By the Tail

His eyes gleamed, an enraged panther staring out at them. At Quince. “I hope to hell I am, Joy. You’re a grown woman, so you keep telling me. Fine. Do whatever you think you need to. But I’ll be here when he fucks you over. That’s what Quince is good at. Playing the part of a friend until he stabs you in the back.”

Quince shook his head. “What the hell is your problem? What did I ever do to you to make you act like this?”

“Save it.” Miles stepped closer, until he stood a foot from Quince. Close enough to reach out and throttle. “You hurt my sister, you even blink at her wrong, and I’ll be right here. Ready to turn your world upside-down. I’ll take you out, Quince. Just like you took out Michael.”

Then Miles turned on his heel and strode back to his car. He tore away from the house in a screech of tires, and Quince and Joy watched him leave in silence.

When Quince turned back around, he saw Joy looking at him. He’d been making such progress. Miles warning her off had been a good thing. But acting the defensive big brother, bringing up Michael yet again. Had he ruined Quince’s recent strides?

“So.” Joy just stared at him.

“So.”

“Should I pack, or are we spending the night here?”

He blinked at her, then grinned with relief. “I was thinking we could try out your bed first. Then compare it to mine later.”

“Hmm. Okay.” With a grin and a whoop, she raced into the garage.

He took his time, determined to make every moment last.

Joy woke the next morning in her bed, a heavy arm across her middle holding her down. She carefully lifted his arm and settled it on the spot she vacated. Quince frowned, looking softer, but no less masculine, in sleep. He spread his fingers on the bed and shifted his hand, as if searching for something.

For me. She didn’t doubt he desired her. And after all their talking and time spent together, she tended to believe he didn’t want her sisters or a connection to Miles, at least, not through her.

She leaned down and kissed him on the cheek. “Shh. I’m here.”

His frown eased, and he sighed into the pillow, still asleep.

From what he’d said, he needed it. Quince had been cleaning up Lex’s messes for months. Now that he had the resources and the leadership he’d needed to finish fixing the problems in the pride, he could tackle the issues head-on.

He wouldn’t have left Miami to drag her back with him unless he meant everything he’d said. Quince wanted her. He could easily have tried to persuade Amy or Melissa to return with him. They liked him. But he hadn’t even said “boo” to either of her sisters.

She entered her bathroom and took care of her morning needs. After a hasty shower, she dressed in casual shorts and a tee-shirt and moved into the kitchen to cook them breakfast.

“Damn. I’m becoming a domesticated cat,” she muttered and grinned at herself. She was way too pleased about life lately, and it had to do with that big-ass man in her bed.

Her cat purred, and she let it, knowing the feline deserved the pleasure. After making a quick phone call to see a doctor—because it was past time for birth control—she fixed some eggs and bacon, then brewed a pot of coffee.

They’d have to return to reality today. Joy sighed, wishing they could spend more time together, dating, just the two of them. Screw Alissa and the rest of the females still posturing to become Quince’s arm candy. As pride leader, he now commanded even more attention than he’d had as Michael’s head lieutenant. Like Jace and Ellis now, Quince had been a problem solver in the pride, concerned with an area of southern territory. The pride normally had three lieutenants to watch over the group, but after Lex, it seemed they now had just two. She herself had her hands full simply addressing the female needs among her kind.

Normally, marriage had to be approved by the pride leader. Mating and breeding occurred organically between Ac-taw. But marriage was a legal commitment in the eyes of the public, and Michael had often demanded those in want of legal ties to state their case before him. The females—Joy included—used to appreciate the sentiment. Mostly because Michael would thoroughly vet the males under scrutiny before allowing them to marry. Females were to be protected, treasured and deserved a steady, loving male.

Then Lex had come with his demands, raping and pillaging, taking whatever the hell he wanted. Females lost all rights. It was no wonder they were hesitant to trust again, even though most of them loved having Quince in charge.

“Do you want to rule the pride?” she’d asked him.

“Actually, I don’t,” he’d responded.

What the hell did that mean? And why wouldn’t he want to take charge after he’d fought so hard to make a difference? She had questions to ask him, but she didn’t want to rush him. Now that he’d seemed to ease into being with her, she wanted to sate herself on sex. To get under his skin and poke and prod at his secrets. Once she had the answers her way, then she’d think about where her resurging feelings and their relationship might take them. Because her friggin’ cat wanted nothing more than to get pregnant and take him as mate.

The thought of babies made her shiver. She had no intention of missing her doctor appointment later that afternoon. Take that, feline.

“Hey. Is that bacon?” Quince entered the kitchen yawning, his eyes sleepy, his face smooth. He scratched his bare chest, the fine male dressed only in a pair of jeans.

Her mouth watered, and she had to force herself to concentrate on the bacon. A sizzle of grease spattered onto her hand, and she jerked it away. “Damn.”

“Hey, easy.” Quince pulled her back and took the pan off the burner. Then he kissed the spot where she’d been burned.

She literally quivered, confused at how much she wanted more from this man. God. Amazing sex was one thing, but this desire to mate, breed and live happily ever after scared the crap out of her.

Quince smiled into her eyes. “Better now?”

“Yeah,” she croaked and tugged her hand back.

He slapped her on the ass. “Good. Now quit screwing around and feed me, woman. You wore me out last night.”

She glared at him, doing her best not to laugh at the arrogant feline now lazing at her kitchen table. He looked so damn cute with his hair sticking up, his eyes still sleepy.

He blinked at her. “Joy is great.”

She didn’t know how to respond to that without hugging him.

“At making bacon,” he added with a smirk. He dodged the tongs she tossed at him and made a sad face. “Joy is great…at pouring her man some coffee?” he asked hopefully.

She let out a put-upon sigh but grinned as she fetched him a cup. When she took it to him, she paused before handing it over. “Don’t get used to this. I’m simply rewarding you for that nice work you did last night.”

“Yes, dear.” He reached for the cup.

Their hands met and their eyes locked. The pleasure radiating in his entire being couldn’t be ignored. Nor could hers.

He took the cup to his lips and drank, never looking away from her. “Ah. Joy is great.”

A great big pushover, she muttered to herself even as she danced away to finish making him breakfast.

“You know,” Quinn said, “when you sleep over at my place, I make a mean omelet and coffee, and I promise a full body massage at your leisure.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. But that’s after I get to make love to you for hours the night before. Just sayin’, so you know what to expect tonight and tomorrow.” And the night after that, his satisfied smile told her.

She couldn’t find it in herself to argue what she wanted too. “Hmm. Well, as long as it’s full service, I guess