Violence, passion, all shades of the spectrum. It makes sense. And as my family demonstrates, losing our life partner is more devastating for us than most.”
She shook her head. “Let me get this straight. You’re afraid you’ll be attracted enough to fall in love, because when I die in some horrible accident in a few years you’ll go off the deep end, so you’d better not get involved with me in the first place.”
His mouth twisted with resignation. “Not the most logical thing I’ve ever done.”
“I’d say.”
He came around the chair and sat beside her, reaching for her hands. She allowed him to take hold, and that’s when she noticed she was still wearing his ring.
The sensation of him twisting the ring gently made something twitch inside her stomach, and it wasn’t the midnight dinner they’d just eaten.
She cleared her throat. “So. What’s changed between now and, oh…four hours ago when you first decided hands-off was a better policy?”
Because she was getting whiplash.
Tyler lifted her fingers to his mouth, his lips tender on her skin. “I changed my mind.”
Drat. He’d echoed her words from earlier. She couldn’t even snarl at him for being unreasonable. “That quick, huh?”
He nodded, sincerity in his eyes. She blew a stream of air out in the hopes it would clear away some of the cobwebs.
“If we can put the awkwardness behind us, I think we can come to a compromise that suits both of us.”
“You’re back to sounding like a businessman.” Caroline looked him over carefully. In the short time she’d known him, they’d covered a lot of territory. Maybe it was because he was a shifter, and she was so used to spending time with people who were “other” than she was. An internal check put her at the not-mad-at-him and still-interested-in-him stage.
A yawn escaped before she could tug a hand free from his grasp and cover her mouth.
He grinned. “I would take that as an insult, only I’m ready to hit the sack as well. But first, Caroline, I’d like to ask you again. Will you spend the next week with me? Help me politically, but to get to know the real me more as well.”
She leaned into his side, sleepiness rising as she relaxed. “So we’ll date while you’re in town?”
“And longer, if that’s what we decide. I might not live here in Whitehorse, but I’m not that far away. Not with planes, and phones and the internet.”
This was…different. She stared into his face as she considered.
“What’s that expression for?” He cuddled her in closer.
“The last relationship I was in, I orchestrated it.” She paused. “Come to think of it, I probably set up most of my first dates.”
He brushed her hair. “Well, this time you’re being pursued. You’ll have to tell me how I’m doing.”
“Like I have trouble speaking my mind. You’ll know how you’re doing.” She twisted, draping her arms around his neck. “Carry me to bed.”
He kissed her cheek. “Does that mean yes?”
“I’ll tell you in bed.”
Okay, totally wrong of her, since being carried about was the exact opposite of what she’d told him about women being strong and capable. But this was what she wanted, damn it. A tiny moment of being cherished and cared for, in spite of her extreme independence.
Besides, not many guys could haul her around like she weighed nothing, and it had been a hell of a day.
She turned off lights as he made his way back to the bedroom, reaching from side to side and rubbing against him shamelessly at every opportunity. His amusement rose, his expression softening as they approached their destination.
“Which side of the bed do you want?” she asked.
He lowered her to the floor and slipped off her T-shirt, his eyes lighting up. “The left.”
Caroline smiled as she pivoted, giving him plenty of time to admire her as she crawled on the bed and settled.
On the left.
He lost the sweatpants in an amazingly short timeframe. The last thing she saw before he flicked off the overhead light was his have-my-wicked-way-with-her grin.
Evan paced by his unlocked door, his phone in his pocket, one eye on the computer. When Shaun or Caroline called, he would be ready if they needed him.
Sending a guard with her had seemed appropriate after hearing fighting had broken out twice within a couple of hours, during what was supposed to be a peaceful vote.
Peaceful, his ass. Bears had no sense of propriety. Fighting in the hall had been bad enough, but out in the street? And not all of them had stayed human, a faux pas which would end up his ball of shit to deal with.
Rumours were already floating through the human population regarding bears being spotted within city limits. The local news station was broadcasting reminders for people to keep their garbage cans locked in garages until pickup day. Which meant so far the sightings were explainable, but if they kept escalating he’d have to take action to keep the secret of shifters from slamming all over the front pages of the national newspapers.
The computer beeped, and he rushed across to check the email.
Only it wasn’t the hoped for “we’re fine” response he expected. Instead there was a new screen with a blinking line of text. What the hell did Caroline call this? Oh right, instant messaging.
Oh,
Interesting. She was concerned about them?
The pack.
Evan cussed.
Dead silence greeted that suggestion. Not that he’d expected much more.
Evan could use his shifter power to make her sing like a bird. And he couldn’t even promise he wouldn’t, because the truth was he’d snatch up whatever advantages he could to protect his pack.
The little curser blinked, then the note
When she finally hit send, he wasn’t sure what to make of her message.
Evan had never been in this situation before. His protective instincts skyrocketed.
The flickering line blinked again. Finally, she responded.
He fumbled on the keys, nowhere near as gifted as most people. Heck, he was crap on the computer—
