Total pages in book: 139
Estimated words: 131137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131137 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 656(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 437(@300wpm)
As Roni’s nostrils flared, she glanced around him. Nick had no sooner heard Derren’s “Hey, Roni” than the she-wolf was beside him; the two of them were good friends.
“It’s so great to see you!” Amber said when Nick stood. She hugged him before he could stop her. Unlike him, she was a touchy-feely person. Detaching her from him, he set her back by her shoulders and simply gave her a nod—letting another female touch him was suicidal when his mate was right there, and irritation was rolling off her in waves.
He passed his keys to Derren. “Um…you guys go wait in the motor home while I say goodnight to Shaya.” His mother and Amber looked at him curiously, obviously confused that she wouldn’t be coming inside also. Had it not been for the fact that he needed to warn his mother to back off and not to let certain details slip to Shaya, he would have invited her inside. He doubted she’d have accepted the invitation, but he’d have asked all the same.
Both his mother and Amber looked about to comment, but a raised brow from him had both of them nodding instead and following Derren into the motor home with Roni trotting behind them. “Oh, and Roni, Bruce is inside—don’t chase him around again,” he called, though he wasn’t optimistic that his sister would listen.
Turning back to Shaya, he slowly closed the distance between them and cupped her face with one hand, sliding his thumb over her mouth. “I’ll make sure they’re gone by tomorrow. But for tonight…For tonight, I need to let them stay in the motor home.” And that was really, really bad, because one of those females wasn’t related to him and was also unmated. “I can’t turn them away. My mother won’t budge until I’ve spoken to her anyway.”
“It’s fine,” lied Shaya. How could it be fine when she knew that the dominant female in his motor home wanted him? And now Shaya had a primal urge to touch him in some way, to leave her scent on him—something that would warn away the other female. Ordinarily, such shifter primal instincts weren’t so strong for Shaya, but this one was fierce. Her wolf was demanding it.
But I don’t want him, Shaya insisted to herself. However, like with Paisley, that detail wasn’t relevant when it came to the idea of other females wanting him. God, she was so freaking mixed up, and she hated it.
Still, she forced the distasteful words out. “You don’t owe me any explanations. What you do and who you do it with is your bus—” She gasped as his mouth descended on hers and his tongue shot inside. The kiss was hard, deep, intense—not punishing, but a kiss designed to get her total and utter attention. It worked. She told herself to move away, but she couldn’t. Not with mating urges riding her and with her insecurities and confusion badgering her; the contact with her mate soothed and reassured her. When he pulled back and bit her lip hard, she gasped again.
“What did I tell you only minutes ago, huh? You’re everything I want. All I want. Just so you have it totally straight, I am your business, just like you’re mine…which is why I’m explaining to you that I’ll be letting them sleep in the motor home with Derren while I sleep in his SUV.”
“I just meant that—Wait, what?”
“You really thought I’d sleep in the vicinity of an unmated female when I knew you’d hate it?” If she’d wanted to allow an unmated male to sleep in her house without Nick there too, he’d have been totally pissed.
“You don’t have to do that. You don’t need to do that. It’s stupid and—”
“Has given you peace of mind—admit it.”
Okay, yes, it had relaxed her slightly. Her wolf was also mollified, though she still wanted to take a bite out of Amber. But Shaya didn’t like the idea of him cramped in the SUV all night long. “Really, you don’t need to.”
“Yes, I do.”
“But…you’ll be uncomfortable.”
His laugh was short and soft. “Shay, I was in juvie—I’ve slept in way worse places.” He licked over her bottom lip. “And with your taste on my tongue and your scent all over me, I’ll sleep just fine.”
Her scent all over him…Her wolf was smug at that. It also served to further relax Shaya. Surprising her, Nick suddenly spun her around and slapped her ass, urging her toward the house. “Hey!”
“Go. And make sure you eat every bit of that meal.” Amused by her mock scowl, he didn’t move his eyes from her until she was inside the house.
It was at that moment that his mother’s head peered out of the front door of the motor home. “Nick, what’s this Derren’s saying about you keeping things from Shaya?”