Free Bought by the Puma (Studly Shifters Book 1) by Ashley Hunter

her.
    "Just get away from me!"
    Whitney turned and started to run. She got as far as the drive before she was grabbed by the arm and swung round. Simon wrapped his arms round her as she fought him.
    "Whitney, please. Hear me out."
    "And hear you say what?" Whitney hit her fists hard against his chest. "That you lied to me?" She stopped long enough to glare up at him, feeling the tears well up. "Why didn't you tell me?"
    "How would you have reacted if I'd told you right at the beginning?" Simon demanded. "Would you have treated me like any other person? Would you have made love to me?"
    Whitney faltered. He had a point. If he had told her right at the beginning that he could change into a big cat then Whitney would have been scared of him. Feared him. Treated him like a monster. He clearly wasn't a monster but Whitney's mind would have made that unfair connection.
    Simon's expression was grim at her silence.
    "There's your answer."
    Whitney closed her eyes and rested her forehead against his chest.
    "I don't like being lied to." She said in a choked voice. Tears were clogging up her throat.
    Simon's grip changed, holding her gently and rubbing slow circles on her back. He rested his chin on her head.
    "I had my reasons." He said quietly. "Like I had my reasons for you to stay at the cottage while I came here. I didn't want you to get hurt."
    "But I wanted to help."
    "And get your story." Whitney jerked back and stared at him. "I knew you still wanted to do that article on Grattidge. I know even when a subject isn't mentioned that it doesn't mean it's over."
    Whitney shuddered.
    "I'm not writing a story on this. Not ever."
    "Good." Simon cupped her cheek in his hand. "Your safety is more important to me than your help. I wanted you to stay safe so I can come home to you."
    Whitney blinked. What had he just said?
    "Come home to me?"
    Simon sighed, looking away for a moment.
    "I was going to ask you to make our arrangement permanent after tonight. There was no way I was letting you go after what I found out."
    "What did you find out?"
    Somehow, Whitney knew what he was going to say but she didn't jump headfirst into it. She wanted to hear Simon say it.
    "That you were my mate." That she hadn't been expecting. "That was the real reason I paid for you that night. I scented you the moment we were in the nightclub. I followed you to that warehouse and I bid for you to get you out of there." Simon brushed a thumb across her cheek, brushing at a stray tear. "I wasn't about to let anything happen to you."
    "I'm your mate." Whitney said slowly. Both Natalya and Grattidge had mentioned mates. "Is that like a soul mate?"
    "It sure is." Simon bent his head and pressed a kiss to her jaw. "You've been driving me crazy since I bought you."
    "That's my joy in life."
    Simon chuckled against her skin and kissed her cheek.
    "But then I began to fall for you beyond the urge to mate." He kissed her temple. "I love you, Whitney." A kiss to her eyelids. "And I don't want you to walk away," A kiss to the end of her nose, "Just because I kept something from you for specific reasons."
    He loved her. Whitney's heart pounded. Simon loved her. She leant into him and allowed him to kiss her, pulling away before Simon could deepen the kiss.
    "Being lied to bothers me." She said. She watched Simon's face fall before she smiled and cupped his face in her hands lovingly. "But what you are doesn't. Your cat is quite beautiful."
    "He's called a puma." Simon's eyes glinted. "And he really likes you." He took her hands and lowered them, placing them on his chest. "So will you stay with me? Please?"
    "Because you said please." Whitney teased.
    "Don't tease me, Whitney. I want you to stay because you want to, not because you want to be obligated."
    Whitney smiled. She went up on tiptoe and kissed him.
    "I'm not feeling obligated." She whispered. "I love you, Simon. And I'm staying with you."
    Simon growled and wrapped his arms round her as he kissed her, diving his