Read Online Protective Instinct by Katie Reus - Free Book Online Page B

were simply friends, she was going to have minty breath. Just in case.
    Forcing herself to calm down, she opened the front door. A cool breeze rolled over her, the sun not up yet so everything smelled dewy and fresh. Her wolf wanted to shift and play despite the early hour. The smile that had started to pull at her lips immediately faded when she saw the duffle bag at Aldric’s feet. “Is everything okay?” She stepped outside, pulling the front door shut behind her.
    He rubbed a hand over his short hair and nodded. She tried not to watch the way the muscles in his forearm flexed as he moved. “Yeah, got called away for a bounty hunting job. Last minute thing and the money’s good.”
    Disappointment punched through her, but she was also pleased he’d come to tell her. “How long will you be gone?”
    A half-shrug. “Week probably. Two at the most. The Brethren hired me for this one.”
    “Take me with you.” He’d taken her on some local jobs and she figured he’d probably just picked those up because he liked to keep busy. But they’d been so much fun. And as of last night she knew that Jayce and Kat had been called away on one of Jayce’s enforcer missions. So now two of her best friends, Kat and Teresa, were gone. She wouldn’t mind getting away too. Especially if it was with Aldric.
    “I…can’t.” His expression seemed neutral, almost carefully so. Maybe that was her imagination though.
    She wrapped her arms around her middle, inexplicably hurt by his rejection. “Why not?”
    “It’s too dangerous.” There was no give to his words.
    For some reason it pissed her off. She wasn’t even sure why. It wasn’t like he had an obligation to take her. Still, she felt…hurt and angry. Her wolf snarled, clawing at her insides, demanding more from him. “I’m a shifter, I can take care of myself.” When he didn’t respond, she continued. “Come on, you know we’ll have fun together.” Smiling, she stepped closer to him and tried not to inhale that dark forest scent of his too deeply. It always made her just a little bit crazy.
    “No.” His jaw tightened and she couldn’t get a read on him at all. “I just came by to tell you, but I can’t waste any more time.”
    She stilled. “You’ve taken me in the past. Is this job different?”
    His wolf flickered in his gaze, his big body going still for a long moment. Something crackled in the air, but she wasn’t sure what it was. Or what she’d said to cause it.
    “Aldric?” She touched his forearm and before she could blink he had her pressed against the front door.
    A quick gasp escaped a split second before shock pulsed through her. But she arched into him, the action instinctual. Like breathing. She wanted to rub her breasts against him, to strip down and feel all of him against her. Skin to skin. It wasn’t like she had much experience with males, but she knew what she wanted. Aldric.
    He bent his head down to her neck, running his nose along the column and breathing deeply. It was strange and sensual at the same time. A shiver rolled through her, making goosebumps pop up all over her arms. Now she couldn’t even pretend not to be aroused. He wasn’t touching her with his hands, but had them against the door on either side of her head.
    For some reason her wolf loved being caged in by this sexy, powerful male.
    “I let you boss me around occasionally because I find it sexy and charming.” His voice was a deep, sexy growl, more animal than man.
    Let her? Natalia’s throat was too tight to form any words though, her heart clattering against her ribs.
    He continued, his lips and warm breath a whisper along her jaw and throat as he moved to the other side of her neck, as if he wanted to smell all of her. “But I won’t explain myself further about this job. So don’t think you can use your charms to get what you want. Don’t. Push. Me.”
    She hadn’t even realized she had pushed him. Hell, she could barely breathe right now. Not