Unleashed by Katie MacAlister

him shirtless.”
    Avery, with a roll of his eyes, finished twisting the strips of shirt and turned to go into the bathroom.
    My eyes widened even more at the close-up view of his back. He wasn’t bodybuilder muscley, but he was a damned fine sight nonetheless. My brain just kind of shut down as I drank in his naked upper half, wanting to stroke the long planes of his back, to trace out the hills and valleys caused by the silky-smooth skin lying over ropes of muscles that made me feel intensely female, and, more than anything, I wanted to run my tongue along the long line of his spine.
    Right, that did it. The stroking I could cope with. The tracing was pushing it. But the tongue up my back was too much. You can’t think thoughts like that at me and not expect me to act on them.
    Stop eavesdropping! I yelled, mortified and aroused at the same time.
    Never. Your place or mine?
    Your place is with a bunch of animal-changing maniacs!
    True. Your place, then. Just as soon as we can manage.
    I didn’t answer, not trusting myself to respond reasonably.
    By the time Avery and Paen had the still-sleeping Dieter-wolf tied up and deposited in the back of a black sedan, and I had given them directions to a suitable release spot, it was past two in the afternoon.
    â€œI should get the truck turned back in,” I said with a glance at my watch. “So I think it’s a good idea to head back to the office. Hopefully, Greg will be there, and I’ll be able to talk to him.”
    â€œ We will talk to him,” Avery said, taking my hand as I started for the truck.
    â€œAre all vampires this pushy?” Cora asked Sam.
    â€œUnfortunately, yes. Your sister had better get used to it. They don’t get any better.” Sam paused at the look her husband gave her. “What?”
    â€œDon’t tell her that. She’ll never agree to Join with Avery, and we’ll have him on our hands for eternity.”
    Avery made a rude gesture at his brother that caused him to laugh, but he accepted the shirt Paen handed over from his luggage. Once Avery’s distracting chest was covered, we all dispersed to our respective vehicles; Avery, Cora and I to the state truck, and Paen and Sam to their rented wolf-laden car. I sat in the middle, next to Avery, who claimed he preferred to drive.
    â€œDon’t tell me you’re the sort of man who hates to be driven by a woman,” I said, giving him the keys that Cora had grudgingly handed over.
    â€œI don’t like being driven by anyone, but that’s not pertinent. If you drive, your sister will insist on sitting between us, and my ribs are already bruised from where she’s repeatedly dug her elbows into them.”
    â€œCora!” I gave her a scathing look as I scooted over next to Avery, unable to ignore the part of my mind that was making happy noises at being pressed up next to him. His body was warm and hard and so incredibly male it made my mouth water.
    â€œWho, me? I would never do anything so petty.” Her face was angelic, but I wasn’t in the least fooled.
    I focused on keeping my hands to myself and on not touching Avery.
    But I’d like you to touch me. Not as much as I’d like to touch you, though.
    I kept my mind firmly on what I was going to say to Greg. “I think we’re going to have to be straightforward with him. He’s never been the sort of guy to pick up on subtle hints.”
    â€œSubtle as in, stop hitting on me; I’m not interested in you?” Cora asked.
    Avery’s thoughts were suddenly filled with violence.
    Stop pretending to be jealous.
    I’m not pretending.
    It’s not going to impress me. Greg hasn’t done anything to warrant your thinking things like that. Or that. And gelding is definitely out. They have laws against that, you know!
    I’m a Moravian, Beloved. I am above such things as mortal laws.
    And conceited to boot. You can posture all you like, but