Page 45 (1/2)

Carol’s brows arched at the reference to her being pliable

"I told Rosalind you weren’t the least bit biddable"

"What do I have to say about this? Anything?" Carol pinched his nipples lightly

"Just agree" He quickly rinsed them both off before the water could turn from cool to cold "You need to learn our ways," he added, whispering against her ear

She backed away, but he stopped her with his hand on her wrist before she could leave the tub

"Absolutely no way a on And besides, I won’t take a mate just because…" Her eyes narrowed, and she stiffened "Don’t tell me that it’s okay to mate with me now that you believe I’ to be hed, whichbruised pride

"Well, of course you are I’ve told you all along that you want me But rabbed a towel

By the ti off and towel dried, she had dressed and left the bedroo would be a sticking point with her, but he hadn’t thought he’d muddle it up so quickly

When Carol reached the bar in the den in search of a good stiff drink, she found Jake drinking hot cocoa as he leaned back on a recliner and watched her She frowned at him, whipped around, and headed for the kitchen, the cocoa sounding a lot better on this chilly night Besides, chocolate always did her a world of good

"Proble her into the kitchen

She really didn’t need Jake pestering her right now

Jake took a sip of his cocoa and then set thedown and pulled one out of the cupboard for her "What did he say or do to upset you?"

"Nothing, Jake"

"Your face is flushed You’re breathing hard If you were a wolf…"

"I’ with tears She brushed away a couple that dared to slide down her cheeks

Looking unco further He just poured her abefore he entered the kitchen and wished they’d both leave her alone

When Ryan walked inside, he didn’t speak to either of the looks Two arous, both on the saain anyone’s sympathy here She muttered a thank-you to Jake for the hot chocolate and then escaped to the solitude of the sunroo that neither of them would follow her

The room was cold: the fire was untended, and the massive s let in the chilly air now that the sun had disappeared for the night

She sat on one of the sofas and threool afghan over her lap and took a long sip of the hot chocolate, wishing she and Ryan were just two ordinary people who had found each other and fallen in love Everything was so co olves Did Ryan think he could order her around because he had been born a olf? Because he would be her azed out theat the darkness and saw Mervin staring off into the woods Serving as one of their guards, no doubt She sighed No matter how much she wanted to avoid her wolf side, she also wanted Ryan Unfortunately, having onethe other

The room was so cold that she slipped off her shoes and tucked her feet underneath her on the velour sofa But she still shivered as she looked out the here she observed the growing ainst the black velvet night

She drankto shake the chill The heat fro to war the urge to shift, the craving to ditch her clothes, and tried to su ca on the coffee table and jerked the afghan aside Her ht Mervin’s eye, and he smiled at her and waved

No, no, no! She jerked off her scrubs shirt, exposing her bra-clad breasts, and felt the heat deepening as it worked its way through her bloodstrea Make it stop!

Mervin watched her froape She couldn’t leave now, couldn’t head for her bedroom, or Ryan and Jake would catch her in her current state of alarreat room to the stairs And follow her Probably try to make her accept what she couldn’t accept

She jerked off her socks and yanked down her scrubs pants Oh, God, no She couldn’t do it The heat invaded her bones, and her skin perspired lightly She was going to shift

Jake didn’t say anything as Ryan fixed himself a cup of coffee, but Ryan kneanted to hear what had upset Carol He’d probably figured out what it was all about anyway Ryan didn’t owe Jake an explanation, but he offered it anyway

"She’s " Jake poured himself another cup of hot chocolate

Ryan looked in the direction of the entryway to the kitchen "I upset her when I told her she needed to learn our ways"

Jake gave a conceited s her I could have told you that Darien and I have gone round and round with her over it Tom is more subtle about it Lelandi’s tried in a sisterly way" He shrugged "Her mate will have to take care of it"