Free The Shifter Romances The Writer (Nocturne Falls Book 6) by Kristen Painter Page B

did a search on her name.
    Impressive. She had a decent number of books out. Most of them looked like vampire stuff. Maybe that’s why Delaney didn’t want Roxy to know what she’d become. Maybe Roxy painted vampires as the villains? But then, his mom read and loved the books, and so did Birdie. And from what Roxy had told him, her hero was a vampire. Or at least part vampire.
    Maybe he should read one for himself. He had the one she’d given him for his mom, but he didn’t want to break the spine. Instead, he one-clicked the first book in her Blood Moon Brotherhood series and opened it as soon as it downloaded.
    He was two chapters in when he realized he hadn’t ordered the pizza yet. He swiped back to the home screen, pulled up his contact list and dialed Salvatore’s.
    When the pies were on their way, he went back to reading. Roxy’s work was good. Better than good, actually.
    Roxy’s writing was dark, emotional, sometimes funny, a little over the top, but really readable. And smart. This was no throwaway story. The heroes and heroines were exactly what they should be. Strong, capable and sexy.
    He could see why his mom and her friends were so hooked. He also liked how the hero and heroine of this book knew right away they were meant to be together. He understood that feeling and wanted that for himself. A soul mate.
    Did that mean Roxy believed in soul mates too? She must. She wrote about them. But did that also mean she expected the next man in her life to be as perfect as the ones she wrote about? Because Alex knew he wasn’t that.
    Her hero was flawed, but he was also wealthy and worldly. And Alex was a deputy in a small town. Hopefully a sergeant soon, but even with the decent raise that would bring, he wasn’t about to be driving a Ferrari anytime soon. Was Wolfgang the kind of guy Roxy pictured as her soul mate?
    Maybe a better question was why Alex cared so much what Roxy thought. She was human, he was a shifter. They weren’t meant to be. Couldn’t be.
    He put his phone down and went out onto the back porch to make sure the temperature in the hot tub was just right. He adjusted it, then stood there for a moment, breathing in the night air.
    He hadn’t been on a good long run in his panther form since the last full moon. That was too long. Next day off, he’d drive up into the hills and let loose in the acreage the Ellinghams kept for just that sort of thing. He’d drag Diego along with him, too. A run together would do them good. Remind them both of their childhood, when being brothers was all that mattered. He tipped his head back and stared at the rising sliver of moon. Almost two weeks until it was full again.
    The urge to shift came over him, but he tamped it down, allowing only a partial shift into his half-form. A full shift and he’d never ignore the desire to run.
    A knock on his door brought him back to full human. Roxy.
    He glanced down at what he had on, never really caring that much before. His jeans and T-shirt were in decent shape, but they were nothing special. That was okay. This was who he was. Just a regular hard-working, blue-collar guy. Nothing fancy.
    “Coming.” He got to the door a few seconds later and opened it to find Roxy there.
    “Hey.”
    A blind man could see how attractive she was. A total package. Spending time with her was no hardship. He smiled. “Hey. Right on time. Come on in.”
    He got out of the way to let her pass. She wore a little polka dot sundress, the straps of a black bathing suit peeking out underneath. “Thanks for coming.”
    “Thanks for inviting me.” She held her hands out. “I feel like I should have brought something, but you didn’t seem all that interested in salad, so I’m empty handed.”
    He grinned. “You chose wisely.”
    She looked around. “Pizza’s not here yet, I take it?”
    “Nope. I ordered a little later than I meant to. Got distracted.” By her book. Something he wasn’t sure he wanted to admit, mostly because it