Lola’s stomach was doing somersaults.She found herself leaning into Callon’s touch.His last statement threw open some seriously worrying doors.She decided to ignore them for now.Callon’s claims about her were too outlandish.“How can I have magic in me?Why me?How is a woman chosen to be ananimus?Arethey chosen?Is there a requirement like a blood type, or race, or something about them that’s odd, which then in turn makes them able to mate with one of your kind because, let’s be honest, you are about as odd as they come.”
He didn’t seem offended by her assessment.His fingers continued to skim across her face, down her neck, and then her shoulder.They ran down her bare arms where he began to trace the different patterns of her vitiligo.His touch was reverent.His gold eyes followed the movement of his hand.“Breathe, Little Cat.”The deep timbre of his voice made her shudder.She finally sucked in a deep breath, not realizing that she had even stopped.
“Maybe you shouldn’t touch me.”She attempted to pull her arm away.
Callon shook his head as a low growling sound.Much like Dog made when he was unhappy, only this was a hell of a lot scarier.“That’s not an option.”His eyes slowly rose to meet hers.“I keep telling you that you’re mine, and I am yours.But it’s not getting through that thick, curious skull of yours.”
She wanted to scream, ‘then make me understand!’but that seemed like a rash decision considering she wasn’t sure that Callon wouldn’t just abduct her.
She blew out a breath, and rotated her arm as he continued to map out her two-tone flesh.“Then keep talking ‘til it does get through my thick skull.”
His lips tilted up a crooked smile.
Before he could say anything, the words, ‘Oh, she’s sweet, but a psycho,’ broke the silence.Lola pulled her phone from her pocket and say Kay’s contact image on the screen—her friend’s tongue was stuck out and her hands were lifted in the universal ‘let’s rock’ sign.The ring tone wasn’t Katy’s choice; that was all Lola.She swiped the screen and then put the phone to her ear.“I texted you.”
“Yes, but that wasn’t sufficient,” Katy said.“Not after we heard a male voice standing close enough to you that we could hear him through the phone.Did you honestly think that we’d wait until tomorrow to get more info?”
“One can hope,” Lola said dryly.
“Lo, put yourself in our shoes.”
“Yeah, Lo.”Maddie’s voice came from the background.“What if we had dudes and didn’t tell you?”
“Yeah, Little Cat.”Callon’s voice rumbled.“What if they had dudes?”
“HE’S THERE!”Katy screeched so loudly that Lola wondered if everyone in her building heard.
“WHAT?”Maddie yelled as Lola pulled the phone away from her ear.Her mouth dropped open when Callon deftly took it from her.
“Iamhere, Katy.”Callon’s voice was a purr.
Lola narrowed her eyes on him.“You’d better change that tone, Lion King, or I’m going to go Scar on your ass.”Lola’s words did not have the effect she wanted.The jackass just gave her a bland look as he continued to talk to her used-to-be BFFs.
“No, I have no intention of hurting her.”His lips pressed together as if he was fighting a smile.Lola wondered again if it was because he wasn’t used to smiling.At times, when he did, there was confusion in his eyes, as if he couldn’t believe the action was actually happening on his face.
“No,” he said again.“I have no intention of abducting her.I am hoping she will go with me willingly.”
“Put those fools on speaker phone.”Lola reached for the phone.Callon simply leaned away from her.She had the choice between crawling into his lap to get it, or standing up and leaning over him, which would effectively put her chest right in his face.He looked her straight in the eyes as if he knew both options, and was daring her to do either one of them.Lola folded her arms in front of her and tried not to look like a pouting child.
Callon pushed something on the screen.Then Katy’s voice blared like a damn bull horn.
“Go with you where?Who the hell are you?What do you want with her?What’s your last name, I’m totally looking you up on the FBI’s Most Wanted List.”
Lola shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.“He’s not on the list, Katy.”
“How do you know?”
“Because there’s no way this fool could hide from anyone.He’s like Tarzan’s cousin or something.”
“And yet, you never saw me coming,” he said so softly she figured Katy and Maddie hadn’t heard him.
“Tarzan?”Katy’s voice said, her tone suddenly switching from suspicion to interest.
Lola glared at the phone.“Hands off, Katy.”
“Ohh, possessive,” Maddie sang.“How long did you say you’ve known this…” she paused.
“Callon,” he said.“My name is Callon Leo.”
