Shaw (Alpha Geek #6) - Milly Taiden Page 0,30

developed into a full-blown beard, just barely counting as a five o’clock shadow. But he did feel the difference in the cut of his jawline. It felt impressive. He wondered if his face would have changed all that much.

He moved his legs slowly, and the muscles were quick to listen. He tested all of his muscles, from his calves all to way to his hands. There was still an odd sort of numbness pulling at his limbs, but he could sense that it wouldn’t last very long.

Shaw turned his head, and he spotted Poppy. Her lithe body was curled up on a chair. Her face was turned toward him, and her hand was draped over the side of his bed. It looked like it had fallen from his body as he turned. That made him smile with hope.

Poppy could hate him for what he had done, and for bringing trouble to her, but she had still lain beside him to keep vigil while he healed. That had to mean something, didn’t it? Shaw had to remain hopeful that it could mean that he could fix whatever tender and small relationship that they had been building.

“Poppy,” he said softly, not wanting to jar her awake.

She sat up like a shot, disorientated and pale under her tanned skin. She gasped when her eyes settled on him. The air around them became all the sweeter. Shaw knew enough about shifters to realize that it was her reaction, her emotion, that he could smell. The honeyed flowery smell could only mean good things. She was happy to see him, relieved even.

There was more to it, but Shaw knew it wasn’t the time to think about that just yet.

“You’re awake,” she marveled. She ran her hands down his face and down his now expansive chest. “You’re okay. Your heartbeat is fine, shifter fast. Your temperature is normal enough.” She had gone into nurse mode, and Shaw felt a smile tugging at his lips. Poppy noticed, and she slapped his shoulder with no real strength. “You asshole,” she breathed. “How dare you die?”

“Didn’t mean to,” he answered.

“I am absolutely furious with you right now. You have so many things to explain to me. There are a lot of people here who need to speak with you. I’m the first to get answers, but Nick is here.”

Shit.

Shaw nodded. “Of course he is. That only makes sense. I really betrayed his trust. He’s not my concern right now, though. You are.”

Her eyes were slightly narrowed as she watched him carefully. “Oh? And what do you have to say for yourself?”

He sat up and tugged her forward and up onto the bed next to him. He was pleased that she didn’t put up a struggle. She came willingly.

“Before you decide to hate me, I need to do something.” He leaned down and placed a kiss onto her lips.

He had meant it to be soft and loving. But he hadn’t realized just how potent the shifter instinct to mate would be. It completely took over him and took over his movements. His tongue was plundering her mouth, especially when she moaned, crushing herself to his body. There was no way to stop the kiss.

This is exactly where he was always meant to be, lying in a bed with Poppy.

It was perfect.

Then she bit his lip. Hard.

Chapter Fifteen

Poppy

Poppy couldn’t quite believe she had actually bitten Shaw’s lip hard enough to draw blood. He was a shifter now, so it would heal very fast. It was the principle of the thing. He deserved the sharp sting of the pain for what he had put her through.

The lies were the least of it.

“You’re going to tell me right now… Did you start to date me to get to my family?”

Shaw was taken aback, as if he hadn’t even thought that she would believe that of him. “No, Poppy, of course not. I didn’t know your last name, or your connection to the terrible trio and Chuck until our date tonight.”

“Two nights ago. Our date was two days ago. You’ve been out a long time. You died a couple of times, but Bennett and the docs kept you alive. Mostly because Nick wants to kill you himself. But he’s going to have to get behind me.”

Shaw flinched at her words, but he tightened his grasp on her. “Poppy, there’s a lot I need to tell you.”

“You don’t say,” she snapped. “Start at the beginning.”

“Well, I think I’ve done great harm to your life. Some