Excerpt: Ali's Pride

I wanted to share a small excerpt from my latest work. It's a shifter threesome. Meow! Hope you enjoy.

It was his smoldering, hazel eyes that drew me in first. They caught me glancing at him over my magazine. Immediately my gaze returned to the printed words, but I could barely focus. My eyes drifted over the top of the page again. I worried my lip and prayed he wouldn’t notice me checking him out once more. He lifted his coffee cup to his lips and took a sip. Slowly savoring the brew and then setting it down on the saucer. My gaze fixated on his mouth. His sensuous lips already had a slight sneer embedded in them. The top lip curved and a dimple appeared in his chin when he frowned at the woman who brushed past him, knocking over his bag. The woman turned and apologized. He didn’t respond, but set his bag back on the chair next to him. When he rose up, his eyes found mine. They narrowed. Then that luscious mouth turned into a small smile. In that gesture, my heart doubled its pace. I could barely draw breath from being caught by those eyes. Those deep eyes that peered into my soul and all I could do was duck behind my periodical and pray that he didn’t detect me. The columns of words were gibberish. I tried to read them, but my heart was beating erratically. I bit my lip a little harder and tasted the blood on my tongue. I drew in a deep breath and smelled the scent of fresh earth. It filled my nostrils and I couldn’t shake it. Whatever it was, it made me wet. My hand shook while I picked up my cup and took a sip. The hot chocolate was lukewarm, but silky, sliding down my throat. I savored the dark chocolate and licked my lips.
He cleared his throat and glanced back to the book he was reading. I took the chance to observe him further. Copper hair curled around his ears. The artificial light brought out the bronze highlights that ran through his tresses. Darker eyebrows lined his high brow. His nose was perfect with a slight curve on the end. He had a square face, but high cheekbones. Stubble shadowed his cheeks. Enough I wanted to run my hands over it and see if it was rough or scratchy. He wore a dark blue shirt that was buttoned with small black buttons. The top two were left undone so I saw the sparse hair on his chest. I never appreciated kissing a man’s chest and coming away with a piece of hair stuck between my teeth. That ruined the mood right there. He was studying a text on philosophy which meant he enjoyed reading about the subject, was trying to pick up woman. I didn’t think he had any trouble in that department. His legs were stretched out underneath the table. I took him for a tall man. Probably taller than me. His frame was lean, but I suspected there were wiry muscles underneath that dark blue shirt waiting to be put to some good use. I couldn’t confirm if he was a boxers or briefs man. I hoped he went commando.
Another woman walked by. He glanced up from his text when she brushed his shoulder. Her fingers lingered a moment on his upper arm. Feeling those muscles I longed to touch. They exchanged a few pleasantries. Her smile widened. Bitch thinks she’s getting somewhere with him. I doubt he’ll take her up on whatever she’s offering. I flipped a page in my magazine. I couldn’t even concentrate on the vibrant ads and the too skinny models who needed fat shot into their ass and boobs to give them a semblance of a good figure. When I looked at miss hopeful, she was leaning a little further over, showing off her cleavage. I glanced down at my shirt. It was unbuttoned only one button. I’d come from work and needed a chance to relax before going home to my empty house. I turned another page and then looked at them again.
He leaned back in his chair. Arms were crossed over his chest. She leaned forward, trying to entice him. Interpreting his body language, I knew he wasn’t interested in her. Why would he be? She’s just some trashy skank trying to get into his pants. I ran my tongue over my lips tasting the last bit of chocolate mixed with the blood. A hiss rose in my throat thinking about him going out of the door with the bitch. I swallowed it before it left my lips. This is crazy that I’m obsessing about him when I don’t even know him. It wouldn’t be good letting the cat out of the bag in public.
I tapped my foot against the rung of the chair next to me and tried to rip my gaze from them. It wasn’t good of me to be eavesdropping on their private conversation. If she wanted privacy then, she shouldn’t be slowly running her toe up the inside of his leg. Normally, I didn’t let my eyes rove. Tonight was different. The whole day had been different. I was tense. I had a slight headache and my muscles were tight. I doubt any good masseur could work the knots out of my muscles. After a few moments of the table shaking, I realized that I was drawing attention to myself from the sidelong glances of the other patrons. He, however, hadn’t noticed and was still talking to her. He nodded after she said something, but he hadn’t reacted. The woman leaned further over the table, sliding her finger along the man’s coffee cup. She wrapped her fingers around it and started to bring it to her lips. He grabbed her wrist roughly and then snatched his coffee from her hand. He said something. Her eyes narrowed. She said something and then backed away. She left. He spun his coffee cup around, probably thinking about his latest encounter.
