Like a Fox, Ridgeville Book 7 Read Free

fox with its alluring flavors, but he couldn’t shove
down the unease.
    He’d found his mate, for fuck’s sake. And
wasn’t that scary as hell.
    She strode past him into the renovated
apartment, and he tried to look at it through her eyes. He noted
the bright walls, splashes of pale color that lightened the tiny
area. Furniture had been purchased from the local stores, and the
apartment appeared brand new. He remembered what Jenner had done,
remembered Elise’s descriptions of cow’s blood splattering the
walls. With Jenner out of the picture, Gavin tended to forget that
the apartment was anything other than a place to crash when he came
to town. But Gina had lived through the worry and danger, and he’d
brought her to the scene of one of many crimes committed by her
ex.
    “Gina…” He ran a hand through his hair.
    “You’re a worrier, aren’t you?” His sweet
mate snared his fingers and hauled him to the couch, shoving him
down and then plopping sideways onto his lap. Her plump ass
caressed his dick, and his erection returned in full force. “No
worrying today.”
    She laid her head on his shoulder and relaxed
against him. Taking her laidback pose at face value, he let his
hands wander, allowing himself to explore his clothed lioness.
    “None? No worrying?” His voice was a foxy
growl, his canines aching to rip her bare and sink into her skin.
They’d exchange blood and saliva and be bound together forever.
“How about concerns?”
    Concerns? Right. Another way to say “worry.”
His beast didn’t want to address worries or concerns or doubts. He
wanted his cock inside her and fangs piercing her. In that order.
It was his human half that realized there were a handful of things
to discuss first. Like: where they were going to live.
    He stroked her back, tracing the delicate
line of her spine from lower hip to neck and back again. With his
other hand, he followed her leg, caressing the exposed skin below
the hem of her flowing skirt and down to her knee. On his return,
he delved beneath the light fabric, searching out her heat.
    Gina nuzzled his neck, her silken skin
sliding over him and transferring her scent to his body. “Concerns?
Like positions? I’m flexible,” she giggled, and even that made his
dick pulse.
    God, he was being a wishy-washy girl. Talk or
bang. Damn, now he sounded like a dick.
    When she patted his chest, finger tracing his
nipple, he tore his palm from her leg. He grasped her wayward
digits, halting her ministrations. “Concerns. Like, what do you do?
Where do you live? Practical stuff.”
    With a huff, she laid her forehead on his
shoulder. “Fine. Practical stuff and then I’m pouncing. Cats do
that.”
    Gavin rolled his eyes, chuckling deep and
taking note of the shiver that overtook her body. “K. You know I
don’t live in Ridgeville. I was living with the Skulk in Virginia.”
At her nod, he continued. “Well, I was hired by the Council as the
Director of Communications. Elly killed Alistair, and his absence
left his brother Niall in charge. The man has been trying to right
Alistair’s wrongs, and the Council is having difficulties keeping
up with everything. Hell, you heard about the trouble with Deuce
and Tess. The Council is pretty sure that was just a hint of some
bigger problems. My job is to keep the rescue teams in touch with
each other and ensure that the network can handle the extra load.
This was supposed to be my last visit to Ridgeville for a while
because I’m moving to Chicago.”
    Silence descended, the quiet enveloping them
for one beat, then two. “Chicago?”
    “Yup. But now…”
    “But now you have a mate whose life is in
Ridgeville. And she’s also got three ex-Freedom captives living in
her home.”
    His stomach churned. “Yeah.”
    Gina raised her head, her golden eyes meeting
his. Her lioness peered out at him from behind those glowing orbs.
“I’m a teacher and I can get a job anywhere.” She took a deep
breath. “The only lingering