Read Claiming Ana for Free Online Page B

drug.
    “Oh, great, a fan.” He growled as a big moving blob of gold fur tackled his chest and slobbered all over him. Talk about being violated. “Hey, knock it off. You’re not my kind of girl. Where’s Ana?” he bellowed, then stifled a groan as his head thumped in protest. A whiff of something cut through the pain. Howl sniffed the air again. Over the dog, he recognized the dark, heady scent of jasmine, woman, and gypsy magic.
    There she is.
    A steady rhythm of clicks came closer and the scent intensified. A slim, tan foot in a sling-back heel stopped next to him. Howl let his gaze trail up the long length of bare flesh, from her bright pink toenails until it disappeared under the hem of a red skirt. Mmm. I’d like to taste that smooth skin. Instinctively, he reached out and brushed his fingers across her calf.
    “We’ve got to start meeting like this more often, sans the bullet wound.”
    “And the tornado. Do you remember what happened?” Ana leaned against the table, sipping a mug of coffee. She didn’t make a move to steer away from his touch.
    “Unfortunately, yeah. What time is it?” He crossed his arm over his eyes and blinked against the bright light.
    “10:30 AM. How about that, Taffy? Our patient made it through the night.” She set the cup on the table, crouched down beside him, patted her dog on the head and shoved her gently aside. “I know you love him, but let me have a look, ’kay?”
    The dog—Ana had called her Taffy—plopped her doggy butt on the floor at his feet and looked up at him in clear adoration. Ana produced a pen light from the pocket of her lab coat. Howl stared in fascination as a mask of concentration shadowed her face. Her strong bones, olive skin and blood might not have revealed her Romany heritage. She could have easily been of Greek or Hispanic descent, but he just knew she wasn’t. His mate’s unusual green eyes told another story. They belied Irish or maybe Scot in her bloodline. Her blood magic, however, was definitely Gypsy.
    “Pupils look good.” She said this to her dog in complete seriousness and he stifled a chuckle.
    “How about a headache?” she asked him while she felt his forehead for heat.
    “No thanks, I got enough aches,” he growled, and grasped her hand to pull her into his lap for a quick kiss. “Some are more pleasant than others.”
    Ana gave a light nervous laugh. The sound wrapped around Howl and made him ache.
    “Let me help you sit up. I’ll get you some aspirin and see how you feel.”
    “I’d kill for a cup of that coffee.”
    “Sure.”
    That’s not what I’d kill for .
    Clear as a bell, her voice rang in Howl’s head. For a moment, he was taken aback, then he grinned. Hmm, this new development was one he hadn’t heard of before. His grin turned wolfish. Well, well, that’s one talent I wouldn’t mind taking advantage of. No time like the present to test it. Not waiting for her answer, he grabbed the table for leverage and stood up. The quilt pooled on the floor, leaving him in all his morning glory.
    Her gaze swept over him, lingering for a moment on his groin. A dark blush appeared on her cheeks before she remembered herself and turned her back.
    Oh, my. It was different when he lay dying on my kitchen floor .
    The thought flitted through his mind as if it were his own.
    “Hmm. Not so different.” He answered her unspoken thought before leaning down, snagging the quilt, and wrapping it around his waist. “You can look now.”
    Ana turned, but wouldn’t meet his eyes. Howl was fascinated by the way her cheeks turned rose under the gold. He heard her inner battle between blatantly staring at him, possibly throwing herself at him, or politely turning away. Neither was what she really wanted. Interesting. Maybe taking things further between wasn’t out of the question after all.
    “Right, about that coffee. How do you like it?” Ana hurried to the counter and grabbed a sturdy mug. Her fingers were trembling as she