Desirable by Elle Thorne, Shifters Forever Read Free Book Online Page A

was more than ready—and the one he wanted had never left his mind.
    His tiger roared.
    Fine. Okay. True. She never left my mind until I saw that woman tonight.
    How could he be attracted to a woman he hadn’t even talked to? He hadn’t even seen her face. All he’d seen was a body that was c’est magnifique.
    “I think I’ll go check on things.” He planted a quick kiss on his sister’s cheek. “See you soon.” Then he darted away, slipping through the throngs of revelers, making a direct line toward the corner the black-and-gold-clad beauty had been in.
    Once he was in the corner, Lézare took a deep breath, hoping he’d find some scent, some trace of her.
    He found nothing.
    He followed the same direction she’d taken, hoping he would have more luck.
    Why am I in such a hurry? It’s not like I don’t have twelve hours until brunch.
    Nothing would end until brunch. That was when the attendees would all disband and go home. Surely he’d find her before then.
    Unless another shifter sets his mind to having her.
    His pulse sped up, his strides lengthened.
    He wasn’t having that.

Chapter 10
    N atalya knew Lézare was there before she saw him, before her shifter hearing picked up the timbre of his voice. She knew because that sensation that struck her body whenever he was around happened again, just like it always did.
    Voltage surged throughout her body, lighting her nerve endings on fire, leaving her breathless and with a racing pulse.
    She glanced around the mostly filled-to-capacity ballroom. So many men, all of them in suits and masks. So many women in long dresses, also masked. Could she find him in here? Would she be able to?
    It was as if there were a divining rod in play, for her eyes were pulled toward him like magic.
    There he was, off to the right, talking to a masked redhead.
    She felt his scrutiny; like a predator’s, it traveled through the room, then settled on Natalya, passed over her, hesitated, and returned to her. Even in the dark room, even with dozens of people milling about and the music playing loudly, she could still feel the warmth of his scrutiny.
    His eyes strayed back to her repeatedly while he conversed with the redheaded woman.
    Natalya knew that red hair—his sister Alexa. Just one of the Arceneaux who hated her.
    Why am I here? It’s not like he’ll want me. It’s not like his family will ever like me.
    A sob at the futility of being here seized in her throat. She needed to get out before she became emotional and a room full of shifters picked up on it and began to search for the source.
    Natalya bolted away from the crowd, following the wall, going as far from the front door as she could, far away from the doorman who would recognize and remember her.
    And kick me out.
    Which wasn’t something she was ready to have happen, even though she didn’t feel like she belonged and was certain that if she was recognized she’d be sent packing.
    I’ll be lucky if that’s all Alexa does to me.
    She expected Alexa to tar and feather her, especially since she was well aware how much trouble she’d caused for Lézare.
    Natalya stuck to the walls, going around the perimeter of the room, avoiding the dance floor and the throngs of people there, until finally she found a set of double doors and slipped out.
    She was on a balcony, overlooking a large maze in front of her, a gazebo off to one side, and a magnificent lighted fountain on the other side of the maze. The maze was occupied with shifters seeking their way through the tall passages.
    The gazebo was empty. That was her destination. A bit of privacy where she could reclaim her composure and maybe even talk some sense into herself.
    Natalya wove a path among a collection of couples, all shifters, all very involved with each other, holding hands and kissing, laughing gently. Their sounds were sensuous and low, gentle lullabies that merged with the sounds of crickets and distant bullfrogs. Those should be comforting sounds; they