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“It was nice to meet all of you.” Neri, while overwhelmed, choked out the words.

There was a chorus of goodbyes as Hunter walked them to an expensive-looking SUV and help her into the passenger side. When he slid into the driver’s side, she couldn’t help glancing at him, taking him in.

“I figured you would want to go home after the overwhelming afternoon. I know I invited myself, but is okay we head to your place?”

“No, I don’t mind you coming to see where I live. Thank you.”

Hunter huffed out a laugh. “At the best of times, the group can be too much and if you aren’t used to them, even more so. And it was funny as hell when you threatened to rip Axel’s balls off. You took him by surprise.”

“I don’t think it was him as much as the day. Today I’ve been around more people than the entire four years on my own. You’ll find I’m as different as they come.”

“I would say unique and beautiful.”

Neri blinked at him and searched Hunter’s face for the truth, and when he turned to catch her gaze, she could see nothing but the truth.

“You are beautiful, and brilliant, resourceful, and fast as all get out.” Hunter chuckled.

“I don’t know what I look like. I haven’t bothered purchasing a mirror. It seemed unimportant while I was trying to survive.”

In her world, she never thought about beauty much. She took a moment and gazed at Hunter’s long tanned arm draped over the steering wheel, over his wide shoulders, down to his taut stomach and chest defined in the tight black tee he wore. Along with his piercing green eyes, she thought Hunter was spectacular. If something attracted him to her and her quirks, then she was lucky they’d met.

“Thank you.”

“It’s the truth.”

Neri, now safe with Hunter, closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the seat. She tried to figure out a reason she felt this pull toward Hunter. She wanted to touch him and thinking he might have read her mind, not that it would have surprised her anymore today, laced their fingers together.

Her normal reaction would be fear and self-preservation, but with Hunter, she could relax for the first time since she could remember. Knowing she would never solve it without spending time with the panther shifter, opened her eyes and pointed out the road that led to her place.

“The dirt road isn’t smooth, but I make it okay with my forty-year-old pickup.”

“Was it in good condition when you bought it?”

Neri laughed. “No. There was rust in the tire wells and one fender, all of it I replaced. I had to reupholster the seats and purchase a new battery, starter, alternator, and spark plugs, but everything else worked. It’s a tough little truck and I love it.”

Hunter searched her face. Then he shook his head as if to clear it. “When you’re not building furniture, fixing up your house and barn, or fixing your truck, what do you do?”

For reasons unknown to her, Neri warmed at the thought Hunter wanted to get to know her.

“I read. Anything I can check out of the library or download and read on my laptop. I love fiction, biographies, how-to manuals, anything as long as I can learn about the world and how it works.”

She clenched her teeth as the road jostled them back and forth and she cringed at the sound of metal scraping against a rock. Before she could suggest they walk the rest of the way, Hunter powered through and soon they parked in front of her house.

Neri watched Hunter’s gaze as he looked over at her barn, where she built the furniture she sold and drifted over to her home. His eyes were wide as he held his breath. Curious, she looked over her land with fresh eyes, but all she sensed was peace and home.

“The barn was already a sound structure. But I found after I escaped I needed to see outside, to be close as I could get to the wilderness which is why I installed the sliding doors that open an entire side of the barn.”

“Can you show me your work?” Hunter asked.

She smiled and nodded.

Neri opened the door and hopped out of the SUV, waiting at the front until Hunter came around the hood. He surprised her again by holding his hand out, this time allowing her to make the first move. Without hesitation, she slid her fingers between his and pressed their palms together.

It wasn’t until she showed Hunter her designs she realized how lonely and closed off she had become. Everything instinct inside her screamed at her to get closer to Hunter, and not only because he said she was his mate. She wanted to know everything about the man, his panther, and his life.

With her mind made up to go with her instincts, she walked toward the one space she felt safest with the man who was becoming integral to her life.