The Lion Within (Ghost Cat Shifters #1) by J.H. Croix

him though, so don’t go getting any ideas.”
    Tommy was quiet for long enough, she looked up. His eyes had sobered. “I heard his brother was that little boy who got shot in the playground.”
    Her heart clenched with a throb of sadness. She sighed and stopped what she was doing. “You heard right, but don’t go gossiping about it. It’s bad enough he had to lose his brother. He doesn’t need all of Painter shifters whispering behind his back.”
    Tommy was younger, but he had a good head on his shoulders and a good heart. He nodded. “I know. I was just curious if you knew.”
    At that moment, Daniel reached the counter. It was impossible for Sophia not to look up at him. Her body hummed like a tuning fork in his presence. As soon as she looked up, she found herself caught in the web of his gaze. All he did was stand there, one hand tucked casually into the pocket of his jeans. Her eyes went instantly to the strip of skin and rock-hard abs revealed where his jeans tugged down below his t-shirt. She forced her eyes up. He wore faded blue jeans paired with a navy t-shirt and a black leather jacket tossed over his shoulder, hanging from his thumb. His dark curls were windblown, his blue eyes bright and locked on her.
    She was frozen in place while her body vibrated inside and hot need slid through her veins. It was hard to think of what she felt with Daniel in the context of the lighthearted fun of which Tommy spoke. What she felt for Daniel ran deep. The air between them snapped with tension. She realized she hadn’t spoken a word and was just standing there by the espresso machine with a towel in her hand. Tommy had made himself quite busy serving another customer who she happened to know was a good friend, so they were obviously doing all they could to make it so Sophia had no choice but to wait on Daniel. Not that she minded, but she needed to get a handle on herself.
    She tossed the towel behind her into the small laundry basket tucked out of sight under the counter and took a deep breath, gathering herself. His eyes tracked her as she took the few steps from behind the espresso machine to the counter. She curled her hands on the edge of the counter giving herself something to hold onto.
    “Hey there,” Daniel said, his gravelly voice sending shivers straight through her.
    “Hi,” she managed to say.
    After a taut moment, he allowed the arm hooked over his shoulder holding his jacket to fall and looped the jacket over his elbow. “Don’t suppose I could order another one of your amazing coffees?”
    “Of course! That’s what we do here. Any preferences?” She was relieved at his perfectly ordinary question. It put her back on the track of habitual conversation.
    “I think I have a usual,” he said with a low chuckle that sent heat scoring through her center.
    “Would that be the double-shot Americano then?”
    He nodded with a slow smile gracing his face. With her pulse skittering wild, she stepped to the espresso machine, quickly prepping his coffee. When she returned to the counter and handed it to him, his fingers brushed against hers. Electricity zipped through her from his casual touch. She completely forgot to charge him, but he held out a five-dollar bill. She flushed and shook her head before realizing she was once again shaking her head at what looked like nothing to him. When she held out his change, his mouth had hooked on one corner, and she knew he’d noticed. She couldn’t help but wonder if he thought her silly and foolish with her random head shaking. If only he knew it was because he rattled her so much, she couldn’t think clearly.
    Tommy was still chatting with his friend, so there was nothing to distract her from Daniel. He took a long, slow swallow of coffee and then pinned her with his intense navy gaze. “I was hoping I could persuade you to let me take you to dinner.”
    She was nodding affirmatively before she even thought about it. By the time her brain caught up with her