FavoriteObsession by Nancy Corrigan Page B

shirts, and mirrored each other’s pose—hands flattened on the ground and
scowls on their faces. They looked ready to restart the brawl at the slightest
wrong move.
    Mira grinned despite the tenseness of the situation. Josh,
bloody from the fight, turned her on. Big time. Not a reaction he’d understand but
true nonetheless. She swept her gaze over him, thoroughly enjoying the way his
wet shirt molded his muscles. Gods, he had a body worthy of a lover’s
attention.
    A spark of jealousy flamed to life knowing there were women
in the bar who’d gotten to enjoy what she hadn’t, including Jazz, her dearest
friend. Instead of allowing the green-eyed monster to take root, Mira embraced
her response to seeing him crouched and aggressive, ready to defend her honor.
Far safer for the humans who thought they could touch him.
    She continued her slow perusal from the expanse of his chest
to his stubble-covered jaw. His lifted lip and narrowed eyes warned her Aron had
broken their truce and ended her chance to visually worship Josh. She shifted
her gaze to Aron at the same time he turned his head to look at her. The corner
of his lip lifted in a smile she suspected women melted under.
    He inspected her the same way she had Josh, head to toe, as
if she were the prize he’d won. His smile faded on a deep inhale. He groaned,
no doubt scenting her arousal, and stark hunger flared in his eyes as he focused
on her breasts.
    Oh no, she refused to let the obnoxious male think her
desire was for him.
    She ran forward and slipped on the wet floor. Josh caught
her before she fell and steadied her with an arm around her waist. She glanced
over her shoulder to make sure Aron didn’t plan on restarting the fight. The
warning in his expression was clear—don’t touch his rival. Too damn bad. She
hadn’t cared what he’d wanted for centuries.
    Aron’s pissed-off eyes left her face to focus behind her.
She held her breath while both males stared each other down. Finally, Aron
shoved from his spot on the floor, reached out and plucked some human’s beer
from their hands. Gaze still on Josh, Aron drank then turned away, conceding
the prize—her—to Josh. It felt like a victory but she guessed Aron had only
done so to avoid another fight in front of humans. Still, she refused to pass
up the opportunity to properly thank Josh for defending her.
    She faced him. Up close, his swollen eye and split lip stood
out starkly. Seeing it dimmed some of her lust as concern took over. Blood
trickled from a cut along his temple and mixed with the sweat glistening on his
skin. Nothing appeared broken nor did he appear to be in pain.
    Thank the gods.
    The dusting of dark hair covering his jawline drew her attention
to the cleft in his chin. She’d always been fascinated by the little dip.
Unable to resist, she ran her thumb over the bone. Electricity whipped down her
spine and ignited all her nerve endings. Her clothes rubbed against her
sensitive skin. She wanted to rip them off and press her naked body against the
hard ridges of Josh’s stomach. To avoid doing exactly that, she focused on his
mouth.
    For months, she’d hungered for a taste. With Josh’s intent
blue eyes locked onto hers, she couldn’t understand why she’d resisted him. His
scent drew her closer. Josh’s warm breath bathed her face, filling her lungs
with his essence. A tremor to run through her limbs. The natural urge to submit
rode her hard, another thing Josh wouldn’t understand. It didn’t stop her
instincts from rising. She wanted to worship his body and beg him to take her
any way he wanted.
    Her breaths quickened as images of them together, naked and tangled
in passion flashed across her mind, pictures her cats fed her to urge her to
give them what they wanted.
    Her animal spirits weren’t aroused by Josh, not in the
literal sense. They were comforted by him. They knew he’d protect their cubs.
It was simpler, yet more profound. Josh was to the beginning and the end