Natural Selection by Amanda Lance Read Free Book Online Page B

the flags in the windows of red and white and the stickers on bumpers that had cartoon bears on them that reminded him he was in a college town.
    Another place he did not belong.
    Her admission should have been enough, but it wasn’t. Now that he was that close, had seen her with his own two eyes again and not just in his mind, he knew he couldn’t stop until she banished him for good.
    He walked directly into the building, slightly disturb ed that the device that prohibited unwanted visitors from entering was out of order. The lobby of the apartment was relatively clean, even if the plants were artificial and carpets torn. Kasper already knew which apartment number was hers from the letters he never opened. But he had never imagined the hallways to be so dark or the stairway so creaky. Naturally, he had pictured the place where she lived to have more windows and the colors on the walls to be far brighter.
    Kasper stopped at her door, more nervous than he had even been at that wretched canine establishment. What if she called the authorities on him? Laughed in his face or screamed to alert the neighbors? It had occurred to him, after all, that perhaps the display at the shelter had only been the first punishment she had orchestrated, and as the mistress of his heart, she could hurt him far more than anyone else.
    He spent several minutes yelling at his hands for not working. Damn you, brain, work with the rest of me! What if someone sees you before you get the chance to see her?
    It took a few seconds longer, but Kasper did manage to raise his hand and knock on the door. The moment he did however, a terrible howl emerge d from within. Blast! He had the wrong apartment! But how was that possible? He had to get out of there before—
    A half -step away from the door, he heard it open, heard Emilia’s soft, scolding voice, and saw the view of her foot kicking at something he could not see. Yet, whatever it was that had her distracted seemed to disappear altogether when she glanced up and saw the source of the knocking. She paled before running out, shutting the door behind her, and throwing herself into his arms.
    Her hair was only just damp , and his memory was reassured by the way she smelled of strawberries and vanilla. To entice his senses further, she was wearing little more than a thin t-shirt and what he guessed to be flannel women’s boxer shorts. Yet while he was brazen enough to look at them, he did not dare touch them to confirm the material’s authenticity.
    “I’m sorry,” s he whispered to him. “I’m so sorry.”
    He kept his arms out at his sides. What if he allowed himself to embrace her and was unable to let her go?
    “Emilia—”
    “I don’t know if I meant to hurt you…” She shook her head against him and clutched him tighter. “But I know I did, and I’m sorry. I wish I could take it back. It was so immature.”
    “I deserved worse.” He did his best to choke back his emotion and failed. “I still do.”
    Luckily, the sound of howling and clawing at the door distracted them both so that she was forced to pull away from him. And as unpleasant as the noise was, he was glad for it, as it prevented the clicking sound of his teeth gnashing together. “What in the world is that?”
    “Oh .” She laughed. “That’s Tut.”
    Who? Was it possible she had a new lover ? Had she gotten over him as he hoped?
    Yet when she opened the door, he did not see an other man but only a dog: a lousily mangy mutt who drooled with delight at the sight of Emilia, pawing at her and kissing her face.
    Perhaps another man would have been better.
    And when The Mutt saw him, it trotted over and sniffed at his shoes, skeptical. Kasper took a step back.
    “He’s had all his shots.” She laughed again.
    “Of course ,” he said quietly.
    “Do you want to come in?” She ope ned the door all the way, and they watched Tut run back inside, tired from his short excursion, to return to his bed.
    “Of course