~

 

“You’re breathing, aren’t you?” Jules snapped back.

“Well I’m sorry, I’ll just hold my breath for ten minutes or so, shall I?” Daniel growled back.

“That would be helpful — give it a try, and we’ll see how it goes,” she hissed.

“You are just so…” For one long moment, he looked constipated, and she jumped right in.

“Go ahead — say it!”

“Argumentative!” Daniel thrust the word out of his mouth like he wanted to say so much more, but couldn’t.

“Is that the best you’ve got?”

“Probably not,” he admitted. Then he rolled his head on his neck and grumbled another growl.

“Come on; you can say it — go for it!” Jules baited him.

“Witch!” Daniel announced like he’d had a Eureka moment.

The deep, hard scowl on Jules face faded away. Something pulled and tugged at her lips, her eyes brightened with amusement, and she snorted a chuckle.

“It’s not funny!” Daniel grumbled.

Jules opened her mouth to speak, but all that she could manage to get out was spluttered chuckles, mixed with schoolgirl giggles. He huffed in frustration back at her.

“You are really mean, do you know that?” Daniel huffed once more.

She could only nod her head, as giggles and chuckles turned to full-blown laughter. She couldn’t seem to make it stop.

“Are you trying to be mean? Are you trying to kill my ego?” Daniel almost begged for an answer.

Jules lifted up hands and shrugged her shoulders. The laughter was still spilling from her lips as she nodded her head and shook it at the same time.

“And you have a decision making disorder to boot. Great!” He folded his arms across his broad chest, and her eyes immediately followed that movement.

“And you’re the big bad Wolf,” she managed to get the words out even if she was snorting chuckles at the time.

“When I have to be.”

“Go for!” She chuckled.

“You still don’t get it, do you?” Daniel asked on a slow shake of his head.

“Enlighten me.”

“You’re my mate. I can’t be the big bad wolf with you if I tried,” he said with a small shrug of his broad shoulders.

Jules sobered a little at his words. They sounded heartfelt. He looked sincere, but then, not a moment earlier he’d looked as if he needed to run head first into a brick wall.

She guessed that was her fault.

Jules felt a small rush of guilt along with a big dollop of excitement, and she cursed the mating pull as he tore down another brick or two from the wall around her heart.

“Now, see — that’s not fair,” she said offering him a small shake of her head in reply.

“What’s not fair?” He gave a small sigh of resignation. She was being argumentative — again.

“You throwing out lines like that. They sound kind of believable.”

“It’s not a line. It’s me. When are you going to see that?” Daniel asked in dismay. The look on her face said some time never. “I see you. Why can’t you see me?”

Jules mulled over his words as she stood there speechless. Daniel nodded just once, and then he turned and started towards the door.

Jules winced. Then she grimaced. She snagged her upper lip with her lower teeth as she thought hard.

He’s not exactly Satan’s minion.

Sure, he’s male — enough said.

But, he’s also kind of sweet – in a rough and ready sort of way.

But, then he is a shifter — enough said.

Goddess, can I be thinking what I think I’m thinking?

No — maybe — bloody hell, yes!

Him. Him and pups. Him, and me, and pups.

Bloody hell! I think I need my head testing. I think I need my bell rung. Maybe, more than once.

Would it be so bad?

Debbie bonded with Jake. Mia is definitely going to bond with Lewis. Sure, Aggie might turn praying mantis with Nestor — but fate did send me Daniel’s way.

Am I just supposed to deny that he is my mate?

Am I just supposed to whistle a happy tune while I walk away?

What the hell am I thinking? Walk away? Who does that?

Oh look, I found the perfect man. I’ll just toddle off. Maybe, Mr not – so – perfect is right around the corner!

Oh goddess, I’m losing it.

Losing him — what?

I’m not losing him. Wait — I’m not losing him!

He’s my damn mate. I’m not walking away from that. That would make me an idiot, and there’s already one idiot that can’t keep his paws out of his mouth in this relationship.

Hell, he’s an idiot — I’m an idiot — we are perfect for each other!

So, what the hell am I waiting for?

Get those buns moving, sister!

Go hunt down your mate, and woo his sexy self!

 

~

~

~

 

“Okay, now don’t think because you got all fur and fangs that it somehow means that I’m okay with this mating thing — because, let me tell you — I’m not!” Aggie tossed back over her shoulder as Nestor pushed the door to his cabin open and she strolled blindly inside.

“Got it.”

“And when I say I’m not…” Aggie stopped in her tracks the moment that Nestor flicked on the overhead lights and illuminated the small, cozy, very homely cabin around her. “Oh, this is nice.”

“I think that’s the first positive thing I’ve heard come out of your mouth since I met you,” Nestor chuckled as he back heeled front door closed and noted that the sound of wood on wood made her jump in place.

“That depends on whose point of view you are looking at it from. Personally, I think everything I say is positive,” Aggie offered behind her as her eyes took in everything about the room.

She liked the open fire. She liked the way that he’d positioned the sofas, just right to get the effect of both the flickering flames and the television.

She liked the deep luxurious looking rug in front of the fire. Hell, she even liked the curtains, and for her, that was a miracle.

Maybe he wasn’t such an old fart after all.

“So, you like our cabin?”

“Whoa, back up there a moment, wolf-breath,” Aggie offered him a little chuckle of disbelief. “Our? Now, who said anything about our anything? I think someone’s getting ahead of themselves.”

“I think I’m too old not to get ahead of myself. But hey, you go right ahead and procrastinate yourself into your grave, if that’s what you want to do.” Nestor shrugged.

“I’ll do what I want to do, and I’ll do it when I want to do it. No sense in rushing in where fools fear to tread, and by fools I think we both know I’m talking about you, right?” Aggie turned to look over her shoulder at him, a large mischievous grin on her face, as humor danced within her eyes.

“Yep. I think we can both agree that there is no fool like an old fool.”

“Oh, a cliché — I can work with that.”

“I’m going for a shower — feel free to join me if the mood takes you.” Nestor was already walking past her towards the bedroom.

“Now what kind of a come on line is that?” Aggie berated him.

“The kind that says we’re not getting any younger.”

“I hear that!” Aggie shrug just one shoulder. She lifted her hand and tapped a fingernail against her lips as she considered the options.

She could turn around and leave — but she didn’t really have anywhere to be right at that moment.

“What should a wicked witch do?” Aggie took a deep breath in and sighed it back out again. “No sense in wasting all that water!” She said as she clicked her heels together before starting off towards the bedroom door.

Nestor had heard her words, but it was the sound of a very wicked, dirty chuckled that rolled in towards him that sent his heart rate racing, and his length hardening in anticipation.

“Today starts the rest of my life.”