Read Online Chase, Zara - Tigers' Temptation [Impulse 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) by Zara Chase - Free Book Online

didn’t want to put any pressure on her.
    Once she started to relax, she noticed weird things. Everyone seemed to have the same lithe, graceful economy of movement. They rubbed against one another’s faces in the middle of conversations for no apparent reason, heard comments that were beyond Layla’s acute hearing, and made purring sounds whenever they laughed.
    “Oh, here’s Vadim and Zayd,” Lily said, pointing out of the window to a small motorboat berthing at the dock.
    Layla gasped when the man driving the boat cut the engine and leapt a good ten feet onto the dock, landing as softly as a leaf falling from a tree, not disturbing the floating dock with his weight. The other guy, handling the lines on the bow, tied them off and made an even longer leap.
    “How do they do that?” she asked no one in particular.
    “It’s a gift,” Philo said, coming up behind her and slipping an arm around her waist. “You having a good time?”
    “Yes, actually I am. Everyone’s made me very welcome.”
    “Hungry?”
    “If I say yes ,does that mean I get to sample more of Rochelle’s cooking? If so, I’m ravenous.”
    Philo laughed and took her hand. “Come on, then. They’re holding a table for the three of us.”
    Mikael’s attitude seemed a little less formal as they occupied a quiet booth and enjoyed an intimate dinner. Even so, there was a wariness about him that was absent in her interactions with Philo, like he was trying to make up his mind about her. Now that she knew of his history with journalists, she mentally cut him some slack. She thought of what was at stake and decided that she’d stay another day or two, try to win his confidence, and get him to tell her what they really did at that Institute. If there was even an outside chance that they’d found a way to miraculously cure terminal illnesses then she wasn’t going anywhere until she got to the bottom of it.
    “Why do people keep coming and going so much in the bar?” she asked. “I’ve seen several of the same guys in and out over the last hour.”
    “Haven’t you realized yet that the Cat’s Whiskers is the center of the universe, at least as far as Impulse is concerned?” Philo asked.
    “Yes, but that doesn’t explain why—”
    “People make a habit out of stopping in when they’re passing, just to make sure they’re not missing anything.”
    “And since you’re new to town, they’re curious,” Mikael added.
    “Don’t tell me I’m the only stranger in here?”
    “Pretty much,” Philo said, chuckling. “How does it feel to be famous?”
    “Scary.”
    “It shouldn’t. They’re good people. Can’t think of any other crowd I’d prefer to have at my back in a crisis.”
    “No, small-town life has a lot going for it. It’s easy to lose sight of that in today’s busy world.”
    The guys laughed when she was unable to resist one of Rochelle’s delicious desserts. They declined themselves but were more than happy to help her with her cheesecake. She fed spoonfuls directly into their mouths, blushing when her eyes clashed with Mikael’s and she recalled exactly what he’d done to her with his mouth earlier that evening.
    “That was good,” she said, pushing the empty plate away and patting her full stomach.
    Philo laughed. “So we see.”
    Layla was in no hurry to repeat the journey on foot to the Institute. She still hadn’t gotten over the way her chest tightened in that damned freaky atmosphere. She almost cried with relief when they stepped out the door and a golf cart was parked there, clearly intended for their use.
    “Your chariot, madam,” Philo said with a theatrical bow.
    “How did you know?”
    “Lucky guess,” Mikael said, sliding behind the wheel.
    Layla’s eyes were drooping by the time they got back to the apartment. She thanked the guys for a good time, wished them good-night, and headed for her room. She fell asleep almost at once, and woke again less than an hour later. She’d heard