~

 

“Can we just…” Doug turned to his mate with pleading puppy dog eyes when the others carried on talking over him and ignoring him.

Saffy couldn’t hide her amusement. She had a large grin on her face that made him groan inwardly.

“You know what they say; if you can’t beat them – join them,” Saffy chuckled.

“You’re going to drive me nuts, aren’t you?” Doug offered her a lopsided grin.

“It’s quite possible.” Saffy chuckled again.

“I guess it’s as good a way as any to go.”

The sound of a mating howl rattled the windows and made everybody freeze in place.

“Well, I know I’m here, so, it wasn’t me,” Natalie grinned from ear to ear as she looked at Saffy.

“Looks like Christie got her man,” Saffy said as she folded her arms and turned a knowing glare on Natalie.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Natalie demanded.

“Oh, even I know the answer to that one,” Jonathan chuckled.

“I’ll just go and run upstairs and assume the position, shall I?” Natalie offered back to Saffy with a frown that dipped her eyebrows down low over her eyes.

She wasn’t best pleased with her friend’s attitude. Just because Saffy had jumped off a cliff that didn’t mean that she had to follow. No matter how good the water might have looked to her.

“Whatever position you prefer,” Saffy shrugged and gave her a huge, mischievous grin that annoyed Natalie more than her words.

“Just because you went paws up…”

“Paws up?” Saffy chuckled.

“Hey, bum up for all I care,” Natalie offered her a teasing smile.

She waited while Saffy’s cheeks turned a nice shade of bright red, it didn’t take more than a few seconds, especially when the alpha offered up a hungry growl.

“Oh, get a room,” Saffy snapped back.

“I had one last night — it was kind of comfy — especially as its previous occupant was asleep on the floor downstairs,” Natalie offered Jonathan a teasing smile.

“Which reminds me…” Jonathan started as he turned towards his mate and pointed his index finger at her.

Just one of Natalie’s eyebrows shot up towards her hairline, and she offered a deep snort of disapproval for where he was aiming that impotent finger.

“My finger can shoot electricity bolts at your backside — what can yours do?” Natalie sneered at the beta.

“This…” He moved his hand, wagged his finger, and her eyes followed it. His other arm snaked around her body, and he yanked her towards him. “Distract you.” Jonathan offered her a teasing grin when she brought her gaze back to his.

“Let go of me before I decide to string you up outside by your ankles with the stupid fairy lights,” Natalie warned.

“I think she means it,” Doug chuckled.

“Oh, I do.” Natalie offered her mate an evil glare.

“You don’t scare me,” Jonathan growled.

“Then you’re an idiot — because she scares the hell out of me,” Saffy chuckled.

“Two down one to go,” Tom announced as he stalked into the kitchen, sniffing the air for breakfast, and growling happily at the scent of what was cooking. “What are you waiting for?”

“What am I waiting for?” Jonathan frowned as he swept his mate up into his arms and tried to ignore the ringing in his ears when she squealed.

“I’m warning you!” Natalie shrieked.

“Does it have to be right now, wasn’t she the one cooking breakfast?” Tom asked.

“Be careful what you wish for,” Saffy offered him a mischievous grin.

“I suppose she’s gotten far enough with breakfast that the other mate can finish it,” Tom shrugged his shoulders and turned puppy dog eyes onto Saffy who balked at him.

“I can finish it,” Doug said as he puffed out his chest with pride.

“You cook?” Saffy looked impressed.

“I’m not just the alpha — and a pretty face — and your mate — and soon-to-be father of our pups…”

“Pups!” Natalie’s head snapped around on her neck, and she glared at Saffy.

“Love some,” Jonathan said with enthusiasm as he started towards the door.

“That wasn’t a bloody offer,” Natalie grumbled and tried squirming to get out of his arms, but he held her in a gentle death grip.

“I have a mind to go upstairs and discussed this in private with you,” Jonathan grinned from ear to ear.

“Yes, private,” Doug growled.

“I’m good here,” Natalie hissed back.

“So what you’re saying is; you’re good in my arms — got it.”

“That’s not what I was…” Natalie started, but the sound of Saffy chuckling like a lunatic behind her snatched her attention away, just as she was carried out of the door, and Saffy disappeared from view.

“I was talking!” Natalie grumbled.

“You go right ahead — will be upstairs soon,” Jonathan’s voice carried back into the kitchen and Saffy couldn’t stop chuckling.

 

~

~

~

 

Jonathan launched his mate from his arms towards the big double bed. He had to grimace when she twisted in the air and landed face down on the mattress with a shriek.

That, he hadn’t intended.

He stalked back toward the bedroom door, booted it closed, turned back toward the bed, and stood there with his arms folded and his back to the door.

Natalie scurried to get onto her hands and knees on the bed. She clawed at the hair that veiled her face until she could offer her mate a death glare to rival any other in the history of the world.

“I suppose you think that’s funny?” Natalie hissed.

“I do feel a warm fuzzy feeling deep inside,” Jonathan offered back. He wasn’t backing down.

“And what do you think this solves?” Natalie raised her hands and motioned around the room.

“Now I have you to myself; I want to ask you what your problem is with me,” Jonathan growled.

“Shall we start with that growl and work backward?” Natalie hissed.

She mirrored her mate stance and folded her arms. Then she tipped her head to the side and glared at him.

“That’s it?” Jonathan took a step toward her. “That’s all you’ve got — I thought you would have had a list and been able to rhyme them off one after the other by now.”

“I have a list!” She hissed, but, could she think of one thing to put on that stupid bloody list — not if her life depended on it.

“Great? Let’s hear it, don’t pull the punches…”

“Oh, don’t tempt me. Punching you on the nose right now would be heaven.”

“Well, here’s my nose,” he took a couple of steps toward her, lifted his hand, and pointed to his face. “Go for it.”

Natalie crawled on her knees to the edge of the bed. Then she climbed down, all the time feeling that heady buzz of anger within her.

She’d love to take a swing at the man — even if she might need a ladder to climb up to do it.

“You’re a bully!” The first thing that she thought of came out of her mouth.

“I have never damn well bullied you…”

“Yet.”

“That makes no sense,” he took another step toward her, and she held her ground.

Neither mate was going to back down.

“Oh, so now I’m an irrational female,” she tossed up her hands and snorted her contempt for him.

“Don’t put words in my mouth!” He growled, taking another long step toward her, almost closing the distance between them.

“I’m not dumb enough for that,” Natalie shot back.

“So I’m a dumb shifter — and you’re an angel?”

“Now who’s putting words in his mouth?” She hissed back.

Her hands went to her hips, and she craned her head forward and glared at him.

“Well, somebody has to because you aren’t making any sense,” he growled.

“I can do my own talking — thank you very much!”

“And yet, you can’t come up with a list,” Jonathan sneered.

“I can if I want to!” Natalie bit back.

“Go ahead — give it your best shot!”

Natalie did. She lifted her foot and booted him right in the shin. There was a moment when he was just glaring at her — and the next; he was hopping up and down on one foot and grasping his shin with his other hand.

“Well, you did ask,” Natalie smirked up at him.

“That’s it!” He growled.

Jonathon stomped his foot on the floor and reached for her with both hands. He yanked her hard against his body.

“Don’t you…” Too late.

Jonathan brought his lips down on hers and in a rush of heat that swept through her body — and excitement that raced after it — she melted like snow on a summer’s day.