The Mating Project by Sam Crescent Read Free Book Online Page A

make the best pies."
    She
didn't wait for his reply, just sauntered off, hips swinging from side to side.
Every long legged step exposed the back of her stockings, and Silas groaned.
    He
was hungry all right, but not for pies.
     

Chapter Five
     
    Maria
crept forward another car length and groaned under her breath when the long
line of snaking traffic ground to a halt again.
    "Jesus,
what's the hold up? I thought London traffic was bad, but this is ridiculous.
Maybe I should have hitched a ride on your cycle instead."
    "In
that skirt?" Silas's amused reply soothed her irritation somewhat, and she glanced across to
see him smile at her. The male appreciation in his amber eyes made her beast
purr, and she pulled the hemline of her skirt a little higher, until it exposed
the creamy flesh of her upper thighs.
    Silas
swallowed, and he closed his eyes and thumped his head against the headrest of
the passenger seat.
    "See,
it's very versatile, and I'd have managed." She grinned at the way Silas
shook his head and groaned.
    "And
we'd have caused an accident I'm sure. I can see the headlines now. 'Traffic in
Hatfield ground to a standstill when beautiful woman exposed herself on
lecturer's bicycle. Tail backs a mile long caused chaos for evening
commuters.'"
    Maria
laughed out loud, and Silas cracked one eye open and grinned back at her.
    "So,
you think I'm beautiful then?" she asked, and crept forward another inch.
    He
didn't answer her, but the heat of his gaze scorched her skin, and Maria's
stomach tightened in delicious anticipation. She busied herself with taking the
car out of gear, and pulling up the hand brake, and flinched when her stomach
chose that moment to grumble loudly.
    "Pull
over into the next side street coming up. If we’re stuck we might as well stop
and eat, before we both die of hunger. Those pies smell delicious, and I know
they make me hungry, let alone someone with your sensitive sense of
smell," Silas said.
    Maria
glanced at him again, and he held her gaze with his. Time stood still as they
sat staring at each other, and it was only the loud honk from the car behind
them, that alerted Maria to the fact that the traffic was moving again.
    She
had to mount the curb and drive across the pavement to make the turning into
the side street Silas had indicated, and he swore under his breath.
    "Jesus,
woman, how many rules of the Highway Code did you just break there?" Silas
asked, but laughter tinged his words, and Maria pulled up in the forecourt of a
garage and switched off the engine.
    "You
said you were hungry, and I'm fucking starving, so stop moaning at me and let's
eat." She reached behind them to grab the carrier bag containing their
dinner and handed Silas's portion to him with a grin.
    Their
fingers touched when he took the package off her, and heat traveled up her arm.
She balled her fingers into fists, and Silas inhaled sharply.
    "Yes,
I do think you're beautiful." His voice had dropped an octave, and Maria
held her breath, when he uncurled her tight fingers one by one. "Let's
eat."
    Maria's
befuddled brain couldn't think of one sensible response, so she unwrapped her
food and started eating. Her beast grumbled her approval, and out of the corner
of her eye she could see Silas, too, tucking in.
    The
pie and chips were even better than she remembered them being, and in no time
at all, she licked her fingers clean, and gave a content purr.
    "I
do like to see a woman enjoy her food." Silas's deep voice wrapped itself
around her senses, and Maria fought a blush. A novel experience for her, for
sure. Silas must have noticed, because he brushed her hair off her face and
tugged it behind her ear. "That was a compliment, in case you're
wondering."
    She
glanced at him, and her beast clawed to be set free. This close to him, in the
tight confines of her small car, his presence overwhelmed her. Now that only
the leftover smells of the food remained, his scent sent her cougar crazy with
need, and her human side,