Changing Hearts by Marilu Mann Page A

went against his basic life philosophy. For some reason though, he wanted Joie to keep talking to him, and telling her he was a shapeshifter might cause her to reach for the nearest phone. Or gun. He still wasn’t sure where the old woman had hidden her pistol. Slade glanced at Joie out of the corner of his eye as he moved closer to the cages.
    The animals stirred restlessly, catching his scent. He moved again so he stood downwind of them, then focused his attention on Joie.

Chapter Five
    A plain blue t-shirt and a denim jumper, the most shapeless thing he’d ever seen, covered her. He wondered if she did that to hide her shape or just for comfort. From the way she slumped just a bit, he guessed it was to hide her magnificent breasts. If she were mine, she’d display them proudly, especially to me.
    Just the thought of Joie in a tank top or naked from the waist up turned out to be enough to make his mouth water. He gave himself a mental shake. Humans and shifters. Oil and water. Don’t go down that road, Slade.
    “Malcolm, I heard you and Tante talking. What did she mean when she said I’d run if I found out what you were? Are you a criminal?”
    “I haven’t broken any human laws.” He wanted to bite the words back as soon as they were spoken. He had, in fact, broken a few. Especially if Maggie was really dead, though the cops would be hard-pressed to pin that on him. She’d noticed his odd wording as well. He glanced away from her, waiting for her next question.
    “What does that mean? You don’t consider yourself human? What, are you an alien?” Joie laughed softly but stopped as he turned to meet her eyes.
    “No, I’m no alien.”
    “Then what did she mean?”
    “You’re very curious, aren’t you?” Slade moved slowly across the room. He noted the increase in her breathing as he approached. She stepped back slightly, but he leaned forward, caging her in by placing his hands on the workbench on either side of her hips. Leaning even closer, he caught her scent again. Damn lilacs. “Are you sure you want to know what I am?”
    Slade let his eyes glow slightly, keeping his gaze locked on her face. She parted her lips to take a breath, but never took her eyes away from his.
    “Are you trying to frighten me?” Though soft, her voice came out laced with steel.
    “I don’t know. Am I scaring you?”
    “Yes.”
    Her answer surprised him. Honesty? Since when is that a human trait? Slade trailed one finger across her jaw. The softness of her skin delighted him, though he kept his expression impassive.
    “Are you married?” He had no idea where that question came from or even why he’d asked it, but it had caused an interesting color to come into her cheeks.
    “No. Are you?”
    She didn’t sound as frightened now. He moved back a pace, just far enough so that she could move if she wanted to. Joie took two small, slow steps to the side. He realized she was edging toward the door, but made no move to stop her.
    “No.” Slade leaned against the wall, having to duck to keep from banging his head on the ceiling. He spared a glance at the cages again, noting that the animals were calmer with him on this side of the room. “Joie, that’s an interesting name.”
    “Thank you. It means Joy in French.” She’d stopped moving away from him, sensing, perhaps, that he really wasn’t going to hurt her.
    Shit, I suck at this. I don’t know how to talk to a human female.
    “I’d like to have sex with you.” Slade wanted to kick himself in the head when those words came out of his mouth. If she’d been a shifter, that would have been fine, but he knew he wasn’t supposed to just blurt things like that out to a human. If her face gets any redder, she’s gonna catch the room on fire.
    “I, well, thank you, but I don’t think so.” Joie moved quickly to the door and fled. Slade let her go. After a few seconds, he started to laugh softly. If he’d blundered with a female this badly in the past, he