Free Mounted By Her Weretiger Mate (Steamy Weretiger Paranormal Romance) by Meghan Archer Page B

crushing hug. “You’re engaged?! Why didn’t you say anything?”
     
    “I wanted it to be a surprise!” she said, her smile so wide I was sure she had pulled a muscle in her face.
     
    “Normally this isn’t how I would have done things either,” Tristan said, a smooth British accent spilling from his lips. “But it’s been a bit of a whirlwind romance, and I just couldn’t stand another moment without proposing.”
     
    I smiled again, but inside I realized just how jealous of Sasha I really was. Engaged to a gorgeous man with a hot British accent? What wasn’t there to be envious of? All I had back home was a sad little apartment and a few rejection letters regarding my photo submissions to a few local galleries.
     
    “I’m so happy for you, Sasha,” I said, doing my best to keep my smile genuine. But deep down I secretly hoped the two of them would fall apart right in front of me. Sasha getting married was one step closer to losing my best friend to a whole other life, one that probably had no place for her nobody photographer friend.
     
    “I want you as my maid of honor,” Sasha squealed excitedly. “We’re not set on a date yet, but I’ll do anything to make sure you’re there. I couldn’t do this without my best girl.”
     
    You certainly got engaged without me, I thought venomously, but I did my best not to let it show.
     
    “Of course I will,” I said, pulling her into another hug to hide the conflicted look on my face. “I’m so happy for you.”
     
    “Are you three going to stand here all day, or are we eventually going into the jungle?” came a gruff voice from behind me. All three of us turned to look, our eyes falling on a tall, powerfully-built man with deep auburn hair and a dark tan.
     
    “You’re Jake?” Sasha asked, frowning at the man’s rudeness. “Is there a problem?”
     
    “No, I just want to do my job and be done with it. I don’t like being out in the jungle more than I have to be, and the less time we’re in there, the better.”
     
    “What’s wrong with the jungle?” I asked, turning my gaze toward the guide. My heart fluttered. There was something about him, something about the way he moved so fluidly, or how his eyes stared deep into my own as he spoke. I wasn’t sure if I should feel scared of him simply be in awe. He moved like poetry in motion.
     
    “There are things in the trees that neither you, nor I want to meet, Miss…?”
     
    “Lana. Lana Thomas,” I said, licking my lips nervously as those gorgeous, Lana-colored eyes burned into my own. Something began to burn inside of me that I hadn’t felt in such force since my college days—lust.
     
    “Well, then, Ms. Thomas, I hope you and your friends here will take my advice and make our trip as short as possible.”
     
    “What’s so scary out there? A tiger on the loose?” Sasha asked, leaning her weight against Tristan.
     
    “Something like that,” Jake said with a deep frown. “I’ve been ready to leave since before you arrived. I suggest you drop what you don’t need and get ready to move out.”
     
    “Yes, mien Fuhrer ,” Sasha muttered as Jake turned and strode off to check one more thing before our departure. “What a dick.”
     
    “Maybe,” I mumbled, biting on my knuckle as I watched him. Something about him seemed so restless, on edge, but at the same time, confident and self-assured. He was a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and my curiosity was more than a little piqued. I loved a good puzzle.

 
    Within the next hour, we were off toward what Jake informed us was an unused game trail that would lead us toward the center of Sasha’s proposed wildlife reserve. From there, Sasha would begin recording what species she could find and I would take pictures of the wildlife and the possible effects human development was having in the area. It didn’t seem exciting at first, but the more I thought about the good I would be doing with these pictures, the more excited I