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“Had?” She asked, quickly catching on to the past tense.
I cleared my throat and reached for her hand. “Things have changed. I care about you.” I paused then admitted, “More than I should. More than is appropriate given our circumstances.” I rubbed my thumb across my cheek, the sound raspy. “I’m not saying anything needs to happen now or soon, but I also don’t want to miss this opportunity.”
She nodded and I rushed to fill the silence.
“There’s a magical aspect to mating, to shifting in general. Genetics is part of it, but our bodies shift from one form to another easily. No pain. We can communicate mentally with others in our pack who shift and with our mate when the bond is true. When I kissed your neck,” I hesitated and she flipped her hand over to squeeze mine. I smiled, the gesture coming more easily since she entered my life. “It was almost a compulsion, a desire as necessary as breathing, and the effect it had on both of us was … unexpected, to say the least. I’ve never heard of something like that happening between mates even after they decided to mate with one another.”
“So, you’re saying we’re special,” she murmured in summary, shifting her leg until it pressed against mine.
“Something like that,” I replied, heat surging through me at her intentional touch.
“I’m not just some random breeding female that landed in your lap who you can get your paws on,” she continued and I snorted.
“You’re more trouble than you’re worth,” I retorted, one hand coming up to smooth the hair from her cheek.
“I feel really special now,” she whispered as my head tilted down.
“You should. You know how many women have tried to catch me?”
Laughter bubbled through her as I rested my cheek against hers.
“Hmmm, one?”
“What part of women didn’t you realize was plural?”
“Two then,” she corrected and my lips curled into a smile against her cheek. “Were you planning on kissing me sometime today?”
“Does it make me less manly to admit I’m afraid to?”
Her head jerked in surprise, but she quickly settled back against mine.
“No, not really,” she told me. “Maybe it makes you manlier,” she replied gallantly and I rolled my eyes.
I chuckled and let my cheek skim hers in the lightest touch imaginable.
“You’re dangerous.” My lips skimmed the bone above her eye. “Addictive.” My fingers trailed down her neck and she trembled as they found my mark unerringly. I stroked the skin, feeling her shiver as her head fell back involuntarily. “Mine.”
The word burned through me, charging the air between us as our eyes met. Something passed between us, an acknowledgement that whatever tied us together was more than simple chemistry.
A throat cleared, a familiar throat, and she froze.
“Dad,” Jess managed to stutter out, her voice panicked.
“Hang on, I think I got it,” I said, my thumb rubbing briskly over her mark as she stared at me in disbelief. “Yup, all gone. Spiders are bad around here.”
“Do I know you, son?” Her Dad questioned his tone brusque, as he stared me down like I wasn’t twice his size. I jumped up, shaking my head as I held out my hand for her Dad to shake.
“No, sir. You’ve met my father though,” I answered politely and her father thawed slightly as he put it together.
“Hank’s son?”
“Yes, sir.”
“He’s a good man. Stopped by a few times to chat and lend a hand,” her Dad replied as Jess’s eyebrows rose at this new knowledge.
“Yes, Dad mentioned he’d come by. He’s impressed with what you’re doing here.” I said, as Jess just sat there in bemused silence watching our conversation and no doubt remembering the last time her Dad had spoken to me he’d called me a good doggie. I know I hadn’t forgotten.
“What brings you out here?” He asked, clearly still a little suspicious.
“One of my college buddies rolled into town and is staying here. I came by to pick him up,” I answered easily enough, but tension shot through me.
“And how do you know my daughter?” Her Dad persisted. I shot Jess an apologetic glance before answering him smoothly.
“Jess is friends with one of my students. You probably know him. Caleb? He’s practically family,” I informed her dad, who gave Jess a curious glance.
“He drive a Jeep?”
I hid a grimace as I answered, “He does.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen him around,” HIs gaze flickered to Jess then back to me, “Jess hasn’t bothered to introduce him though.”
“He’s a good kid,” I told him, selling the cover story and ignoring Jess when she rolled her eyes. “I’ve known him his whole life and coach him on the football team. I’ll tell him to stop by and introduce himself.”
“Well, since I’m not needed for this conversation, I’ll just take myself inside and get dinner started,” Jess stated sarcastically. Her Dad grinned and I couldn’t help but chuckle as Jess sashayed into the apartment.
