A Lion’s Mate by Eve Langlais
Chapter Twelve
Zach said to behave.
Which could be interpreted in a few ways.
What he didn’t say was to stay inside.
Fluffy eyed the door that he’d blocked. How would she remember anything if she didn’t experience and see? Not to mention, the insistent tug had gotten stronger the closer they got to the mountains.
Something had drawn her here. Demanded that she move deeper into the high peaks. The Rockies were beautiful. Tall, and white-capped. She wanted to explore them.
She zoned out as she walked to them, and it took the blare of a horn to realize that she’d somehow gotten outside.
Someone guided her out of the road and exclaimed. “Miss, are you all right?’
“Yeah.” Why wouldn’t she be?
“Do you need help? Are you hurt?” The man, wearing a T-shirt with a cartoon on it that said, Have you seen me? appeared concerned.
“I’m fine. But that’s not funny,” she said, pointing to the image on his chest. “Our faces look nothing like that.”
Leaving him gaping at how wrong he’d gotten his chosen art, she stalked off, gazing in wonder at everything all around.
New and not new. Everything around her was familiar. Had she been to this exact place or somewhere similar?
As Fluffy kept walking, she drew some looks. She’d forgotten her coat again and looked underdressed compared to everyone else. How were they not too hot?
She noticed a pair of women across the street with their coats unzipped. Next time, she’d try that, because no one stared at them. Except for her.
And it drew one of the women’s gazes. Her eyes widened. Her lips parted. Her friend stopped talking to her and turned to see what had caught her attention. The friend frowned.
They took a step in her direction.
Nope.
Fluffy decided it was time to slip out of sight. She muddied her trail first. Going up and down streets. Doubling back. Keeping an eye out for the women. She shouldn’t have come outside. Zach would be so mad.
Except when she finally returned to the room, creeping back through the bathroom window, she found him still asleep. Peaceful and warm. She cuddled behind him, wrapping herself gently around his frame, and drowsed, only until he stiffened in her grip.
“Did you break your bed?” he asked tightly.
“Nope.”
“Then why are you in mine?”
“Nice,” she declared, snuggling him. The scent of him appealed. The feel of him excited.
“This isn’t proper.”
“Don’t care.” Rules didn’t apply to her.
“I should get up.”
“Mm-hmm,” she hummed, nuzzling the skin at the back of his neck. He shivered.
“Don’t do that.”
“Why?” she whispered against his flesh. He trembled again.
“Because.”
“Because isn’t an answer.” She sang it as if it were something she’d heard a hundred times before.
“You’re an attractive woman who has suffered a traumatic experience. It would be un—”
She stopped him by rolling him onto his back and perching on top of him, straddling him and offering a smile.
“You’re not the one doing anything.” She was the one craving something from him. She slid down just enough that she could rub against the hard ridge at his groin. “Mmm.” Again, she hummed.
He groaned as he grabbed her and flipped her to the side, rolling swiftly out of the bed.
“I can’t.”
“You suck.” The words just spilled.
“Would you feel better if I got you some food?”
“Yes!”
“Why don’t you shower while I wrangle some?”
“Okay,” she agreed easily. After all, she enjoyed hot water, craved sustenance, and then she’d work on Zach for the other thing she needed.
Sex.
