Animalistic (Tiger in Her Bed)

“Wait. Stay with me for a while,” she begged.

Trent abandoned his attempt to leave. He reached for her and pulled her into his arms. God. Arielle closed her eyes and held on to him tighter. It felt like home. There was no other person in the world she wanted to be with at this very moment beside him. His scent and warmth and presence comforted her. He was the only man for her. The other part of her soul.

From now until eternity.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

Trent kissed the top of her head. “For what?”

“For bailing on you. It was so selfish; after everything you did for me.”

“You don’t need to apologize. I’m the one who should have told you the truth in the first place.”

She pulled back and smiled. “I can see why you didn’t. I’d have thought you were crazy. I never would have believed shifters were real.”

Trent smiled. He tucked a stray hair from her face behind her ear. His eyes were gentle. Kind. The eyes she often found herself lost in.

“I take it you’re not afraid of me anymore?”

She studied his expression. “I started to see the appeal of a guy with fur. I dig it.”

One of his eyebrows arched high. “You like the furry version of me better. You kept calling me big kitty and complimenting my pretty whiskers.”

“Did I? Ah. Did I say something embarrassing when I was high?”

“Not telling.”

“Trent!”

“You said you love me.”

Oops. “Did I?”

“You did.”

Whoa. Embarrassing indeed. Her cheeks blushed.

“Well?” Trent prodded her. His emerald eyes glittered.

“I do,” she admitted. “It took some soul searching to realize it, but I do. When I thought there might be a chance I would never see you again, I felt like my heart was breaking. It hurt more than finding my apartment in flames or catching Chris with Sabrina.”

Trent’s expression was priceless. He pulled her against him and kissed her hard. Warmth flooded into her from his lips, cocooning her in a heady, bubbly champagne feeling that she loved so much. He was the first man who made her feel that way.

When he finally let her go, she thought she was high again.

“Well? How about you?” she ventured. She needed to hear it from his lips once again, even though she already knew the answer.

Instead, Trent lavished her with a wicked grin. He twirled a lock of her hair and whispered dangerously, “Let’s go home and I’ll show you how much I love you.”

Epilogue

Three months later…

Autumn in Aspen was spectacular.

It was even prettier than a New England autumn; Arielle had to admit it. The fall foliage had completely changed color into a wide array of yellows and oranges, and yet the leaves still clung to the branches. The weather was lovely, a brisk forty-two degrees, with a chill in the wind that signaled snow was on the way. It was the eve of Halloween and Vanessa and Quinn’s wedding incorporated a spooky theme into it.

She would be wearing white and the bridesmaids would wear cream-colored gowns. The autumn and Halloween themes were infused in flower bouquets and table decorations. Elegant yellow and white roses graced carved pumpkins on the tables. It was an outdoor wedding, and since it was held late in the afternoon, by the time the banquet was served, it was twilight. Hundreds of lantern and candles were lit along with dozens of outdoor fireplaces.