Page 176 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

His heart clenched as he reached for her hand. “I’m sorry you felt soalone.”

“I still feel that waysometimes.”

“Metoo.”

“Really? You have so many brothers, I thought you’d never feel alone,”shesaid.

“You can be surrounded by a huge group of people but it still feels like a piece of you ismissing.”

“I know what you mean.” She slid her hand into his and moved a bitcloser.

His arm tingled where it touched her. Even through their heavy jackets, he could sense her heat. More than anything, he wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss away her loneliness—andhis.

“Can I ask you something?”shesaid.

“Sure.”

“Why are you stillsingle?”

“I just haven’t found a mat—the right woman for me.” He cut himself off before he could say “mate.” That was always a barrier to a long-lasting relationship. At some point, he would have to confess that he was a shifter. He’d made it to that point in the relationship twice before the women took offscreaming.

“What about you?” he asked. “Why are you stillsingle?”

“I never really dated much. The guys in New York are basically after one thing—sex. I want more than that. I want someone I can raise a family with, someone I can count on to be there for me.Someonelike…”

“What?” heasked.

“Oh, Hank. This is going to sound crazy because I’ve only known you for a coupleofdays.”

“Tell me.” As he leaned closer to her, his heart beatfaster.

“I want someone like you. Someone who isn’t afraid to help a complete stranger. Someone who’s willing to go out of his way to make me happy. You did that and you didn’t even know me. That’s a lot more than any of my boyfriends wouldhavedone.”

“Come here,” hewhispered.

As she slipped into his lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “I wish you lived inNewYork.”

“I wish you lived here,” hecountered.

“I’ve never lived anywhere but the city. I have a job and an apartment. I don’t have very many friends, but I have a few. Well, okay, they’re mostly my coworkers, but that still counts,” shestammered.

“I understand why you wouldn’t want to move away from the place you’ve lived your entire life. I couldn’t imagine moving away from my home.” As he stroked her back, his voice deepened. “That’s why I shouldn’t be holding youlikethis.”

“I’ll tell you onething…”

“What?”

“No one’s ever kissed me the way you do,” shemurmured.

The huskiness in her voice broke the last vestige of restraint. He clasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger and tilted it up. As he gazed into her eyes, her tongue flicked out to moisten herbottomlip.

He groaned, already wanting her naked and wet beneath him. Every move she made was pure torture. He couldn’t stand to be apart from her for anothersecond.

His fingers laced into her silky hair as he claimed her mouth in a searing kiss that sent blood rushing to the hot, thick part of himself that he struggled to hide. It was no use. His erection pressed up against the fabric of his jeans with such rigidity that there was no way she didn’tfeelit.

When her lips parted slightly, he slipped his tongue into her mouth. A quick swipe of his tongue across hers brought a deep sigh of pleasure from her throat. He slid his hands down from her hair, across her back, and down to cup her ass. Oh hell, it was just as firm as he’dimagined.

“Oh God,” she murmured when he finally brokethekiss.

---