Page 16 of Deadly Panther's Fake Fiancée

He steps back with the others and quickly undresses. As always, I admire his body. Maybe that makes me an awful human being, objectifying another like that, but you probably haven’t seen a shifter in real life so don’t past judgement too fast.

Also, I’d rather focus on him than his father, and I definitely don’t want to dwell on Delilah. I glanced at her briefly and, well, she’s fucking amazing with or without clothing.

So, I watch Isaac and, holy shit!

One moment there are three humans standing there, and then everything seems to get blurry, like a wavy segue to the dream segment in a show except far faster than one of those segues. When it clears mere seconds later, there are three beautiful, huge panthers standing where they stood.

The biggest is where Isaac was. I stand frozen as it walks away from the other two and heads for me.

Let me just say, watching that huge cat pad over to me makes my heart beat so hard I figure he can hear it. There’s just no explaining how large and intimidating a shifter is in their animal form. No wonder they stayed hidden for so long. They would’ve been hunted and killed just for being so very frightening.

But I find him beautiful.

He stops in front of me and crouches down in front of me. It still takes quite a jump and some scrabbling to get on his back. I grip him hard with my thighs as he stands and walks over to his father and Delilah.

Then, the world rolls away. The wind bites at my face, and I press down onto the sleek coat and wrap my arms around the thick neck.Well, not all the way around but you get what I’m saying. There’s a gap in Isaac’s fence, and now I know why he’s never bothered to repair it. The three cats jog through and then increase their speed.

I can’t explain the feelings and sensations that rush through me as we go through the sparse trees that night. His moves are full of grace and elegance, but there is a joy and playfulness about all three of them that is incredible to watch. They are playful and beautiful.

They are panther royalty.What a… wow. They’re panthers and they’re playful and beautiful like… Yeah, I have no frame of reference to explain it.

We move pretty fast at first, and then we seem to loop out in a circle and slow down. With the darkness robbing me of sight, my hearing picks up. The night feels alive in a way that books and movies like to describe it.

That is the perfect way to think of this whole thing, I realize. It is a fascinating, unbelievable story that is real. All of it, real this whole time.We finally get back to the fence line and trot along until we make it back to the gap in the fence. I’m exhausted and exhilarated all at once.

Once we’re on the other side, I slide off his back and walk back to the patio. I know they’re padding behind me, but I hear nothing until Isaac calls me. “Go ahead into the house if you want. It’s a bit cold out here.”

I wave my understanding and head in. I’m pretty thankful I don’t have to see anyone naked again tonight. Of course, I don’t mind seeing Isaac naked, but you get what I’m saying.

A few minutes later, Isaac steps in fully clothed.

I watch him walk over and I’m hit by the realization that he’s probably about to thank me for releasing him from the obligation of marriage and going to send me on my way.

And I don’t want to go.

I don’t want to let this end between us. I really don’t.

I start to cry like a big baby.

Isaac’s big smile fades. “Katrina?”

“Oh God, I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” I try to stop crying, but it’s a lost battle. “Isaac, I love you. I have to say it, I’m sorry, and I don’t expect you to reciprocate. This was just a ...”

He takes me into his arms and proceeds to kiss my tears away. “It’s a good thing we’re getting married, then, and hey, hey,” he tilts my head up and makes me look at him. “I didn’t even have to give up one throne, much less a thousand.”

“Wait,” I say, “I can’t… is this really happening or is this part of…”

He cuts me off with a kiss. I can tell you honestly it’s the second-best kiss of my life. The first best kiss comes from my panther shortly after we both say, “I do.”

That’s a much better kiss!

Didyou enjoy readingDeadly Panther's Fake Fiancé? I hope so. I really enjoy writing about the Company 417 firemen shifters. You already know that if you’ve read any of the other books I’ve written. I’m definitely a shifter-loving girl. I don’t just have book boyfriends. I have a menagerie full of them! I go on picnics with wolves, to movies with lions, and on vacations with dragons.

I wish!

I loved writing about Isaac, and I hope you found him as sexy as I did. Any girl can go for a firefighter, I think. At least, anygirl I know! When he’s got the power and the grace of a panther, it’s even more irresistible, right? And he’s a prince! What a combination!

Naturally, I fell in love with Isaac while I wrote the book. That isn’t going to surprise any of you out there who’ve read my other Company 417 books. At the end of all of them, I just go on and on about how much I love the shifter men I wrote about. Well, maybe I fall in love with every sexy shifter leading man I write but can’t help myself! I always imagine I’m the lucky girl involved, and you better believe I imagined I was Katrina even though I can’t even design a room, much less a whole building.

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