Brink Of Passion (Alpine Woods Shifters) by Sondrae Bennett

gift.”
    “It’s too much,” she said even as Laurie’s mother pulled the papers out of her hand.
    “I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t wanted to.”
    “Oh, Laurie.” A note of sadness crept into her mother’s voice.
    “I can’t go to New York without giving it everything I’ve got, and Books ’N’ Crannies would keep pulling me back. Besides, this place deserves two owners who’re here to give it the attention it deserves.” The sheaf of papers had made its way around the group. “I want you to have it.”
    Tears bright in her eyes, Samantha stood up and waddled over to where Laurie stood. “Thank you,” she whispered.
    Tears blurred her own vision, but she blinked them away before they could fall. A cough loosened the lump in her throat.
    “Alright, enough tears. I want to drink another margarita and eat my patty melt.”
    “And chicken fingers.”
    “And Mozzarella sticks.”
    “Don’t forget the fries.”
    Heartless bunch. The whole lot of them. But as she contemplated the containers on the table, she pursed her lips.
    “I might have been a little ambitious in my appetite.”
    “A little?” Laurie turned at the sound of Jason’s voice even as the bell above the door announced their arrival. Her gaze swept past her brothers and father and snagged on Max, her eyes drawn to him whenever he was close.
    He wore loose jeans and a light gray t-shirt he’d borrowed from Brendan claiming that real men need instructions don’t . Julie had bought the shirt for her mate after he’d spent an afternoon swearing while trying to put together the entertainment center they’d bought from IKEA.
    She wished she could blame her sudden mouthwatering on the smell of fried food from the diner, but Max’s proximity affected her on a primal level. The beast inside her both settled and stirred, leaving her reeling and reaching out for something to steady her. Both woman and wolf needed a reminder of where they were, surrounded by family, and that it would be inappropriate to rip his clothes off in the entryway of the store.
    As if he’d read her thoughts, a slow smirk pulled at his lips. The thin platform of control she was building gave way to a torrent of lust.
    He probably had read her thoughts. Or at least been fed a snippet of her emotions through their mate bond. Last night, he had claimed her again, sinking his teeth through her original mark as he’d plowed into her from behind. It seemed impossible, yet every night their lovemaking became more and more intense.
    “Cut it out, lovebirds.” Danny bumped into Max’s shoulder from behind, breaking the connection between them.
    Heat infused her cheeks. What was wrong with her? The mere sight of the man had her salivating.
    Then she noticed the bags her brothers carried.
    “What’s all that?” Samantha voiced the question at the front of Laurie’s mind.
    “Well, when Martha called to tell us you all were drunk and ordering enough food to feed an army—”
    “A small full human army,” Max interjected.
    “—we figured we’d pick up our own food and have dinner here instead of at home.”
    The men piled into the room, moving the large armchairs around like they were plastic folding chairs. Max once again drew her eyes as he set his bag down beside hers and moved across the room. He wasn’t what she would consider muscular. Although he had plenty of muscles, he was too lean for the term. He had the lithe, long lines of a cat. But still he didn’t falter as he moved the largest leather high-backed chair next to her. The muscles on his arm pulled her attention, mesmerizing her. Lithe maybe, but with clear definition. She wanted to lick the indents around his bicep.
    “If you stare, he’ll never boil,” Ethan whispered in her ear. Of course, in a room full of shifters, everyone’s heads turned their way, including Max’s. His gaze collided with hers. Lightning crackled in the air between them, prickling over her skin and making her hair stand