her
nipples still felt a bit sore from the attentions of his talented mouth.
    “There will be, once you shift,” Hunter
said with a grin.
    “Right. I forgot jaguars can see really
good in the dark. How much of this is your territory?” Kylie asked.
    “About twenty square miles.”
    “Really? So much?”
    “It hasn’t always been mine. Some of it
belongs to my family.”
    “That’s right. You did mention a brother
before.”
    When the hand gripping her own tensed,
Kylie hastily added, “Sorry. You don’t have to say anything else about him if
you don’t want.”
    Hunter was quiet for a long moment as
they walked farther into the trees, before he sighed and squeezed her hand.
“When we know each other a little better, then I’ll tell you about him
sometime.”
    “Okay,” was all she could think to
reply.
    She couldn’t help but wonder if his
brother was even still alive. Of course, a falling out could often be equally
as painful, especially if they