Predator's Kiss by Rosanna Leo Read Free Book Online

yesterday, a strange man has been asking for me there. I don’t know. Maybe it’s Scott. Maybe it’s a reporter. I snuck out in the night and made it to the ferry dock. I saw there was a ferry headed to Gemini Island and I dashed on board when no one was looking.”
    Lia let out a huge sigh and a tear escaped down her cheek. Ryland wanted really badly to do something ridiculous like kiss it away, but settled for sitting next to her on the bed. Against his better judgment, he put an arm around her shoulder and gave her what he hoped was a companionable squeeze. It felt too good to be companionable. She fit perfectly against him. He knew he dwarfed her, but somehow her smaller dimensions helped her ease right into the crook of his arm and shoulder. “I’m sorry about your situation.” He grunted. “You shouldn’t have to deal with such incredible asshats.”
    She laughed as she wiped at a tear. “Anyway, I just need a place to stay until I figure out what to do. Could I stay here, just for a little while? I’ll pay my way.”
    Oh no . He’d been so clear about this resort remaining a haven for shifters. And this woman had trouble following her everywhere she went. He had to let her down. She couldn’t stay here.
    She swallowed, and Ryland’s gaze was drawn to the delicate lines of her neck. So small, and the world was fighting to snag a piece of her. It didn’t seem fair. To say nothing of the creep who’d diddled with her underpants. What kind of sicko did that? He stared at her as a swell of protectiveness rushed through him. Shifter or not, in trouble or not, she was the prettiest little thing he’d ever seen. It would be really easy to get carried away with Lia Goodblood. So easy to lose himself in her eyes, to tip up her chin again and…
    Soren’s porn movie came to an explosive end. He made a mental note to charge his brother double for ordering the sex channel and messing with his head even more. It was incredibly hard being in the same room with Lia while others grunted on TV in the next room.
    Soren poked his head through the door. “So, have we finalized our plans? Is Lia bunking with me?” He smiled at Lia, his gaze dropping to the curve of her bosom.
    Damn Soren. He’d always been a boob man. Not that Ryland wasn’t.
    Soren winked at her. “Hey, roomie.”
    Ryland vaulted off the bed and pulled Lia with him. “Nice try, Soren. Lia’s going to stay up at the lodge for a while until she’s ready to go. In the meantime, you might want to think about your own little problem.”
    As Ryland led her back out of Cabin 12, he couldn’t miss the blush that still colored Lia’s face.
    She must have liked having Soren flirt with her. She must have liked it a lot. Well, he was welcome to her.
    As a peculiar resentment flamed through him, he damped it down. What did he care if Lia Goodblood liked his brother? The women always liked Soren. It wasn’t news to him.
    So why did it bother him so much this one did too?
    Stifling his emotions, as he tended to do so well, Ryland led her back through the woods. “We’re pretty much booked up right now, but there’s a room next to mine that I keep open so I get my privacy. You can have that one, provided you’re not planning any wild parties.”
    “Oh, okay,” she said, not looking at him. She was too busy staring at the undergrowth next to the path in front of them, her eyes wide. The small bush moved, as if a tiny animal was scurrying through. As a chipmunk broke through the shrub and crossed their path, Lia jumped and clutched his arm. She held on for dear life, hyperventilating at the chipmunk, shaking so much he could have sworn a great white had just swum past.
    “Lia, relax,” he said. “It’s a chipmunk.”
    She struggled to catch her breath. For a tense moment, Ryland worried he’d have to administer CPR.
    The woman did not appreciate wildlife. Only one more reason to remain guarded around her.
    He didn’t say another word until they were