CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

 

 

~

 

 Joel knew his beast was testing the waters and chancing his luck. The wolf thought that Joel wasn’t paying attention and had risen up within him, but Joel slammed that iron cage shut on his beast and growled internally at the duplicity of the wolf.

He hadn’t yet wooed his mate around to the idea of being his forever, and that wasn’t going to happen with some hotter than hell kisses alone, so he certainly wasn’t about to entertain the idea of placing his mark in her skin – just yet. Even if that idea was a damn fine and heady one.

Sandy thought she might have just gone and lost her mind. Yes, her mate could kiss, and yes, she’d gotten lost in those kisses, in thoughts of what came next, but no – she wasn’t about to leap in blindly with both stupid feet and half a brain.

At least, she didn’t think she was. But who could think when they were being so thoroughly kissed that their brain turned to mush and their body had all but surrendered to the excitement and pleasure of the moment?

She could! Or – she needed to try.

This was no promise of an epic one night stand – no strings attached – lord, I lost my mind in the moment kind of thing – this was a lifelong commitment – because like a puppy, a mate wasn’t just for Christmas, he was for life!

Life! That was a scary thought. The longest relationship she’d ever had was with a mouse that lived out back by the rubbish bins.

“Off!” Sandy bit out as she used part-strength and part-magic to push him sideways away from her. He hit the floor with a heavy thud.

“Something I said?” Joel turned his head in her direction, and his eyes were smiling.

“Would you feel better if I said it’s not you it’s me?” Sandy offered him a bright smile.

“No, no not really…”

“Saves me a lie then.” She pushed up to a sitting position and groaned.

“Did I hurt you?” He sounded so serious that she had to look at him.

“You squished me…”

“But are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, just a little flatter than I was,” she said with a big dollop of sarcasm and a frown.

“Because if you’re hurt, I can get the vampire…”

“And I can make myself feel better by stabbing sharp pointy objects into him?” she offered with a nod and a shrug. “Sounds like fun.”

 “I won’t let anything happen to you…”

“Me either,” she said and pushed up to her feet. “Wow, now I know how Wyle Coyote felt when he got steamrollered.”

“I’ll get the vampire…” he groaned as he pushed up to his feet. It was an effort to do because all of his limbs weren’t quite working properly yet, but she was worth that effort and more.

“If you want to spend time holding hands with the vampire who am I to stop you?” She shrugged.

Joel opened his mouth to speak, but she dazzled him with a big, bright grin. He grunted in annoyance. “You’re sure you don’t need…?”

 “Blooood?” she chuckled at giving it her best shot at a Transylvanian accent and failed miserably.

“I don’t think Dracula came from Jamaica, but who am I to judge?” He went to take a step, but his legs still felt like lead.

“Now would be the perfect time to make my escape.” She smiled as his head snapped up and his gaze locked on hers. “But, who kicks a guy when he’s down?” She shrugged, turned on her heels and stalked back over to the kitchen. “I’d say coffee, but, Nah!”

“Whisky’s in the top right cupboard.”

“Now you’re talking my language,” she tossed back over her shoulder with a teasing grin.

It was strange, but when push came to shove, and she really could have made her escape – that little devil sitting on her shoulder had gone suddenly quiet.

Go figure.

 

 

~

 

 

“You look like you’ve had a bad day,” Kelly said as she looked up from the book in her hands and eyed her mate with a frown.

“Where to start?” he grumbled. “How about with your day?”

“I did my emails, took care of stupid business, and I ate all the chocolate…”

“All the…?” he stopped the moment that she narrowed her eyes on him. “That’s good – chocolate is a food group,” he rushed out and watched a little-wicked smile quirk her lips. “I have more.” He’d made a secret stash of it just in case he needed to throw the bear a bar or two and back away in fear of losing his ability to have pups.

Kelly perked up at the thought. “You are a good match for me.”

“I try, and speaking of trying…”

“You saw Bree.” She offered him a knowing smile.

“Earlier, but I was speaking to Maxi…”

“And she wants you to let Bree back onto pack land…”

“Am I wrong?” He shocked himself with that question. He never second-guessed himself, and he never asked anyone else’s opinion. It was his job to make the decisions – he was the alpha, and the buck stopped with him.

“Do you think you’ve been unfair?”

“No,” he grunted and chuckled at the same time.

“Is Bree starting to learn her lesson?”

“I think she is, time will tell,” Mason said and went to take a step towards the bed, but hovered for a moment.

“You may approach, I’m not that snap-happy at the moment, the after-effects of the chocolate is still good,” she teased him with a winning smile, and Mason chuckled as he walked towards her and sat on the edge of the bed.

“She’s just so…” He sighed.

“I think you have your answer. The taming of the shrew needs more time,” Kelly said with a  small shrug. “Mason?”

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t say you could sit,” she teased him and chuckled as he pitched a double look in her direction to see if she was joking. “I hate that once a month I’m a grouch. Can I apologise before the event and then if anything major happens, like me cutting something off your body that you highly value – I can apologise afterwards as well?”

“I…” Mason had to think on that long and hard. “Sure.” Then he pushed up to his feet and hooked a thumb over his shoulder. “I’m just going to get that chocolate stash.”

“Good idea,” Kelly said and turned her attention back to her book.

“Yep,” Mason muttered as he hightailed it out of there. “A very good idea.”