Caught in the Moment
A Freefall Novella
Blurb:
Laurel Kane is over her embarrassing high school crush on Quinton Ferris and even used the heartbreaking experience to get out from behind the lens of her camera. Ten years after graduation she is enjoying her dream job as a freelance photographer when her path crosses Quin again, only this time he’s the one hoping to catch more than a glimpse of her. He’s hoping she’ll forgive what a jerk he was and fall for the guy he is.
CAUGHT IN THE MOMENT is a Novella – 26,600 words
Prologue
HIGH SCHOOL 10 YEARS AGO…
Sitting high up in the bleachers Laurel Kane leaned back and lowered the camera to her lap. Sighing in delight, she watched the football team finish practice for the day. Players milled about looking exhausted and excited for the game the next night. A few were gathered around the coach for last minute instructions, while others hovered around the coolers pulling down long drinks of water before ripping off their jerseys and pads and heading back to the locker room. All of that male teenage muscle, sweaty and rippling, caused her to blush.
Looking through the viewfinder again, Laurel scanned the boys looking for the one that tripped her heart at every turn. She didn’t find him near the coach or water cooler, but had a good idea where he might be. Moving her gaze to the gaggle of girls on the sidelines, she finally saw him. Quinton Ferris. Jersey and pads flung over his broad shoulder and Marcy Pitt grinning up at him like a buffoon.
Figures. Marcy was your typical bubbly, big-breasted blond, head of the cheerleading squad, Homecoming Queen and all around Princess of the school. Of course she would be all over Quin. He was hot, dangerous and so popular Laurel was sure even the outcasts of the school liked him. Every guy wanted to be him and every girl wanted to date him. The only exceptions to the general rule were his younger brothers Revlin and Kegen; twins who were a year younger than Quin and their own force to be reckoned with.
Ignoring the voice in her head telling her not to do it, she snapped a few pictures of Quin’s hot body before standing and making her way down the steps. She wanted to get back to the yearbook room and select the candid pictures for the six-page football section that still needed to be finished.
Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Laurel cast one last glance in Quin’s direction. Lifting the camera she snapped one more picture right as he turned her way, staring at her with his intense dark brown eyes. His dark hair fell across his forehead and a knowing smirk graced his lips “Hope you got a good one of me for the yearbook, Camera Girl. Or was that for your personal collection? I heard you have a pretty extensive one of me.” Quin laughed, slinging his free arm over Marcy’s shoulders, the other girls surrounding him giggled and snickered along with him.
Laurel stiffened, the blood draining from her face before being replaced by the heat of embarrassment. She dropped the camera to hang around her neck, took one last look at Quin as her heart broke, and then spun away. She forced back the desire to run but couldn’t resist picking up her pace, walking as fast as she could without making a bigger fool of herself. She felt fat tears roll down her face and over her hot cheeks. It was silly to cry over what he’d said, but she couldn’t help it. The first time he’d said anything to her, ever really looked at her, and it had been to get a laugh at her expense.
A bit on the shy and nerdy side, Laurel had only a few friends and even less confidence. She liked to view the world from behind the lens of a camera where it was safe. She preferred to observe and capture defining moments on film. Interacting with people never really paid off in her experience.
Resisting the urge to look back, Laurel made it to the classroom near the field, never noticing Quin’s too aware gaze following her progress. She never saw the flash of regret that crossed his face as she slammed the door closed behind her.
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Preview
Craving More
Tiger Nip #1
Blurb:
Corrine Hart is ready for few days off for rest and relaxation. At the top of her to-do list is spending as much time as possible in Tiger form, and doing her best to banish all thoughts of the mysterious Hunky Cupcake Guy who spent the last two weeks driving her libido insane.
Jett Montgomery-Murphy just wants to know if the tasty treats that keep showing up at work are the same ones his best friend used to get while they were in college. A trip out to Sweet Confections confirms what he thought, and brings him in close contact with the one woman he’s secretly lusted after for years, his best friend’s sister twin Corrine.
