Page 103 of Rescued By the Beast
"That's right, I remember you. But Ethan..." He narrows his eyes at his friend, curious. "How do you know who she is if you've never been to the tavern?"
Ethan looks down at Mark, who is still unconscious, and a playful smile plays on his lips before he shrugs.
"I recognised her by name and... well, Mark told me about her."
My breath catches, and I feel my cheeks flush as an involuntary smile spreads across my lips.
"He told you about me?" I ask, trying to sound nonchalant.
"He did?" Ted asks at the same time, sounding almost offended. "And why didn't he tell me too?"
"Because you wouldn't leave him alone. Besides, Mark asked me to keep it a secret. But now..." He gives me a heated look. "Since it looks like you two are together, I guess it's not a secret anymore, right?"
My heart races. I swallow hard and grab the hem of my shirt, feeling uneasy.
"Actually... he doesn't know who I am."
"What?"
"What do you mean?"
They both speak at the same time.
"To him, I'm just Kitten. I spent all this time trapped in animal form and... I didn't tell him who I really am."
Ted crosses his arms and shakes his head.
"That's impossible..." But his words die before they are spoken.
Mark lets out a low groan, and we all hold our breath. Ethan leans slightly over his friend.
"What's wrong? Are you in pain?"
Mark turns over in bed, moves sleepily, and his hand slides across the mattress as if searching for something. Still unconscious, he whispers:
"Kitten..."
A shiver runs up my spine, hot, until it reaches my face and sets my cheeks on fire.
Ted lets out a low laugh, and when I look up, I realise that both he and Ethan are staring at me.
"Ah... he misses you." Ethan sounds amused. "I think we'd better go back to sleep. Come on, Ted, it's late, and our friend seems to be fine."
The mattress seems to beckon me back, warm and inviting, but I hesitate. Now, in my human form, lying down next to him is not so simple. Not anymore. Every cell in my body vibratesjust from being near him, the intoxicating scent of his skin, his heavy breathing in the silence of the room. Just the sight of Mark, even unconscious, makes my stomach tighten and a heat crawl under my skin.
But what is the alternative? The hard, cold floor?
I swallow hard and lie down carefully, leaving enough space between us that he won't even notice my presence.
But Mark feels it.
A strong arm wraps around my waist, pulling me in without hesitation. My body collides with his, warm and solid, and his muscles relax instantly, as if my presence is exactly what he needed. He buries his face in the crook of my neck and inhales deeply, letting out a heavy sigh before settling back into a deep sleep.
My heart pounds against my chest. My whole body throbs, awake, hungry, while he sleeps peacefully, oblivious to the chaos raging inside me.
I close my eyes, trying to calm my breathing.
How long will he stay like this?
