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An Excerpt From: LETICIA’S LOVERS
Copyright © SHELLEY MUNRO, 2009
All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave Publishing,
Inc.
Charlie McKenzie stepped outside onto the tiled
courtyard in Emily and Saber Mitchell’s garden, joining the partygoers who
had spilled into the night air. He spotted Gavin Finley over on his left, his
heart lurching and his feet heading in that direction almost before he’d
decided to give in to his curiosity and the weird attraction he sported for
the feline doctor.
Embarrassing really. From the moment he’d spotted Gavin
a few weeks ago he’d thought of him sexually, the yearning spilling over
into frankly explicit dreams that had him waking in a sweat and with a dick
hard enough to cause damage. Charlie had initially fought his attraction to
Gavin—to no avail. Something compelled him to seek out the shifter male,
and since Gavin seemed to welcome his company, Charlie had given up his
fight. He liked Gavin, and the physical attraction didn’t repulse him since
he’d experimented in his late teens. Recently, fate had led him to date
only women, and in small country town Middlemarch he’d expected to continue
in the same way. Maybe not.
The shifter community had welcomed him and Laura Adams,
the other Middlemarch cop, and he enjoyed the forward thinking of a species
some would call beasts. Laura had hooked up with a shifter, so the thought
of becoming romantically involved with one didn’t perturb him. So far the
feline shifters he’d met were decent, and he was proud to call them
friends.
“Charlie,” Gavin said, sweeping him into a manly hug
before he could speak or avoid the contact.
When their chests touched, Charlie’s cock bucked and an
electric current surged through his body. A soft groan sounded and,
mortified, he realized it came from him.
“Damn,” Charlie muttered, realizing this was more
serious than he’d thought. He wasn’t sure what to do next, where to look.
His stomach roiled with nerves and mortification.
Gavin pulled away slowly, his curly black hair falling
over his forehead. His green eyes sparkled, crinkles of humor forming at
the corners. Gradually heat replaced the amusement. He raised his right
hand and brushed his fingers over Charlie’s jaw, the rasp a soft sound in
the night, barely discernable above the chatter of the other guests.
“Good.”
Charlie groaned again at the heat in Gavin’s eyes, the
weight of his fingers now resting on Charlie’s shoulder, and moved out of
the light into the shadows cast by a large oak. As he hoped, Gavin followed
to the relatively private spot. “You knew?” He shook his head, still unsure
of where to look. He ended up scowling at his feet. “That’s embarrassing.”
Helplessly, he glanced at Gavin, apprehension a jumpy sensation hollowing
his stomach. “Good?” he demanded, Gavin’s words finally pushing through his
self-consciousness to make sense.
The dim light screened Gavin’s expression, which gave
Charlie hope. If he couldn’t see Gavin clearly, then the feline wouldn’t
witness the tinge of color creeping into his cheeks. Memories of an awkward
first date came back to haunt him. He’d thought age and experience would
get him past discomfort and give him confidence. Not today. No, right now
he felt like a green kid, panicking about how to kiss without bumping
noses.
“It’s only embarrassing if I don’t return the feelings,”
Gavin said, his voice a shade huskier than normal. He lifted his hand and
stroked his fingers over Charlie’s cheek again before letting his arm fall
to his side. “And I do, so what are we going to do about it?”
Charlie’s body pulled tight, awareness arcing between
them, the silence throbbing with possibilities. He cleared his throat.
“Damn it, man. Did you have to pick a public place to tell me?”
“I’ll be happy to tell you later, in private.”
“Are you flirting with me?” Bloody stupid question. Of
course the man was flirting with him.
“I must be out of practice.” Gavin paused
a beat. “Yeah, I’m flirting with you. You know how it was between Jonno and Laura?”
“Yes,” Charlie said cautiously, remembering the
atmosphere when the two were in the police station together—the way he’d
felt like a voyeur. “You mean the mating thing?” He drew in a sharp breath
when Gavin’s meaning hit him. “You mean we’re mates? That’s why I’ve been
jumping out of my skin each time I see you?”
“Yeah.” No mistaking his tone for anything but
satisfied. Gavin glanced over his shoulder. Charlie followed suit and saw
no one was watching them. Gavin turned back to him and, after a slow grin,
prowled closer, pushing right into Charlie’s personal space. Automatically
Charlie stepped back until the tree trunk at his back halted his retreat.
“You’re not frightened of me?” Gavin whispered,
his breath warm on Charlie’s face. “I’m a real pussy cat.”
Charlie’s fingers curved into Gavin’s muscular
shoulders, neither holding him off nor drawing him closer. “That’s
reassuring,” he said dryly. “I’ve seen Jonno’s
teeth. I suspect yours are just as sharp.”
“All the better to nibble
with,” Gavin said with a wolfish smirk.
“I suppose I should be thanking the gods you’re not a
wolf.”
Gavin barked a laugh. “You fancy yourself in Little Red
Riding Hood’s shoes?”
“Yeah, must have a fetish of some sort.” Amusement
faded. “Seriously, what does this mean?” Charlie wanted to know even though
he admitted deep down what other people thought wouldn’t matter a damn. The
way he felt and the things he wanted to do with Gavin were more powerful
than the thought of public condemnation. He might worry about the speed of
the attraction if he hadn’t witnessed Jonno and
Laura together along with the other feline couples. To hear them tell the
story, the attraction was instantaneous and made stronger by sexual
contact. It took a strong person to resist. “The mates’ thing between men.
How does the shifter community view same-sex relationships?”
“About the same as humans. Some think gays are an
abomination while others don’t mind. I’m hoping Saul Sinclair and Lucas
Huntingdon will come tonight. Emily said she invited them. They’re mates.”
A chorus of welcomes had Gavin glancing at the door. “Speak of the devil.
Leticia’s here as well.” The way Gavin’s voice softened had Charlie
frowning, glancing at the doorway. A tall, slender woman stood with Emily
and two men. One male looked like many of the locals—tall with dark
hair—while the other man was a big blond. But the woman, she stole his
breath. She seemed all legs in her short red skirt. Her low-cut blouse
showcased a set of stunning breasts without tipping over into obvious and
tacky. Her profile promised beauty, but he couldn’t tell what color hair
she had because she wore a black hat.
“That’s them now. Come on. I’ll introduce you. Charlie?”
“Yeah?” He couldn’t take his eyes off the woman and
wondered if she’d come with anybody. Probably. In his experience, women who
looked like her were snapped up pretty quick.
“Charlie?”
Fuck, what was up with him tonight? He’d just admitted
he was attracted to Gavin. He was genuinely interested in seeing what
happened between them, but this woman…this woman drew him too. Weird. Plain
weird. He couldn’t blame it on alcohol because he hadn’t had a single
drink. Swallowing his unease, he dragged his attention off the stunner to
give Gavin his total concentration. He hoped Gavin hadn’t noticed his
fascination with the new arrival.
Gavin wore an intense expression, a glitter of arousal
darkening his eyes. “Don’t bother looking at anyone else tonight. You’re coming
home with me.
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