Free Racing Hard (Dirt Track Dogs Book 4) by P. Jameson Page A

huh?”
    Tana nodded, her thick curly hair catching a leaf from the ground. He reached up and pulled it free.
    “What happened?” she asked carefully.
    Surge sighed. “Maybe we shouldn’t have this conversation naked.”
    He pulled back, and Tana leaned up, resting on her elbows. “Well, I don’t see any clothes lying around, and I’d like to know what’s up. So?”
    He shook his head, still raw from the incident earlier. “Later.”
    But her hand landed gently on his chest and stopped him from retreating further. Her touch made his wolf go completely still. As if in wonder. It wasn’t the first time she’d touched him. Wasn’t the first time he’d been amazed by the power. He wondered if every touch would affect him this way.
    Dear Lord, let it be so .
    “Surge, please. Talk to me.”
    Damn it. The timing was all wrong. He’d let too much out the last time they’d talked about the future. Told her his desires before she was willing to hear them.
    A calculating grin curved her lips. “I know. How about we make a deal?”
    “I’m listening.”
    “One kiss for every secret you reveal.”
    His jaw went slack. A kiss. They hadn’t had their first kiss yet. Not erm, on the lips anyway. Not uh, on the mouth lips.
    He cleared his throat at the memory.
    He wanted their first kiss to be special. Not an obligation she owed him for acquiring information.
    “I have a counteroffer.”
    She frowned. “I’m listening.”
    He squeezed his eyes closed, praying he wasn’t rushing this. Oh, hell. He was definitely rushing this, but that was his way. Fly by the seat of his pants, down and dirty, no beating around the bush. It was all he knew.
    When this was all said and done, Tana would either accept him or she wouldn’t. And if she didn’t, he’d keep trying. Keep proving himself. Keep showing her love.
    He found her eyes, holding on to them like they could somehow keep him from falling harder.
    “How about I tell you everything and if you agree…” Shit, shit, shit. Here goes fucking nothing . “You mate me.”
    Her claws came out slightly, pressing into his chest before she could stop them. It gave her away. Told him that whether Tana liked the idea or not, her panther was on board. It gave him hope.
    “Okay,” she whispered, looking unsure. “Tell me.”
    “I told the guys I can’t let Grace go back to her clan. I can’t let her be raised in a way that could put her in more danger later. I just can’t. It’s been almost two weeks and her clanmate is almost healed. She’ll wake soon, and maybe she’ll want to go home, but Tana, I think they were running from something.”
    Her honey eyes turned sad. “I do too. We can’t make them go back. If Drake won’t take them in, I’ll talk to Magic and they can go back with me.”
    Her words punched him in the gut. “No, baby. I told them something else.”
    “What?”
    “That I can’t let you go either. I can’t, Tana. I’ve watched you these last two weeks, taking care of a baby that wasn’t yours—”
    “She is mine,” Tana snapped, and then her eyes grew wide and tear-soaked. “Shit, I’m sorry. I’ve… Surge, I think my cat has bonded with her. What the hell am I going to do?”
    He brushed a thumb across her cheek. “I know you have. Just like I have. And it’s okay. Stay here. With me. We’ll raise her as our own. I know this isn’t the usual way families begin, but I for one am especially unusual so...”
    “You mean, we could adopt her?” Her expression was as hopeful as he felt inside. She needed Grace as much as he did.
    Damn it, please let this happen .
    Surge nodded.
    “But what if the female is family? What if she claims her? Or takes her from us?”
    He shook his head. “I don’t know. We won’t have answers until she wakes.”
    “I don’t want to lose her.”
    “Me neither. And we’d fight for her, Tana. But if worst came to worst, we’d still have each other. We could try for others. We could—”
    He stopped