Page 7 of Shifters Awakening

Sheila quirked an eyebrow at me, and the side of her mouth twisted up, making the stars around her eyes more into other shapes. “I considered it, but I think she’s perfect for you. She’s sweet, and she likes animals, and you’re already attracted to her. What’s the harm?”

I shot her a dark look, secretly relieved I didn’t have to compete with Sheila for Emma’s attention tonight. “So how ‘bout that drink?”

“One Animal Doctor coming up,” she said.

Sheila’s mom had been a shifter, but her dad had been a human, so she hadn’t inherited the ability—so far as we knew. The more shifter magic somebody had in their blood, the sooner they shifted for the first time. Usually. The ability could still manifest at any time of great emotional impact, but the more time passed, theless probable it was. Sheila had been sworn to secrecy when she inadvertently discovered her mom’s shifter secret.

Now, Sheila devoured everything she could about shifter lore from Dr. Eleanor Wise, the sixty-something-year-old historian for most of the shifter clans in Louisiana. Dr. Wise didn’t like to share much information, but it was enough to keep Sheila happy and coming back for more. Dr. Wise allowed it because she knew what it was like to be around shifters without having the gift. Since Sheila knew and kept her mouth shut, Vixen’s was the de facto base camp for most shifters who dared to show up in Willow Creek.

When Sheila placed the large cocktail in front of me, I understood the name. Layers of color danced in the high-ball glass. Each one matched a shade of the vet’s signature hair. A rainbow drink for a rainbow-haired woman… at Vixen’s.

After I took a gulp, the alcohol swirled in my mouth, each fruity taste mixing until it became something else entirely.

“What do you think?” Sheila asked.

“Not too bland, not too sweet.” I took another drink, ignoring how jubilant my cousin seemed, as though liking the cocktail meant I’d like Emma herself. Draining the glass was easy, and I eyed the cherry in the bottom.

“Another?”

“Sure,” I said, convincing myself two wouldn’t be one too many.

It landed on the bar in front of me as I fishedthe cherry out of the first one. Already, though, my inner wolf paced in my head. I had a feeling I was going to be in for an unexpected night.

Thirty minutes later, Emma strolled into the noisy bar, wearing slacks and a low-cut shirt. The swing of her hips and the swell of her breasts hinted at her tightly leashed passion. She smelled of blueberries, sage, and antiseptic.

My stomach clenched, and my spine went ramrod straight. A flush covered my skin, and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. My wolf whined in my head and scratched at the door of my self-control.

All from a woman… who had already made it clear she didn’t like me.

But I could bend her over her desk and make her scream my name…

Another empty glass had done its work. Control was going to be a problem tonight.Shit.

Emma stopped at the closest end of the bar, near one of the few seats my employees hadn’t taken, her expression strained. Had she not wanted to come? What had Sheila told her?

Sheila hustled toward the vet. “Hey, you. Want to try your drink? We named it after you, after all.”

Emma grinned, but her mouth remained tight. “I do. It’s the first time I’ve had a drink named after me.”

“It’s a strong one.” Sheila busied herself with making the drink.

“Hopefully, that’s good,” Emma said, scanning thebar around her. When her gaze landed on me, her eyes widened. “Hello, Logan.”

I nodded toward her. She made the two syllables of my name so sexy, tangling around her tongue, and the desire I’d been nursing all day erupted like a volcano, lava-hot.

She glanced at the empty swivel stool beside me and back to my face, so I gestured toward it, inviting her to sit but anticipating her refusal.

Indecision marred her features, and her eyebrows pinched. Tension snapped through me, mirroring hers, and I realized I wanted her to sit beside me, and I wanted to hit on her, flirt with her, and win her over.

Her expression smoothed, and she moved toward the spot beside me.

I held as still as possible, showing no reaction.How unexpected.No way she knew how attractive she was in this moment… or how I already wanted to back her against the wall and devour her until her hands fisted in my hair and she called my name, her voice raspy from orgasm.

For fuck’s sake. Easy, boy.I had to slow down, but how could I? She’d been in my head all afternoon, screaming my name. I was five dates into a relationship with this woman, and she didn’t even know she liked me yet.

Emma stopped beside me and tapped the low back of the stool. “Anybody sitting here?”

“You are,” I said, turning it toward her with my foot.

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