A late night tryst leads to two Tigers finding their mates, and two humans unsure what to do next. Add in an overbearing brother, a best friend with her own drama, and a crazy ex-girlfriend that has a checkered past; and you have a recipe for disaster.
Will Corrine and Jett be able to overcome the unexpected obstacles on their way to falling in love? Or will they throw in the towel before the relationship even gets off the ground?
CHAPTER ONE
Corrine Hart ambled up the slope behind her sprawling two-story home. The rush of endorphins from the evening run settled in her system, sending pinpricks of sensation along her skin, the hairs lifting on the back of her neck. It was a feeling she would never tire of. The only thing that would have made it better was if her best friend in the entire world had been running next to her, hanging out like they usually did on a quiet Friday night. De-stressing from their hectic workweek before starting it all over again.
Sadly, her friend had been summoned home, and one thing MJ and Corrine never did was disobey their parents. Family was number one in both their lives.
In all honesty, it was probably best MJ wouldn’t be around the next couple of days. Corrine’s twin brother, Sampson, called earlier in the day and announced he would be there in the morning. Corrine wasn’t in the mood to deal with the chemistry that always vibrated between the two of them. Not that MJ or Sam would ever admit to the attraction, and it didn’t help that her friend couldn’t say a single nice thing to Sam, or that he either acted oblivious to her presence or teased her unmercifully. It was always one extreme or the other. Never a happy medium.
Yeah, it was better this way. She was all for less stress right now. In an unprecedented move, she decided to shut the bakery down for the long weekend and take some much-needed time for herself.
Letting out a snort, Corrine plopped down in the grass and stretched her limbs before settling into the soothing task of grooming her front right paw. With each swipe of her tongue; her best friend, brother, the bakery, and every other nagging thought and task drifted from her mind.
Minutes passed by in complete silence, the repetitive motion calming her frazzled nerves. Eventually there was nothing left to groom and Corrine was finally able to enjoy the scenery. Off to the right, she could just make out the fuzzy shape of her neighbor’s home in the distance. Close enough if there was trouble, still far enough away as to not disturb him. A look to the left, and the wooded area came to life as a warm breeze wound its way through the trees; limbs swaying and beckoning her to come play.
This was why she moved to Cascade, Colorado. The peace and quite of the woods mixed with a homey midtown feel. Open spaces mingling with shops galore. What every female shifter could ask for.
Corrine rolled onto her side, resting her head on the cool grass. Eyes closed, muscles relaxed she was almost asleep when the image of a man flashed into her head.
Short brown hair she ached to run her fingers through. Golden flecked nut-brown eyes that melted her insides when they locked onto her. Plus there was his sexy as sin smile that crooked up on one side, drawing attention to his full lower lip.
A purr rolled from her throat as she imagined him skimming his lips over her body. Stopping at her aching breasts for excruciating seconds before gliding lower.
At over six-feet tall, the mystery man was built like a hard-edged linebacker: broad shoulders, thick muscular arms
and legs, and she’d bet the bakery he had abs of steel. It would take her days to kiss and explore every inch of his sun-kissed skin. Days she would happily give up to do just that.
She was dying to find out if he tasted as good as he smelled. Even now, when she took a deep breath, she could swear she smelled his rich, spicy musk. It had to be from her run-in with him earlier in the day and the lingering memories dancing through her head.
He visited the bakery in the flesh during the day and invaded her dreams at night. She was never able to get him out of her thoughts. Not that she tried very hard. She was more than happy to let him worship her body, if only in her imagination.
He was the kind of guy she fantasized about meeting and falling in love with. Too bad any time he was near, her knees went weak and her tongue refused to work. Not to mention the most she got out of him was a wink and a smile. For two weeks she had been a frustrated bundle of nerves on the verge of snapping. No amount of masturbation would make the ache for him go away, and damn it all—she tried her best to make that happen. She probably needed to replace the batteries in her favorite vibrator again.
