Saffron walked over and handed her a glass. Dasha’s red cheeks and embarrassment were downright cute. Saffron was definitely attracted to the bear.
“Take a sip.” Saffron jerked her head to the glass in Dasha’s hand. She held her breath and watched Dasha sniff the glass first before taking a taste. She bit back a groan at the sight of Dasha’s tongue sneaking out to slide across her bottom lip. “Well?”
Dasha raised the glass and looked at it, then switched her gaze back to Saffron. “It’s good.”
“I’m glad you like it.” She smiled and turned to get the other glasses. She picked them up and headed back outside. She put a little more sway in her hips, sensing Dasha’s gaze on her. She paused by the door and glanced over her shoulder again. Just as she suspected, Dasha’s attention was glued to her bottom, a growl rumbling in her chest. The sound sent a wave of desire rippling through Saffron. Dasha’s gaze slid along her frame until her eyes locked with Saffron’s.
“There’s another bottle in the fridge if you want more,” Saffron said.
Dasha jerked her head in a nod.
Saffron’s heart skipped a beat. She’d got Dasha to speak with her. This was a win. Saffron pushed open the door and went outside.
Dasha stared at her canvas and didn’t have it in her heart to work on it. She had always been artistic. She loved watching the brushes send colors along the blank canvas and create her masterpieces. Her nature paintings were always a big hit. She was on back order and needed to catch up. Her website was very popular, and she was lucky she was able to make a living doing something she loved.
Right now, this canvas wasn’t going to finish itself. Blowing out a deep breath, she stepped away from her outdoor workstation. The few paintings she needed to get down was of the forest located behind her cabin. She was fortunate to have so much inspiration right in her backyard.
Dasha needed a small break. She walked over to the stairs and took a seat. She grabbed her water bottle and took a gulp. She had woken up at the break of dawn and finished another painting before she’d started the one she was stalled on.
There was a reason she wasn’t feeling this picture.
A certain woman with big brown eyes, plump pink lips, and curvy hips was on her mind. It had been a week since the dinner at her parents’ home. She just couldn’t shake Saffron from her head. Dasha reached over and picked up the sketch book and pencil she had left on the top stair. She flipped open the book and took in the drawings of Saffron. She had thought drawing her sister’s best friend would help purge her from her mind. Turning the pages, she reviewed her work. The first one was the exact image of Saffron when she had first entered the kitchen.
Dasha had captured her beauty perfectly. Her big round eyes, those plump lips, her face, and breasts. Dasha moved through the pages. By the time she got to the last one, she would admit it was from her fantasies. It was a drawing of Saffron naked, lying on a bed of grass out in the woods. A small smile played on Saffron’s lips, and her arm was across her ample breasts, trying to hide them. Dasha had drawn her with lust heavy in her eyes.
It was as Dasha imagined her to look if she ever got the chance to have her mate.
Her bear was impatiently pacing in her chest. Her animal was confused why she hadn’t taken her mate and claimed her last week.
Saffron was human, and she may have grown up with shifters, but she wouldn’t truly understand what mating meant. Dasha had been craving the scent of her woman. She had been tortured the entire day, smelling it but unable to do anything about it, and when Saffron had caught her staring, she hadn’t acted appalled. No, she had grinned and flirted with Dasha.
Turning the page in her book, she began drawing. This helped calm her bear any other time, but since the subject was her mate, her bear growled and pushed at Dasha’s stomach—her animal was demanding to break out.
She allowed her imagination to run free. No one would see the book, so she continued the picture she’d begun. Again, it was of Saffron naked. This time, she sketched her mate with her arms stretched above her. Those full breasts of hers were on display. Dasha concentrated on shading Saffron’s areolas. She was so into her work that she almost missed the sound of a car pulling up to her house.
“Who is that?” she murmured.
She closed the book and set it down on the top stair. It was rare for someone to come visit her. Dasha loved her cabin because it was tucked away in the woods on the mountain. Only a few people knew how to find her. She walked around to the front yard and was shocked at who was stepping from the small sedan.
Saffron.
Dasha couldn’t believe her mate was here.Whywas she here? How did Saffron know where she lived? Dasha’s gaze dropped down to Saffron’s hands. She carried a cooler in one hand and a bag in the other.
“Hi, Dasha!” Saffron smiled and moved toward her.
She was in a summer dress with spaghetti straps over her shoulders. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. It was an abnormally warm day out. Dasha’s tongue was stuck to the roof of her mouth.
“I hope you don’t mind me just stopping by.”
“How do you know where I live?” Dasha was finally able to move her tongue.
Saffron stopped in front her. Dasha automatically inhaled, taking in the scent of her mate. Her bear, sensing their mate was near, gave a low, welcoming growl. Dasha inwardly cursed, watching Saffron’s eyes grow wide at the sound. The slight hint of fear permeated the air. Saffron wouldn’t understand her bear’s growls.
“You don’t need to be afraid.”
“I’m not,” Saffron replied. Her brown eyes grew darker. Her lips quivered slightly as she smiled at Dasha. “I’m quite used to you growling at me.”
Dasha was captivated by her mate’s beauty. Seeing her up close in the bright light of the sun, she saw details she had missed in her sketches. There were a few freckles underneath her left eye. There was a small mole on her top lip that begged for Dasha to kiss it. She ached to take her mate in her arms. She wanted to see if her lips were as soft as they looked.