"I love you, Chelsea," Quinten says softly as he flutters kisses on my shoulder.

The glow of great sex and the love I feel make me let out a small noise of pleasure. And then he scrapes his teeth along my neck. I stiffen and squirm with horror. I wanted him to bite me!

"Chelsea? What's wrong?" Quinten asks as I push away and stumble over to my clothes.

I grab my underwear and look at him as I step into my panties and pull them up. "What's wrong? You almost bit me!"

He marches toward me as confusion clouds his face. "I wanted to, but I'd never do that without your consent."

"That's the thing." I have my bra on, and I reach back and struggle to latch the hooks. "I almost begged you to do it because of your magic or voodoo or whatever it is you werewolves use to lure human women into your trap." I can't get my bra hooked, so I turn around and lift my hair as I glance over my shoulder at Quinten.

He comes to me and attaches my bra hooks as he says, "I don't use any tricks, Chelsea. You want me to bite you because we're fated to be together. It's all part of our true-mate connection."

I go to retrieve my clothes. "Yeah. Well, I don't consent." I turn to glare at him and stop myself from saying more. I don't think I should tell him I plan to stay human forever until after we're immersed in a world beyond Smokey Falls, where it's easier to imagine. Quinten frowns, and I say, "I'm not becoming a werewolf yet. I'm not ready." I squat down to pick up my shoes and wave one at him. "If you love me as much as you say you do, then you're just going to have to deal with the fact I'm staying human for a while longer."

Quinten grabs my wrist to keep from being injured by my dangerous stiletto-armed flailing, and he gives me a smirk that angers me more. "Fine by me."

"Really?" I squint my eyes at him in disbelief. "You don't care if I become a werewolf?"

"Nope." He drops my hand and lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I mean, it's nice knowing that you can't hear me from the other room when I can hear you. And hey, I don't care if you get fat on ribs with your human metabolism." His brow furrows as if he's in deep thought. "Although we're going to have to come up with some kind of system for communication, since we won't be able to talk telepathically." His lips turn up with amusement. "Because I'm going to want to put naughty thoughts in your head when we're in public just to see you squirm. And— “ He slides his hands along my arms and speaks in a deeper tone that makes my insides quiver. "— make you so wet that I can smell your desire."

"Oh," I say as he leans in and growls softly in my ear. My knees weaken at the sound as if I'm already conditioned to get hot for my mate on demand. My shoes thud when I let them slip from my hands.

"Like right now, Chelsea." Quinten glances down at his groin, and I notice he's hard again. "I'm game if you are."

I reach up and grab his head to pull him down for round two.

I'm lying naked on top of Quinten, completely spent from my third orgasm. His furnace of a body not only protects me from the hard ground, but his werewolf heat is keeping me warm. I twirl a silky strand of Quinten’s hair around my finger.

"You can't ever cut this. Women are going to love it. We'll have to incorporate a way to have you take your man bun down for maximum effect."

He slides a hand over my bottom and squeezes. "Was that what got you when we first met?"

I chuckle as I recall my initial attraction the day I arrived. "It captured my attention, yes."

"Or was it when I slowly stripped my jacket off, flexing with all my might so you'd notice my muscles?"

I slap at his shoulder. "You were showing off for me!"

He grabs my hand and kisses my palm. "I sure was, babe. The moment you yelled out your window for me to go away, I was hooked. I like them feisty."

I raise my eyebrows as jealousy simmers in me. "Them?"

"No them, Chelsea. Just you." He cradles the back of my head in his hand. "Only you," he says before he kisses me. When he stops, he says, "We should get going. Roman and Juliet won't be impressed if I keep you out all night."

I let out a sigh before I get up, because I wish I was going to be sleeping in my bed with Quinten by my side. I smile to myself as I get dressed and imagine him sprawled out in my bed with pink sheets draped low across his waist. He crooks his finger at me with a different kind of breakfast in mind than what I was planning to make. It occurs to me that I could make that happen sooner than later if I wanted. And it might be a good idea.

Once we're dressed and on the bike, I let myself revisit my previous urge to ask Quinten to bite me. The engine rumbles beneath me as I recall how badly I wanted it, and a shiver runs down my spine, making me hold onto Quinten a little tighter. But I don't know why I'm surprised. I'm surrounded by werewolves who want me to be one too. And I have to admit it's hard to ignore the benefits of being a werewolf that Quinten and my friends keep pointing out. I think the longer I'm here, the easier it is to imagine the shifter life as normal.

I really need to get us out of Smokey Falls, and I think I know just how to make it happen. Tomorrow I'm going to call Rita, and my bet is she'll jump at the chance to have Quinten in LA as soon as I can get him there. But that means cutting my vacation with my girlfriends short. My pregnant girlfriends who are excited I'm going to be around to see their babies when they come. I can't miss that.

Well, who says I can't see those babies? It's not hard to hop on a plane and come back here as soon as the first one pops. And Quinten can come with me to see his family. I smile as the pieces of my plan begin to click into place easily.

Happy that's sorted out, I hug my mate tighter and enjoy the ride until we get to Juliet's. When I get off the bike, Quinten pulls me into his arms for a goodnight kiss, and I reluctantly let him release me when it's time for me to go inside.

"What time do you get out of work tomorrow?" I ask.

"I should be done by five unless I'm on a call. Dinner?"

I give him an evil smile as I walk backward toward the front door. "Tell me you live alone, and it'll be at your place."

"Yes on both counts."

"I'll bring my toothbrush." I stop at the door and take a moment to gaze at the sexiest man I've ever known. I'm attracted to so much more than the body before me. It’s the way Quinten's scent fills my nose with an irresistible aroma, the earthy taste of his kiss, and the firm grip of his hands on my hips. I'm drawn to the voice that reverberates through me as if it's the only sound I ever want to hear. And when he sings, he's playing me instead of a guitar. I let out a big sigh.

"Damn. You really are hot."

He flashes his cocky smile and lifts his hand to comb through his hair before putting on his helmet. "I was just thinking the same thing about you, babe." He lets out a whoosh of air. "I'm one lucky guy. I love you, Chelsea."

My heart swells to twice its size. "I love you too, Quinten." I turn and float into the house with a huge grin.