STORY EXCERPT

She tried pulling on the belt. The calf jerked his head back.

She tried patting the interior of the car and claiming—lying— about having a juicy apple waiting for him. The calf gave her a solemn look.

She tried getting behind it and pushing, putting her face way too close to his puckered rear end. The calf swatted her in the face with its tail.

“Oh, come on. Pulease. I promise I’m not taking you to the butcher. In fact, I’m hoping we’ll find your mamma. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

The beast rolled its eyes and let out a plaintive wail.

“What’s wrong?” Had she inadvertently hurt it? But she couldn’t see anything wrong. “Don’t you want a ride home?”

The calf shook its head.

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. “Are you seriously telling me no?” But of course, the idea was ridiculous. The calf was, after all, a dumb beast. It couldn’t communicate with her.

It blew out a wad of snot. She backed away just in time.

I’d swear the damn thing was aiming for me. Fuck that.

If she couldn’t get the animal into her car, then she’d have to leave him. It wouldn’t be her fault if he got run over.

“Okay, we’re going to give this one more try. Got it? If you don’t get up that ramp and into my car, I’m leaving you right where you are. Don’t blame me if some werewolf ends up making you into a meal.”

The calf let out another wail. Then, with a shake of its head, it hurried up the ramp and into the back of her RAV4 with no help from her.

Her mouth dropped open. “Wow. You did it! Holy crap.” Quickly, she flung the makeshift ramp to the side of the road—after all, she couldn’t put it in the back with the calf who might slip on it—then closed the tailgate. As fast as she could, she slid behind the wheel then glanced at the calf. “Whatever you do, don’t fall down.”

Miraculously, the calf went to its knees. She resisted the urge to pat it on the head and, instead, started the car. “Off we go, little guy. We’ll find your home and, with any luck, the men I’ve been looking for.”

* * * *

“Is she doing what I think she’s doing?” Miller shaded his eyes, trying to get a better look at the woman shoving against the backside of a calf. The sun was in his eyes, but the real distraction was the sensation barreling its way through him. Like a sexual torch burning him up from the inside out, he ached for the woman. Longed for her.

I’m fuckin’ turned on.

“Yeah. She’s trying to get a calf in the back of her car.”

Miller twisted toward Aiden. He searched his friend’s face. Did he feel it, too? He was afraid to ask, afraid to hear the wrong answer. Instead, he clung to the feeling, savoring it. “Should we arrest her for cattle rustling?”

His friend laughed, the sound deep and low. “We could, but I’d rather see what she intends on doing with him.”

“So you recognize him, too, huh?” Miller had to hand it to their neighbor’s son. Bruster Williams loved playing practical jokes on humans. Changing into a calf and then letting a woman try to load him into the back of a SUV was a new one.

“I think Bruster is loving this more than he should. She’s got her face against his ass.”

“Right now he’s probably trying his best not to shift back with a hard-on.” Miller leaned back in the saddle to enjoy the show. “I’ve got to give her props. Not many women would try a stunt like that.”

“Human or shifter,” added Aiden. “Should we help her out?”

“Hell, no. Besides, I thought you wanted to see where this was going.”

“I do. But I kind of feel a little sorry for her. I’ll bet you dimes to dollars she keeps her car as clean as a whistle.”

“It won’t be clean for much longer.” Miller nodded toward the scene. “And don’t go feeling too sorry for her. It looks like Bruster has decided to take it easy on her. He just went up the ramp without her help.”

“So now she’s got a calf in the back of her car. Never thought I’d see that.”

“Me, either. And I want to see more. Come on. It looks like she’s headed toward the house.”

Miller clucked and heeled his mount. The horse obeyed his slightest touch and broke into a trot. Holding on to the reins, he did his best to control the wild sensation still coursing through him. But how could anyone control the connection? And it was the connection. He had no doubt it was.

Holy shit. We found her. We found our mate.

ADULT EXCERPT

He was joking. Too bad she couldn’t joke around. At least, not completely. “Well, there was one time when I was roasting a marshmallow over a campfire and kind of, sort of dropped it in my boyfriend’s lap.”

Miller touched her cheek. “Did he forgive you?”

She rolled her lips under. When it had happened, it hadn’t seemed very funny. Now, however, it was. “Nope. He called it quits right then and there. Said it was too dangerous being my boyfriend.”

