The Lion Within (Ghost Cat Shifters #1) Read online

  “After David died, the Weaver’s closed up ranks. It was just Sarah’s parents and her older brother. They kept a low profile and laid low. Her parents passed away not much later. Her brother is still around. Nelson Weaver. He keeps to himself. He lives on the family’s property on the outskirts of town.”

  She belatedly realized she’d yet to reply to Daniel’s comment. “Well, you found the best coffee place in town. Aside from that, Painter has some good restaurants. With the college here, Painter has some culture even though it’s a small town in the Rockies. We’re mostly known for the skiing and outdoors stuff. Although that’s not specific to Painter. Find any town around here and it’s filled with people seeking to escape to the wilderness. They don’t like to talk about how half the reason the towns keep growing around here is because we make sure they have all the amenities they want. Anyway, what do you think so far? Is Painter as beautiful as your mother told you?”

  Daniel’s mouth hooked in a half-smile. He took another slow sip of coffee before he replied. “It is.” He appeared to be considering something. She took a moment to soak him in. Her gut sensed he was a shifter. He emanated strength and an easy masculinity, which only added to his appeal.

  “I’m wondering if you know anything about my family,” Daniel said suddenly. “You mentioned you know most everyone in Painter since you grew up here. I didn’t get much of a chance to know my mother’s family.”

  Sophia met his eyes and saw curiosity with a hint of sadness underneath. She couldn’t know with certainty, but she sensed he knew what happened to his brother and why his parents left Painter. Her heart clenched. She may have barely known him, but what had happened to his brother was heartbreaking. Shifters lived every day knowing they were walking between worlds. For his brother to die the way he did was uniquely painful. His death was solely due to shifting in the wrong place at the wrong time. All she could do was be honest, so that’s what she did.

  “Your family moved away before I was born, but I know a little bit about them.” She paused and looked around the coffee shop. Only a few customers remained. She looked back to Daniel, trying to gauge what she should say.

  He held her gaze, his expression somber. When he spoke, his voice was gruff. “You don’t have to be afraid to talk about it. I know what happened to my brother.”

  “Oh… I’m sorry. I really am,” she said because she didn’t know what else to say, or how to acknowledge what had happened. So many years had passed, but she couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him to return to the town where his brother died in the manner he did.

  He gulped his coffee, as if fortifying himself. “It wasn’t your fault. No need to apologize.”

  “I just meant I’m sorry it happened.”

  He nodded. “Right. Thanks. It’s been a long time. I didn’t mean to start such a serious conversation. I came here for the reason I said before. My mother loved Painter and missed it dearly. I also wanted a chance to see if I could find anyone from my mother’s family.”

  Her mind spinning with the implications of Daniel’s return here, she looked over at him and wondered what else she could tell him. Beyond the bare minimum, she didn’t have much more to offer about his family. She started with what little she had. “Your mother’s brother, Nelson Weaver, is the only one left in Painter. He lives on your grandparent’s old property. Honestly, the person you might want to talk to would be my mother.”

  Daniel’s brows hitched up. “Really? Why your mother?”

  She smiled ruefully. “Because she knows everyone and everything. She’s also old enough to know a lot more about your family than me. I can take you to meet her if you’d like.”

  “I’d like that if you don’t think she’d mind.”

  Sophia mentally rolled her eyes. She loved her mother dearly, but her mother loved to be involved. That wasn’t always Sophia’s preference, but for now it would work in Daniel’s favor.

  “Trust me, she won’t mind. I’ll give her a call about it.”

  “I’d really appreciate it.”

  At that moment, another customer approached the counter. Sophia prepped another coffee and handed it over. “We’re closing up in fifteen minutes,” she called out to the room in general.

  The interruption knocked her conversation with Daniel onto more casual terrain, which she figured was a good thing. With little to offer, she didn’t want to dwell on the sad situation surrounding his brother’s death because she couldn’t imagine it was pleasant for him.

