Belle and Valentine Read Free Page B

she went to retrieve the items. Ignoring the hateful glance from the woman who had been talking to Fane, Zuria returned to the cashier, and Fane paid for everything.
    When they were back on the road, he shouted to her, “You have to stop getting angry every time a woman talks to me. Just because they do doesn’t mean I want them or that I’ll take them up on what they’re offering.”
    “Makes me no difference. This is a one-time date—I mean ride.”
    His chuckle floated on the wind.
    Sometime later, Fane pulled off the road onto a well-worn gravel path. Zuria glanced around her when he came to a stop. “I don’t recognize this place.”
    Fane climbed from the motorcycle and lifted her off. She moved out of his grasp as soon as her feet touched the ground. Trees surrounded them, but the scent of water was in the air.
    “Sam and I used to come out here when we wanted to get away,” Fane said. He pointed to the tops of the trees. “There’s a clearing not far from here where you can see the owls flying around, looking for food.”
    “You came here at night?”
    He nodded. “We used to sneak out.”
    “It doesn’t surprise me that you would.” She followed him, and he held aside branches all along the way to keep them from scratching her face. “I found it odd Sam and you became friends with you being five years older.”
    “Not much choice in Aves. Plus, Sam’s an old soul.”
    She laughed. “Yeah, that’s true. But I think the ‘choice’ had to do with you beating up most of the boys your age.”
    “Not my fault.”
    “Of course not,” she quipped.
    They came upon the clearing he mentioned, and Zuria gasped at the natural beauty. With the moon shining brightly, she took in the bed of thick grass, surrounded by tall, majestic trees. At the top, she spotted a dark shape or two, not sure what it was until the bird called out, “ Who. Who.”
    “It is owls!”
    He leaned in so his lips were close to her ear. “Be careful they don’t take you for a little mouse and try to snatch you up.”
    She elbowed him in the gut and winced at the pain for her efforts. “I thought I was a little rabbit.”
    His hands settled on her hips, and he stepped closer from behind. “What you are is sexy. That blouse is killing me.”
    Zuria looked down at herself. She’d chosen the low-cut blouse in a moment of weakness, a desire to tantalize Fane. She should have known better. He would take it as an invitation. “It’s just a blouse. Don’t get ideas.”
    She started walking away from him, but her foot caught on a foot or something, and she tumbled forward. Fane caught her elbow and steadied her. She expected him to make a move, but he surprised her by letting go the moment she regained her footing. A glance up at him gave no insight, but she recalled what he had said before. He wouldn’t make love to her until she asked him.
    Not happening.
    They sat on the grass and Zuria discovered how soft it was. She ran her hand over the blades and sighed. This place was pretty awesome. How many other women had Fane brought here? She glanced over at him as he lay back in the grass, his hands linked behind his head. Leaning closer, she found his eyes were closed, and she watched the rise and fall of his chest as he breathed deeply. He smelled good, not like cologne, but something that was natural and all him, along with maybe a hint of aftershave.
    “How many other women have you brought here?” she couldn’t help asking.
    “Will you always judge me on others?”
    She gasped. “I’m not—”
    “—judging me?”
    She turned away and pulled up a few blades of grass and then felt bad for it.
    “This place is special. Sam and I sort of had an unspoken rule. This is our place. I didn’t think he’d mind if you came.” When she still didn’t speak or look at him, he touched her arm. Chills raced along her spine.
    She lay down beside him, and Fane leaned over her. He touched her cheek. She looked into his eyes, getting