To make matters worse, her Tiger sat up and took notice, begging to be let out of its human cage the first day he walked into the bakery. The Tiger bumped at her conscience, urging the human to shift. It took everything Corrine had in her to hold the randy girl back. The reaction was something she didn’t get often, figuring out later when the sexual fog cleared and her brain kicked into gear that it could only mean one thing, her Tiger recognized a possible mate and she wanted to play.
Corrine indulged in a small bout of self-pity at her inability to attract a man like him. Maybe in Tiger form she could, but her human side didn’t have the same confidence. Because of her Tiger alter ego, she wasn’t a small girl, and no matter how often she was told she looked good, she had a hard time agreeing when the women around her seemed to be half her size. At five-seven she was curvy with a hint of what she lovingly called, pleasantly plump, casting her as a size sixteen jeans wearing woman. By today’s standards she was considered average. In her experience though, men did not want average.
It probably didn’t help that she ran a bakery either. All of those tasty treats sitting close at hand, tempting her with their sweet aroma and sticky goodness. She, of course, had to sample the products she and her small staff created. She couldn’t have people buying things she wouldn’t buy herself.
Men like him—smoking hot, muscled brick houses—just didn’t settle for average women like her. They always went for women like her employee Kacie with her skinny, confident, flirty ass. She was the kind of woman a man felt the overwhelming need to protect and care for. Corrine on the other hand was the type of woman a man said things like I just want to be friends or I cherish our friendship too much to risk changing it.
Grunting at her train of thought, Corrine got to her feet, heading down the slope and into the woods to the small, tucked away lake. It had been a major selling point when she looked at places to buy. A nice cool dip in the water whenever she wanted made her Tiger purr with contentment the first time she saw it. Right now, it was just the thing to wash away thoughts of her mystery man, or as she called him, if only in her head, Hunky Cupcake Guy.
Padding to the edge of the water, she dipped her paw in. A shiver ran up her leg. It was perfect. Cool but not cold. Exactly what she needed before crashing for the night.
Slowly, Corrine waded in, letting the water envelop her as she mentally shut down, intent on enjoying the late night indulgence without thoughts of the man that would, without fail, invade her mind later.
She swam and dove to the point of exhaustion before dragging her body out to rest on the smooth rocks on the bank. The bit of warmth left in them from the sun was a balm to her now tired muscles. Closing her eyes she let the surrounding nightlife lull her.
Drifting in and out of sleep, she was beginning to think she just might stay outside for the night when a shift in the breeze brought a faintly familiar scent to her attention; the same spicy musk that teased her senses earlier on the hill.
Jumping to her feet, she turned her head in the direction of the smell. A rustling of leaves, followed by the unmistakable snap of a twig, had her body tensing, ready to attack. Seconds later, a huge formidable Tiger stepped out of the woods and halted in the shadows.
Corrine could just make out the head tilting back, sniffing the air before slowly dropping it back down. The Tiger prowled toward her, eyes fixed on her frozen form, gate fluid and powerful. Hunky Cupcake Guy popped into her head before she quickly shook it away.
Oh shit! What the hell! Her human-side panicked screaming they should run. The Tiger-side refused to budge. This was her territory and she was determined to defend it.
Standing her ground Corrine repeated the unknown Tiger’s action of sniffing the air. Musk permeated from the beast, washing over her in small waves. The aroma so strong it made her dizzy. This was no female Tiger – of that she was sure.
Stepping off the rocks, Corrine took the time to study the imposing male. He was by far the largest she’d ever seen. Standing at least four and a half feet tall he was a head and a half taller than her own three feet, and looked to outweigh her by at least two hundred pounds.
His coat was rusty-brown with either dark brown or black stripes. It was hard to tell in the lack of light. His yellow eyes, which bordered on amber, gleamed back at her while his tail swished behind him in a relaxed hypnotic rhythm.
