Free Doctor Wolf (The Collegium Book 4) by Jenny Schwartz

ambiance.
    “Querida!” A handsome man, not a were, greeted Liz enthusiastically, kissing her on both cheeks, before stepping back to theatrically admire Carson. It was quite a leer, but didn’t disguise the sharp assessment behind it. “And you are?”
    “He’s mine.” Liz slipped an arm around Carson’s waist, leaning into him lightly. “Carson Erving, meet Santos Rodriguez, owner, manager and guiding light of Medley. Santos, don’t scare him away.”
    “But can he dance?”
    Liz looked at Carson.
    He hid his own amusement. “A little.”
    “Margaritas,” Santos proclaimed. “Everyone can dance after margaritas.”
    They had their margaritas, lime and pineapple, and tapas-style Mexican dishes, before Liz looked wistfully at the dance floor filling with people. The live band was in full swing, and fantastic.
    “Would you like to dance?” Carson put a hint of reluctance into his voice.
    “Yes.” She sprang up, and paused a moment on the dance floor, her hand flat against his chest. She lowered her voice. “It’s okay if you’re not comfortable dancing. Just shuffle.”
    He took her hand, spun her out and pulled her in tight against his body in a classic, dominant dance move: a challenge and invitation.
    Her mouth dropped open.
    He let the rhythm drive up his feet, on through his thighs, into the movement of his hips and the limber shift of his body. “Try and keep up.”
    They salsa’d.
    Liz moved like sex and laughter. She flirted with him, teased and retreated, and obeyed the slightest hint of direction. It was as if they’d danced together for years—but years of familiarity might have dampened the energy that arced between them. This was new and overwhelming. They generated an electric atmosphere that kept other dancers at a distance. The music was just for them.
    It fell from bright demanding beat to a whispering compulsion. Carson pulled her against him and their hips ground together, marking the rhythm.
    “Where did you learn to dance like this?” she asked.
    “Mom runs a Latin dance studio. Since there were always more girls than boys enrolled, I’d be roped in.”
    The music clashed, demanding they separate. He kept his hand, fingers spread wide, at the small of her back, insisting she stay against him.
    She shimmied. “Those extra dance classes were worth it.”
    He spun her out, setting her free. “At the moment, they were worth every excruciating second.”
    The tie between them was intense, woven of attraction, matched steps and the music. Their gazes stayed locked, heating.
    “Are you going to ignore me all night?” A man in his late thirties, leopard-were by his scent, broke in.
    Liz stopped dancing to throw herself at him. “Evan!”
    He wrapped her up tight, Santos appearing like a genie beside him.
    Carson reeled in his possessive male instincts even before he caught Santos’s mocking, watchful gaze. A leopard-were could be family for Liz. She was a wolf-were, like her mom and grandfather, but her father and brother were leopard-weres. This Evan could be a cousin.
    If he wasn’t, then Carson would punch him. No. Well, maybe. Dancing with Liz had brought his alpha wolf nature very close to the surface. It growled within him, Mine .
    “Evan, this is Carson. Carson, Evan’s my cousin and Santos’ life partner.”
    They shook hands, people dancing around them. Evan’s grip was firm but not aggressive. He had nothing to prove. A hint of amusement curved his mouth. He’d recognized Carson’s possessive instincts.
    Not so Liz. She hugged Evan’s arm. “I thought you were overseas.”
    “House rule! You talk off the dance floor.” Santos swept them all towards their table. A waitress arrived instantly with fresh drinks.
    While Evan answered Liz’s questions and more on some family member, Santos leaned towards Carson and spoke low, under cover of the music. “I’m the one to watch out for if you hurt our Liz. Evan would rip your throat out, but he wouldn’t be able