Page 70 of Love the Way You Lion
TALIA
She feels the line and stops feeding, her cheek lying on my hot skin. I follow suit, though the snake does not want to. It’s a hazard of my condition, I suppose. I’m glad her beast has more sense than my inner animal. It might not have always been the case, but according to Taurus, she’s learned to co-exist with her monster so well that it’s drawn out his.
Talk about a woman who changes everything and everyone around her daily without even trying. No wonder the raving masses are so drawn to her.
When I feel her move, I frown, but she wants to get my attention. I thought I’d hang here for—well, maybe forever. I’m shagged out.
~Um, do you feel that? ~Her mental voice is curious, and my brows furrow.
I send out a feeler, a question, not wanting to speak out loud if she isn’t.
Her head lifts, and she peers over my leg, looking into the room, scenting the air.~Holy fucking hell, Talia, look. You gotta look. ~
I grumble, but the urgency in her voice makes me pause. I lift a little and peep, then bolt upright in the bed, eyes wide as I gape like a fish. “What the...?” I whisper, amazed.
~I told you it was worth moving for. ~She chuckles low, being careful not to cause a disturbance.
Grinning, I send her an image of my thoughts about our two warriors and what they look like. I lay back down, feeling more than a little pleased at how things worked out. I’d always sensed that despite his protests, Taurus might have more interest at that end of things than he let on. Reading through all those blogs wasn’t only about me; otherwise, he would have let me read and waited to play the home game.
I can’t blame him. I’ve discovered the immutable attraction his mate engenders. I have to stop teasing him about being an insatiable lech now that I understand what the kitty does to a person. It’s only fair that he figures out why I’m so bananas about her mate.
The kitty nods at me, sliding up behind me in her typical graceful fashion to set her chin on my shoulder.~I knew that arguing and antagonism came from somewhere. ~
“Whose?” I keep my voice low, but since I can’t pan-orate like them, I have to speak out loud or it’s going to get confusing for her. She’s new to the whole mind-picture thing.
“Theirs. The name-calling, the gauntlets thrown, and all the usual posturing male bullshit; it’s a sure sign. Clones don’t go to grade school, but I sure did.”
For the first time, I notice that the sun is filtering in through a few cracks in the long hair’s blackout curtains. “Geez, woman.”
“It’s not my fault. Don’t look at me; they’re the ones still going.”
I blink. “It’s not your fault? Whose fault was it? I’m still not sure what happened, so I know I did nothing.”
She makes an innocent face that looks about as sincere as a pregnant nun, and I laugh. Batting her lashes, she counters, “How about shared fault? Agreed?”
Smirking, I shake my head. Taurus is right; you can’t say no to her. It’s too damned fun to give in. “You know, considering what happened, I’ll give you that one.” I look at her for a moment, feeling playful. “If I have this right, we only do this twice, and I know that I’m a lousy fucking lay, right?”
Her eyes widen, and she growls. “I will kill him. I was drunk, I had a fight with them, and he was angry. He pushed me about catering to them, and I said, ‘they’re my family, she’s my family, and he’s like, fuck her’. I was mad, and it slipped right out of my mouth. I’ve told no one before, not even Rafe.”
“Taurus thought I’d get a laugh, and I did. I get a chuckle every time I think about it, and every time I have to see the little gremlin.” My grin is wicked, and I chuckle again.
Deli was toasty and admitted to Taurus that Sari had been with her only twice—enough to push mating before the treacherous blonde one could get to her—was amazing. That Sari sucked at it is amusing to no end. It explains why the biggest proponent of free love and sharing doesn’t go looking for other ladies to punish Deli. They know Sari doesn’t give a shit who Deli is with unless it threatens Wilde. Now, my mate is a different story.
“That bastard! I’ll beat him, and not in a way he’ll enjoy,” she grumbles. “No one should have ever known that. It is part of the reason—you know. That whole forgetting thing that he and I hadan issue with. I forgot because, well, I figured out I was a trophy, not a proper mate. It stopped mattering after a while.”
“Who am I going to tell? It’s not like I talk to anyone but Rafe. She doesn’t come to me, only to Taurus, and Wilde’s gone like the wind. You’re safe.”
“True, but I know enough about how contentious you and he are with her. I don’t want it slipping out in a rage by mistake. She might not give a shit about me, but she will care if I’ve tarnished her super sex monster reputation. It could get hideous for both of us,” she murmurs. “Besides, Rafe has to know she’s a lousy l—look, you almost made me say it again!”
I shrug, still finding the entire situation hysterical. That stubby little gnome seems to think she’s the gift to the universe, and her announcement that the cat was mated to her was about hurting my primary. I don’t feel bad that she doesn’t live up to her own hype. I do, however, care if she punishes my mate and the woman that I’m finding myself more attached to by the minute. “I say nothing; I hear nothing.”
Thinking about what I want to ask, I wonder if now is the wrong time. What the hell, why not? I’ve always been a ‘damn the torpedoes’ kind of gal.
“What happened here, babe? I hate to be gauche in asking, but this whole thing,” I gesture towards our occupied mates, “is not something I’m used to. Not that I have complaints, but it’s off-brand.”
She peeps over at our mates and shakes her head. “I don’t have any complaints.”
When she turns back, I’m surprised to see what I can only interpret as an unsure expression. My emotion sensors must be on the fritz because she’s gone from confident and playful to emanating fearfrom every pore. Even her body seems to have tensed up and curled in.
