When I woke, it was evening and Paul was smiling at me.
I smiled back. Where there might have been awkwardness or uncertainty, I felt only love and trust. My secret self was smugly approving. He was our mate.
He was also dressed and even shaved.
I ran a self-conscious hand through my tangle of hair.
His smile widened. “You look beautiful.” He kissed me tenderly, just a promise, before drawing back. “You need to eat. I don’t have anything in the house, but there’s a barbecue restaurant on the corner that does great ribs and a mean salad.”
“Can salad be mean?”
He kissed me, again. “Smart ass.”
I liked the teasing. I really liked walking down the street with him and into a restaurant where he was greeted by name—and so was I!
“Bubba’s a mountain lion shifter,” Paul explained under his voice. “He coordinated the defense against Richelieu.”
“Glad you were there to help Paul since none of us could get through,” Bubba added, displaying a knowledge of Paul’s explanation that only shifter hearing could have overheard.
We sat at a private table and Bubba took our order through to the kitchen.
No longer worried about saving the world, Paul displayed a quirky sense of humor. He leaned forward, stealing a daisy from the vase on the table and offering it to me. “So, our first date.”
“I hadn’t thought of it that way.” I waited to be overcome by shyness, but it never happened. I was too comfortable with him. I accepted the daisy and batted him on the nose with it.
He sneezed and laughed.
Dinner was great. I was starving and the barbecue sauce was deliciously tangy. I licked my fingers and saw Paul’s gaze snag on the gesture, only to linger at my mouth.
The mating frenzy that had settled to a subdued hum during our flight home, now roared into a bonfire.
Paul threw some money on the table.
Bubba glanced across from the bar and grinned. He didn’t comment, but then with a grin like his, that was comment enough.
And I didn’t care! I didn’t care if everyone guessed where Paul and I were headed. We had our arms around each other’s waists as we walked up the street. He felt strong and vital, every kind of sexy and yet also honorable. A man to rely on.
He paused on the porch of his house and bent his head to whisper in my ear. “The first second I saw you, I knew you were The One, and in Eden, what you said to the robot, I fell in love. Mate and heart partner. But when we get inside the house, all I’ll be thinking about is getting you naked and making you scream—in a good way.” He ran his hands down by bare arms, making me shiver—in a good way. “So if you want to take things slower, sugar, tell me now. We’ll book you a hotel room—”
I stretched up on tiptoe. “I want you. I don’t know about the metaphysical aspects of being a shifter, but I know that you’re a good man, that even after only a couple of days, I can’t imagine life without you. I…yes, Paul. I’m saying, Yes!” Yes to everything. To life. To love. To trusting that life was good.
He kissed me fiercely before he got the front door open, then he picked me up and carried me over the threshold.
You know those old boyfriends who thought I was frigid? They were wrong!
Note From The Author
I’m glad you enjoyed “The Crocodile Virgin”. It was an idea I wanted to write even though I have a completely exploding publishing schedule, so it’s only a short story. I just couldn’t find time for anything longer.
If you’d like to read more of my books, I’m starting a new series of paranormal romance thrillers with Phoenix Blood out December 27, 2016, and available for pre-order at 99c.
My series, The Collegium, is available now. Enjoy paranormal romance and adventure with shifters, demons, dragons and more! Each stand-alone novel is free to read in Kindle Unlimited.
Demon Hunter
Djinn Justice
Dragon Knight
Doctor Wolf
Plague Cult
Hollywood Demon
Alchemy Shift
You can catch up with me at my Facebook page, on Twitter @Jenny_Schwartz, or at my website.
Regards
Jenny
The Crocodile Virgin Page 3