An Excerpt From: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S HEAT

© Copyright JUDY MAYS, 2004.

All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave, Inc.

Belle was admiring Alex’s chest. It was just as broad and muscular—and smooth—as she remembered when his remark sank in. “Maybe! What do you mean, maybe? Those two yuppie survivalist wannabes? I could have handled them with one hand tied behind my back.”

Belle wrenched her gaze from his chest, looked up into his face, and froze.

Alex was grinning—and his smile transformed his face. He looked younger, more at ease. She shifted her glance to his eyes—and fell in.

As her stomach dropped to her feet and her emotions roiled in chaos, the werewolf in her soul awoke and howled with joy. Mine!

Gasping, Belle whirled away from Alex and grabbed the porch railing, the last conversation she’d had with Moira before she left New York leaping to the forefront of her mind.

“How could you possibly agree to marry my father after knowing him barely a week?”

Moira was relaxed in the rocking chair nursing one of the babies. Smiling contentedly, she looked up from her daughter’s face and said, “It was the easiest decision I’ve ever made. The first time I looked into his eyes, my stomach did a complete flip-flop and my heart felt like it was going to explode. I just didn’t understand what it meant. Your father knew, though. He’d experienced much the same thing with your mother. Wolves know, Belle, when they meet the male or female destined to be their mates. They don’t fight their instincts. Humans, on the other hand, require logic and don’t trust their instincts at all—at least most of them. Werewolves find themselves torn between both heritages. They should follow their instincts more than they do. Living with the wolves taught your father not to question himself, so when he met me, and his ‘soul shifted’ as he likes to say, he knew we belonged together.”

Moira switched her daughter to her other breast and looked back at Belle. “You’re very special, Belle, because your mother was a wolf. You’re much more in tune with your instincts than the average werewolf. When it comes to men, trust your instincts. They’ll never lie to you.”

Staring blindly at the forest, Belle sucked in another breath and shivered. Her instincts would never lie to her? Oh, shit. A sexy, arrogant Alpha werewolf in the middle of nowhere had just rocked her world. How did this happen? Why did this happen? Why now? Why here? No! Her instincts had to be wrong. She finally reached a point in her life where she could do whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted.

Her knuckles whitened as she clenched the railing harder and shook her head. No! She would not subjugate herself to a cocky Alpha, no matter how sexy he was.

She looked back at Alex. He was frowning.

“You okay?” Grasping her upper arms, he pulled her away from the railing.

Belle turned in his arms and flattened her hands against his chest. Slowly, she outlined his pectorals with her palms. Gods, but his chest was smooth—no hair anywhere—just lots of copper skin covering hard muscles.

He flared his nostrils and inhaled.

Belle looked up at his mouth. How would it taste?

Pushing herself up onto her tiptoes, she captured Alex’s mouth with hers and sucked his tongue deep into her mouth. She laced her fingers through his hair as she twirled her tongue around his. He tasted so good!

Slowly, Belle untangled her tongue from his. Her head fell back. Why fight fate? Lips parted, she stared into his eyes. “I want you—now.”

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