Cougar's Gift: Pacific Northwest Cougars: (Shifter Romance) by Moxie North Read Free Book Online Page A

need to slow down a bit, not stop mind you. Just, um… take a breather,” she said, hoping he wouldn’t be offended.
    Stryker let his head drop to her neck. Breathing in her sweet scent he couldn’t resist dragging his tongue up her neck to her ear.
    “I’ll give you a moment, but just that,” he purred. He let his tongue trace the shell of her ear and felt her shiver. Fuck him, that was sexy. So he did it again.
    She shivered again and Stryker filed that move away too.
    “Come ride with me,” he said into her ear. Reminding her he wanted her on his motorcycle.
    “M’kay,” she said, sounding drunk and sleepy.
    Yeah, that was the spot he thought.
    Placing kisses along her jaw line until he reached her mouth, he kissed her and then stood, pulling her up with him. She fell against him and let her head rest on his chest.
    Why did she feel so safe cuddled up to this man? Libby believed in her instincts. She believed that everyone was instilled with a voice that should be trusted. Her voice was telling her to let go, fall free and fall fast, straight into Stryker’s arms.
    The minute her head hit his chest Stryker felt his heart get heavy. His arms came around her and he pulled her tight to him. He let one arm wrap around her shoulders and the other came up to cup her head.
    He wanted to encircle her, make sure she was covered and protected. She fit just right, her arms wrapping around his back and spreading her hands across his back. He could feel her locking them at the base of his spine. She squeezed him tightly.
    They both sighed at the same time, like two puzzle pieces locking together for the first time. Neither wanted to let go.
    Stryker was damned if he let go first, he could stand there all day like that with Libby’s sweet curves pressed against him. His cougar was content as he was gonna get without getting her naked. Her scent was washing over them, soaking into his skin. Stryker knew she’d smell like him too, any shifter that came across her would know she was taken.

Chapter 10
    L ibby was the first to let go, she felt like she’d held on just a little too long. Not knowing what was expected, she figured she’d err on the side of caution and pulled back. His arms didn’t let her go. They loosened but he held on.
    “Take me for a ride?” she said with a smile.
    “Oh darlin’ there are so many ways I could take that,” he rumbled at her.
    Libby realized what she said and blushed. He made the rumbling sound again when he saw her pink cheeks.
    “We better go before I see how far down that blush goes,” he said, turning her around and walking her towards the door.
    Libby snapped out of her stupor and dug in. “Wait, I need to close up!”
    “Tell me what to do, you wait here,” he ordered.
    Libby told him to lock the back door, turn off the lights and make sure the coffee pot was off. Not exactly super security for the local library. He managed to make it back in record time before grabbing her hand and dragging her toward the door.
    “Purse!” she called out with a laugh.
    Stryker made an aggravated noise and stalked around the counter with her still in tow. He spotted a brown satchel on the desk. He figured that looked like a purse type thing. Grabbing it he turned back to the front door. His mate was giggling at each turn like what they were doing was fun not annoying to his sense of urgency.
    They made it through the front door and as Stryker started dragging her across the street Libby was trying to keep up. Turning around he swung her into his arms before she had time to squeak.
    He didn’t have time to have her hobble around on her cute sandals. Yes, he’d decreed them cute, along with her cute toes. He even scoped out a silver ring on one of her toes. The idea of sucking that ring off her toe was added to his list of to-dos.
    Stryker strode across the street towards the garage; his motorcycle was parked out front. He stopped in front of it and settled Libby on her feet. She was