Shifted Plans Read Free Page A

expected.
    Reese stopped talking, turning her attention away from her companion. “What’s wrong,
     Av?”
    What was wrong with her? For the last six years, she’d hoped to run into her mate, and now
     she had. Sorta. An embarrassed blush filled Avery’s cheeks as Reese continued to stare
     at her with concerned green eyes. Blondie didn’t appear too thrilled at the interruption.
     His eyes narrowed and firm mouth lowered into a frown.
    “Um, nothing.” Quickly glancing about, she came across the perfect excuse. “The waitress
     is going to another table. Again. I refuse to wait any longer. I’m starving.”
    “I can get her over here if you want.”
    Avery turned to her friend in time to see Reese raise two fingers to her mouth. No
     way in hell would she allow her to let loose a loud, obnoxious whistle, drawing undue
     attention to them.
    “No. Don’t! I’ll go to the bar and order. I can get my drink quicker, that way.” And I can look for my mate. Follow his scent. Hunt him down and make him mine.
    Before Reese could protest, Avery hopped down from her chair. Snatching her purse
     off the back of her chair, she slowly threaded her way to the bar, all the while looking
     for the group of men from earlier. He had to be with them. No one else walked by,
     that she noticed.
    She followed the grassy, musky trail until it tapered off, lost in a clashing mix
     of perfume, cologne, steak, and beer. The arousal wafting from the bodies grinding
     together on the dance floor didn’t help matters.
    Damn it, where can he be? She bit her bottom lip in frustration, torn between searching the bar more and getting
     food as her stomach rumbled in protest.
    Face it. She’d lost the scent.
    Would she be able to recognize it if she came across it again?
    Who knew?
    The scent could have had been a manifestation of her own creation. Her romantic side’s
     feeble attempt at a last hurrah when it was really the newest men’s cologne of the
     season. She had been thinking about finding her mate earlier. Made the choice to not look for him.
     She could have fooled herself into believing in the imaginary. Old habits did seem
     to die hard.
    Fool . Dejected she propped herself up against the end of the bar and waited for one of
     the bartending twins, Levi or Landon, to make his way to her.
    Levi and Landon were Nik’s younger twin brothers, the ones he swore he constantly
     had to keep out of trouble. Avery thought they all attracted the crazy female type, and there was no way in hell any of them would shy
     away from it. The twins were tall and devastatingly handsome like their older brother.
     An inch or two shorter than Nik, they still commanded their fair share of attention.
     Knowing their appeal to the sexes and using it to their advantage.
    Damn horny bears.
    She studied the tight fit of Landon’s jeans as he leaned on the bar opposite from
     her, flirting with a group of women. The well-worn fabric cupped his ass in the most
     fantastic way, calling out inviting people to touch and fondle. Following the tight
     fit down his muscular legs, she confirmed what she assumed before. Beat up, black
     shit-kickers were on his feet. Landon’s signature wardrobe piece. Levi preferred biker
     boots.
    A frown dipped down the corners of her mouth, her forehead crinkling in thought as
     she took in the detail of the stitching on the back of his ass. Where was the spark
     of arousal she should feel? The compulsion to find out exactly how tight and firm
     his ass was?
    Thinking back over the years, she didn’t recall ever being tempted by the Braun brothers.
     Even before Reese hooked up with them.
    The bears loved sex. Lots and lots of it and they didn’t care who with. It didn’t
     matter what kind of shifter, male, female, or if the person pure human. She’d heard
     enough stories from Reese about Nik to know the man and his brothers were good in the sack. She should want a taste of them, shouldn’t she?
    The correct answer