Mary smirked knowingly when I glanced at the closed bathroom door yet again. I ignored her and focused on the lack of sound from within. Charlene had disappeared to take a bath several long minutes ago. Usually, I could hear a gentle splash of water when she bathed. Not this time. Everything was still; and when I reached for her mind, I found tiredness and relaxation.
“Just go in there,” Mary said, weaving the reeds before her.
“I’d prefer not to upset her,” I said, focusing on the pile of fronds before me.
Ann smiled slightly but did not look up from her basket. I sorted the fronds by length, putting the longest ones near Leif and Ann. The shorter ones I put near Rilla, who was making mats for sleeping.
While I worked, Charlene’s mind quieted even more. She was going to fall asleep in the tub. Worried, I stood. Mary snickered.
I tapped on the door and heard the water move.
“Charlene,” I said. “If you fall asleep in there, I will come in.”
“Chill. I’m almost done.”
I listened to her step from the tub before moving away from the door.
When she came out, I looked up from the start of my mat and smiled at her. She flushed and turned toward the stove.
Frowning, I stood and moved behind her. I felt her embarrassment and set my hands on her shoulders. She had nothing to be embarrassed about. We’d worked hard, and she was—
The thread of desire that nudged my mind stunned me for only a moment.
She turned her head, a soft beckoning look in her eyes. I slid my hands down her shoulders, over her upper arms, then moved them to her sides. Her heart raced and her breathing hitched. Her desire grew stronger. Or was it mine? It didn’t matter.
Hunger gripped me.
Her lips parted. Transfixed, I glanced at them. Need clenched my gut. Just a taste. She’d allow that.
Then, she set the spoon aside and turned toward me. Acceptance. The need to grin in triumph was washed away with the need to take what she offered. I lowered my head.
Her pulse leapt, and she licked her lips.
“How’s the soup?” Mary asked. Barely contained laughter laced her words.
Charlene pulled back slightly, her wide-eyed gaze locking on me.
Annoyance and frustration clawed at me.
You just lost your eggs, I sent Mary.
As Mary snickered, Charlene exhaled slowly and ducked around me. I turned and watched her flee the main room doors.
Mary stood to go after her.
“Mary, finish your basket,” I said as I moved to follow.
Charlene was right to leave. I shouldn’t have started to kiss her in front of the others. I knew humans liked privacy. However, as her desire began to fade, I started to worry this wasn’t a change in location but a retreat.
I caught up with her on the stairs and gently wrapped my fingers around her arm to stop her in the upstairs hall.
She pivoted, taking me by surprise. A sudden surge of need nearly brought me to my knees as she grabbed my face and pulled me down for a kiss.
I couldn’t think straight. Her lips brushed against mine. Her fingers feathered over my jaw and up into my hair. Charlene was kissing me.
I reached for her sides and backed her toward a wall. She opened her mouth to me. I growled and deepened the kiss. Charlene wanted this. She wanted me.
Finally.
She was mine. Always.
I left her mouth to trail kisses along her jaw. She wouldn’t regret her decision, I thought as I started backing her toward her room. I would show her how much I loved her every day for the rest of our lives. I kissed my way down the column of her neck, licking and tasting her skin.
She suddenly yanked my hair with unusual strength for a human.
“Ow!” I took a step back and scowled at her, rubbing the spot I was sure now lacked hair.
“What do you think you are doing?” She glared at me, her cheeks flushed and her eyes bright.
“It’s called kissing,” I said.
“No, you were trying to back me into my room. Why?”
I stopped rubbing my head and stared at her a moment in confusion. Had I misread her desire to mate with me? I reached for her in my mind. As soon as I felt her lingering hunger, mine echoed it.
The sting on my scalp faded, and I focused on her lips again.
“No, Thomas,” she said. “You promised. Nothing more than I’m ready to give.”
“But I thought that was a yes.”
“That was a kiss, remember?” Anger coated her words but concern flowed from our link, cooling my desire.
“I’m sorry, Charlene.” I stepped close and slowly pulled her into a hug. She resisted at first then leaned into me.
“I’m sorry,” I said again, gently smoothing my hand on her back.
I’d wanted her trust and at the first hint of interest, I’d misread the situation and pushed for more than she’d been willing to give. Did that mean any trust she’d had was now gone again? I realized she hadn’t left to find a quiet place for us, but for herself. She’d wanted a moment alone. I could give her that. Well, something close to that.
When her concern faded, I pulled away.
“I’ll save you some lunch. Mary will come up to sit with you.”
“Thank you,” she said.
She turned and closed herself into her room.
Mary, can you come to Charlene’s room? I upset her and don’t want to leave her alone.
Why do you think you upset her?
She pulled my hair.
I could feel Mary’s humor.
I’ll be right there.
She was grinning when she walked up the steps, carrying a partial mat and extra leaves. I shook my head at her and went downstairs as she went in by Charlene.
“Everything all right?” Gregory asked when I entered the main room.
“Yeah. Fine.
Over our connection I felt a wisp of Charlene’s confusion.
Everything all right? I sent Mary, echoing Gregory’s question.
Yep. Girl talk with Charlene and Winifred. You should go take Gregory for a run. Tell him I want eggs for breakfast.
I tilted my head back, sighed, and rubbed my shoulder. Mary really needed to stop talking to Winifred so much.
When I looked at Gregory, he was watching me.
“Mary wants eggs.”
“We can keep an eye on things here,” Leif said. He and Reed and their Mates and cubs were in the main room. They would hear Charlene and Mary if they needed anything.
“Thank you.”
****
Desire hit me between the eyes. Mid run, my back paws tangled and I tumbled forward ass over head. When I landed on my back, Gregory stood over me chuffing so hard he drooled.
Ignoring him, I sprang to my legs and faced the general direction of sanctuary. I could feel her lips on mine, her fingers in my hair. She wasn’t just thinking about our kiss. She was reliving it in her head. In my head.
A shudder ran through me.
His laughing stopped.
Is something wrong?
Charlene’s thinking about mating.
I took off at a run as he resumed laughing.
At the edge of the clearing, I shifted and grabbed my pants from the base of the tree. I could see Charlene standing by the door as I tugged them up and cringed. Carefully, I buttoned. Her gaze swept the treeline, passing over where I stood.
Mary stepped out behind her and sniffed.
“You better be ready to run,” she said to Charlene.
Charlene startled and spun around toward Mary. What had Mary scented? The need to know just made my desire to reach Charlene worse.
I stepped into the light and quickly crossed the clearing.
Mary grinned at Charlene as I neared.
“What were you doing?” Mary asked her.
“Trying to get him to come back,” Charlene said.
I set my hands on her shoulders. She jumped again, but this time she squeaked too. I inhaled deeply before she turned and my canines immediately lengthened. Charlene smelled like almost-sex.
Mary laughed, shook her head at us, and walked back inside.
“You succeeded in gaining my undivided attention,” I said. “Was there something you wanted?”
Her desire vanished and worry took its place.
“I wanted to talk to you privately but maybe now isn’t the best time,” she said.
I scooped her up in my arms and took off running into the trees.
“Now is the perfect time,” I said, watching her as I ran.
“Don’t run into a tree,” she said, nudging my chin up. I grinned and focused on our path.
We broke through the trees onto the lake’s grassy shore, and I set her on her feet. She eyed me warily as I turned her to face me.
“There’s no one around to hear us,” I said, trying for calm. “Now, what did you want to discuss?”