Read Online Jaguar's Kiss (Lone Pine Pride) by Vivi Andrews - Free Book Online
Authors: Vivi Andrews
Ads: Link
when he moved up here to join. Now… “It’s grown on me. Though sometimes all the togetherness makes me nuts.”
Lila grimaced. “Patch says the same thing.”
“I probably got it from her. I’ve heard her say it often enough.”
“I forgot. You and Patch are close, aren’t you?” The slightest edge of ice coated her words.
He slowed the car before the curve that would bring the house into view, looking across the cab at the sulky lioness in the passenger seat. “Lila Fallon, are you jealous of my friendship with Patch?”
“Of course not.” She sniffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You are.” A grin split his face. “I had no idea you’d have a possessive streak.”
“I’m not possess—” She broke off, gasping as they rounded the bend and she looked up. “Oh my God.”
His smile widened, pride exploding in his chest. “You approve?”
“This place. Santiago, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“You’re not likely to. I designed and built the whole thing from scratch.”
“You said tree house.” She bent to peer up through the windshield as he parked the Land Rover and cut the engine. “I was picturing, I don’t know, a rickety old cabin in a tree. This is…”
She trailed off and he grinned at her speechlessness, hopping out of the car and rounding the hood to open her door while she continued to gawk. The cat inside him strutted and purred as she stroked his pride. This place was his masterpiece. Having her here, in this place he’d built with his own hands, pulling it out of his imagination… There were no words.
Built around four tall, sturdy giant cedars, the house started at the ground and twisted up into the sky in sections, each level like another step in a giant spiral staircase, climbing up toward the heavens.
He helped her out of the car and her eyes immediately went to the scratches around the front door—a predator marking his territory. Lila frowned and stepped away from him, inhaling deeply.
“Cinnamon and smoke,” she murmured and her eyes widened as she turned back to him. “This is your place, isn’t it? Not just one you designed. You live here.”
“Come see the inside.”
She slipped her hand into his and let him tug her toward the door, smiling bemusedly. “Santiago Flores, I think you must be a closet romantic to live here.”
He shrugged. “I was inspired.”
By her. Though he knew he couldn’t tell her that without sending her running back to the pride. He’d never have bothered with something this magnificent for himself if he hadn’t been constantly picturing this moment, imagining bringing her here.
He led her up to the first level of the spiral, up only a couple of short wide steps from the ground—steps that would be easy for a jaguar or a lion to leap. Every inch of the house had been designed with both man and cat in mind.
The interior didn’t try to be overly rustic. The floors were hardwood and he’d left the ceiling beams exposed, but it could have been a living room anywhere—until you looked out the windows. Santiago watched her face, trying to read her reaction. Did she like it? He’d scattered rugs around in an attempt to warm the place up and kept the furniture sparse to give his cat room to roam. A stone fireplace formed the center spike of the spiral, as far away from the four foundation trees as possible to ward against fires.
Could Lila see herself in front of that fire? Was she envisioning the little touches she would put on the place to make it her own?
He guided her through the house, each level a new room—the entry/living room opening up a few short steps into the kitchen and dining area. Above that was the office and library, where he spent most of his time. His desk faced a small balcony with glass sliding doors giving a view of the forest. The house wasn’t truly suspended in the trees, but from here, it felt like it.
Every other wall in the room contained floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, though
Lila grimaced. “Patch says the same thing.”
“I probably got it from her. I’ve heard her say it often enough.”
“I forgot. You and Patch are close, aren’t you?” The slightest edge of ice coated her words.
He slowed the car before the curve that would bring the house into view, looking across the cab at the sulky lioness in the passenger seat. “Lila Fallon, are you jealous of my friendship with Patch?”
“Of course not.” She sniffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You are.” A grin split his face. “I had no idea you’d have a possessive streak.”
“I’m not possess—” She broke off, gasping as they rounded the bend and she looked up. “Oh my God.”
His smile widened, pride exploding in his chest. “You approve?”
“This place. Santiago, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“You’re not likely to. I designed and built the whole thing from scratch.”
“You said tree house.” She bent to peer up through the windshield as he parked the Land Rover and cut the engine. “I was picturing, I don’t know, a rickety old cabin in a tree. This is…”
She trailed off and he grinned at her speechlessness, hopping out of the car and rounding the hood to open her door while she continued to gawk. The cat inside him strutted and purred as she stroked his pride. This place was his masterpiece. Having her here, in this place he’d built with his own hands, pulling it out of his imagination… There were no words.
Built around four tall, sturdy giant cedars, the house started at the ground and twisted up into the sky in sections, each level like another step in a giant spiral staircase, climbing up toward the heavens.
He helped her out of the car and her eyes immediately went to the scratches around the front door—a predator marking his territory. Lila frowned and stepped away from him, inhaling deeply.
“Cinnamon and smoke,” she murmured and her eyes widened as she turned back to him. “This is your place, isn’t it? Not just one you designed. You live here.”
“Come see the inside.”
She slipped her hand into his and let him tug her toward the door, smiling bemusedly. “Santiago Flores, I think you must be a closet romantic to live here.”
He shrugged. “I was inspired.”
By her. Though he knew he couldn’t tell her that without sending her running back to the pride. He’d never have bothered with something this magnificent for himself if he hadn’t been constantly picturing this moment, imagining bringing her here.
He led her up to the first level of the spiral, up only a couple of short wide steps from the ground—steps that would be easy for a jaguar or a lion to leap. Every inch of the house had been designed with both man and cat in mind.
The interior didn’t try to be overly rustic. The floors were hardwood and he’d left the ceiling beams exposed, but it could have been a living room anywhere—until you looked out the windows. Santiago watched her face, trying to read her reaction. Did she like it? He’d scattered rugs around in an attempt to warm the place up and kept the furniture sparse to give his cat room to roam. A stone fireplace formed the center spike of the spiral, as far away from the four foundation trees as possible to ward against fires.
Could Lila see herself in front of that fire? Was she envisioning the little touches she would put on the place to make it her own?
He guided her through the house, each level a new room—the entry/living room opening up a few short steps into the kitchen and dining area. Above that was the office and library, where he spent most of his time. His desk faced a small balcony with glass sliding doors giving a view of the forest. The house wasn’t truly suspended in the trees, but from here, it felt like it.
Every other wall in the room contained floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, though
Similar Books
