Shifted (12 page)

Andi’s eyes widened as he watched her transformation. She waited for any sign of revulsion, but she didn’t see it. He was in awe. Mesmerised. “I have to say it, this is fascinating.” He scrambled up and caressed her fur. His touch felt good, especially when he petted under her chin. Kelly couldn’t help purring—cat weakness. “What kind of cat are you? Snow lynx? Your fur is so soft. You’re so pretty,
liebchen
.”

“Really
?”

He gasped. “I can hear you in my mind too. How did you do that?”

“Telepathic. Mind-speak. Whatever you call it. This is the way we communicate to each other when we’re in our animal form
.”

“Well, I’ll be damned.” Andi hugged her, ruffling her fur. “Don’t shift back yet. I’d like to pet you for a while. Do you know I’m a cat person?”

“You don’t say
.” Kelly gave him a nice, long wet lick on his face.

Andi laughed. “Nice kitty.”

Coming Soon from Total-E-Bound Publishing:

Savannah’s Men

Lizzie Lynn Lee

Released 6
^th
September 2013

Excerpt

Chapter One

Panther shifters and Italian. Savannah Salander couldn’t think of anything more dangerous than a combination of the two. She saw three of them unloading their luggage from their boat. They were triplets and, at six feet five, they were fine male specimens, with perfectly built bodies, broad chests, tanned complexions, raven hair and ruggedly handsome faces—the brothers were every woman’s dirty fantasy. Any one of them would make a perfect
souler—
dragon’s mate
—
on his own. But there were three of them. She smelt trouble already. Big time.

A cool breeze surged past her, teasing her long hair that she’d tied into a ponytail. The weather was seventy degrees, though she was feeling a little bit cool as she climbed down from her Hummer and out to the deck. Only the one boat was docked today in Atlantica Bay’s marina, and it was carrying the triplets from St Croix.

She caught the gaze of one of them and immediately the air thinned around her. Her heartbeat started to accelerate and her pussy clenched. The man fixed his stare on her. Hypnotic. Predatory. A true hunter. He possessed a pair of hazel eyes that burned like molten bronze. His silky black hair draped over his shoulders and his intricate tribal tattoo peeked under his short-sleeved T-shirt. A wicked smile curled at the corners of his lips when Savannah approached him.

Wow. Just wow.

She cleared her throat. “Are you guys the Cattaneos?”

“That would be correct, pretty lady,” he answered.
His speech was almost without trace of accent, and he sounded highly cultured.
His voice was
deep,
seductively throaty—a signature macho male voice like she’d heard on commercials. “And you are?”

“Savannah Salander. I’ll be your guide on your hike tomorrow. Welcome to Atlantica Bay.” She stuck out her hand and he shook enthusiastically.

He didn’t release her hand. He fixed his eyes on her, feasting from her head to her toes as if he couldn’t decide what he would do with her first. It didn’t take a genius to figure it out—Savannah knew he was imagining dirty things about her. She tried to pull her hand away politely, but he wouldn’t let her go. His grip was firm.

“My name’s Diego. It’s very nice to meet you, Savvie. May I call you Savvie?” He looked over his shoulder and called his brothers. “Eli. Zach. Come meet our guide.”

One of the other triplets looked at her and dropped what he was doing, a naughty grin plastered across his face. His eyes were glued
to
her as he stalked over. Like Diego, he also had a pair of luminous hazel eyes. But he wasn’t a hunter. Beneath his lush lashes, his eyes told her he was a seducer. Savannah knew his type all too well—she had dated a few like him in the past.

“Well, well.” He dusted the dirt off his hands before seizing Savannah’s from Diego and shaking it. “This is our guide?” he asked his brother, without tearing his
stare
from her.

Diego winked. “The sweet Savannah Salander. Savvie, this is my brother Zachary.”

“Perfect,” Zach declared. “I can already tell we’re going to have an interesting weekend. Are you married?”

“Excuse me?”

“Engaged?”

“I don’t see if that is any of your—”

“Boyfriend?”

“Zach!” Diego chastised his brother. “Be nice.” He turned to her. “Girlfriend?”

Savannah yanked her hand from Zach’s grip. “Yes. And she’s three months pregnant with our baby.”

The grin on Zach’s face vanished in an instant. Savannah wanted to laugh
,
but she was able to keep her face straight. Diego didn’t believe her—he looked straight into her eyes as if he could tell she was fibbing.
Damn. She’d thought she had an award-winning poker face.

The other triplet came by. He was dressed in a white T-shirt with dark chinos and steel-toed boots. His hair was close-cropped and his skin was slightly more tanned than his brothers’. The muscles bulging under his tee showed that he took care of himself well—he might even be into body building.

“Hello.” He nodded at her. “I’m Elijah. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms Salander. I believe we’ve talked on the phone before? When I made the reservation?”

Savannah remembered—t
hey’d had a pleasant conversation.
“I believe we have.
It’s a pleasure too, to finally meet you in person.
”

Eli was polite and
genteel
, just as he’d been on the phone. Back then, she’d suspected he was a geek, considering he and his brothers were from New York and the majority of her clients were some bored yuppies. She hadn’t expected the Cattaneos to be so…yummy. She craned her neck, looking at their luggage piled on the marina’s deck. “Is that all
of
your bags?”

