Page 33 of Unforgivable

I'm stunned. He noticed me? "Wow."

"You look surprised. You're the top female your age, Lyri. All the unmated and MateLess males notice you."

There's something about that... it hurts for some odd reason. I can't pinpoint exactly why, but it feels so sad. Absently, I rub my chest over my heart. I never thought about other males, did I? I was so focused on him. I never saw anyone else.

"Hey, ready to read this?" Rhet hands me my mom's letter. I feel tears welling up already. Great.

He hands me a huge towel. "Just in case," he tells me in a solemn voice but with a twinkle in his eye.

I'm laughing as I start to read again. Clearing my throat, I begin to read it outloud,

"I love you, my biggest," I say softly. "I don't want to cry all over the pages, so I'll just tell you what you've missed. Remember Aunt Hilaria? She's still a nutcase..."

I finish the letter with an impressive amount of crying. At one point, Rhet took the pages from me and read aloud. He has a deep, soothing voice. It was pretty funny to hear him read about crazy old Mildred's latest attempts at stealing pies from the bakery, or her husband William's plot to sell corn to some Russian wolves he met sixty years ago and lost touch with fifty-nine-and-a-half years ago. My mom is pretty sure he doesn't have corn or a field to grow corn, for that matter. He doesn't have all his marbles, either.

"How does your mom know all these crazy old coots?" he mutters.

I laugh. "When I was little, mom started the Elder Coterie. I've known these wolves all my life. Every Sunday, we would have dinner with some of them."

"Your mom is the Coterie female?" he asks with disbelief.

I nod, "yup. And I was her most eager disciple. 'Youth is a gift of nature, but age is a work of art,' Stanislaw Lec," I quote mischievously.

Rhet heaves a huge sigh, carefully folding the letter and placing it on the side table. "Lyri, I think... well, I just can't allow a Coterie female in this house."

My mouth drops open. For one infinitesimal second, I believe him, until I see those blue eyes twinkling with mirth.

"I promise not to bring more than one elder here per week!" I gasp out desperately.

"Per week?" he says, eyes widening in mock horror.

"'Life isn't about age. Life is about living.'" I tell him while gently patting his arm.

He shakes his head, lips twitching. "No, just no."

"'How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?'"

"Stop it," he growls. Teeth nip my neck playfully.

"'Age is just a state of mind!' Think of them as wrinkled young wolves!" I giggle.

"No! I just can't! Think of the pups! Think of Sarj!" he says dramatically.

"'I have reached an age when, if someone tells me to wear socks, I don't have to.' That's Einstein! You can't argue with a genius!" I shout.

Fingers tickle my sides. I shriek, shouting out another lame quote. Mildred is famous for shouting them out whenever we (gently) point out that she's... ahem... stealing.

"What do socks have to do with anything?" he stops tickling me when I wince in discomfort.

"I have no idea. I think you have to be Einstein to understand," I say breathlessly.

We both steady our breathing after laughing so hard. Smiling, I look up at him shyly. "So, I can stay?" I never thought I would laugh so hard with this male, considering... everything.

"I'd let you stay even if you did bring old farts here all the time."

My giggle catches in my throat as Rhet leans in. I can see his intention. He lets me see it. His soft blue eyes read my face, waiting for my flinch or protest. I hold still. I want to know how this feels, to tell the truth. I would prefer to be the one to offer a kiss, but at least he's waiting for me to be receptive.

When I don't pull away, he touches his lips to mine. It's gentle but commanding. Sort of like Rhet himself. I let my eyes drift shut, determined to enjoy a kiss that isn't stolen or given in desperation for attention. Why was I so desperate? If I had played it cool... but that didn't work, either, did it? Why am I so easy to ignore? Why-

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