At Full Sprint (A BBW Shifter Romance) (Last of the Shapeshifters) by A.E. Grace Page A

boyfriend or husband. Not really my thing.”
    “Fair enough,” Circe said. She looked around. “Wait! Stop the car!”
    Miles braked quickly, pulling over into a shoulder. “What is it?”
    “I saw a kangaroo!”
    “Where?”
    Circe pointed forward, and Miles peered up at a ridge looming over the next turn. Sure enough, he saw the head of a kangaroo poking out through tall blades of grass. He laughed. “This is the first time I’ve seen one in the wild.”
    “First one I’ve seen, ever.”
    Miles climbed out of the car, and walked around to the other side, opening the door for Circe. “Come on,” he said. “I could use a break. I noticed a small road just a bit back going up, and we might get high enough to get a better look.”
    They turned off the main road, and walked up a small narrow path, but the tree line prevented them from getting a clear view at the kangaroo.
    “That’s a shame.”
    “It’s probably gone by now, anyway.”
    They turned to descend back down the steep hill when he spotted movement in the gum trees above him. He touched Circe’s arm. She turned quickly, looking first at his hand, then at him. He pulled his fingers away, and smiled, pointing upward.
    Above them in the gum trees was a baby koala, and it had evidently spotted them for it was climbing up and down repeatedly over a set of branches.
    “Oh my God!” Circe gasped. “A wild koala.”
    “Never seen a wild koala before, either, and I’ve been driving down this road seven years now.”
    “It’s showing off!” Circe squealed. “How old do you think it is? God, it’s so cute.”
    Miles walked a little off to the left, peering into the gum trees. “That could be its mother,” he said, pointing at a large koala nestled in the nook where a thick branch met the thicker trunk. It was apparently asleep, head ducked down and eyes closed.
    Sure enough, the baby koala made its way to its mother, who promptly collected the infant into her arms.
    “I wish I brought my phone,” Circe said. “It’s in the car! I want to take a photo.”
    Miles turned to her. “Why? Just remember it.”
    He shrugged and walked off back down the hill, looking over his shoulder once to see Circe still staring at the embracing mother and child.
     
    *
     
    “Would you consider yourself a private man?” Circe asked on the drive back. They had eaten a brunch of sorts together at Apollo Bay before driving down to the Twelve Apostles, which was absolutely breathtaking. The tide had started to come in as well, and as Circe had looked out at the isolated bits of rock that had been eroded off the cliff face, she could almost imagine she was seeing the erosion in action each time a swell crashed against the jagged, jutting spires of land.
    She imagined that it was similar to the way a glacier carved, only over tens of thousands of years.
    “Yes.”
    Circe yawned. “God, I’m off my game today. These questions suck.” She looked down at her pad. She had been asking exactly the type of muesli-and-bananas questions that Ms. Jennings didn’t want; that wouldn’t sell.
    “You tired?”
    “It’s been a long day,” Circe said. The sun was already setting. She could hardly believe she’d spent the whole day out with Miles. All in all, it had been pretty fun, and surprisingly comfortable, though she was beginning to get a bit bored with the Veyron’s cramped seat and the engine’s ever-present roar and rumble.
    “Tell me about it. I don’t think I can feel my arms anymore.”
    “Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t enjoy driving this long. Why did we leave so early this morning, anyway? I mean, besides watching the sunrise.” Circe rolled her eyes. Somehow, he didn’t seem the sentimental type, but she conceded that she had only met him the day before.
    “A part of it was to see if you were serious or not.”
    “About what?”
    “Painting a truthful picture of me, or making it either boilerplate or sensationalist.”
    Circe took offense. “Just