Craving Her (Keeping Her Series Book 4) by Kelly Lucille Read Free Book Online

obvious
appreciation.  “It makes me think of castles and dragons.”
    Demon stood taller than
the rest of the men by a good half foot, so when he stepped up behind them, he
had a clear view of the bed.  His grunt was non-committal, but his eyes flashed
to his mate beside that bed and brightened considerably.
    “Romance?” Ian asked with
a snort.  “Makes me think of fu- . . .”  Catching Roxanne’s eyes on him, as
they tended to be whenever they occupied the same space, he winced to a stop
without finishing the thought.  Of course, that could have been Demon’s hand on
the back of his neck, squeezing.
    Cassandra stepped up and
to the door and started pushing the men back through it.  “Why don’t you all
get the rest of the boxes while we sort out Cleo’s room.  I doubt you all want
to watch us go through her girl things.”
    At that, Lucas’ glare
turned from the bed to Cleo, then to the men of his pack.  He wretched the door
from Cassandra’s hand and pulled it closed, pushing the men out the door with
the length of wood until it clicked shut.  All the women still in the bedroom
looked at each other and burst out laughing.  Cleo fell back on her new
mattress thinking that just the look on her father’s face made the bed worth
the cost.
    She wondered secretly
what would have been Shawn’s reaction, but he had business elsewhere today. 
Probably better that way.  Not sure what she would have done if Shawn had
stepped foot in her bedroom, especially when it was the hawk-shifter she
pictured naked in the bed with her the first time she saw it.  She might admit
just to herself that it was the fantasy of Shawn that had her buying it without
even a haggle over the price.
    The other ladies of her
pack joined her on the mattress laughing, Roxanne bouncing into Cleo’s lap.
They all heard her father blustering his lion temper at the rest of the pack as
they banged around in the other room.  The bed was comfy, the company great. 
That feeling of being a part of something special, well that was just icing on
the cake.

CHAPTER
FIVE
     
    By the time everyone left,
it was almost 11 pm.  The paintings and pictures she had bought or brought from
Lionsgate decorated the creamy yellow walls.  Her furniture was set up and her books
lined all her bookcases.  The kitchen was stocked and the decorative towels and
colorful appliances set off the white tiles and sparkling monochromatic glass
back-splash.  Her bedroom, bath, and office were also set up.  Not that she
spent much time at her computer, preferring to be out among the planes and
mechanics of Lionsgate.
    Colorful pillows,
sprawled over the big leather couch and chair, and the colorful rugs adorned
every hardwood floor in the place.  Everyone had left looking bright-eyed with
satisfaction.  Leaving Cleo in her first adult apartment, she was thrilled to
putter around, moving things here or there, making plans for where she would
hide her weapons in each room.  Things were a little trickier with Roxanne
planning on coming around, gun safety being a huge concern, even if they were
leaving for home first thing in the morning, and she probably wouldn’t see her
often.  The thought cut through her new apartment glow and started her
listening to the cavernous silence of her new place.
    She found herself sitting
on her bed restless and thinking of maybe finding a place to run, alone.  Which
in turn started her thinking of what Miley had said to her.  What would she
attempt to do if she could not fail?  And why was she thinking of that now? 
    There was only one thing
that came to mind again and again.  Being here made her think of Shawn sharing
it with her.
    Great.  
Was she so pathetic that she could not spend a single night on her own without
thinking of someone to share it with? 
    But let’s face it; this
was not the first time she had gone to bed with Shawn on her mind.  He had been
her nighttime companion since she was old enough to recognize