Read Online Sweet Cravings by Elisabeth Morgan Popolow - Free Book Online

into the mansion as if it had been pushing to get in. We quickly closed the doors and Sang locked it.
    A hard breeze made me shiver, but no snow yet. Vibrant-colored leaves lay strewn over the sidewalk, road, and tops of the cars and homes, and I relished how they crunched like potato chips when I stepped on them.
    “Lily, my friend that Darius was talking about will be here soon. He’s kind of a quiet guy, so don’t take it personally if he ignores you.”
    I shrugged. “Whatever you say, Captain.”
    I bent my head and looked up into the sky at the gleaming sun and swelled-up, looming gray clouds that slowly inched their way across the sky, promising rain later. A crow flew past and cawed, and then landed on the sidewalk right next to Sang.
    “Someone’s good with animals,” I joked.
    “Hey, Hira. ’Sup?” Sang said as he stared at the crow.
    “The wind slowed me down,” the crow replied quietly.
    I was so shocked. “Your friend is a talking crow!”
    “Oh, no, he’s a shifter.”
    I watched in complete disbelief as the crow grew taller, feathers pulsing and morphing into flesh, his beak and tiny head forming into human. The transformation was done in an instant, and standing where the crow had been was a tall, naked man. He had dark red hair that swayed past his collarbone, and tanned copper skin that shone in the sunlight. His face was very masculine, with a sharp jaw and such. He had a six-pack, and his muscles were gorgeous. His face had some silver piercings on his nose and around it, and he had the most incredible cat-green eyes. I almost melted where I stood.
    “Hello, I’m Hira.” He introduced himself and held out a hand.
    I gave his hand a shake. “Lily.”
    He turned to Sang. “Darius turned her?”
    Sang gave him a curt nod. “Oh, shit!” He swiftly went to Alice, his Corvette, and grabbed a pile of clothes for Hira. The shifter acted like being naked in public was a normal, everyday thing.
    And maybe it was, because he was very fast at slipping on a pair of black jeans, a green polo, and black running sneakers. I was impressed by how quick he was at dressing and how well his physique fit into his clothes.
    “Now, I have sad news,” Sang said solemnly. “We won’t be driving Alice today. We’ll be driving Darius’ sedan, which I have taken unto myself to name Benjamin.
    Hira laughed and told me, “It’s one of Darius’ cheaper cars to get places.”
    I responded with a knowing, “Mmm…”
    We all piled into the silver car. I was going to sit in the back, but Hira gestured for me to sit in the front, so he sat in the back, and Sang was deemed the driver.
    “Seat belts, everyone, please!” Sang commanded. Before driving away, he spun the tires so smoke rolled from the street, and took off.
    “You’re such a reckless driver!” Hira hollered as he crossed his arms across his chest.
    Sang laughed like a boy on his first bike. “I know!”
    As I was sitting there, Sang pushing the poor car to seventy-five on a fifty-mile-per-hour road, I suddenly thought of something.
    What about my work?
    I had just gotten the job, and it hadn’t been a piece of cake. I had searched everywhere in town, and everywhere out of town in range. I have a degree in writing and no one would take me, no newspapers or magazines. So I got a huge break when I finally got decent work at the Beauty Bomb Boutique —it really wasn’t my cup of tea, but what the hell. I’m also trying to finish a novel and put my writing skills to use. I’ve always dreamed of accomplishing that.
    “Sang,” I said loudly as I looked at him. “What about my job? I haven’t been able to tell anyone what happened—not that they’d believe me.”
    He answered coolly, “Oh, that thing. Darius used his glamour on them. He told them that you were very sick and would be out for about a month.”
    “A month!” I yelled in horror and disbelief.
    “Yeah,” Sang said.
    “I guess it’s better than nothing.” I sulked. No