“Tell me about true mates.”
He grins with a sappy look that makes me melt a little. “It means that we’re meant to be together.” He places his hand over his heart. “I’ll love you forever, Noel. Even if you decide you can’t do this, you’ll be the one in my heart for the rest of my life.”
God, he’s adorable. “But if we’re true mates, wouldn’t you be in mine too? Why wouldn’t I want to do this?”
“Because you have to make a big decision. Right now your bear is dormant, but if you want to be with me, then eventually I’ll have to change you.”
I hop off the desk and walk over to the window. The glass is cool from the air conditioning and chills my hand when I touch it as I stare out at the city. I have so many questions about what being a werebear means, but right now all I can think about is the fact that Aleck is meant to be in my life forever. I turn to him. “You love me.”
He stands and comes to me. He holds out his hand, and I place mine in it. “I do. I have since the first time I saw you in Gideon’s Pub.”
“When I touched you.”
“Before that. When you lifted the tray over your head, it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.” He glances down at my lap. “And don’t ever stop wearing skirts like that.” He lets out a low rumble that’s part growl, and my insides twitch at the sound. His voice gets husky. “And god, the scent of you makes me crazy.”
“My scent?”
He nods. “I can smell you want me, and it’s taking all my control not to rip off your clothes and taste you right now.”
I drop his hand to press my back against the glass and put some distance between us. But it’s not because I don’t want him. It’s because I’m afraid of losing control where people might hear us. “We can’t do it here.”
“I know. I won’t compromise your job, Noel.”
I nod quickly. Although considering how mad Link was when he left, I might not have one. I inhale deeply. I can detect the faint odor of Aleck and imagine what he must smell on me. I say, “Okay, but can you back up a little? I’m kind of having trouble with that control thing.”
He does as I ask and sits in the chair again. I move behind my desk to sit too, and I’m overwhelmed with joy. I grin at Aleck as I lean on my desk with my chin in my hand. “So you’ll love me forever.” My euphoria makes me think of the unconditional love a mother has for her baby, and I wonder if the reason I’m not freaking out right now is similar.
“Pretty great, huh?”
“Uh-huh.” I sigh. “I suppose you need to tell me about the werebear part now. How does the shifting thing work?”
“We can shift at will, once you learn to control it.”
“Except for an extreme emotion like anger?”
“Yeah,” says Aleck. He leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “But I think that was probably my bear struggling with the need to claim you. Once--if--we bond, I believe I’ll be able to control the dominance thing better. I haven’t lost control of my shift since I was a teenager.”
I recall Ginny saying I’d need to jump through hoops And say, “So all of you are werebear.”
“Yes. Ginny and Nessa were halves like you, though.” He stands up. “You know. I think it might be good if I let the girls explain what’s going to happen if you decide to become my mate.”
Mate. I think about the first time we had sex and how primal it felt, and how our connection feels bone deep. It’s not so hard to believe I have something other than human in me. I glance down at my hands and wonder what I’d look like with fur. I shake my head. This is crazy. I say, “I think that’s a good idea.”
11
W hen we get to the studio, I suggest Ginny and Nessa come to my office so we can talk freely. And boy, do they. I hear about the pain of changing and the mind-blowing orgasm that goes with it, how amazing it is to have super senses, and what it’s like to be in bear form. I also find out that it can be
He grins with a sappy look that makes me melt a little. “It means that we’re meant to be together.” He places his hand over his heart. “I’ll love you forever, Noel. Even if you decide you can’t do this, you’ll be the one in my heart for the rest of my life.”
God, he’s adorable. “But if we’re true mates, wouldn’t you be in mine too? Why wouldn’t I want to do this?”
“Because you have to make a big decision. Right now your bear is dormant, but if you want to be with me, then eventually I’ll have to change you.”
I hop off the desk and walk over to the window. The glass is cool from the air conditioning and chills my hand when I touch it as I stare out at the city. I have so many questions about what being a werebear means, but right now all I can think about is the fact that Aleck is meant to be in my life forever. I turn to him. “You love me.”
He stands and comes to me. He holds out his hand, and I place mine in it. “I do. I have since the first time I saw you in Gideon’s Pub.”
“When I touched you.”
“Before that. When you lifted the tray over your head, it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.” He glances down at my lap. “And don’t ever stop wearing skirts like that.” He lets out a low rumble that’s part growl, and my insides twitch at the sound. His voice gets husky. “And god, the scent of you makes me crazy.”
“My scent?”
He nods. “I can smell you want me, and it’s taking all my control not to rip off your clothes and taste you right now.”
I drop his hand to press my back against the glass and put some distance between us. But it’s not because I don’t want him. It’s because I’m afraid of losing control where people might hear us. “We can’t do it here.”
“I know. I won’t compromise your job, Noel.”
I nod quickly. Although considering how mad Link was when he left, I might not have one. I inhale deeply. I can detect the faint odor of Aleck and imagine what he must smell on me. I say, “Okay, but can you back up a little? I’m kind of having trouble with that control thing.”
He does as I ask and sits in the chair again. I move behind my desk to sit too, and I’m overwhelmed with joy. I grin at Aleck as I lean on my desk with my chin in my hand. “So you’ll love me forever.” My euphoria makes me think of the unconditional love a mother has for her baby, and I wonder if the reason I’m not freaking out right now is similar.
“Pretty great, huh?”
“Uh-huh.” I sigh. “I suppose you need to tell me about the werebear part now. How does the shifting thing work?”
“We can shift at will, once you learn to control it.”
“Except for an extreme emotion like anger?”
“Yeah,” says Aleck. He leans forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “But I think that was probably my bear struggling with the need to claim you. Once--if--we bond, I believe I’ll be able to control the dominance thing better. I haven’t lost control of my shift since I was a teenager.”
I recall Ginny saying I’d need to jump through hoops And say, “So all of you are werebear.”
“Yes. Ginny and Nessa were halves like you, though.” He stands up. “You know. I think it might be good if I let the girls explain what’s going to happen if you decide to become my mate.”
Mate. I think about the first time we had sex and how primal it felt, and how our connection feels bone deep. It’s not so hard to believe I have something other than human in me. I glance down at my hands and wonder what I’d look like with fur. I shake my head. This is crazy. I say, “I think that’s a good idea.”
11
W hen we get to the studio, I suggest Ginny and Nessa come to my office so we can talk freely. And boy, do they. I hear about the pain of changing and the mind-blowing orgasm that goes with it, how amazing it is to have super senses, and what it’s like to be in bear form. I also find out that it can be
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