  Shortly thereafter, the coffee shop emptied and she got ready to close. Daniel had lingered by the counter. When she took her jacket off the hook behind the counter, he caught her eyes. “Can I walk you out?”

  His question startled her, and she froze for a long moment. With his blue eyes holding hers, she couldn’t look away and nodded without thinking.

  ***

  Daniel held his breath while he waited for Sophia to answer. He’d stopped by Mile High Grounds telling himself he just needed a coffee. In the back of his mind, he wondered if he’d encounter Sophia and wondered yet again if she was as beautiful as he recalled. She was…and then some. He hadn’t meant to ask about his family so abruptly, but he felt comfortable with her. There had been a flicker of surprise in her eyes when he mentioned he knew what happened to his brother. He could only imagine the incident had lingered in the memory of Painter. He was relieved for the interruption of the customer and then the bustle of Sophia saying goodbye as the other customers filtered out. Though the topic of David’s death weighed on him, he’d had most of his life to accept it. He was glad to have the conversation naturally move on.

  Sophia finally nodded, her green eyes bright with a flicker of uncertainty. He waited by the door while she flicked off the lights and turned the sign to ‘closed’ in the window. He followed her out onto the sidewalk. It was early evening with yet another glorious sunset over the mountains. The sky was painted in watercolor swirls of fading orange and red, the golden globe of the sun glowing bright as it fell behind the ridge ahead. Sophia wore black leggings and cowboy boots with a loose denim jacket tossed over a purple t-shirt.

  She stopped on the sidewalk and turned to him. “I don’t have a car for you to walk me to,” she said with a half-smile. “I walked to work.”

  All he’d meant was to gain another few minutes in her presence because she called to him like no other, but it wasn’t enough. His next words startled him because he wasn’t thinking of anything other than that he wanted more time with her.

  “How about dinner?”

  Her green eyes widened. A soft breeze blew her dark hair across her face. She brushed it away, her eyes on him the entire time. She appeared to be considering something. “Okay. Dinner. If you don’t mind having it at my place. My dog Daisy would be pretty upset with me if I didn’t make sure she had dinner soon.” A grin spread across her face when she mentioned her dog.

  Daniel nodded. “Your place is fine. I’m looking forward to meeting Daisy. Can I give you a lift then?”

  “It’s not far, but sure.”

  Only minutes later, he was turning at her direction into a short driveway, rising sharply up the hillside. Her home was a charming bungalow painted white with a red tiled roof surrounded with other similar homes. Her yard was overflowing with flowers. As he followed her into her apartment, a deep bark greeted them. Sophia immediately knelt down and wrapped her arms around an enormous dog.

  Sophia stood and glanced to him. “This is Daisy,” she said gesturing to a dog who reached her waist. Daisy was stately and gray. She pinned Daniel with a curious gaze, her dark eyes blinking for a moment before she stepped to his side and sniffed his hand. He stroked her head, marveling at her size.

  “Is she a Great Dane?”

  Sophia nodded. “Yup. She’s a gentle giant. She’s only two, but she’s mellow and sweet as pie.”

  Daisy leaned her head into his hand, her gaze soft and warm. Sophia kicked her boots off and hung her jacket by the door. As soon as she started to move away, Daisy followed her. Sophia looked back at him. “Feel free to hang up your jacket.”

  As soon as he did, he followed her through the living room and through an archway into the kitchen. The home was warm and inviting. The living room windows faced the mountains with a clear view of the setting sun through a bay window. A sage green couch with throw pillows scattered over it took up most of the living room. Plants were everywhere. The kitchen was small and cheery. A beautifully maintained porcelain stove was the centerpiece. The counters were polished slate. A round table was tucked into the corner.

  The last rays of the sun fell through a side window, the light casting a soft glow in the room. Sophia quickly prepped a rather large bowl of food for Daisy who showed her only signs of impatience while waiting. Once Daisy was busy eating, Sophia looked up at him. Her hand rested on the curve of her generous hip. Her hair tumbled around her shoulders. Daniel tried to keep his eyes off of her breasts, but it was damn difficult with her t-shirt stretched tight over them.