Miller’s fingers slipped under her chin, lifting her gaze to his. “Then it’s a good thing Aiden and I like dangerous women.”

The sensation, so strange, yet intriguing overwhelmed her. She could’ve no more ignored it than a freight train barreling toward her car stuck on the rail tracks. Taking hold of Aiden’s shirt, she tugged his lips to hers.

Heat flared the instant their lips touched. A burn as bright as the morning sun lifting over the horizon flamed between her legs. She trembled, the ache for them going well beyond any ordinary sexual attraction.

Aiden pulled her harder against him, his mouth devouring hers as he wrapped his arms around her. A moan escaped him as his tongue swept into her mouth.

She drank from him, tasting his heady flavors, and leaned against him. If they didn’t want her beyond today, she didn’t care. At least she would have this time together.

Slipping her arms around his neck, her lips plumped, she breathily asked, “Take me to bed?”

“Damn straight.” Miller swept his arms under her legs, lifting her off the floor.

She squealed, certain he’d regret the action. He was strong, but carrying her upstairs would tax any man. “Put me down, damn it. I’m not some damsel in distress. I can walk on my own, thank you very much.”

“Not happening, darlin’.” He strode toward the house with Aiden in front of him.

“And why the hell not?” Still, as much as she tried to sound demanding, she couldn’t help but smile.

“Come on. It’s not like you’re all that graceful on your feet. Let me get you—hell, us—to the bedroom safely.”

Aiden bumped the door open with his shoulder and twisted toward them. “He’ll put you down, all right. But in the bed. Not on your feet.”

The stench of smoke burned in her nostrils. One glance at the kitchen sent another wave of remorse through her. “Shit. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not that bad.” Miller made a face. “The stove is toast, and there’s smoke damage, but it’s okay. We were planning on remodeling, anyway. Right, Aiden?”

“Riiight,” added Aiden as he led the way up the stairs. “Lucky for us, it didn’t make it to the second floor.”

She turned her face away from the kitchen and focused on the strong jaw line of the man carrying her effortlessly upstairs. By the time he’d carried her down the hallway, she had moved on to studying the dark hairs peeking out from under his shirt.

I wonder how far down they go.

Easily imagining the trail of dark hair between his pecs then over his ribbed abdomen, she drew in his scent.

How much muskier would he smell down there? Sexier, of course. Manlier, no doubt.

Her gaze traveled along his neck, over the steel-cut jaw, then up to the dark brown eyes. But the eyes weren’t simply brown any longer. Amber bits flared in them.

No. I am not going to let Mikki’s ridiculous shifter stories get to me. Not this time. No fucking way!

There had to be a logical reason for the amber color. She’d find out later.

She let out a squeal as she sailed through the air. Landing in the middle of a large bed, she did her best to catch her breath.

Not bothering with the buttons, Miller tore his shirt off. Muscles rippled, and tendons moved. She smiled at the line of dark hair trailing to the dip in the front of his jeans. He hadn’t worn a belt today, and she wondered if he hadn’t so that he could get undressed faster.

Talk about being conceited, she thought. The man forgot his belt, and you’re making it all about you.

But thoughts of conceit were gone as Miller undid the button on his jeans and shoved them to his feet.

No underwear. Hell, yeah. My kind of guy.

Her attention lowered, and she sucked in a breath.

He’s so big!

Would he fit inside her? Would she hurt afterward?

But she didn’t care. The tighter the fit, the better.

“Hey, baby, he’s not the only man who wants you.”

She turned her head to Aiden, who already had his T-shirt off. A quick glance back at the naked Miller, to see which man was stronger, more muscled and built.

It’s a draw.

She flicked her tongue over her upper lip, saw that they noticed, and didn’t care. After all, she’d already told them how much she wanted them. Why pretend now?

Sitting up, she hooked her fingers under Aiden’s jeans and tugged him closer. It was easy enough to get the flaps spread wide. Hungrily, she ate up the long, curved cock springing toward her.

Miller crawled on top of the bed then dug his fingers into the hair at the back of her neck. He jerked her away from Aiden, pushing her onto her back. “You aren’t going to take off again, are you? If you are, say so now, because once we really get going, I’m not stopping for hell or high water.”

She shook her head, words all but useless. A primal intuition, like nothing she’d ever experienced, captured her. She wanted nothing more in the world than to have them. They had become her passion before even meeting them. Now they were her obsession.