“Ronnie, let me…”
“Just don’t.” She held up her hand to stop the cliché from falling from his lips.
He stopped in his tracks.
Ronnie walked into the bathroom, slammed the door, then two seconds later walked back out. “Why didn’t you just tell me? That would have made this so much easier.” At this point, Ronnie had a litany of things she wanted to say.
“Tell you what?”
“I mean I thought we had this connection, you know. Something special.” She paced, not looking at him.
He stepped into her path. When she looked up, he said, “Tell you what?”
“That you like boys!” Why was he acting obtuse?
His eyes went wide, like she had slapped him.
“Not that anything’s wrong with that. I just don’t like to share.”
“Hell, I don’t either and I don’t like men.”
“Wait. What?”
“You heard me.”
She pointed toward the window. “Really? Because it looked like you were getting dressed after having a little slap and tickle with Kit.”
“That’s not what happened.”
She folded her arms and tapped her foot. “Okay, fine. Tell me. And this better be good.”
He seemed to mumble something along the lines of, “I didn’t want to do it this way.”
Ronnie had worked up a good mad. She knew there was nothing he could possibly do or say that would make her believe him. Her eyes seemed to go in every direction except toward him.
“Ronnie,” Oz whispered. “Look at me.”
She exhaled loudly before lifted her eyes to a man who she thought could be the one. It was stupid to think someone as gorgeous as him would really like her.
“Okay, what?”
Chapter One Hundred Six
How did everything get so fucked up? Oz had intended on coming back, maybe finishing what she was doing when he’d walked in on her earlier. Kissing her, touching her, loving her. At this moment, that seemed like such a far off possibility.
Ronnie was looking at him with such despair and betrayal in her eyes. He had only one choice. He needed to show her.
“I don’t like Kit. I like you. I want you.”
“Then why?” Ronnie’s voice crack on the second word.
“Because it’s difficult as hell to transform while still wearing clothes.”
She shook her head, all confused. “What are you talking about?”
“This.” Oz pulled his t-shirt over his head, then unzipped his leather pants.
“Wait. What are you doing?” Ronnie moved in close to him, like she was about to stop him.
“Stand back.” His voice came out more of a growl than words. Changing into his leopard wasn’t usually painful but doing it again this quickly was going to hurt… bad.
After a few deep breaths, he dropped to all fours.
“What are you doing?”
His back bowed, and all of his bones and joints popped as they elongated. White hot magic burned over his skin in ripples as the fur emerged from his back just before his cat burst forth. A clear liquid splattered all over the carpet. The large white cat gave a shake, but his fur was completely dry.
Ronnie’s eyes were huge as she fell backward, hitting the wall.
Oz was aware, but right now his cat was mostly in control. What he and his cat couldn’t decide was, if she was afraid of them or not. Shock, yes. The wide eyes and lack of speech told them that much but nothing else. Only one way to find out. They took a step forward.
She whipped her hand out, halting him. “Wait. Stop.” Her breathing had kicked up exponentially.
The big cat stopped, then laid his head down on his big paws.
“You’re a snow leopard.” It wasn’t a question, more a statement of fact. “A fucking snow leopard.”
He purred, and she smiled.
“Okay. I have to admit, not what I expected,” she said more to herself. “And you can understand me?”
The leopard lifted his head a little, then nodded.
Ronnie rolled to her knees and stared into his eyes. “You. It’s your eyes I’ve been seeing. The cat’s.”
She reached her hand out and the big cat scooted forward to touch it with his nose. A giggled bubbled up out of her.
Deep inside, Oz sighed. The connection between her and the cat was just as strong as his and hers. The cat licked her fingers.
“Oh, you like me,” she said.
When they touched, it was like a circuit was finally completed. He felt whole. She scratched behind his ear, and the cat purred. Oz’s leopard had only ever been affectionate with his mother. Now, the cat laid on his back and Ronnie was rubbing his tummy.
“I had no idea. Wait, is Kit a snow leopard, too?”
Oz let out a growl and hissed.
“I’ll take that as a no.”
The leopard flipped over and stepped out of reach. Oz would like a belly rub his damned self. Changing back didn’t take as long, and not nearly as painful.
Ronnie watched with her mouth agape. Oz walked his very naked self to the corner where he’d discarded his shirt and pants. He cracked his neck from side to side. “Well, you believe me now?”
“I… um… wow.”
Oz lowered himself to her level. Well, that was better than her running from the room screaming. “You okay?”
Ronnie nodded. “Can you talk in that form?”
He was amazed that was her first question. Although he’d never outed himself to a human before. He thought it would be something like, ‘were you born like that or were you bitten?’
“Hmmm. I can. It’s more mental.” Oz stood up and reached out for her.
She took his hand without hesitation.
“Like in the movies. What’s it called…” she snapped her fingers. “Telepathy.”
They both sat on the bed facing each other.
“Yes, but it doesn’t work on you.”
Ronnie frowned, then asked, “You sure? How do you know?”
“I’m pretty positive.”
“You’ve already tried. When?” Ronnie hit his leg playfully.
“When I first…” realized you were my mate. “Met you.”
“And what happened?”
“Nothing. I can’t read you.”
“Try again. A lot happened that night. I’m mostly calm now. Try again.” Ronnie gave him that smile that would guarantee her just about anything.
“I don’t think…”
“Please.” She clasped her hands like she was praying.
“Okay. Fine.”
Oz