The rational human in her ran through escape routes. She could remain in Tiger form, diving back into the lake to head to the other side. Stay right where she was to defend herself and her land. Or shift to her human form, then run off screaming like a mad woman and pray he left her alone. The last wasn’t really an option. She wasn’t afraid of the Tiger and would never actually run off like a lunatic, it would just ignite his instinct to hunt down his prey. Plus there was the fact her human form wouldn’t be able to withstand an attack from the Tiger if he decided he wanted a midnight snack. Hell, he was so big he’d knock her out just bumping her casually.
Keeping her eyes on the Tiger, she tried to think of the last time she came in contact with another of her kind.
The only incident that came to mind was two years ago, if not longer. Her brother brought his then girlfriend, Bitsy, for a visit. Damn, she hated that scrawny bitch as a human and Tiger. The memory of that ill-fated visit took hold of Corrine’s thoughts blocking out everything around her.
The second night Sam and Bitsy were visiting it was decided they should all go for a run. Bitsy the Bitch attacked MJ when she got separated from Corrine. All because Bitsy could see how much MJ adored Sam, and she wouldn’t stand for a Liger stealing his affections away.
Bitsy was a Purist and thought like the rest, hybrids should be destroyed. Thankfully MJ survived the attack. The wounds on her ribs healing within days. Her delicate feelings, however, never seemed to recover.
Corrine shook the memory away surprised to find the male much closer than before. Coming to a stop in a shaft of moonlight fifteen feet away, he sat, head cocked to the side, giving off an air that he was thinking. A silent hooray whispered across her thoughts followed by a bit of alarm. If he were going to attack, he would have already. Again, she wondered why he was there. Shifting her weight to her back legs, she was ready to spring forward if he made the wrong move.
She had lived in the house for years and never had this problem before. Shifters were common in the world, hell her neighbor was a Panther. A very popular male Panther, but even he didn’t cross over into her territory. What had she done that made this male think he could step onto her land?
Could it be the man from the shop? She knew he was a shifter; the unique pheromones their kind gave off alerted her of that fact. But why would he be here? All of his interest seemed to be focused on Kacie, not that she blamed him. As much as she hated to admit it, the woman was smart, sexy, and a good friend. In all honesty, if Corrine swung for the
other team, hell, she’d probably hit on Kacie too.
Oh god! What if he wants to get his groove on in shifter form? No freaking way! That isn’t going to happen.
One thing Corrine would not do is hook up with another shifter as a Tiger. That was too close to mating, and she had no designs on that happening any time soon.
Relaxing her pose as much as possible, she stood staring at him, waiting for him to make a move. As minutes ticked by, she decided she’d had enough. Keeping an eye on the male, she moved to jump back in the water. He stood abruptly, chuffing at her, the low snorting sound attempting to assert his friendliness.
As Corrine worked to stand her ground, the male Tiger shifted, leaving Hunky Cupcake Guy gloriously naked in front of her. It was a wet dream come true, until the shock of seeing him quite literally in the flesh had her rear end thudding to the ground. The man was even more stunning in the buff than he was clothed.
The woman in her finally surfaced from her panicked state, and went right into horny slut mode. She wanted to grab him and pounce, relieving the sexual need that had pressed on her the past couple of weeks. The cat in her disagreed, she wanted the other Tiger to come back out. Now that her Tiger was convinced she wasn’t being threatened, she too wanted to frolic and flirt.
Corrine huffed out a breath, gaining control of her senses, struggling to put a lid on both sides of her as much as possible. Her mother always told her the woman was Corrine’s dominant side, that she would win a battle of wills if it ever came down to it.
“Hello,” he said. His deep, smooth voice reached across caressing her ears. They flicked in response. “Remember me? Been seeing you the past couple of weeks, trying to get you to talk to me.” He chuckled like it was a bit of a joke.
Claiming More (Tiger Nip) Page 18
