Silver Mine by Vivian Arend

person to visit than a mere human-only doctor/vet.
    Not many vets could handle having their patients shift on them, so there was that.
    Chase spoke over his shoulder. “If you’re done beating yourself up, let me shift. I’ve cleaned that cut a dozen times. You’re just wasting your supplies.”
    Shelley slowed. Forced herself to move to where she could look him in the eye. “That was inexcusable of me. I’m sorry.”
    A lazy, relaxed grin broke free. “It was inexcusable. Don’t you ever run away again when we’re in the middle of a scorching-hot kiss.”
    Shelley pulled her jaw off the floor, stepping back as Chase slid off the table and stalked her.
    “I shouldn’t have kissed you.”
    “But you didn’t. I kissed you.” Chase stroked her again, his touch so gentle on her cheek she wanted to lean her head against his fingers and stay that way.
    He would have had her crowded against the wall if she hadn’t slammed up a hand between them. “Chase. Stop. This… thing …between us. Can we ignore it for a few minutes and let me see your other form? Please.”
    His dark eyes sparkled and he caught her fingers in his hand. Lifted her hand and kissed her knuckles before setting her free. “But we are going to talk about this. Tonight.”
    She nodded. At this point she’d agree to anything to get a little space between them. She needed time to allow the buzz of sexual urgency racing through her body to slow.
    He dropped his hands to his waist and popped open the top button on his jeans.
    Oh no. Oh no, no, no . Professionalism vanished as he dragged down his zipper. “Let me know when you’ve shifted…”
    She fled.

Chapter Five
    There was a big ol’ grin on his face, he was sure of it. The cuts on his back stung like the blazes, but there was no way he’d give up a second of the sweet kiss she’d bestowed on him. It was a lovely start to what he hoped would be a fabulous final evening in the big city.
    He stripped off his jeans, tossing them over the back of a nearby chair. A short stretch, to settle his muscles, and he shifted, the transition flowing with less ease than normal. For a moment his switch from one sort of being to another almost paused, and the usual pleasant buzz of endorphins was sorely lacking. He snarled his displeasure.
    The feel-good sensation of shifting was typically one of the high points of his day.
    At least his cougar arrived as he’d expected. Shelley briefly snuck her head around the corner before she stepped into the room.
    “Holy moly, you are a big son of a gun.”
    Chase took his time as he lay out to his maximum length. He’d told her he wouldn’t fit in her office.
    She rolled her eyes. “Yes, you’re a typical cat. Gloating because you were right. Fine. Now that you’re comfortable, let me see if I can spot any differences in your wound in this form.”
    She moved around him, scraping a little, taking a blood sample. She talked under her breath as she worked.
    It wasn’t as if he could answer back, but it was a trifle disconcerting to hear her muttering references to her veterinary textbooks under her breath.
    He gave a mental shrug. A cat was a cat was a cat, he guessed.
    Something soft and warm rubbed along his hind leg. He twitched lightly, attempting not to disturb Shelley where she was currently working near his left forepaw. She had the cutest little frown on her face, tongue sticking out as if she were concentrating.
    A tiny set of needles jabbed him in what would have been his ankle if he were human, and he snarled.
    “Oh, stop being such a baby. Enigma isn’t hurting you.” She pressed a pad against his wounds. He snorted. She’d changed mannerisms completely—it was easy to tell which of his forms she felt most comfortable around.
    Something light but with really sharp claws crawled its way up his hindquarters. Teeny tiny pinpricks changed to the whisper-light tread of a feline. The beastie’s scent was familiar, and Chase realized it was the cat