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does.”
    “And have you met many?” His eyes roamed her
face, waiting for her answer, his body tense. “You didn’t strike me as the
maternal type before. Intelligent, beautiful, sensual and sexy as hell when
you’re dancing, but not maternal.”
    She avoided his intense gaze and answered, “I
used to do lots of babysitting when I was younger. That’s all. And I figure at
some point I will want a baby, but you kinda need a man for that. I don’t fancy
myself as a single mother. A baby needs a mother and a father and a stable
home. Not many people seem to manage that these days.”
    “I couldn’t agree with you more.” His voice
held a strange edge to it and she lost herself in the intensity of his gaze,
when she finally dared to look at him. “Did you know wolves mate for life?”
    “I do watch the nature channel, you know.”
    Her attempt to lighten the charged atmosphere
fell on deaf ears. As his hold on her tightened further, awareness of him on
every level made her breathing shallow, heat spreading through her veins until
it all pooled in her core, causing moisture to seep between her thighs. Oh
good lord, get a grip, girl . They weren’t talking about the two of them
here. What had Lucas said? Ion may want her for sex, but he didn’t do
happy-ever-after with humans. And after last night the last thing she needed
was another roll in the hay with someone who wasn’t even human.
    Her body was not listening as a renewed surge
of moisture soaked the scrap of material, posing as underwear, she had found in
the bundle of clothes and had no choice but to wear. She knew the minute he
became aware of her predicament. His eyes darkened further and she could see
his wolf in the hungry expression in his face, his nostrils flaring as he
sniffed her again. For some reason that was the most erotic thing ever, and she
bit her lip to stop herself from moaning.
    “So, all the stuff you read in novels about
wolves bonking everything that moves is not true, then?”
    His smile was pure lethal predator and his
voice had dropped another few octaves when he growled his response. “On the
contrary, wolves’ sex drive is legendary––never more so in shifters at this
time of the lunar cycle––but once we claim our mate, I’m afraid you’re stuck
with us.”
    “And you claim your mate how, exactly?”
    His wolf’s growl vibrated through her and she
closed her eyes to get away from the heat in Ion’s gaze. Oh, good god. Why
could she not just keep her mouth shut, for heaven’s sake? She didn’t really
want the answer to that question.
    “Why are you so interested, little one? You
definitely wouldn’t like this answer. You can’t even look at me.”
    Her eyes fluttered open then and she forgot to
breathe, seeing his mouth hovering over hers and time stood still as they
stayed locked together, neither one of them seeming capable of movement until
Leah’s loud screech broke the spell.
    She found herself released abruptly. Deprived
of the warmth of his body, she noticed the chill in the air. The sky was
clouding over and even she could smell the rain on the breeze.
    He wasn’t looking at her when he said, “We
should go in, it’s going to rain and Leah needs her mum.”
     
     

Chapter Nine
     
    Ion stood eyes closed, head raised towards the
ever-darkening sky where the full moon hung pregnant with promises. The packs’
resulting restlessness only increased his wolf’s agitation and it took all of
his willpower to not join the woman his beast wanted to claim. Soaked to the
skin, Marnie’s scent still clung to him, the image of her holding the pack’s
youngest imprinted on his brain. They hadn’t made it inside before the heavens
opened, and Marnie’s screech had rivaled Leah’s when the wall of water hit. He
had scooped woman and baby up and run full pelt into the house, only letting go
of both of them when they’d found Leah’s worried mother.
    His agonized howls upon remembering that scene
sent the