UnleashingtheAnimal by J L Taft Page A

That’s why I came. I wanted to
apologize and thank you for the painting. You didn’t have to do that.”
    “You’re welcome,” she answered quietly.
    Running a hand down his face, he paced away and then paced
back. “Look, I know I made some mistakes and I hurt you. But I don’t want it to
end like this.”
    Blair bit her lip to keep from yelling out that he was the
one who left. But she didn’t want it to end nastily either and she didn’t want
the last words she ever said to him be the horrible things she had said the
other night.
    But then he stepped closer. Close enough that she had to
tilt her head back to see his face.
    “Blair, I don’t want this to end at all,” he whispered. “I
tried to walk away but I can’t, I’m in love with you and I think we could be
happy together if you were willing to give us a chance.”
    “I don’t know, Shane. One minute you say you care about me
and the next you are running in the opposite direction. How can I ever trust
you?”
    “Give me a chance to try to gain your trust, please.” His
eyes were pleading and he reached for her hands.
    She wanted to fall into his arms and tell him she would love
him forever, but she needed him to know she wouldn’t sit idly by while he
changed his mind every two minutes.
    “You hurt me, Shane, and I want you to know I won’t let you
do it again.”
    He smiled at her then because he knew he had won. “I have
every faith that you will hold me to it. I love you, Blair.”
    His hands came up to cup her face and Blair felt the tears
spill over and run down her cheeks.
    “I love you too, Shane,” she choked out.
    He smiled as his mouth came down on hers.
    “Wait,” she stopped him. “What about the whole cat and dog
thing?”
    “I went and did some research, it’s where I was this week. I
found out that it’s not unheard of. Shifters of different species have fallen
in love before and it’s worked out just fine and our kids will be fine too. So,
apparently I was wrong.”
    “Our kids?” she said in surprise.
    “Yeah, our kids,” he said with a smile as he tried to lower
his mouth again.
    “So it wasn’t that you didn’t want me, you ran because you
thought it would be dangerous?”
    “Is that what you thought? How could you ever think I didn’t
want you? You are beautiful and sexy and smart and have amazing talent, anyone
would want you.”
    While she didn’t believe him, it was still nice to hear. He
wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his chest, squeezing her
against him.
    Pushing out of his arms, she stood with her hand on her hip.
“And you didn’t feel the need to let me know where you were going?”
    He looked a little sheepish at that. “Sorry,” he said with a
little grin.
    “How did you find all this out?” she questioned.
    “You just have to know where to look. But there will be
plenty of time for me to teach you all I know about Shifters.” Bending down, he
wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her to twirl her around. She
giggled and cradled his head as they kissed.
    Suddenly Shane pulled back and stared down at her. “Since
you are already half packed why don’t you just move your stuff to my place? I
can’t think of a better way for you to learn to trust me. What do you think?”
he asked. Blair thought about it but didn’t get a chance to answer because
behind them a car door closed and they heard someone clear her voice.
    Blair turned to look over her shoulder. “Oh shit,” she
whispered.
    “Who is it?” Shane asked, gazing at the woman staring at
them.
    Shane set her back on the ground when she pushed against his
arms. “It’s my mother,” she whispered.
    “Hello, Mother,” Blair called out as she went over to kiss
her mother’s cheek. “What are you doing here?”
    Her mother looked perfect as usual, not a hair out of place
and her designer suit neatly pressed. Blair was suddenly very aware of her
jeans and paint-stained t-shirt.
    “Well, I see why you