Samuel — Kathi S. Barton

“I didn't mean to insult you. I was tired and I said some things I shouldn't have.” “Aye you did. To me.” She started for her coat, knowing that if she didn't leave now her temper was going to explode. But he grabbed her again. “Wait a damned minute. I'm trying to make this right. Why don't you get your panties out of the twist you have them in and cut me some slack? I'm trying to do the right thing here.” She jerked from him again only to have him push her against the wall. Kennedy lost what little control she had on herself and hit him. She'd never understand if she lived to be three hundred years old how she ended up over him when he'd fallen. Her body lay sprawled all over his in a way that she could feel every hard muscle of his entire frame, and there wasn't any doubt to her that he was all hard muscle. When she tried to scramble off him he put his hands on her hips and held her still. His cock seemed to grow as she lay there. Samuel Payne left his pride five years ago because of his father, cruel a man with a heavy fist and little conscience. Samuel despises the man and only goes back to save his mother and start a new life---as far away from his father and the pride as he can get. Taking a mate is at the bottom of his list of priorities. Kennedy Buehler's brother, Shamus, promises her hand in marriage to a man older than her father, and she is having no part of it, so she flees to America. The first job that looks promising is as a cook for Summer Payne, Samuel's mother. Kennedy hopes the job will pan out so she can afford an apartment and do a little better for herself. Kennedy isn't banking on the master of the house taking any interest in her. The last thing she needs is an overbearing man ordering her around, again. No job is worth that. Kennedy's grandmother gives Samuel a proposition he can't refuse---to marry Kennedy that very day and inherit all that she would have had if she had been born a man---and Kennedy feels betrayed again. Samuel only wants to protect her from her brother, he isn't counting on falling in love. Samuel is a Were-Lion. Now that he's mated, he is either supposed to be with his original pride or form a pride of his own. Besides his mother, he is the only Were-Lion around. However, a rag-tag group of Weres want to join his pride---bears---wolves… Will the Pride Council even allow this? Danger pursues them at every turn---his father---Shamus---and Alton Stockberry---all are relentless and bloodthirsty...When Samuel is trapped, will the bond he's formed with Kennedy be enough to save him? Find out in the first installment of Samuel's Pride---Samuel