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Back Claws and Crochet Save as PDF
Chapters (69)
  1. Cover
  2. Untitled
  3. CLAWS & CROCHET
  4. NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  5. CONTENT WARNING
  6. 1
  7. 2
  8. 3
  9. 4
  10. 5
  11. 6
  12. 7
  13. 8
  14. 9
  15. 10
  16. 11
  17. 12
  18. 13
  19. 14
  20. 15
  21. 16
  22. 17
  23. 18
  24. 19
  25. 20
  26. 21
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. 30
  36. 31
  37. 32
  38. 33
  39. 34
  40. 35
  41. 36
  42. 37
  43. 38
  44. 39
  45. 40
  46. 41
  47. 42
  48. 43
  49. 44
  50. 45
  51. 46
  52. 47
  53. 48
  54. 49
  55. 50
  56. 51
  57. 52
  58. 53
  59. 54
  60. 55
  61. 56
  62. 57
  63. 58. Epilogue
  64. EPILOGUE
  65. VISIT FOLK HAVEN
  66. SEDUCED BY A SELKIE
  67. NEWSLETTER SIGN UP
  68. ALSO BY LAUREN CONNOLLY
  69. ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Still, I shrug. Who gives a damn? It’s a gift from Zoey. If she wants to shove the food into a hot-pink purse, I’ll deal.

“I don’t want you to drop them. Let’s go put them in your saddlebags.”

She finishes packing them and heads for the front door. Bruce follows on her heel, thick tail wagging in anticipation. I mimic the animal, trailing after the beautiful woman.

Zoey is kind of a mess today, wearing loose overalls, paired with a raggedy T-shirt. There are brown splotches all over her outfit, which my nose tells me are wood stains. She’s piled her honey-brown hair on top of her head, but random strands tumble free. There’s a subtle hint of dustiness to her scent, probably from pulling out all these long-stored preserve jars.

Seeing her like this makes me want her more. She’s so … relaxed. In her element. Zoey never puts on a mask or a show, and every different version of her is just another glimpse of the woman I know I’m falling for.

The sun dips below the trees, signaling the quickly approaching night. Normally, I like working at my uncle’s construction site, but today felt like I was counting minutes until I could ride back out here. Until I could talk to Zoey again.

“Hold your helmet.”

She’s beside my bike, having opened one of the saddlebags and pulled out the head protection I wear every time I ride now. When I accept it from her, our fingers graze, and her eyes flick to mine before she returns to her task. It’s not long before the two leather bags are bulging with the glass jars.

“There. Good to go.” Zoey smiles up at me, and I’m done holding back.

My arms snake around her waist, pulling her close.

“I’ve decided how you can repay me for the jigsaw.”

Gently, I trace my lips over the lines of her face. I taste her skin, loving the bit of salt mixed with the heat of a rising blush.

“Oh, really?” Her voice sounds light, breathless.

“How would you feel about taking a break tomorrow?”

“Taking a break?” Zoey asks, as if the idea never occurred to her.

“Yes. As in give yourself a day off from the cabin and website designing. Let me take you out.”

She tilts her head up to meet my eyes. “Like, on a date? For dinner?”

“More than just dinner. I’m requesting a full day. You and me, going on an adventure. And, yes, a date.” I move my hands up her back, admiring the shape of her through her baggy clothes.

“What’s an adventure date?”

“You’ve never had an adventure date?”

I grin down at her, and she responds with a curious smile.

“Can’t say that I have.”

“Well then, you’re in for a treat.”

21

ZOEY