Page 49 of Taming of a Wolf

“That’s helpful. Only millions of those.”

He rolls his eyes. “Someone is so saucy today. It’s an animal that lives in the water. It has scales.”

“F!” I blurt out, slamming my fist on the table. “Fish!Fis for fish!”

“Heck yeah!”

I groan and fall back into my seat. “Why is this so difficult?”

Jamie hums thoughtfully, ever patient. “Hmm. It would help you to have a visual connection with the letter. Like how you knowEis for elephant.”

I nod. “Those big creatures with the trunk and the tusks, right?”

“Yeah, exactly. So you need a visual representation of the letterF.”

“Visuals aren’t working. I need something else.”

Jamie tilts his head, a sly little smile blooming over his face. “There’s a lot of words that start withF. I can think of a few that might stand out to you.”

Leaning on the table, I focus all my attention on him. “Hit me.”

He grins, and I wonder what he’s planning. Jamie pushes his chair back and walks around the table. Before I can blink, he’s in my lap, knees on either side of my thighs. “Fondling.”

The scent of his lust makes my prick twitch in my jeans. “Oh? What does that mean?” Just because I can understand his language doesn’t mean every word is familiar to me.

“It means this.” He slides my hand down his back and settles it over his ass. I squeeze before I can stop myself, loving the way he feels in my hand.

I swallow hard. “Keep this up, pet, and we’ll give anyone who walks past this window a show.”

Jamie’s phone rings, making us both jump and Jamie curse. “Shit. It’s Jace’s principal!” He scrambles off my lap. “Hi, Mrs. Leroy, how are you? What?” Jamie’s mouth goes slack. Grimacing, he shakes his head in disbelief. “I am so sorry. I will be there as soon as I can!” Tapping frantically, he ends the call, then checks the time. “Damn it!”

I sit up and go to his side. “What is it?”

“Jace started a fight at school!”

My heart sinks. Fury swells within me like a rising tide. “Is the lad hurt?” Nobody hurts my pup. Granted, the lad isn’treallymine, but—

“No, he’s fine, but I don’t understand!” Jamie stomps to the door. “Why would he do this?”

Before he can storm out, I grab the knob. “Send one of those messages with your phone to Jess and Bailey. Mayhap they can handle the store. Let us worry about Jace.”

Jamie’s eyes widen. “No, no. This isn’t your problem. You don’t have to worry about this.”

I flinch, surprising even myself with how much his dismissal hurts.

“Hey, no, wait, that’s not what I meant…” Jamie grips my arms and squeezes. “I just… I don’t want to burden you. Jace is my brother, my responsibility.”

Feeling a bit better, I reach out and lift his chin to meet my eyes. “And you’re mine.”

Jamie’s throat bobs, color brightening his cheeks. “Y-yes, but—”

My wolf growls low, pleased he accepted my claim. When I brush my thumb over his bottom lip, Jamie’s breath catches. “Then so is the pup. You are my mate, Jamie, and what’s yours is mine now.”

Until we part ways, everything Jamie has, all he is, belongs to me.

Chapter 13

Jamie

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