Page 20 of Love the Way You Lion
“You couldn’t have known. None of us could.”
Nodding, he offers a spoonful and I take it before he changes his mind. “True. The woman’s upset. She says that the coyote is planning something she prefers no part of.”
Shit. I was hoping she’d kept that to herself.
I regard him for a minute, but he doesn’t seem as worried about it as she is. Sighing, I lick the last of the spoon and dip it back into the ice cream, holding it out for him. “Taurus is looking into the accident. He’s wary, since that little conniver is talking about some hoodoo.”
The quiet clone frowns. “It’s bad if the woman said no. She’s been to some dark places with magick. It takes a lot for her to say no.”
Tucking it away to discuss with my mate later, I nod. Someone with that kind of power can only be on Earth. That means someone arranged this on the fly or long before the writer wrecked.
Interesting.
Grinning, I pretend not to worry. “Nothing to worry about, I’m sure. Just Sari spouting off about things she doesn’t understand because of Beltane and sorrow. People grieve differently.”
He nods, looking unconvinced.
“Besides, you have me and you’re crazy about me. You just don’t know it yet.”
Arching a brow, he steals the spoon. “Who says I don’t?”
He catches me by surprise again, and I drop a big dollop of ice cream. “Shit.”
Leaning down, he licks it off, offering me a small grin. “Taken care of.”
“Can’t complain about that method. It beats the hell out of napkins. To answer you, no one said you were, either.”
“Baby, I’m insane about you. I’m sharing my comfort ice cream, aren’t I?”
Shaking my head, I mutter, “We are going to work on your communication skills, mister.” I wait for him to finish his bite, then snatch the spoon again. “When one is crazy about someone, it’s a good idea to tell them instead of hoping they have some kind of ESP and peep in your head.”
“One would think you could feel it.”
“I’m careful about shielding, thanks ever so. I’d be a basket case if I weren’t. I’m not always successful with some, but there it is.” I glance at my hands, knowing that my sorrow mixed with worry and frustration are scorching over my skin like tiny pinpricks and if he could see it, he’d realize how much I keep closed off. “I need the words just like every other girl. Not to mention, it’d be rude of me just to strip everything you feel and read it like the paper, now wouldn’t it?”
He ponders. “Well, as you said before, the marks,” he points to his neck, “come with some entitlement. But I’m not hiding anything, so I wouldn’t get worried if you did.”
“I’m here, aren’t I? I read that much. When it’s about me, I stay away. Sheesh. If you ever fall in love with me, will it be this hard to get it out of you?” My nose wrinkles because he’s not only refusingto give me the answers I want, but he’s using my own words against me.
Bastard.
“No, it shouldn’t be difficult. I wonder if I’m having a little spillover from the woman. She’s far more upset than me because of the assumption she’d be all in for some crazy necromancy or something.” He reaches up and cups my face. “I’m “bloody crazy about you, pet. I’m falling harder every day.”
“Thank you.” I beam, smearing ice cream on his nose and then licking it off. I can’t explain why I feel happy with him even when I should be sad, but I do.
“Ack! Tell a woman you like them and see what happens? Sticky, that’s what.”
I study him, words tumbling out before I stop them. “You know I’m falling in love with you, right? Because if that’s a problem, I’d like to know now so I can prevent it from happening.”
“We seem to be floating in the same boat, pet. It might be down the River Styx, but we’re in it.”
Laughing, I curl up next to him. “Can I tell you something?” I need to share this with him, because I never share this with anyone. But something makes me want to, so I’m going to try. If it distracts him from the whole Wilde mess, more the better.
“Of course.”
“My fangs? They’re not like yours.”
“Neither are the cat’s. She’s got four.”
