Read Online Predator's Serenade by Rosanna Leo - Free Book Online Page A

today, or at least, if they were designer, they were expertly distressed. His massive chest was contained by a slim-fitting T-shirt with a skull over his left pec, a shirt any skater would covet. And his strong legs and tush were clad in yet another pair of jeans that seemed molded to his figure. His Converse sneakers resembled Gunnar’s, making her suppress a smile. Swallowing hard, she looked him in the face and her almost-grin disappeared. Soren was pale and looked troubled, and she had an urge to run to him, to make him feel better. She put down the scarf she was knitting and held his gaze.
    He must have lots of questions. Such as why her cousin seemed determined to swallow her whole. In fact, she wanted to figure it out herself.
    The previous evening, Soren had given permission to Gunnar to use his drum set as much as he wished. The boy had taken Soren at his word and couldn’t be pried away from his idol’s kit. Gioia had joined Gunnar as he practiced, listening as she knit, accompanied by yet another of Ryland’s beefy security guards.
    Soren approached her. At the sight of her knitting needles, his frown slipped away, and he offered her a wry grin. “Seriously? You knit? Like a granny?”
    “I’ll have you know young, hip people knit too,” she retorted. “Maybe I enjoy mindless activity. Besides, my nonna taught me to knit, and she was the hippest granny I ever met.” And then, because she felt strangely playful with him, she stuck her tongue out.
    His pupils dilated as he stared at her mouth. Quickly, she withdrew her tongue. These shifter men had insane libidos. Everywhere she looked, someone was checking her out. It was unprecedented, and even human males didn’t seem immune to her weird charms. The last time she went grocery shopping, a small army of men almost broke into a fight over the chance to hold one of her bags. And at the dentist last month she’d had to ask one of the female hygienists to remain in the room with her and Dr. Patterson because the old doctor was a little too touchy-feely all of a sudden.
    Perhaps it was best she kept her tongue out of Soren Snow’s field of vision. She wasn’t a tease, after all.
    He continued staring at her, his nostrils flared. She’d been around enough shifters to know what it meant. He was breathing her in. Did he like her scent? Without trying to appear obvious, Gioia tried to inhale Soren’s scent too. Her olfactory sense might not be as strong as his, but she could still smell him. He didn’t wear cologne, which was good because perfumes made her eyes water. He had a more subtle scent, that of a really expensive, spicy bath wash on male skin. It flooded her sinuses, more powerful than she expected it to be, and made her head swim. God love her, she felt a little giddy.
    “You’ll stay for the lesson.” It wasn’t a question, but still somehow carried the utmost in consideration for her. He was likely worried after last night’s bravura performance with Wes.
    Try not to be such a spaz today, G . “I’ll stay.”
    “Good.”
    And then without warning, he touched her cheek. He brushed his fingers against her skin with an aching slowness that made her head even more loopy. He gently squeezed the apple of her cheek, as if feeling the texture of her, and caressed the corner of her lips with his thumb. It took every ounce of fortitude not to turn and suck his thumb into her mouth.
    And the whole time, her son was pounding the hell out of the drums. Gunnar hit the cymbal, bringing them both to awareness. Soren withdrew his hand, and Gioia wordlessly resumed her knitting, trying to concentrate on the click of the needles rather than Soren’s intense gaze.
    She tossed a few surreptitious glances their way over the next hour and a half, watching as Soren taught her son some new tricks and bonded with him. Gunnar never said a word, but his hazel eyes were bright with excitement. It made her heart want to burst its confines in her chest. And every time