turn. In the woods one time. I wasn’t sure though. I thought I was—” She stopped suddenly, as if trying to catch the words before they spilled from her lips.
Her eyes lifted to him, big and vulnerable, before glancing away.
“Crazy. You thought you were seeing things.”
She nodded, finding something interesting on the rug.
“What’s your story, Clara? Why are you alone in these woods, away from your family and friends?”
Gripping the mug like it might jump from her grasp, she took a drink, closing her eyes as she swallowed. He had the urge to reach forward and feel the softness of her cheek. His jag had lapped that up when they were in the kitchen. Her skin was caramel satin dotted with the faintest freckles.
She lowered the cup to her lap and met his gaze. “I doubt you’d understand my reasons.”
“I still want to know them.”
Shaking her head in frustration, she set the tea cup on the floor. “How long are you going to keep me here?”
“I don’t know. How long is it going to take to pry your secrets from you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Forever.”
“I’ll keep you forever then.”
Yeah, that sounded right. She was his, and what had he done so wrong anyway? He’d hurt his clan, but he could fix it. Let Magic sleep on it, and they’d talk in the morning. He was a male protecting his female. His leader would understand that. He’d explain to Magic that he planned on wooing Clara the way Renner had done Bethany.
And she’d be the only one for him. Ever. That was what he longed for. What Tana had, what Renner had.
Besides, he knew his mate’s heart was tender, had witnessed it through her notebook. He wouldn’t hurt her.
But maybe… maybe he would keep her.
If he was lucky.
Chapter Ten
Eagan rummaged through his dresser drawers until he found his favorite pair of ratty sweatpants. They weren’t pretty, but they sure as hell were comfortable. The material was worn and soft.
And pretty much thread-bare in the ass. Which he was really going to appreciate once his mate was dressed in them.
In the next drawer, he found the faded out Def Leppard shirt. If she didn’t feel comfortable in these, there was no hope for her.
“I told you. I don’t need your clothes. I can sleep perfectly fine in what I have on.” She stood near the bathroom, her head tipped to one side in exasperation.
“You’ll feel better if you’re clean and in something comfortable.” He smirked. “Unless you want to try for total comfort and go naked. I’d be okay with that.”
Clara rolled her eyes, and it was the sexiest thing he’d ever witnessed. “Are you saying I need a bath? You know, just because I live in the woods, doesn’t mean I’m not clean.”
He knew she was clean. She smelled too good. She might be a mountain woman, but she didn’t have mud on her face or black teeth. Well, there was that one time. But he had a feeling that had all been part of her ruse.
“You’re clean enough. But a warm shower and something softer than jeans and flannel will help you sleep better.”
She crossed her arms looking defensive. “Why do you care if I sleep? You going to eat me or something. Do cat-men eat people?”
Eagan stepped closer, invading her space. “Do you really think I’d hurt you, Clara?”
She blinked at his nearness.
“I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to. If I was the boogey man you believe me to be, I still wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”
“Why couldn’t you?”
Slowly, carefully, he reached a hand to her cheek. She stiffened, but didn’t pull away. And when his thumb brushed the skin there, she relaxed. His jaguar was so deeply satisfied at her response, he nearly let a purr slip out.
“What I told Magic about you being my mate?”
She nodded, her mouth open on a pant.
“That wasn’t a lie.”
Her eyes went wide, but she still didn’t pull away from his touch. “I don’t know what that means,” she whispered.
“I know. And we won’t talk about it
Her eyes lifted to him, big and vulnerable, before glancing away.
“Crazy. You thought you were seeing things.”
She nodded, finding something interesting on the rug.
“What’s your story, Clara? Why are you alone in these woods, away from your family and friends?”
Gripping the mug like it might jump from her grasp, she took a drink, closing her eyes as she swallowed. He had the urge to reach forward and feel the softness of her cheek. His jag had lapped that up when they were in the kitchen. Her skin was caramel satin dotted with the faintest freckles.
She lowered the cup to her lap and met his gaze. “I doubt you’d understand my reasons.”
“I still want to know them.”
Shaking her head in frustration, she set the tea cup on the floor. “How long are you going to keep me here?”
“I don’t know. How long is it going to take to pry your secrets from you?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Forever.”
“I’ll keep you forever then.”
Yeah, that sounded right. She was his, and what had he done so wrong anyway? He’d hurt his clan, but he could fix it. Let Magic sleep on it, and they’d talk in the morning. He was a male protecting his female. His leader would understand that. He’d explain to Magic that he planned on wooing Clara the way Renner had done Bethany.
And she’d be the only one for him. Ever. That was what he longed for. What Tana had, what Renner had.
Besides, he knew his mate’s heart was tender, had witnessed it through her notebook. He wouldn’t hurt her.
But maybe… maybe he would keep her.
If he was lucky.
Chapter Ten
Eagan rummaged through his dresser drawers until he found his favorite pair of ratty sweatpants. They weren’t pretty, but they sure as hell were comfortable. The material was worn and soft.
And pretty much thread-bare in the ass. Which he was really going to appreciate once his mate was dressed in them.
In the next drawer, he found the faded out Def Leppard shirt. If she didn’t feel comfortable in these, there was no hope for her.
“I told you. I don’t need your clothes. I can sleep perfectly fine in what I have on.” She stood near the bathroom, her head tipped to one side in exasperation.
“You’ll feel better if you’re clean and in something comfortable.” He smirked. “Unless you want to try for total comfort and go naked. I’d be okay with that.”
Clara rolled her eyes, and it was the sexiest thing he’d ever witnessed. “Are you saying I need a bath? You know, just because I live in the woods, doesn’t mean I’m not clean.”
He knew she was clean. She smelled too good. She might be a mountain woman, but she didn’t have mud on her face or black teeth. Well, there was that one time. But he had a feeling that had all been part of her ruse.
“You’re clean enough. But a warm shower and something softer than jeans and flannel will help you sleep better.”
She crossed her arms looking defensive. “Why do you care if I sleep? You going to eat me or something. Do cat-men eat people?”
Eagan stepped closer, invading her space. “Do you really think I’d hurt you, Clara?”
She blinked at his nearness.
“I couldn’t. Even if I wanted to. If I was the boogey man you believe me to be, I still wouldn’t. I couldn’t.”
“Why couldn’t you?”
Slowly, carefully, he reached a hand to her cheek. She stiffened, but didn’t pull away. And when his thumb brushed the skin there, she relaxed. His jaguar was so deeply satisfied at her response, he nearly let a purr slip out.
“What I told Magic about you being my mate?”
She nodded, her mouth open on a pant.
“That wasn’t a lie.”
Her eyes went wide, but she still didn’t pull away from his touch. “I don’t know what that means,” she whispered.
“I know. And we won’t talk about it
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