  “Okay, now that Daisy has dinner, we can talk about what we’re having. How about takeout from the best pizza place in town?”

  “Sounds perfect. What’s the best pizza place in town?”

  She snagged a menu off the refrigerator, which was papered with menus and postcards, and tossed it to him. “Painter’s Pizza. It’s been around forever. Classic deep-dish pizza when it started. They’ve expanded their choices in the last few years with healthier options to cater to the college kids and the new health craze. They even have gluten free crust if that’s your fancy.”

  She plunked down at the kitchen table and gestured for him to join her. After a few moments, she arched one of her dark brows. “Well, what do you think?”
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  He handed the menu back to her. “Honestly, I’ll eat anything. If you want to go old school with pepperoni, or get fancy with some of the veggie options, it’s fine either way. What’s your preference?”

  Sophia flipped the paper menu back and forth in her fingers. “Let’s do half and half. I love pepperoni, but I like to convince myself I’m trying to be healthy sometimes too. Their spinach feta pizza is amazing.”

  “Sounds good.”

  She slipped her phone out of her pocket and quickly placed their order. While they waited, she stood and opened her refrigerator. “Beer? Wine?”

  “Beer will do.”

  After she handed him one, she gestured for him to follow her into the living room once Daisy finished eating. The time passed quickly. Sophia was easy and comfortable to talk with. The only distraction was the buzz of electricity that swirled in a current around them. She seemed oblivious to her effect on him while he could barely sit still around her. The pizza arrived, and it was as good as Sophia had promised.

  Meanwhile, he soaked her in. The fall of her dark hair that swung down her back, her emerald eyes, the delicate arch of her brows, her bow-shaped lips, and the lush curves of her body. As the evening passed, one thing came into sharp focus. He wanted Sophia fiercely. He didn’t know if it was his recent acquaintance with his shifter side, but desire pounded through him in a way he’d never experienced. Though the events of his life had precluded relationships in his recent history, he’d had a healthy interest in women and dated plenty before that. But whatever he felt for Sophia burned hot and fast. His mind grappled with it, telling him he needed to pace himself and not move too quickly.

  Daisy had fallen asleep on the floor, stretched out and dead to the world. Sophia stood from the sofa and reached to take his plate, her fingers brushing his. Electricity jolted through him, the power so strong he wouldn’t have been surprised if he saw sparks. Her breath drew in sharply. The plate wobbled in her hand, but she held onto it. Lust coursed through him, the power of it almost overtaking him. He shackled it. The lion side of himself he’d only come to know recently simmered under the surface of his skin.

  He stood and followed her to the kitchen, leaning against the wall. When she turned away from the sink, she remained where she was by the counter, her hands curling around the edge. He pushed away from the wall and took a few steps in her direction, stopping several feet away. “Look, I, uh, don’t mean for this to come out of the blue, but I want to kiss you—like I’ve never wanted to kiss anyone before.”

  Her green gaze slammed up to his. She swallowed, and he could see her pulse fluttering in her neck. Her hands slowly uncurled from the counter, her arms falling to her sides. She took a step in his direction and stopped. “How…?”

  He shrugged. If he let his mind run the show, it was like static interfering. If he let his feelings speak, he knew with certainty that whatever lie between him and Sophia was special. Even if he’d only just met her. He held her eyes. “I don’t know how. I just know I feel something with you I’ve never felt before, and I don’t want to pretend like it’s not there. I won’t rush. We can take our time. I just thought maybe I should be honest about it from the start.”

  Chapter 4

  Sophie stared at Daniel, her eyes taking him in—all tall, dark and so sexy she nearly melted in his presence. If she hadn’t been certain he was a shifter, she knew he was now. The intense energy, the primal pulse of desire pounding between them—only that kind of energy came from a shifter. She sensed he was as thrown by this as she was. Yesterday, he’d walked into her coffee shop and taken her breath away. When he’d appeared again today, it was as if flames flickered between them in every moment.

