Full Circle (Central Florida Pack Book 1) by Chudney Thomas Page B
Authors: Chudney Thomas
Tags: Romance
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held in the Pack was the one she'd made for herself.
"Why are you eating in the kitchen?"
Drake. His voice rolled across her nerves, simultaneously setting them aflame and irritating them. She'd learned long ago to hide her physical pull toward his masculinity. He was her Alpha, so he'd never look at her that way in return. Any irritation she felt was only a result of her frustration with the situation between them. Besides, no one, especially not a half-human, challenged the Alpha.
***
Drake watched as she literally made herself smaller, never making direct eye contact with him as she huddled over her sandwich. Her black curls partially hid her face from view as she ate. It made him want to snarl and snatch her up from the chair. He had no idea what he'd do after that, so he stayed where he was. Humans were frail. She couldn't take what he was capable of dishing out.
"It was just easier to grab a bite in here." She cleared her plate and began emptying the first dishwasher that had finished running.
Drake didn't know what hit him. One moment, he was standing in the doorway. The next, he'd set her back from the dishwasher and proceeded to unload the damned thing himself.
"I can do that," Ria said. "It's your first night back, and besides, you're the guest of honor."
He felt her timid attempt to move him out of the way. He stiffened at the delicate touch of her hands on his spine, lust shooting through him. Ria noticed and immediately removed her hands from his body.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched you." She was backing away now. Her fear wafted through the kitchen, overriding the scents of food and Pack.
A bold female named Sheena appeared in the doorway. "Jeez, what the hell did you do now, Ria? I can scent your fear way out here."
He saw the calculation in Sheena's gaze as she joined them by the dishwasher. Sheena ran her hand down his spine with a confidence that should have been appealing. "Here, Drake, let me do that."
Drake caught the fleeting scent of jealousy and pain from Ria, just before she melted into the other room, disappearing into the Pack.
***
Ria dug deeper into her cavernous purse. Her keys had to be in here somewhere. She thought of the chaos in the great room and dug deeper. Ria needed her keys if she was going to escape Drake.
As she scrabbled around the bottom of her bag, she listened to the familiar whistle of a man who was not only second to the Alpha but also his best friend. She should have known that trying to sneak out was a ridiculous idea. Ria turned around to find James blocking the door. Where Drake was dark James was light. Shaggy blond hair fell into hazel eyes. Eyes that missed nothing.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I have to work tomorrow, remember?" He was her boss at CFP Construction and had been since she'd returned from college. He was also the one who'd helped her pick up the pieces after her mother had died in a car accident.
"What if I said you'd better serve the Pack by staying here tonight?"
He was joking; he had to be. She hoped.
James shook his head. "You should see the look on your face, Ria. You know running away from Drake isn't the best way to deal with him."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ria resumed digging in her purse. "Have you seen my keys?"
"No, I haven't." He looked over her head and smiled. Ria's heartbeat picked up speed. She gripped her purse more tightly as heavy footsteps sounded in the hall. Warmth at her back told her just how close Drake was.
James shoved off of the door, a grin of amusement on his face. He had the audacity to wink at her as he brushed past her and sauntered down the hall.
"Aren't you going to tell me why you're leaving?" Drake asked. He wasn't growling at her anymore. His voice was as gentle as she supposed one could make gravel.
"I have tons to do tomorrow, and I'm tired. Feeding and cleaning up after forty Pack members and their assorted spouses and children isn't easy." She chanced a
"Why are you eating in the kitchen?"
Drake. His voice rolled across her nerves, simultaneously setting them aflame and irritating them. She'd learned long ago to hide her physical pull toward his masculinity. He was her Alpha, so he'd never look at her that way in return. Any irritation she felt was only a result of her frustration with the situation between them. Besides, no one, especially not a half-human, challenged the Alpha.
***
Drake watched as she literally made herself smaller, never making direct eye contact with him as she huddled over her sandwich. Her black curls partially hid her face from view as she ate. It made him want to snarl and snatch her up from the chair. He had no idea what he'd do after that, so he stayed where he was. Humans were frail. She couldn't take what he was capable of dishing out.
"It was just easier to grab a bite in here." She cleared her plate and began emptying the first dishwasher that had finished running.
Drake didn't know what hit him. One moment, he was standing in the doorway. The next, he'd set her back from the dishwasher and proceeded to unload the damned thing himself.
"I can do that," Ria said. "It's your first night back, and besides, you're the guest of honor."
He felt her timid attempt to move him out of the way. He stiffened at the delicate touch of her hands on his spine, lust shooting through him. Ria noticed and immediately removed her hands from his body.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have touched you." She was backing away now. Her fear wafted through the kitchen, overriding the scents of food and Pack.
A bold female named Sheena appeared in the doorway. "Jeez, what the hell did you do now, Ria? I can scent your fear way out here."
He saw the calculation in Sheena's gaze as she joined them by the dishwasher. Sheena ran her hand down his spine with a confidence that should have been appealing. "Here, Drake, let me do that."
Drake caught the fleeting scent of jealousy and pain from Ria, just before she melted into the other room, disappearing into the Pack.
***
Ria dug deeper into her cavernous purse. Her keys had to be in here somewhere. She thought of the chaos in the great room and dug deeper. Ria needed her keys if she was going to escape Drake.
As she scrabbled around the bottom of her bag, she listened to the familiar whistle of a man who was not only second to the Alpha but also his best friend. She should have known that trying to sneak out was a ridiculous idea. Ria turned around to find James blocking the door. Where Drake was dark James was light. Shaggy blond hair fell into hazel eyes. Eyes that missed nothing.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"I have to work tomorrow, remember?" He was her boss at CFP Construction and had been since she'd returned from college. He was also the one who'd helped her pick up the pieces after her mother had died in a car accident.
"What if I said you'd better serve the Pack by staying here tonight?"
He was joking; he had to be. She hoped.
James shook his head. "You should see the look on your face, Ria. You know running away from Drake isn't the best way to deal with him."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ria resumed digging in her purse. "Have you seen my keys?"
"No, I haven't." He looked over her head and smiled. Ria's heartbeat picked up speed. She gripped her purse more tightly as heavy footsteps sounded in the hall. Warmth at her back told her just how close Drake was.
James shoved off of the door, a grin of amusement on his face. He had the audacity to wink at her as he brushed past her and sauntered down the hall.
"Aren't you going to tell me why you're leaving?" Drake asked. He wasn't growling at her anymore. His voice was as gentle as she supposed one could make gravel.
"I have tons to do tomorrow, and I'm tired. Feeding and cleaning up after forty Pack members and their assorted spouses and children isn't easy." She chanced a
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