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He couldn’t help hi her juan to chuckle, her eyes narrowed "You’re as bad as Bryan He does that to Katie all the time"

"Odds on, he has a crush on her" Her lips twitched "That’s what I think, too Was the fight about Katie?"

"Sneaky, Ms Kildaire, but I’ at the face sheat her ponytail "You up to a small hike?" Shadoept across her face

"You don’t think I can do it?"

He parked the vehicle off to the side of the track and turned "I don’t know your limits yet," he told her honestly "That’s why I’" She colored "Sorry I’ed "If I think you can’t do so it" Protecting the vulnerable was instinct

Protecting Annie would probably beco it?" The arch sound of a hu her claws

"Definitely" He held her gaze

"I’m flexible, little cat, but I’m not a pushover"

Her arousal spiked at his words, but so did her anger "As if I ever believed that"

"Annie, you’re used to academic types who probably let you walk all over the with temper

God, she was pretty He reached forhile she was distracted, gripped her chin And kissed her

Stroke of Enticeined,he’d ever experienced Cat and asp, he swept inside to taste her Sweet and tart, innocent and woman, she was his own personal brand of intoxication

He bit her lower lip, sucked on it, let her gasp in another breath before kissing her again "Med his need to touch this wo that translated into sensual affection in a relationship It didn’t always have to lead to sex Sometimes it was just about the pleasure of skin-to-skin contact

When he drew back, her lips were a little swollen, her pupils dilated He rubbed his thu need She wasn’t ready, not yet As he’d learned this , her soft exterior hid a fierce core of independence - the instant she learned what he really wanted, she’d stop playing with him

And that was siel" He dropped his gaze to the rise and fall of her generous breasts The te, he took his hand off her chin and thrust it through his hair "About that hike?"

She gave a jerky nod "I can walk"

"Tell rabbed her chin again and this ti "Iyou that You give ain, a true s over her lips "I will, I promise It’ll probably ache soets any worse, I’ll tell you"

He wanted to kiss her again but knew full well that if he didn’t get theht here - like soo" Grabbing her little pack, he thrust his own bottle of water inside and opened the door

She met him a few feet from the vehicle, her fluffy yellow jacket a dash of pure summer "I know," she said, when his eyes landed on her, "I look like a baby duck"

Not bothering with a coat himself, he took her hand "No I like it" Her hand was sht and sunny, that was his Annie

They walked in silence for a while, and he felt his beast sigh in pleasure

The forest was home, and it called to both parts of his soul But today, he had a new reason for happiness - Annie

"You’re in shape," he said after a while

"Nowhere close to you" Sheyour stride shorter for me"

He hadn’t even noticed, the act had been so natural "Of course," he said matter-of-factly "Hoould I have my wicked ith you if I left you in rew until the leopard batted at its warmth, utterly captivated "I exercise," she said

"I have to, or the leg will freeze up"

"Every day?"

She nodded "It’s a habit now" Looking up at the trail as it wound its way into the forest she took a deep breath "It’s so beautiful here"

"Yeah" He watched her face suffuse with joy and felt the razor-sharp bite of envy The cat really wasn’t good at sharing Neither was the ht on her face Soon, he pro into a very feminine look of realization

"Zach" Her lips parted