Page 201 of Secret Shifters Next Door

When we were done with the pasta, Miles went to get the brownies and ice cream. The food had been really amazing. So,not only was he hot, smart, and intelligent, but he could cook too. This guy was dangerous. In a good way.

He set my bowl down, and I took a spoonful of ice cream and licked it, sliding my tongue down the bowl of the spoon and scooping the ice cream into my mouth. I glanced over at Miles and saw that hungry look in his eyes again. It took me a second to realize how I must have looked eating that bite. It could have been misconstrued as sexy. From the way he was looking at me, maybe I wanted it to be misconstrued.

“Are…are you okay?” I asked as I set my spoon down.

He stared at me for several seconds. I could see the wheels in his head turning. He frowned, like he’d suddenly thought of something. “I’m fine,” he said, his voice hoarse and strained.

“Really?”

He continued to stare at me, and by the look on his face, I could practically see a question forming in his mind. His cheeks were suddenly pink, and I wondered what question someone like Miles would be embarrassed to ask. Finally, he blurted, “I don’t want to be too forward, but…when was the last time you were with a man? I want to know, because it’s getting hard for me to hide how I’m reacting to you. And I—Sorry.” He shook his head, looking even more embarrassed. “That’s a really strange thing to ask. Inappropriate. I’m sorry.”

My eyes almost bugged out of my head in surprise. I cleared my throat. “Uh…what do you mean ‘react to me?’”

He sighed, shaking his head. “If I stood up right now, you’d see exactly what I mean.”

I clenched my jaw to keep it from dropping open. I had no trouble understanding that. Butterflies stirred in my stomach. Were people always this blunt when they spoke about stuff like this?

“Are you serious?” I asked.

He nodded, eyeing me curiously. He was a professional investigator, he would have figured it out eventually. Of that, I had no doubt.

Before I could say anything, Miles asked, “Have you ever seduced a man before?”

I shook my head, unable to speak. Finally, I choked out a few words. “I–I…well, I don’t have the experience to…you know, seduce someone.”

He closed his eyes. “You’re a virgin?”

I waited for him to open his eyes again before nodding. A sinking feeling swelled in my stomach. I finally managed a single word, barely above a whisper. “Yes.”

That same rumbly sound I’d heard this afternoon on the bench came from Miles’s chest again. If I hadn’t known better, I’d have thought he was growling like a dog or something. He looked away for a few seconds before glancing back at me. His eyes were almost animalistic. It was scary––but at the same time, strangely exciting. He stretched his hand across the table and rested it on mine. The touch of his skin sent a shiver of pleasure up my arm, and my mouth instantly went dry. I couldn’t take my eyes off his fingers.

“You should probably go back home.”

Sadness fell over me like a weighted blanket. “Did I do something wrong? I’m sorry.”

He winced and clenched his teeth together before speaking. “Don’t apologize. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just trying to be a gentleman.” He pulled his hand away and ran it across his face. “I don’t want to scare you. I’m a man, and you are a very attractive woman. You just told me that you’ve never had sex before, that no other man has ever touched you in that way. Now all I can think about is all the ways I want to touch you.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “And hearing you tell me how you want to be touched.”

My body reacted to his words. I’d never experienced anything like it in my life. My nipples grew so hard they ached. A warm flush crept up my legs and settled between them. Wetness seeped into my panties. I could hardly catch my breath.

“Go home, Celina. I need time to think. Unless…unless you don’t want me to hold back.” He looked at me, and his eyes flashed with a warning.

I wanted him to do what he was thinking, and was suddenly desperate for it, but terror and anxiety overtook my desire. I stood quickly and grabbed my coat. He watched me the way a predator watched prey. Any other time, that look would have terrified me, but instead, it made my carnal need grow even stronger.

“Uh…thanks for dinner,” I mumbled. “See you…umm…see you later.” I glanced over my shoulder at him. “Soon, I hope.”

Without another word, I swung his door open and practically ran back to my apartment. I unlocked the door and got in as fast as I could. After locking the door, I leaned back against it, taking several deep, steadying breaths. My nipples still ached, and the wetness between my legs had only increased. The way he’d stared at me as I left was seared into my brain. He’d looked at me as if I was something to be devoured, to be caught. I walked to my bedroom to get my vibrator.

Maybe I’d like to get caught by him.

TWELVE

MILES

Sleep had eluded me after Celina left, even though I’d gone to bed after cleaning up the dinner debris. At first, I couldn’t get over the idea of a woman that beautiful still being a virgin at twenty-eight. Then, my thoughts had slipped to more of an R-rated frame. Hormones pumped through my body courtesy of my wolf’s desires. I didn’t remember Steff or Tate talking about this part. Maybe it was wolf specific. Whatever it was, I couldn’t get my mind off all the things I wanted to do to Celina.

I jerked off once before bed, hoping it would take the edge off. Unfortunately, I tossed and turned for almost two hours before I got up and did it again. At three in the morning, I finally fell into a fitful, restless sleep, only to wake up in the middle of a wet dream, one that was truly childish and something like a poorly scripted porno. It was enough to have me seconds away from coming as soon as I woke up. I only barely managed to grab my T-shirt off the floor to avoid making a mess in my bed.

Drenched in sweat and panting, I sat upright. “What the hell?” I whispered.

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