AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Truth was, Rami hated change.That morning had been so full of promise, but his plans were quickly going down the drain.He only wanted to walk into the bakery and grab a couple of dozen treats.The same way he had at least once a week for the past thirteen years.
“Anyone here?”he yelled again.
Then it reached him.The low, soft humming of an unfamiliar voice, one that was obviously female.
Grrr.
“One moment, sugar,”the bright sentiment reached him with a distinct twang of South Carolina teasing along his sensitive earlobes, down the canal, straight through to his entire body.
Holy hell.Rami’s Lion pushed against his skin.The great, dark-maned beast was curious, as was his human side to see the owner of that deliciously pleasant voice.Stomach muscles tensed, he swallowed audibly, willing the female to make herself known.
Then she appeared, like magic, amidst a ray of sunshine pouring in through the unshaded glass of the large store window.She was holding a tray of still warmcornetti, and it was all he could do not to drool.Whether said mouth-watering was over the pastries or the woman was still a toss-up.
It’s the woman, growled his Lion, and Rami found himself nodding his agreement.
“Hi there,” she smiled, and it was like the sun shining down on him after months of nothing but overcast clouds.
The female was petite.Hell, she couldn’t have been more than five-foot two inches tall.But she was all sweetness and rounded curves.The kind a guy like him wanted to hold onto in the middle of the night, and never let go.Rami shook his head to clear it.Where the fuck had that thought come from?
Her smile showed straight, white teeth outlined by naturally pink lips.She was all gold skin and warm, honey-brown hair loosely piled on her head and held in place with some kind of stick.He was certain it was fashionable, but what the fuck did he know about female hairstyles?
It was cute as fuck on her though.Everything about her was.Hell, the female was temptation herself.She wore typical chef gear.A white, double-breasted coat,and fucking hell, those breasts were double anything he ever saw, over loose-fitting pants with pumpkins and fall leaves all over them.On her feet, she wore burnt-orange Crocs.
He’d always thought them hideous, but they looked sexy as hell on her tiny feet.His eyes went back to her thousand-watt smile, and Rami was positively dazzled.Her expression was generous and open, a true welcome he didn’t think he’d ever experienced from anyone else.It was like she’d stood up and saidthere you are at last, I’ve been waiting for you.
He coveted that grin.Wondered how many customers she greeted the same way.Suddenly, he felt a certain green-eyed monster stirring within.He wanted that smile, her smile for himself alone.
Fuck.What was wrong with him?He didn’t even know the sandy-haired beauty with the ridiculously large, beguiling blue-eyes.But he’d like to.
Mine.Uh oh.What the fuck was his Lion talking about?He wanted to slap himself to snap him out of whatever spell the little witch was weaving over him.
Instead, Rami cleared his throat.Dumbstruck, just watching as she stood there, eyebrows raised expectantly, while she placed the tray she’d been holding on the rack along with the others.The scents of lemon-sugar goodness teased him, and despite having only just eaten, his belly rumbled appreciatively.Or maybe that was his Lion.
“Good morning,” he said, trying to smile, but still too confused to do it right.
It was unusual for him to feel so mixed up over a female.Rami had his choice of women, especially from within his Pride, but lately he found himself steering clear.Wasn’t worth the trouble to date someone he was going to see often and know it was going nowhere.
This one is trouble, he knew instinctively.Could tell from the wicked gleam in her eyes, and the fact she smelled so different from anything he’d ever scented.Human, he thought as he sensed no animal or Vampiric tendencies around her.
Just his luck to be attracted to a normal.The supernatural world, in particular the Shifter secret, was fiercely protected from humankind.Only few select normals were in the know.Mates, of course, but there were others too.Government officials, heads of law enforcement agencies, and the like.
Mate, his animal repeated the word inside his mind’s eye.The great golden beast growled softly, eyes glued to the female, body positioned to pounce.
Chill the fuck out, he commanded the beast.What the hell?Mates?No way.That word had no place anywhere near his mind when he was looking at the honey-brown-haired female.
Grrr.
Fuck.This was so not happening.Rami reined in his beast, and pretended to peruse the baked goodies, though he already knew what he wanted.And it wasn’t anything he could buy.
Grrr.
His Lion pressed one more time, but Rami bested the animal.Caging him deep inside and locking the beast down.
“Can I help you?”she asked.
“Yeah, thanks.I’d like two boxes of breakfast pastries.”
“Okay,” she smiled “First, can I offer you a sample of my new flavor?”
