Loved by the Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shifter BWWM Romance by Zoe Chant Page A

got her oil changed, there was plenty of noise.
    “I had it soundproofed. But it's quiet at night, when no one’s here.”
    Cool air passed over her still-damp skin, making her shiver. She pulled on the nightshirt she’d brought in her getaway bag. It fell past her hips to brush the tops of her thighs. She didn’t have any shorts with her, so she’d have to go out there and talk to him in her underwear. Elise felt a little thrill at the prospect.
    She stuck her head out the door. “All my clothes are still wet. Where should I put them?”
    He glanced down at the bundle in her hands; her non-lacy, non-sexy workaday bra was on top. Oops.
    After a moment he cleared his throat. “Anywhere’s fine.”
    Elise laid them over the backs of a few chairs scattered around, then went to explore the bedroom.
    It was simple. Beyond simple, actually. She’d go so far as to call it sparse . The only major piece of furniture was the bed, which was large and looked handmade. The warm wood frame with wrought-iron detail was stylishly rustic, and it stood out against the plain cotton sheets and colorless walls.
    In fact, the room looked like he had just moved in. There were still boxes in one corner, some open and some closed.
    “Sorry, it’s not much. I don’t get a lot of visitors.”
    Noah was standing in the doorway behind her. Elise felt his eyes flick over her bare-legged figure, and her cheeks warmed.
    Elise ran her fingers over one of the bedposts, along the grain of the wood. “This is really beautiful. Where did you get it?”
    “I made it.” A note of pride entered his voice.
    “You’re a mechanic and a carpenter? Is there anything you can’t do?” she asked with an incredulous laugh.
    She didn’t know any guys who could do something like that. Who could build something for themselves, with their own hands.
    No. Man . She didn’t know any men like him. And he was, very much, a man. That fact impressed itself on her mind as she looked at him again. A primal maleness radiated from him. It wasn’t just his height or muscles, but something less obvious. His confidence and command. His protectiveness when she was in trouble. The line of his strong jaw was darkened by barely-there stubble. She wanted to run her fingertips over it, feel how rough it was, see if it would scratch her skin.
    He smiled a charmingly crooked smile. “I guess you could say I was getting ready,” he said enigmatically.
    Elise tilted her head. “Ready for what?”
    “Ready for someone to share it with.” His dark gaze caught her breath and made her flush from head to toe with knowing.
    She hadn’t forgotten the kiss. Almost unconsciously her fingers rose to touch her lips in remembrance. He was close, closer to her than she’d realized.
    Close enough that she could feel the heat of his body radiating from him.
    “When do you think she’ll be around?” she said flippantly, trying to ignore the jackrabbit pace of her beating heart.
    He cradled her face with both hands; she felt small between them, something to be protected and cherished.
    “I’m starting to think she’s already here,” he whispered, brushing a thumb over her cheek.
    On impulse, she went up on her tiptoes to press her lips to his. His arms caught her, and he bent eagerly to meet her.
    His mouth on hers washed away the memory of every other kiss she’d ever had. Nothing even came close. His hands tipped her head back gently as he explored her mouth, running his tongue across her lower lip and deepening the kiss.
    She’d never felt anything so overwhelming before. She reached up and ran her hands over his hair, savoring the way the short bristles felt against her hands, clearly a leftover from his military background.
    They were pressed together as close as any two people could be, but Elise wanted more. They both had clothes on, she decided hazily, and those definitely had to go.
    She slipped her hands underneath the hem of his shirt, feeling his light gasp against her