Chapter Eleven
KENNEDY DISCREETLY WIPED her sweating palms on her pants. God. She had it bad for sure. Just one look at the man and she wanted to drop her fake confidence and give Alex anything he wanted for one of his smiles. He’d been so stern, so aloof lately.
Gone was the protector who’d held her close, who’d soothed her in her time of need and given her so much passion when she hadn’t expected much from a man but pawing or leering.
Everything she’d felt when in his mind pointed at a man who could be trusted, counted on. A man she’d always dreamed about but had never figured she’d find, because Kennedy had never been lucky when it came to love.
She invariably chose the wrong guy. The sexy gambler who couldn’t hold onto his money. The charming player who cheated on her, or the genuinely nice guy who just couldn’t commit. She’d been burned so many times before, and that had been prior to becoming something other than human.
Then to find Alex, a truly good man, who looked like Adonis come to life, and who made her mind and body sing? Of course he’d been too good to be true. Because after that one amazing night, he’d kept his distance. At first she’d thought he’d been trying to respect her, give her time to make up her mind about her future, which she appreciated. But whenever she drew near him anymore, he backed away. It was like he’d deliberately leave a room if she looked as if she might enter.
Her beast found his behavior fascinating. A game of keep away from her ideal mate, one who would challenge her, never come to heel lightly, and be strong enough to protect her. Kennedy found her beast’s “ideal” appalling. She didn’t want a man who didn’t want her. No matter how strong he might be. But she could no longer keep herself from him, and she was honest enough to admit his distance…hurt.
Bailey had been a treasure about sharing information, but Kennedy knew this situation with Alex had to remain between Kennedy and Alex. Though Bailey had dropped more than a few hints about Alex’s whereabouts, his likes and dislikes, and his temperament under the guise of instructing Kennedy about her new potential pack, Bailey hadn’t needed to force Alex down Kennedy’s throat.
The empath had to know how Kennedy felt—conflicted, hopeful, loving…
She swallowed hard. Alex stared at her as if she’d grown three heads, and she had a feeling she’d made a mistake in trying to force a confrontation. Before she could go, he grabbed her and spun her around, a forearm to her throat, holding her back to his front.
“Okay, I’ve got you. Now what do you do?” he asked in a low voice, his breath a whisper against her ear.
She shivered. “Um, get free?”But I don’t want to.She tugged at his arm, and it was like trying to move a mountain. The heat at her back felt so good, and the masculine scent of him, an earthy vitality, made everything within her sit up and take notice. Would he smell her lust? Know from the way she held her body how much she wanted him?
He gave nothing away behind her, his hold immovable.
“Can you get free?” he asked, and the feel of his lips so close to her ear made her tremble.
“I-I’ll try.” She tugged at his thick forearm, then tried to twist away using the speed and strength of her beast. Perhaps she could impress him with her flexibility.
But unlike Bailey, Alex towered over her. She couldn’t get any leverage on him, and she couldn’t make him budge at all.
Her beast approved, liking the fact that a stronger male covered her. She wanted to bend over the nearest object and wait to be mounted. Sadly, Kennedy wanted the same. Man, she’d really sunk low if the only way to get a man to notice her was by tricking him into giving her self-defense lessons.
He chuckled, and the rumble of his big body vibrated against hers. “That all you got?”
He spun her around and took her down to the mat. Her back hit with a solidthunk,and she needed a moment to catch her breath. Alex had followed her down and covered her before she could think. She could only blink up into his face that loomed way too close for her to ignore.
He frowned. “Are you okay? Hasn’t Bailey taught you how to land yet? That should have been the first thing you guys went over.”
She stared up into his dark gray eyes, loving the way his normally round pupil elongated when he looked at her. Unlike the others, Alex’s human camouflage worked without the contacts the others normally wore to disguise their one tell—the long, thin, Circ pupil. The catlike stare in the rest of them was normally absent from Alex, except when he looked at her.
As he was looking at her now.
She had deliberately stayed out of everyone’s mind since her arrival, not wanting to offend or seem like a threat. Besides, Kennedy didn’t like knowing what others thought of her. She’d rather assume they liked her. If she looked into their minds, she’d know the truth, and she didn’t want to know how uncomfortable she made them. Then she’d have to leave, and she wasn’t ready to yet.
But so close, she read Alex without trying.
Missed you so much.Not a flicker of emotion crossed his face, but she’d heard it, and it was enough.
“Oh, God. I missed you too. We’ll talk later.” Before he could ask the question in his eyes, she dragged his face down and kissed him.
For a moment he remained still, and then she broke through his icy exterior and felt the heat of the beast—and man—who wanted her as desperately as she wanted him.
Alex groaned into her mouth, his hands on each of her wrists, now pinning them above her head while he took charge of the kiss. She felt on the verge of fainting, the pleasure of his touch was so intense. She’d been craving it and hadn’t realized the lack until just now.
Get closer.Her beast growled.Too many clothes. More mate.
But the frenzied sex she could all but taste went nowhere as Alex slowed the kiss, stealing her heart bit by bit. He dragged off her shirt and sliced through her bra, his claws coming and going with an ease she hadn’t yet mastered.
