Read Obsession for Free Online Page A

he took her palm and unfurled it as if touching a fragile flower. Raphael stared at the cut. Then he raised it to his mouth and ran his tongue over the cut. Her skin tasted like the most exotic chocolate. His favorite, milk chocolate as rich and luscious running over his tongue, mixed with the sharp bite of her blood.
    Arousal, fragrant as a field of wildflowers in summer, filled the air. Hers? And his, he acknowledged ruefully. Jessica’s breathing hitched as she stared at him.
    Raphael drew back and watched the cut disappear, willing his erection to vanish as quickly. He thought of the Gnomes gnawing on his back and his muscles twitched.
    “How did you do that?” she asked.
    “I have a wicked tongue.”
    Hearing Alexa return, he stepped back. His alpha’s mate rushed into the kitchen, carrying the First Aid kit.
    “No need. It’s healed.” Jessica waved her hand.
    “Jess, let me see. You know you don’t heal as fast as other Lupines.” Alexa set the kit on the table and took her friend’s hand.
    Not heal as fast? Interesting. He had not discovered that information, even after doing an extensive background check on Alexa’s friend.
    Why did Jessica not heal as other Lupines did?
    Alexa stared at Jessica’s palm as if divining secrets. “How did that happen? It’s gone.”
    “Must be the fresh Colorado air.” But Jessica snatched her hand away and avoided Raphael’s gaze.
    Alexa shook her head. “In that case, let’s get you out of this house and into more of that fresh air. I’ll give you the grand tour of the ranch. J.J.’s still on an international call. He wrote a note that he’ll join us for dinner.”
    She turned to Raphael. “Can you get the golf cart? It’ll be easier than using the horses.”
    “Of course.”
    Raphael left, deep in thought as he gave Jessica one last glance. Tempting. Oh, so very tempting.
    She would prove a challenge to him in the coming days. He sensed it.

 
    Chapter 3
     
    I have a wicked tongue.
    The Lupine had a most wicked tongue, indeed. It felt like fire licking between her legs and all he’d done was make one slow stroke across her hurting palm.
    Jessica tried to gather her scrambled thoughts as she and Alexa rode in the back of the four-person golf cart. Raphael drove, silent and assured. She didn’t dare meet his gaze, lest he see the flare of sexual awareness in her.
    He smelled like citrus and spices, as if he’d bathed in a rich, fragrant and very male aftershave. Not overpowering, but enticing. Instinct told her it was his natural scent.
    Only pureblood alpha males had such powerful scents. It allowed them to attract females for mating. So if Raphael was an alpha, why did he serve as J.J.’s beta?
    Heat flushed her face as she remembered how good it felt when he’d licked her palm. Surely he’d scented her arousal. Raphael was a red-blooded male Lupine and they were known for detecting when a female was sexually interested.
    It was going to be a long week.
    Raphael stopped the golf cart before a 10-car garage that was bigger than her entire house. She and Alexa climbed out as he shut off the engine and then opened the doors.
    Jessica stared at the line of luxury cars. Their worth could pay off her student loan and the student loans of all the young in her adopted family.
    Matching Porsche sports cars.
    “This one’s mine. And the one next to it is J.J.’s” Alexa pointed to a bright cherry red car sitting next to a sleek black one. “His wedding gift. Now we’re a matched set.”
    Jessica stared, envy coiling through her. The car she drove was a 10-year-old sedan with bald tires. Her boyfriends in college had never given her gifts. Except for Bill, who’d thought it was funny to give her a box of condoms wrapped in shiny red foil for Valentine’s Day as a hint to sleep with him.
    She’d blown up the condoms into balloons, then used them to decorate Bill’s front door.
    Jessica walked through the garage. A black Lexus, new and equally sleek,