Marlow turns to Josh. "You're clearly the better half of this equation."
"He's just being protective," Josh says, defending his mate. "Before you leave, he's definitely going to threaten you about your intentions towards his best friend and cousin."
"Thanks for the heads up."
"I can still hear you both!" Bane yells from down the hall.
Marlow ignores the Alpha. He leans against the doorway, a playful grin stretching across his face. "You've got a real knack for making this place feel like a home, even with a territorial Alpha growling over your shoulder."
"Oh, uh, thanks!" Josh says. “I hope you’re both comfortable while you're, um, staying with us." “Staying with us” sounds so much more polite than “hiding from law enforcement."
"And you're a witch and wolf, right?” Marlow says. “Pretty impressive."
Josh brightens at the praise, his cheeks flushing. "Just, uh, just born that way."
"Seriously, you're a catch. It's a wonder you settled for—"
I’ve got a knot in my chest watching Marlow turn on the charm. Stomping footsteps indicate that I'm not the only one uncomfortable. Josh barely has enough time to get some extratowels for Marlow when Bane storms back in, his face dark like a thundercloud.
“Goodnight,” he bites out, grabbing Josh's arm and dragging him away.
As they walk away, I can still hear their conversation.
"It was innocent enough."
"Didn't feel innocent," Bane grumbles.
"You’re such a puppy," Josh teases. Ah, true love. It makes a pissed off Alpha wolf look like a puppy.
"Did you like him praising you?"
"Everyone likes a compliment."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Means I also liked it when Agnes Weaver called my latest barrier spell a major improvement over the old model. It doesn't mean I want to sleep with a 75-year-old woman, seeing as she's married and I'm taken and also gay. Just nice to be appreciated."
"Oh, I'll appreciate you, alright," Bane promises.
"That sounds vaguely threatening."
"Really? 'Cause I'm about to take you back to our room andappreciate youright now."
"Stop talking in the hallway!" I beg them.
I shake my head when Marlow raises a questioning eyebrow at me. "Don't worry about it," I say, shaking off the mental images and tuning them out. It's easy to focus on him instead. "What was that all about with Josh? You laid it on pretty thick. Do you want my cousin to kill you?"
Marlow holds up a towel in explanation, and I feel stupid for ever being jealous… not that I was jealous.
Bane sent me up to the guest room with his iPod, tablet, and snacks, along with towels and all the toiletries I'll need for a couple months.
What did he give Marlow? One tiny face towel for hiswhole body.Wow. Bane's good at being aggressive, but his passive aggressive skills are just as fearsome.
“Don’t worry,” Marlow says, pulling me from my thoughts. It hits me how close we’re standing in the doorway together. “You’re still my favorite wolf.”
“Uh-oh,” I narrow my eyes in mock suspicion. “Are you trying to charm me too?”
"Oh, I’malwaystrying to charm you, Blackwood."
