“Not a lot to do in a secluded cabin,” she blurted. Her heart continued to race. The fire became too hot. Little pebbles of sweat broke out across her nose.
Eric stilled. With his thoughts private, his mouth twisted up, he sat back. “What were you going to do?”
Rip his underwear off and ride him like a bronco?
She bit the inside of her cheek and stared at the fire. “What do you mean?”
“What had you planned to do up here on your own? We already ruled out the randy lumberjack.”
Ironic words, since aside from the facial hair and lack of plaid, Eric reminded her of a lumberjack. What had she planned? This weekend was supposed to consist of three things: reading romance novels, eating candy, and feeling sorry for herself.
Maisie decided now would be a good time to pipe up.You were going to read smut and touch yourself.
Her face heated. Busted. By her own little internal devil.
“Read,” she answered, her voice growing thick. “But the books are in the back of the truck with my clothes.”Along with my vibrator…
Eric’s gaze bore into her as he studied her. Did he detect her secret plans? Could he see the blush burning her cheeks? Smell her arousal? Silence fell over them as the wind continued to howl. The force of the storm rattled the cabin.
“I only took the food and survival gear with me,” she said.
“There are other things we can do.” His rough voice broke the moratorium and left little room for misinterpretation.
“Huh.” Her gaze drifted down his body again. Was she seriously considering it? Having sex with the mate who abandoned her seemed like an ill-advised choice, yet…
Eric shrugged. “If you want to sit around and read from the one book in the entire cabin instead, I’ll support that decision.”
The Encyclopedia of Mythical Creatures? Brenna snorted. Not fucking likely.
A mean burst of wind shook the cabin. In the distance wolves howled, or maybe it was the storm. No wildlife would venture out in this crap. The lights flickered on, then promptly shrouded them in fire-lit darkness again.
She laughed, and they shared another look. She froze as his gaze sparkled from the firelight and flickering candles. Her body warmed from more than the fire. She mulled over the decision.
It’s just sex, Maisie whispered.You don’t need to like him to have an orgasm.
I don’t have casual relationships, she fired back.
Exactly! That’s why you haven’t gotten laid in eons. Imagine how good it will feel.
He chose to have sex that night with Anna, not me. He knew I was his mate and turned me down.
That was ten years ago. He’s had sex with plenty of women since then. He’s experienced. He’ll know what he’s doing. And if you don’t like him, you don’t have to see him ever again. He can’t scorn his true mate more than once, anyway. That’s already been done. You have nothing to lose and a whole lot of orgasms to gain.
Brenna huffed, momentarily at a loss for words, or argument.
As if sensing her inner turmoil, Eric relaxed. He reached out and ran a finger down her face.
“I never slept with Anna,” he said.
Maisie stilled before fading out. Brenna’s brain shut down. She turned to him, mouth agape. “What?”
Chapter 10
Eric enjoyed watching Brenna’s best fish-out-of-water impression. Her confusion wiped away quickly, as a look of relief played across her pixie features. Her expressive face read like a book. The hunger burning in her gaze earlier hadn’t been a figment of his imagination, nor were the flashes of doubt. He needed to clear up their past.
“I never slept with Anna,” he repeated. “Not that night. Not ever.”
“But I thought—”
