Free Mind Mates (Pull of the Moon Book 2) by Mary Hughes Page A

blowing with puffy cheeks.
    His laugh cut. He started coughing so hard he was sputtering, shaking his head. Finally he managed, “I’d better let you get back to bed…I mean your nap…I mean…I just have to go.” He picked up a sandwich and his cup and ran off.
    Sighing, appetite gone, she cleaned up what was left and went back inside.
    When the ferry docked on the shores of eastern Wisconsin, Emma trundled Gabriel’s suitcase out to the car deck where she found him standing beside his assistant manager’s minivan. Gabriel saw her, waved her over and dumped the luggage on Pan before escorting her to his sports car, so achingly polite she wanted to cry.
    Leaving the boat, he drove in as stately a manner as possible, as if that rocket-like flight in had never happened.
    He took US-10 heading west. Emma watched his hands, competent on the wheel of the car. She thought about what she’d be missing, moving home. Those big, nimble hands working at the bench. His understanding blue-green gaze. The narrow, silver knife that gaze became when his intellect honed it. The graceful, muscular stretch of arm and body as he pulled product from high shelves for her. His powerful hunter’s stalk, rarely seen but always skin-tingling. His rescuing her…and everyone around her.
    He’d changed clothes on the boat. Same slouchy sweater vest but over a fresh button-down short-sleeved shirt that revealed his very muscular forearms accented by a few short dark hairs, the perfect proportion of gentleman and beast. She wondered if his naked torso would look like that.
    His phone dinged. Pulling it out of his pocket, he handed it to her. “That’s my text-received alert. What’s it say?”
    He trusted her to read his private messages. Despite everything, Emma’s heart glowed. She pulled up the texts and selected the most recent. “It’s from Pan. He says ‘Van wobbling. Drivable for now. Will keep you posted.’”
    Gabriel’s jaw tightened. “I’d turn back and help him, if my sister weren’t in trouble. I’ll have to settle for phoning when we get to Matinsfield.”
    He was so caring. She sighed and leaned back in the seat, shutting her eyes against a surge of feelings. Her melancholy deepened with every mile closer to home, because each was a mile closer to losing him.
    He glanced at her and must’ve caught her mood because he said, “Hey Emma. How many computer programmers does it take to change a light bulb? None, it’s a hardware problem.”
    That goosed a chuckle out of her. Her dark mood lifted for a moment. Oh yes, and she’d especially miss his sense of humor.
    Why am I missing him already? He’s right here.
    She frowned. After they arrived in Matinsfield, she might never be this close to him again.
    But by her hairy paws, she had him now.
    So why not offer him sex? Her wolf began wagging its tail. She glanced at him. Sure, why not? He was single, not in any committed relationships, and so was she. Her hormones were pinging off the chart, and his—she took a tiny sniff—his weren’t.
    Yeah, that’s why not. He wasn’t interested.
    So? her wolf yipped. He’s a guy. Just sweeten the pot a bit first.
    Sweeten the pot…?
    Flash him a little boob.
    She blushed hard. But her wolf had a point. Most guys would take a free grope, and it might lead to more.
    Her heart beat faster at the idea. She could pretend she was hot. That wasn’t too outlandish, being August. She’d strip off her Choice Buy polo shirt, revealing her sexy bra…damn it, she’d worn her work bra today. As sexy as a smock, no help at all getting him from zero to sixty. She wished she hadn’t even worn the damned thing.
    Unless… Ooh, maybe she could “accidentally” strip off the bra with the shirt? Her nipples tightened and tingled at the idea. She’d strip topless, poke her stiff nipples, and laugh at how chilly the breeze was, turn innocently to him and pretend surprise at his wide eyes.
    Except he might go all noble and not be