Shifter Town 3 - Big Cats Don't Purr (24 page)

The perfect picture of relaxation, comfort,
home
.

And, damn, but this was exactly what he’d never dreamed of having, but now couldn’t imagine living without.

Rift rocked back on his heels at the realization, his breath whisked away on the wind. Cutter’s jeep spun on the gravel down the path, and he knew his pride brothers were on their way out to have a night of fun. It’d become a ritual for Mace and Cutter, and, oddly enough, Rift did just fine living this close to the two of them. They gave each other distance and, outside of an occasional beer during football games, it didn’t feel that different from life as a rogue.

Except for the two ladies sitting on Rift’s front porch. The kitchen was still a work in progress and the basement unfinished, but standing on the outside, looking at the view in front of him, the place was perfect.

Grinning, Rift headed for the house. Kinsey glanced up at him as his boots hit the steps and grinned. “Hey, Dad.”

“Oh, it’s Dad today?” Rift shook his head, amused. “You still pressing for that kitten?”

“She’s adorable! Black with little white socks. I could call her Boots.” Rift started to shake his head, but hell, he knew he was going to cave. Especially when he looked at Rona purring contently on her lap. Most fathers probably couldn’t get their teenage daughters to clean the litter box. Kinsey didn’t have any problem doing it.

Anything for Rona.

But if he wasn’t careful she’d turn them all into crazy cat hoarders.

“You need to stay off the rescue sites.”

“Her whiskers were burned off.”

Sawyer snorted. “I thought she was found in a dumpster.”

“No, that was Mojo. Grace adopted her.” She shot Rift a look he knew all too well.
Grace’s dad said yes.

“Grace didn’t already have a cat,” Rift muttered.

A smile quirked on Sawyer’s lips and Rift leaned over her, bracing one hand on the back of her chair, and one on the armrest to keep it from rocking as he bent down to look her in the eye. “What are you laughing about?”

“You might as well just say yes. You’re going to cave and we all know it.”

Rift made a low, contented sound in the back of his throat and pressed his lips to Sawyer’s. “Maybe.”

“Really?!” Kinsey squealed, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Yeah. We’ll pick her up Monday.”

Kinsey launched herself out of the chair, Rona clutched in one arm, and bear-hugged Rift with her other arm. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

She kissed his cheek and started dancing around the deck with Rona in her arms. He shook his head.

“Minus kittens, how are you holding up?”

He knew Jenna had been calling lately, trying to patch things up. As far as he knew Kinsey had yet to give her mother the time of day. The thirteen-year-old scowled at him as if he’d ruined her celebration, but Rift shrugged. Better to ask now when she had an upcoming kitten to cheer her up.

“I answered.”

Surprised, he cocked his head. “And?”

“And what? She said she’s sorry, she wants to come see me sometime. I told her not yet.”

“You don’t want to see your mom?”

“Sawyer’s my mom.” The level glare she gave him brooked no argument, so he lifted an eyebrow and waited, his heart slamming in his chest. “Jenna would have let me die. Sawyer never would. I’m not ready to forgive her.”

Kinsey buried her face in Rona’s fur and headed for the door.

“So...Boots, huh?” Rift called out, and just like that she was smiling again as the screen door banged shut behind her.

“I swear,” he murmured to Sawyer. “Teenagers are bipolar.”

A soft, rolling laugh sounded from Sawyer, and Rift found himself staring down at her. She was beautiful. Incredible. “How the hell did I ever live without you?”

Sawyer gave him an incredulous look. “You call that living? Sitting in smoky bars staring off into space?”

Rift laughed. “I had a cat.”

Sawyer snickered. Rift leaned in and brushed a kiss against her forehead, then each cheek, then, finally, he swooped in to land a soft, feather-light brush of skin against her lips. He
tsked
softly when she didn’t stir and stole another kiss, and another, until finally she kissed him back. One arm wound around his neck, and that was all the invitation he needed. Rift scooped her into his arms and carried her inside. He didn’t stop until he reached the master suite at the back of the house. Ignoring the godawful blast of music coming from the other end of the house, he pressed his mate down into the plush comforter.

While her arms held him close, her lips on his, Rift lay siege to her heart, proving yet again that she was the only woman for him. With every kiss, every touch, every stolen glance between them, Rift set out to do the impossible. To make Sawyer Reyes, stubborn, fierce, and determined lioness, purr like a perfectly domesticated house cat.

In the end, he settled for the husky, affectionate sound of his name on her lips, and grinned as he laid back to let her do the same to him.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Kodilynn, first let me thank you for having faith in this book right from the beginning. You loved it when I had no idea what to do with it. You continued to love it through every revision and rewrite it saw. You kept me going when I was sure I needed to give up and in the end, you helped me find all the reasons I should love this story. And I’m so thankful you did.

Faith Freewoman, my fabulous editor, thank you for your ability to help me make each book the best it can be. You make me laugh and smile through your edits, but best of all, I trust you to help me bring out the best in my stories--and you always come through.

But for this book, I owe my readers the most. Shifter Town Enforcement readers have waited a long time to get this book in their hands and I hope it was worth the wait. Thank you for your constant support and I hope you enjoyed Rift and Sawyer.

About the author:
During the day, Sadie Hart works as a secretary in a library. At night, she writes steamy, paranormal romances revolving around the things that go bump in the night - both the spooky and the naughty kind. She lives in Michigan with two large dogs and a flying pig, who’s possibly a superhero and possibly a figment of her imagination. You can find her website here: http://sadiehart.com/

Also available from this author:

Shifter Town Enforcement Series:

Hounded

Cry Sanctuary

(Coming Christmas 2013: Christmas Moon)

Northern Wolves

Cold Mercy

Novellas and Short Stories:

Silver Bells (free Christmas short story)

Moonlit Lovers Short Story Anthology

What the Heart Haunts (also available in Bending Steele)

Bending Steele

Thank you for reading!