  When he asked her about dinner, she elected to invite him here because Daisy was her best radar. She figured a casual dinner could be just that, or she could learn if Daniel passed Daisy’s inspection. He passed with flying colors. Daisy tended to be standoffish if she was uncertain about anyone new. She’d immediately been comfortable with Daniel. Sophia looked over and Daniel and wondered if she was out of her mind. She was seriously considering kissing this man. Her brain started to chatter. You have too much going on. You can’t do this. You have to help Heath, you’re busy with the store, you need to be there for your parents… Okay, how about you shut the hell up? Remember what Vivi said? No excuses before something even happens. All he said was he wanted to kiss you. It’s just a kiss. What’s one kiss? As she carried on with her internal debate, she could imagine what Vivi would say. Maybe a distraction is just what you need.

  She shook her head sharply, trying to knock the chatter into silence. Daniel cocked his head to the side. “Am I missing something again?”

  Her cheeks got hot as she shook her head. “No, uh, just…” Her words trailed off, and she flushed deeper. “What do you mean ‘again’?”

  His mouth hooked up on one side. “You shook your head when I saw you yesterday, and I hadn’t even asked a question.”

  A giggle bubbled up. She felt silly because both times she was trying to shut her damn mind up. All because Daniel had this unreal effect on her. It had been a solid year since she’d kissed anyone. She’d never enjoyed the world of dating. It was annoying trying to weed through who was worth it and who wasn’t. In the tight-knit world of shifters, there was another layer to navigate. Shifters didn’t always pair up with other shifters, but the hope was always there. The last few years had torn at the fabric of trust in the shifter community with the smuggling network that had sprung up in Painter. It was a small fraction of the community, but the betrayal ran deep. No one knew who to trust, which made any consideration of relationships nearly impossible. It passed through her mind that perhaps she had reason to doubt Daniel. Her gut reacted powerfully to that. She might not know him well, but the cat in her trusted him completely. That itself conflicted her. Just because the primal side of her trusted him didn’t mean she should just dive in. Yet, it was so rare to feel that trust combined with the deep sense of longing he elicited.

  She made an impulsive decision. With Daniel’s eyes on her, she closed the distance between them and stopped inches away. She tried to remember what he’d last said, but she couldn’t. When she angled her head to look up at him, he stepped another inch closer. “Does this mean…?”

  She nodded before he could finish his question. The air around them heated as he remained still. Her belly fluttered and heat flooded through her limbs. In slow motion, Daniel lifted a hand and stroked it into her hair, sliding his palm to cup the side of her face. His thumb coasted across her pulse. His blue gaze seared into hers as he leaned forward. Her entire being arched into his touch, seeking more. Fierce need raced through her. His lips landed softly at the corner of her brow. He feathered kisses across her face, each one sending sparks of electricity in its wake. Hot shivers coursed through her. Finally, his lips met hers. His kiss started soft, but quickly shifted to hot and deep when she gasped into his mouth.

  The depth of her need was answered by his kiss—slow, deep strokes of his tongue tangling with hers. His hands roamed over her body, his touch strong and sure. Her low belly clenched. Hot, liquid need swirled in her center. She flexed into his touch, her hands running over the hard planes of his body. Their kiss went on and on. Her cat shimmered underneath, nearly purring with satisfaction at the feel of him under her touch.

  When he finally tore away, her breath came in heaves. Her sex was drenched with need, and she most certainly did not want to stop. They remained where they were. Daniel’s palm was resting on her low back, his other hand laced in her hair. Her head came to his shoulder, and she could feel the pounding of his heart against her. She tried to gather herself, the fuzz in her brain slowly clearing though her want for him didn’t abate in the least. A tad bit of reason prevailed, reminding her that maybe slowing down a bit would be wise. He stepped back a fraction, his hand sliding free of her hair. He tucked a few loose locks behind her ear, sending shivers in the wake of his touch.