“I have a couple more items in the boat,” Eli replied. “I haven’t finished unloading.”

“We have plenty of time, don’t worry.” Savannah peeked at her watch. “We’ll hike out tomorrow morning at six sharp. As soon as you load your luggage into my car, I’ll drive you guys to your motel. And perhaps”—she turned to Eli—“you could come with me to my office to finish up the registration? I need you to sign some papers.”

“I’ll do that,” Zach answered eagerly. Eli shot him a look. “He didn’t want me to pay for the trip,” Zach whispered. “Is that your Hummer?”

“Yes.”

“Wonderful.”

After Savannah had dropped Diego and Eli at the Cherry Creek Motel, she drove Zach to her office, about two miles from the marina, to wrap up their paperwork. Zach watched her while she was driving. “Yes?” she finally asked.

“Do you really have a pregnant girlfriend?” Zach was curious.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t think you swing that way. You love cock. I can tell.”

Her cheeks burned from his brazen statement. She chose not to answer. Her guts were right—the Cattaneos were trouble. Especially Zach.

“How long have you been a guide here?” He finally tore his eyes from her, scanning the road.

“About three years.”

“Before that?”

“I’m from Chicago.”

“Why did you move?”

“Too cold for my liking.” Savannah entered her parking lot and turned off the car. “We just need to sign some waivers and take down your payment. I know you’re tired from your trip so I’ll be brief.”

“Oh, I’m not tired.”

“Really?” she retorted. Somehow, she wasn’t surprised. Zach gave her a look as if he were a cat that had been given a bowl of cream. His smile was crooked. Savannah had to admit that he had sensual lips for a man. Too sensual, in fact. She wondered how many women had fallen into his seduction. Plus, everything about Zach screamed money—from the designer shirt he wore to his gold Rolex watch. He had said earlier that he was an investment banker, working for one of the biggest economic entities in the world.
Great
. She sighed. One of her clients was a millionaire Casanova. She was experiencing déjà vu already.

Zach studied her desk and office after he paid the registration fee. “I don’t see any photos of your girlfriend.”

Savannah rolled her eyes. He was relentless.

“So?” he peppered her.

“So, what?”

“I think you’re lying.”

“So?” She shrugged in a nonchalant manner.

His eyes brightened, looking triumphant. “I knew it.”

“I think we’re all set. I’ll drive you back to your motel.”

“Are you hungry?”

“No.”

“Too bad. I want to take you out to dinner.”

“I’m busy.”

“Maybe a drink or two? I won’t bite. I promise.”

“When was the last time you got laid, Zach?”

He flinched, looking surprised from her straight shot. “Why do you ask?”

“I’ll let you borrow my lotion if you need to relieve yourself.” Savannah rummaged in her top drawer and fished out a bottle of Nivea.

The look on his face was priceless. “Very funny, Savvie. Can’t blame a guy who tries to put a move on a pretty woman, can you?”

“Well
…
”
Savannah put the lotion bottle on her desk
.
“I’m currently not interested in romantic interludes.” It was a half-truth. In reality, she was just burned out from the dating scene. After she’d found out her ex-fiancé, the man she’d thought would be her
souler
, was cheating on her, she’d moved from Chicago to lie low for a while in Atlantica Bay.

She’d rebounded fast, but meaningless relationships had quickly become passé. Most nice guys were either taken or gay, leaving her with players, jerks and Mr No-Personalities. She was tired of all of them.

Zach looked intrigued. “How come?”

“Men are all assholes.”

“You haven’t met the right man.”

“And you’re the right man?”

His smile widened. “You’ll never know until you open your heart, darling. Love is a wonderful thing.”

“Right.” Savannah shimmied past him. Her breath stalled in her throat when Zach snagged her waist and pulled her into his arms. “Hey!”

He lowered his head until their lips were only a hair’s breadth away. “I can make you come in under five minutes.”

“What? This is not appropri—” She blinked, suddenly curious. “No way.”

His voice lowered an octave and she could almost hear his panther growling behind the sweet rasp of his whisper, “Oh yeah. Yes, way.”

She froze for a second. Her mind was scrambled from the effect of his voice. Wanton aches stirred again from the depths of her sex. Her heart pounded harder when he brushed his lips over hers. He seemed to want to kiss her, but not just yet. He only teased, examining her reaction. She forced herself to tear her eyes from his, thinking how crazy this was. She didn’t know him, but at this very moment, she wanted to rip off his clothes and mount him on the table right here and now. Crazy thoughts. Part of it was because she had become lonely in the past few months and her best friend was a plug-in vibrator and somehow, she craved a man’s touch. Badly.

Zach smelt the curve of her throat. His hot breath seared her very skin and flamed her lust ablaze. He pressed his lips on her fevered skin and licked the shell of her ear. Savannah shivered.

“I dare you,” he challenged.

“You’re crazy,” Savannah mumbled. She tried to push Zach away, but he tightened his embrace instead, locking her in a secure grip.

“Come on, babe. We aren’t teenagers anymore. There’s no need for us playing games. I can see your need as clear as day. When was the last time you got laid, Savvie?”

Savannah sniffed. “Last night, thank you very much.”