Primal Touch
Page 32
Leandra lifted an eyebrow, clearly amused. “How very cloak and dagger.”
“Hey, I said I doubt they’ll condemn you, not that I can guarantee it. Not everyone’s going to warm up to you the way I did. We play it safe to start with.” She was silent in thought for a while, not wanting to overwhelm Leandra with too many issues at once. “You know,” she said at last, “we could use the Internet for other things, too. I know we haven’t talked about it yet, but there’s a chance we could track down your brother. He should at least know you’re still alive.”
This time, Leandra turned and gave Ashley her full attention; her expression hauntingly vulnerable. “Is that something you…think I should do?”
“I don’t know, Leandra, but I definitely think it’s something you should consider.” Ashley paused. “It’s been so many years. Maybe he’s thought things through. Maybe he’s forgiven you and wants his sister back. Is it fair to let him go on thinking you’re dead?”
“Is it really fair for me to open those old wounds again?” Leandra looked away. “I don’t know that I could handle his rejection a second time.”
“At least you could show him you’re trying to make things right and that you’re sorry for what happened.”
“Maybe.” Leandra was still for a long moment, then she turned back to the computer and brought the game back to life. Ashley took that as a sign the conversation was over, and she didn’t press any further.
“Just think about it,” she said softly, giving her attention back to the game Leandra was winning with brutal, cunning tactics.
The next night, Leandra lay on the couch, her head resting in Ashley’s lap while she watched the television through slitted, feline eyes. Casey sat cross-legged nearby, her interest focused intently on the documentary she’d recorded and brought over for Leandra and Ashley to watch—one which featured some admittedly spectacular footage of various wildlife. Ashley was combing her fingers softly through Leandra’s braids, and the resulting sound of her purring reflected how utterly relaxed and pampered she was feeling.
Casey rolled her eyes and glared at them. “God, Leandra, can’t you keep that noise down? You sound like a fighter jet.”
“She can’t help it,” Ashley said. “It’s instinctive for her.” Leandra stretched herself out more fully across Ashley’s lap and made a conscious effort to tone down the rumbling coming from her chest. This mollified Casey, who turned her attention back to the images on the television screen.
Ashley leaned over and whispered softly in Leandra’s ear. “You sound like you’re in a good mood.”
Leandra glanced up lazily. “Do I?”
“Yes.”
“Maybe that’s because of all the attention I’m getting right now.”
They continued watching the television in silence, Ashley’s fingers continuing their relaxing ministrations, then Leandra heard her say in a soft undertone, “This really is working out, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it is.” Leandra turned a little and gazed lovingly at her partner. “Better than I thought it would, actually.”
Ashley hesitated. “Did you really have a lot of doubts? You know, about being able to make this thing work?”
“I knew there were going to be problems,” Leandra acknowledged. “I wasn’t sure how much of my humanity had been lost out there. But if you’re asking if I doubted our love?” She smiled teasingly. “I wouldn’t have come back with you if I had.”
Ashley leaned down and pressed her lips to Leandra’s forehead. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” Leandra fixed her sleepy eyes back on the screen before her.
Things really were coming together. Leandra could feel herself changing in subtle ways. The edgy instincts that had developed in the jungle were still strong, and she knew they would be a part of her nature forever, but she was finding it easier to deal with them than she had expected. Of course, the true challenges had yet to be faced. Leandra hadn’t really ventured into social situations yet, and there were still issues that she knew would have to be confronted at some point: her brother, the animal rights groups, and of course, the suggestion Ashley had made that the torn ligaments and muscles in her shoulder might be repaired with surgery. Leandra had no misconceptions about how difficult things could become down the road, but she had accepted this place as her home now, and she had a new family to love and care for.
After four years in the jungle, Leandra felt like she had finally come home.
About Amber Jacobs
Amber Jacobs was born in Adelaide, South Australia, in 1979. She grew up in Victoria, spending most of her adolescent years living in a wildlife shelter and helping care for a motley menagerie of orphaned and injured native animals. After graduating from University with a BA in Communication, Amber worked in a variety of jobs, but has always nurtured her creative energy through her writing and art. She is always working on new stories and ideas that usually incorporate her passion for animals, medieval history, and romance. She hopes to publish more novels in the future.
CONNECT WITH AMBER
Facebook: www.facebook.com/people/Amber-Jacobs/100010392061669
E-Mail: amberj8@hotmail.com
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Primal Touch
© 2017 by Amber Jacobs
ISBN (mobi): 978-3-95533-859-6
ISBN (epub): 978-3-95533-860-2
Also available as paperback.
Published by Ylva Publishing, legal entity of Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Ylva Verlag, e.Kfr.
Owner: Astrid Ohletz
Am Kirschgarten 2
65830 Kriftel
Germany
www.ylva-publishing.com
Second revised edition: 2017
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Credits
Edited by Zee Ahmad & CK King
Proofread by Paulette Callen
Cover Design and Print Layout by Streetlight Graphics