His luscious mouth curled again into a smile. He picked up his book and began to skim through the pages again. The tension in my body drained away, but knots still dotted my muscles. I arched my neck and turned it sharply to feel the crack of my bones. The release felt good. I rolled my shoulders and tried to read the words on the page yet again. My gaze roved back to him. He had his cup resting against his bottom lip, but his eyes were locked to mine. I felt the blood warm my cheeks, but I didn’t break away this time. I couldn’t. I could feel his dare in his smoldering stare. I arched my eyebrow, accepting whatever the unspoken dare was. All I needed was to go over and speak to him. If I could do that, then things would’ve been so much easier in my life. But I was taught to keep my mouth shut. Forced to hide in the darkness. The pariah of the family. I had no friends. Not even ones at school. That was the past. No one kept me in the dark anymore. I was by myself. Maybe that was my problem. I’d been alone too long. I took another sip of my hot chocolate not hiding the turning up of my lips. He chuckled and shook his head. Setting the coffee cup down, he pushed out the chair next to him with his foot and waved his hand for me to sit next to him. I glanced around the small café in the bookstore. No one else was looking. The glare from passing headlights blinded me for a moment. I cringed from the sudden brightness and hissed. I turned my head away quickly. My muscles stiffened, readying to spring if something came at me. There’s no one waiting in the shadows ready to attack. No one is going to challenge me here. I breathed in a few times and forced myself to relax. I had a good thing about to unfold before me. I didn’t want to blow it by acting all stupid. What’s wrong with me? Why is this happening now?
Once my sight cleared, I noticed the woman who had hit on him had her face pressed against the window. Her hands cupped her eyes so she could see in. The look on her face was one of pure murder. Every instinct I had screamed for me to pounce on her, but I held that in check. I needed to focus on my prey first. The luscious man is going to be mine. I would claim his body and then make him mine. Satisfaction washed over me with that idea. That was what I needed. Someone to join me. A mate who would understand me. Maybe he would survive the change. That’s what I’ve been feeling! The feverish chill that had been running through me these past couple of days. The longing to have a companion. I’d always been told no one would want me because of what I was. Damn them. They have no idea. I’d lived under the yolk of my stepfather’s pride for so long that it caught me off guard at times to realize I was on my own. It had been a lonely road.
I stared back at the woman and smiled at her. Her expression darkened even more. I shrugged and then focused back on the man. His table was empty. A momentary jolt of panic surged through me. I glanced around the coffee shop and adjoining bookstore. He wasn’t there either. Shit. Shit. Shit. It was then I felt a light touch on my shoulder. I spun around, a growl forming in my throat. He was there. His hazel eyes peering deep into mine. Those succulent lips turned up at me. His bag was slung over his shoulder. His dark hair had fallen across his forehead. So close to him now the musk of his skin overwhelmed me. Earthy and mixed with cloves. I turned my face a little so my lips were inches from his. Already the pull between us was making me wet. Does he know the power he has over me at this very moment? Will he be the one?
“Hi.”
“Hello,” I answered.
“I couldn’t help notice you eyeing me.”
Everything in me yearned to run my hand along his cheek and feel the subtle fuzz of his stubble. I held. I didn’t need to pounce just yet. “You seemed awfully lonely for a minute. Then that woman sat next to you. I assumed she was your girlfriend.”
He chuckled. “Ex. Actually. No need to worry about her. We didn’t jive well together. While she was talking, all I could think about was you. Your beautiful face. Those intense blue eyes hiding under your dark bangs. Your voluptuous body. The way you smelled. What you would sound like calling my name when I fucked you.”
My eyes widened at the comment. I hadn’t expected him to be so forward. Maybe he is feeling the pull between us. I tried to hide my surprise and compose myself before I answered. If he liked curves, then he would have enough with me. I wasn’t a Skinny Minnie like most girls. I was above average, wearing a size eighteen. Another reason my parents hid me away. How could I be their child when all my brothers and sisters were lean and mean like the rest of family? His words made me hot. His close presence dampened my panties. I leaned in a little closer, almost brushing his lips. “You sure you can handle me? I’m a screamer.”