Page 58 of Loup Garou

“No.” His blue eyes seemed to burn through me. “This is my way of telling you just how right you are about it. That is exactly what was going on in his life at the time.”

“At the risk of offending you because I haven’t heard your music yet, umm, could you pass on how much I like this one to your friend? Did he sing it too or is it someone else?”

“Why?” he questioned, seeming intrigued and amused all at once.

I turned red instantly, and looked away. “I was just wondering.”

“Linds? Tell me why you want to know.” A slow, sexy grin spread over his face as we continued to dance.

“Swear you won’t laugh at me or think I’m crazier than you already do.”

His chest shook slightly as he laughed silently. “What? Are we five?”

“We were when we knew each other best.” I had him there and he knew it.

“Okay, I swear.”

“The first time I heard this guy singing I was in a stereo-sound-system place with Myra and her boyfriend of the moment. A song, not this one, though, but one by the same group, came on, and the second he began to sing, I passed out cold.”

“You did what?” His brows met.

Laughing, I nodded. “My power surged through me and I couldn’t get control of it. It literally knocked me out cold for about a minute. I was so embarrassed. I had to lie that I’d been in the sun too long. Please keep in mind that too much sunlight burns my eyes and makes me tired, so Myra believed it. And she bought the CD for me for my birthday. I put it in, recognized the start of it and braced for impact. It didn’t happen again. Instead of overloading me, my power simply wrapped around me, kind of like a warm blanket, and that’s the whole boring, humiliating story.”

“Umm, so are you saying you don’t like it or you do?” he asked, tentatively.

“Well, every time I’m scared or, as of late, terrified, I play this row of discs. When I’m lonely, I play them. Umm, the list goes on, but it’s safe to say they cover all moods. Even PMS. See, now you have to tell me what it is you sing and what sound your band has so I can begin the near impossible task of replacing those CDs with yours.” I closed my eyes and screwed my face up, not wanting to think about getting rid of it all. “Okay, I lied. Tell me what you do so I can set it alongside this guy.”

Exavier looked slightly shocked. “So, you’re telling me you aren’t willing to toss this even for me—your mate and best friend from when you were little?”

“You do realize you’re bringing up issues that will weigh in heavily on the whole marriage thing. I think I’ll need a prenuptial stating my CD collection is safe from you.”

He pursed his lips. “A pre-nup, huh?”

“Yep. You get to keep your underworld and all its perks and I get to keep my CDs.”

He bit his lower lip, trying not to laugh. “My underworld and all its perks? You’re a perk. That means I get to keep you regardless if you want to keep me or not.”

“We’ll have to iron that point out then.” I leaned into him and stood on my tiptoes. “That, or I could just swear to love whatever music you make too and ask you very nicely not to chuck these out of the window.”

“Hmm, I’m going to have to make a list of all my demands, and if you don’t meet every one of them, I’ll be forced to make room in the player for my stuff.” His warm breath moved over my face lightly, making my entire body press even closer to him. “If we don’t find something else to do, right this second, you are going to end up pinned to the floor with me deep inside you, Lindsay.”

Nodding, I drew back from him slowly, not wanting to let go but not wanting to surrender myself to him completely before I knew himbetter. I owed that to the both of us. Twenty years was a long time to be apart. “Okay, are you hungry? I know for a fact you didn’t eat dinner.

I cupped his cheeks and felt stubble starting. Rubbing it lightly, I giggled like a school-girl. “Exavier, you grew into a man. When did that happen?”

He touched his jaw and laughed. “Want to move those hands lower? I’ve got even more proof I’m a big boy now.”

If he only knew how very much I did want to look lower, he’d have run. The need to offer myself to him was so great, I almost blurted it out several times. I took his hands in mine and pulled on him gently. “Let’s feed you, to put my mind at ease, and then let’s go to bed. I haven’t been able to sleep in weeks and I think it picked tonight to catch up with me. I’m tired.”

He pulled me nearer to him, his lips touching my cheek gently. “No, your body understands who I am to you. It’s relaxing and knows I’m close and will protect you at all costs.”

I turned my face slightly and our lips met. We didn’t ravish one another like I’d hoped. Instead, we kissed chastely, yet it was full of emotion. Confused, I pulled back from him. “Xavs?”

He smiled and tapped my backside with his free hand. “I am hungry and a bit tired myself.”

I yanked him up the stairs with me. He waved a hand, using his power to shut off the lights and stereo.

The second I heard the exterior door locking, I sighed. Tension ebbed out of my shoulders first and then the rest of my body. It felt good to have Exavier close.

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