“Where are you and Honey going?” Finley asked.
Estelle elbowed him. “Where do youthinkthey’re going, doofus?”
Flora started singing under her breath: “Buck and Honeeeey, sitting in a treeeee. K-I-”
“C-K-I-N-G,” Buck flung over his shoulder. “Specifically, your ass over that horizon, if you don’t wipe that smirk off your face. Hop to it.”
Muffled snickers rose behind his back. Buck ignored them, stalking toward the shed where the sports equipment was kept. It was a small building, so full of balls and bats that there was barely enough space left for one person, let alone two.
“Buck!” Honey protested as he hustled her inside. “Everyone will think we’re… we’re…youknow!”
“Exactly.” He set down his basket, pulling the door closed behind them. “We’re fated mates, remember? We’re overcome with irresistible lust. Of course we’re going to take every opportunity to snatch a moment of privacy together.”
“Oh.” With the door shut, it was dark enough in the shed that he couldn’t make out her expression. “Um. So should we…?”
“We don’t have to actually kiss,” he said hastily. “Not unless a kid comes in.”
“Right.” Honey let out a laugh that could have been either nervous, or relieved. “Yes. Silly me.”
They both fell silent. In the close confines of the shed, they were practically chest-to-chest. He could hear her rapid breaths; smell the warmth of her skin.
Damn it, where’s a kid when you need one?
After a moment, Honey cleared her throat. “So, uh… do you think that will do?”
“Woman, if I was kissing you, it would not be over in thirty seconds.”
His damn freak eyes were adjusting to the darkness. He could make out the curve of lips now; the nervous bob of her throat as she swallowed.
He’d kissed that mouth. Felt the soft heat of those lips, of her whole body. For one mad, glorious moment, he’d let himself surrender to need, and the memory was going to haunt him for the rest of his life.
It’s not real. It’s just the mate bond. The damn beast.
But the beast seemed very far away now. He had only the barest sense of it, as though it was keeping tucked away still and silent in some deep cave of his soul. And Honey was here, close enough to touch…
Her tongue ran across her lower lip. “Buck?”
“Yes?” he breathed.
“I think you should talk to Ignatius.”
He spent a moment trying to twist that intoRavish me up against these baseball bats right now, you sexy mountain man, and failed.
“What?” With an effort, he dragged his thoughts above the level of his belt buckle. “Why?”
“I think he’s struggling. Ever since that fight with Archie, he’s been even more aloof. And I can’t help feeling that something else has happened, more recently than that. Did you notice how distracted he is this morning?”
“Leonie mentioned something about that.” Now that he came to think of it, Ignatius had been unusually compliant. “But I don’t see why you think I can cheer him up. It’s not like I can teach him anything about shifting.”
“That’s why you should talk to him.” She put a hand on his arm, moving closer. “Because you never wanted to be able to shift in the first place. It would be good for him to get another perspective.”
He shook his head, trying to ignore the way the light touch of her fingers electrified his whole damn hide. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not good with the touchy-feely stuff.”
“Neither is Ignatius. I think that’s why you two get on so well.”
“Honey, I yell at him. He runs his mouth off in response. What, exactly, makes you consider these interactions a success?”
Her mouth crooked. “Like I said, you get on well. He responds to you.”
