The Tanner female was fast. Sean had to give her that, but he wanted her safely
in his arms before she hurt herself again. He pivoted, sliding on the damp
grass, and ran full out to intercept her. She caught sight of him and turned in
the opposite direction. He inwardly cursed, but followed, urging her toward the
Kagan office.
After several minutes, the pond at the rear of their property came into view,
and he calmed. If he could get her to shift, he’d invite her inside and patch up
her cuts. She slowed her frantic pace and came to a stop near the fountain. He
sat on his haunches several feet away, giving her enough space so she wouldn’t
feel trapped, then reached for the tether to his wolf. He gave a rough
metaphysical yank on it, but the animal didn’t fight him. It slipped into the
mystical field where it had lived its entire life and allowed his human shape to
reform. The ease with which it retreated shocked him. He wouldn’t question it.
The female didn’t need to know how he struggled with his instincts.
He crouched so as not to appear as threatening and folded his hands loosely in
front of him. “Well, now that you made me ruin my clothes and took me for a run
through the woods, are you going to tell me what frightened you?”
She stiffened but didn’t shift.
He motioned in the direction of the bar. “Was it that pathetic human? Or a
different one, because I’ll—”
She shook her head.
“Another shifter, then? Someone from your pack harassing you?” Without the
evidence of one, it didn’t seem likely, but he couldn’t imagine what else
would’ve sent her running.
Again, she shook her head.
“Okay, then.” He waited a moment, then blew out a breath. “Look, why don’t you
just shift and talk to me? Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to hurt you.”
A long moment passed while she studied him through her icy wolf eyes before she
eased her tense posture and shifted. He watched in awe as she changed shapes, a
sight he’d seen hundreds of times, yet never had the flip in forms mesmerized
him the way hers did. For one brief second, a fuzzy image of a white wolf meshed
with that of the woman who housed it. A glowing tether connected them, heart to
heart. Her wolf’s shape faded and hers gained dimension. In the next moment, a
naked female stood before him.
Hand planted on her hip, she raised her chin. “I’m not afraid of you.”
He swept his gaze over her. It was impossible not to. Full breasts, shapely hips
and lush thighs—she was beautiful. No, gorgeous. Hell, even that didn’t do her
justice, but he couldn’t think of a better description. He only knew he’d never
laid eyes on a more perfect female, but if he didn’t tear his gaze from the
space between her legs, her opinion of him would be less than stellar.
He glanced into her face. “I’m glad. I didn’t want to scare you, but I was
afraid someone was after you. When you took off, I reacted. I couldn’t let any
of the humans see a wolf running through their town.”
“You’re right.” Her shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Don’t apologize. It’s the full moon. Makes even the most levelheaded more prone
to act on instinct.”
“That’s what I was trying to avoid by running away from you.”
“Me?” He pointed to himself. “What did I do to frighten you? Was it because I
shoved that loser against the wall? If so, you should know I didn’t hurt him.”
“I believe you.”
He pushed to his feet. “Then what did I do?”
She skimmed her gaze down his chest to his cock. It stirred to life under her
focused inspection. He tried to will it to behave but failed miserably. His dick
lengthened and thickened. He had the sudden urge to slap his hand over it. The
female was skittish enough. She didn’t need to see the evidence of how much he
wanted her. Her shaky sigh stopped him.
“Other than looking like a sex god?” She shrugged. “Nothing.”
“Sex god?” He grinned, pleased with her description. “Thank you, but why is that
a bad thing?”
She ran a hand through her hair. The move lifted her breasts and exposed a cut
on her upper arm. The sight of her blood dripping from the wound sickened him.
Literally. It wasn’t simply empathy or concern for another shifter, but a
physical response. His gut rolled.
“—I ran instead.”
Her voice registered in his mind, but he didn’t catch what she’d said. He shook
his head.
“I’m sorry. I drank a lot tonight. The brain’s a little sluggish. What did you
say?” It was a lie. He wasn’t drunk. Even his buzz had worn off, but he didn’t
want to admit he felt like a failure and an asshole. She’d hurt herself because
of him.
She gave him a wan smile and approached him, then rose on her tiptoes and laid a
hand against his cheek. He gazed into her face from inches away and studied her
as the gods had intended her to be. Her makeup had disappeared with her shift.
Although artfully done, it hadn’t made her prettier. It had merely drawn
attention to her features, but it wasn’t necessary. Her natural beauty
captivated him. He mapped her face with his gaze, searing her image into his
memory.
Her short eyelashes were nearly luminescent, and combined with her icy eyes, she
appeared ethereal. Her pink lips and flawless skin added to the image. She
could’ve been a snow goddess, but she wasn’t cold. The lust displayed in her
expression promised a passionate side that could make any male burn. He curled
his fist to resist pulling her closer. He wanted her to set him on fire, but
listening to her was more important.
Sometimes the only choice is to take a chance and enjoy the
consequences.
Sean Reynolds is content wielding his dominant personality as the public face of
Kagan Industries. Pack leadership and all the responsibilities that go with it
doesn't interest him. But when alpha-in-waiting Nic Kagan skips town, there's no
one to take on his aging father's spirit wolf. No one but Sean.
Sean wants none of it, but with his wolf growling in eagerness to fill that
void, he heads for the bar in an attempt to drink the beast into submission.
He'd like to ignore the sultry blonde shifter burning up the dance floor with
moves that make him painfully aware of the full moon. But when she abruptly
disappears, his wolf sends him in hot pursuit. Following the scent of a female
he can see in his bed not for a single night, but for a lifetime
Note: This is a short novella (11K) that
introduces the Kagan Pack, the Alexander Pride's single shifter neighbors. This
is not a full length book, but it may be read as a standalone.
Romance Paranormal
[Samhain, On Sale: November 28, 2016, e-Book, ISBN:
9781619236356 / eISBN: 9781619236356]
A true romantic at heart, Nancy Corrigan is convinced there's a knight in
shining armor for every woman (or man), but you won't find damsels in distress
in her stories. She adores pairing alpha heroes with women strong enough to
match them and bring them to their knees. She also enjoys flipping the
traditional roles in romances because her motto is—love and people should
never be forced to conform to anyone's norm. She holds a degree in chemistry and
has worked in research but now focuses on ensuring quality. She considers it the
perfect outlet for her as she's the first to admit she has some OCD tendencies.
It carries over into her writing life too. While engrossed in a novel, she has a
habit of forgetting to eat and sleep. Fortunately, she's married to her own
knight in shining armor who understands her oddities and loves her anyway. They
reside in Pennsylvania with their three children, dog, snake and guinea pigs.
Her other interests include tattoos, animals, classic cars and all things spooky
and sexy.
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