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The very thought sickened her, and her stomach roiled. Mina took another step forward and now stood directly in front of Talia, blocking Ford’s wide, muscular chest from her view.
“God, it has been far too long.” Mina’s voice was soft, but there was no mistaking the longing that was laced in the words. If Talia could sense it, no doubt Ford did as well. “You wouldn’t believe how much I’ve missed you.” Ford looked uncomfortable, but all Talia could smell was… disinterest.
Talia should say something, anything, but it was like the words refused to come forth. She cleared her throat and looked down, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable and out of place.
Yes, there was no doubt in her mind they had been together at some point in their lives. The scents coming from Mina were too clear to be anything else.
This was the human that was to marry her brother in just a week’s time, yet here she was, standing before Ford with so much lust pouring out of her it thickened the air around them like a heavy, strangling blanket.
Talia lifted her gaze once more and saw the man who had come with Ford rubbing the back of his neck as if he too sensed the uncomfortable feeling that surrounded everyone. He still stood right by the door, and it was as if he refused to come any closer.
His face was also pretty beat up, with a healing black eye and a cut above his cheek. Had the two males been fighting each other? That was really the least of her worries, but right now, she needed the distraction.
Feeling Mina’s stare, Talia turned back toward the human. The burning question at the forefront of Talia’s mind was, Who is Mina to Ford?
“I’m going to need some privacy, Talia,” said Mina.
Talia locked her jaw, her anger, hurt, and discomfort a violent wave inside her. Talia looked back at Ford and was stunned to see him staring at her with so much raw… possession that it actually had her taking a step back.
“No,” Ford said with so much dominance in that one word that Talia felt it to her bones. “She doesn’t need to go anywhere, and you and I have nothing to talk about, Mina.”
Mina scoffed. “Ford, you and I go way back.”
“I said there isn’t anything that needs discussed, especially not anything that would require Talia leaving.”
Talia shook her head, needing air, needing to get away from this seriously awkward situation. “Um, yeah, I’m gonna go.”
Ford opened his mouth to protest. She felt that down to her bones. But she gave him a smile, a shake of her head, and turned to leave before he could stop her. And she knew he would.
Talia grabbed her purse. Keeping her gaze trained to the floor, she got the hell out of there. She passed the other bear shifter who’d come in with Ford, and now that she was close enough that the scent of coffee beans didn’t fill her nose, she could tell they were brothers.
She watched as Ford’s brother’s nostrils flared, sensed some kind of realization come over him, but Talia didn’t stop. She let her feet carry her right outside the café and down the sidewalk until she was far enough away that she could actually take in a deep breath.
She knew what she sensed from Mina, could tell the woman still wanted Ford. Luke needed to know.
Talia darted behind a smaller building and leaned against the side of it. Closing her eyes, she tried to rein in her emotions. She shouldn’t have this kind of reaction to Ford, not only because they were in essence virtual strangers, but because they were also not right for each other.
She never considered herself a strong female, not physically or emotionally. She considered herself the introverted and quiet type. But then there was Ford Wylde, a male who had her pushing all her reservations aside. She had gone home with him, not caring that her actions were far from what was normal for her.
Her human and fox had both wanted him, and although she had been with men before, that had been the first time her inner animal had urged her with tooth and claw to go after him. She had never been in love, didn’t even know what the signs of that emotion were, but what she felt for him went beyond anything she was familiar or even comfortable with.
Could I be in love with a male I just met?
It seemed ludicrous on every level, but she knew it wasn’t just simply lust. It couldn’t be, not with how much he consumed her.
It was a good thing she was leaving after the wedding, because no way in hell did she want to go through something like this again. She and Ford were at totally different ends of the spectrum, and it was best if she left.
