“No, I just have to let you blackmail me.” She gestured to the door with her right hand, then let it fall back to her side. “I just have to go back to the place on Earth where I am least welcome.”
He shrugged, forcing his tone to stay harsh. “The ball’s in your court. We spend a few days there, you tell them I’m your boyfriend—”
“Boyfriend?” Her voice rose to a shriek, half outrage and half hysteria. “That’s not what they call it there! You’d be the feller courting me. Or my mate.”
Mate. Iwantto be your mate. Iamyour mate.
He shook the thought away. What the hell was wrong with him?
“Fine. I’m the feller that’s courting you, then.” His lips quirked in amusement at that, which made her claws shoot from her fingertips. With a growl, she retracted them.
“Damn it, Blake!” she spat at him. “You think this is a joke? Push me any further and my fox will snack on wolf jerky.”
He gave a brief bark of amusement at the thought of her attacking him, but he knew deep down it was a flustered attempt to cover the flash of arousal that had shot through him. “I’d love to see you try.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Oh, would you? You think you’d overpower me?”
“You’re a fox. I’m a wolf.” He took another step closer to her.
She took one closer to him until they were practically nose to nose. “I can outplay you. I’m smarter. I’m faster. I could make you into a fur rug and walk all over you.”
When she looked like this, her eyes flashing and the color in her freckled cheeks high, she wouldn’t even need to knock him down—he’d gladly throw himself at her feet. But he couldn’t let her know how much she affected him.
“I’m stronger,” he growled, his hands itching to grab her, to show her just how much stronger he really was.
She angled her head to the side as if reconsidering. “You’re right, actually. I would never make a fur rug out of you.”
“Thank you. That’s the first sensible thing you’ve said all day.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “Because who wants to walk all over a mange mat?” she sneered.
Touché.
But his amusement at her sharp tongue was swamped by frustration. There was a child’s life at stake.
“What are you running from?” he prodded.
“The particulars don’t matter. That place is toxic. I got out. I amnevergoing back.”
She’d lowered her voice, so he’d do the same, but he wasn’t backing down. “I am not asking you to move back there. A few days, max. Stop whining like a cub and put your big girl panties on, Krista.” Damn it. Why had he said the word panties? Now he had an image of lacy little underthings in his head. Was she wearing panties or was she commando? And since when had he turned into a big walking hard-on?
Her fangs descended in frustration, and her claws curved out of her fingertips again.
He wanted to advance, but his wolf cautioned against it. “Go home and pack. I’ll pick you up at your apartment. This isn’t up for debate.”
She left out a low growl of defeat, and her shoulders sagged. “How much time do I have?”
He should have felt a surge of joy at his victory. Instead, he felt unsettled and faintly queasy. “I’ll pick you up at your house in an hour and a half. Kid’s missing, clock’s ticking.”
She stared at him, holding his gaze for a moment, assessing him. He felt uncomfortably like she was looking deep down inside him and didn’t like what she saw. That hurt surprisingly badly.
“I’m doing this because I care about my patients and because you’re leaving me no choice,” she said. “But you have no idea what you’re walking into. You’re playing with fire, and you’re going to get your paws singed. And if that little boy burns up with you… I just hope your conscience is fireproof, that’s all.”
