Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 64948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 64948 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 325(@200wpm)___ 260(@250wpm)___ 216(@300wpm)
All I can do is laugh. “Well, it’s no wonder. You were moving pretty fast.”
I grab some tissues to clean myself up.
Lance’s blue eyes lock on mine. He’s probably panicking so I add, “It’s okay. I’m actually on the pill.”
His eyes narrow. Some strange emotion flits across his face—surprise? dismay? Whatever it is, he hides it quickly. “Great. Good. Okay.”
“Don’t worry.” I chuckle, and pat his arm. “No harm done. I had fun.”
He still doesn’t look happy, but he gives a little shake of his head and lays himself out beside me, pulling me into his arms. I settle against his warm, hard body. Sex and a cuddle? This playboy is an overachiever.
“Do you cuddle all your one-night stands?” I ask. A jolt goes through him.
“No,” he mutters against my neck. He still sounds upset. Poor guy, this might be his worst nightmare.
Too bad. I did have fun. And best of all, it’s done, and I have no regrets. Now I can move on to dating accountants. And Lance won’t care. He’ll have moved on, he and his ‘wingman’.
Everything is going to plan.
Chapter 4
Lance
In the morning, I get up and soundlessly dress, then go to make coffee in Charlie’s kitchen. I’ve never stayed the night with a woman before, but last night changed everything for me.
Charlie is my mate.
I can’t believe it. I never thought I’d mate. It was crazy enough that Deke of all people found his one true mate, but I didn’t expect it for the rest of us. It’s unusual to find one’s true mate, for one thing. Of all the shifters on the planet, you have to get the scent of the one that’s for you. And Charlie’s not even a shifter!
Now I understand why her scent was so tantalizing down at the hot springs.
Now I know why I couldn’t let the thought of her go yesterday. Why I had to spend all afternoon cyber-stalking her, and then all evening literally stalking her just to get her in bed.
Only my wolf doesn’t just want her in bed.
He wants her forever.
That sex last night wasn’t just sex. I lost control unexpectedly because he wanted me to mark her, right there. It’s no wonder I pounded her so hard, the condom got lost.
Fuck, I hope I didn’t leave her too sore. I don’t know—I might have even used shifter strength on her. I totally lost my mind for a few moments there.
And now that I know Charlie’s mine… Now that I’ve tasted her, been inside her, I almost wish I hadn’t. Not because I don’t intend to claim her—I do.
But I wish I could have a do-over.
Because I’m not sure Charlie even really likes me. She has this idea I’m a player. Which I suppose I am.
Was.
Charlie wanted me last night—no doubt about that—but she definitely gave the impression that this was a one-night-stand. A fling. Just for fun. The result of me showing up at the perfect time on her birthday night. I mean, that was what I was going for. What I offered.
She’s probably going to be surprised to discover I’m still here, waiting in her kitchen for her to wake up and smell the coffee I’m making.
My leg jiggles up and down like I’m a horny, restless teen shifter. I’ve been like this since last night. I didn’t sleep more than half an hour. The rest of the time I spent staring at my beautiful female, which I’m sure she would’ve found a bit creepy if she’d woken.
Finally, I hear movement from the bedroom. The toilet flushes. An electric toothbrush runs. Charlie pads out to the kitchen in her bare feet, wearing one of her sassy t-shirts and a pair of hot pink panties.
I have to swallow the possessive growl that rises up in my throat.
Fuck.
I’m going to have to really keep my wolf in check if I have any hope of getting a second date with her. She probably wouldn’t take kindly to: you’re mine and I must possess and protect you for the rest of my life or I’ll turn into a feral beast that needs to be put down.
Sure enough, she gives me a strange look. “You made coffee, huh?”
I shrug, trying very hard to appear casual as I pour her a mug. “I figured I should ride you back to your car before work.”
“Good point.” She blushes, like she’s regretting last night.
Damn.
“Great. Yeah, thanks. That’s a good idea.” She hides her face in the coffee cup, taking a long sip. “So I will just, um, get showered.” She gives me an up and down sweep of her eyes. Either she’s remembering what it felt like to have this body over hers last night, or she wants more.
“Need any help?” It sounds as lame to my ears as I feared it would. What’s wrong with me? Have I suddenly lost all game with women?