seen it before, she’d have no clue what he was up to.
“Oh, I think you’ll be more help than you realize.” That smirk was back, the one that made her heart beat faster and her palms sweat. But he couldn’t really be looking at her like that, as if she were the last bacon cheeseburger on the planet and he was hungry like the wolf.
I really have to stop listening to the oldies channel when I’m driving. Even if they do play the best music from the eighties and nineties.
“I really have to go now.” Something about the way he was staring at her made her want to flee the workroom. Gareth was up to something. And she’d learned, from her brief time at Christopher Beckett’s home, that when Gareth Beckett wanted something neither Heaven nor Hell would stop him.
The thought that he could possibly want her, as improbable as that was, was electrifying. And it was why Gen so desperately needed to leave. He might not hate her, but…
But she was still a Godwin. Still a warlock.
No. She wouldn’t allow herself even the hope of him until her family was dealt with. She smiled at him, and patted his cheek before taking a step back. “Good-bye, Gareth.”
He stood as she backed away to the door, and for a split second she thought he would physically restrain her. Instead, he reached behind him for something on his work table, a little smirk on his face, one she was familiar with. Gareth had a trick up his sleeve, but she had no idea what it was. “Gen?”
She opened the door, ready to flee both whatever he had planned and her own conflicting emotions. Thank the Goddess she wasn’t a witch, or she’d be utterly useless to Gareth right now. Whether he knew it or not, he needed protection that only she could provide. “Yes?”
“Catch.”
Chapter Four
“Oh, shit.”
Gareth grinned as his mate’s eyes went wide, her lips parting as she clutched the Beckett ring in her hand. He quickly covered her clenched hand with his own, completing the circuit.
He could feel the spell settle inside him as warmth flowed up his arm, twining around them both like a sleek silken rope, binding them together for all time. Heat raced through his system, filling him with the desire to take the next step, to take her and bind her physically to him.
The last step would place the shadow wolf on her shoulder, marking her as the chosen mate of a Beckett. If Gareth had his way, that mark would be there today. But unless she fully accepted the mating he could chant the last bit of the spell until the universe ended and her shoulder would remain distressingly blank.
So Gareth put aside casting the rest of the spell, knowing full well she was hesitating, intent on leaving him. His wolf howled in protest, demanding he claim her, keep her chained to his side.
Gareth would do what he could to accommodate its wishes. The thought of Gen running back out of his home to confront her brothers gave him hives.
“What have you done?”
Gareth growled out loud. Instead of horror, or sadness, or even confusion, Gen was…
Was leaning toward him, her pupils dilated, her lips wet and inviting.
She was aroused.
So instead of answering her question, Gareth did the only thing he could do, that wolf and man would allow. He accepted her unspoken invitation, kissing her with all the longing he’d felt since the moment she disappeared.
Whatever he’d done, however he’d driven her away, he’d regret for the rest of his life. Once he figured it out, he’d never do it again. She’d know she was wanted, was needed more than breath.
Whatever it turned out to be.
But that was a question for another time. Now the most important question he had was whether she was a screamer or a moaner.
He’d never understood how someone could say that another person tasted like sunshine, but that’s exactly what Gen tasted like: happiness and warmth and everything good. She tasted sweet, like she’d been sucking on a hard candy, and Gareth drank her sweetness
“Oh, I think you’ll be more help than you realize.” That smirk was back, the one that made her heart beat faster and her palms sweat. But he couldn’t really be looking at her like that, as if she were the last bacon cheeseburger on the planet and he was hungry like the wolf.
I really have to stop listening to the oldies channel when I’m driving. Even if they do play the best music from the eighties and nineties.
“I really have to go now.” Something about the way he was staring at her made her want to flee the workroom. Gareth was up to something. And she’d learned, from her brief time at Christopher Beckett’s home, that when Gareth Beckett wanted something neither Heaven nor Hell would stop him.
The thought that he could possibly want her, as improbable as that was, was electrifying. And it was why Gen so desperately needed to leave. He might not hate her, but…
But she was still a Godwin. Still a warlock.
No. She wouldn’t allow herself even the hope of him until her family was dealt with. She smiled at him, and patted his cheek before taking a step back. “Good-bye, Gareth.”
He stood as she backed away to the door, and for a split second she thought he would physically restrain her. Instead, he reached behind him for something on his work table, a little smirk on his face, one she was familiar with. Gareth had a trick up his sleeve, but she had no idea what it was. “Gen?”
She opened the door, ready to flee both whatever he had planned and her own conflicting emotions. Thank the Goddess she wasn’t a witch, or she’d be utterly useless to Gareth right now. Whether he knew it or not, he needed protection that only she could provide. “Yes?”
“Catch.”
Chapter Four
“Oh, shit.”
Gareth grinned as his mate’s eyes went wide, her lips parting as she clutched the Beckett ring in her hand. He quickly covered her clenched hand with his own, completing the circuit.
He could feel the spell settle inside him as warmth flowed up his arm, twining around them both like a sleek silken rope, binding them together for all time. Heat raced through his system, filling him with the desire to take the next step, to take her and bind her physically to him.
The last step would place the shadow wolf on her shoulder, marking her as the chosen mate of a Beckett. If Gareth had his way, that mark would be there today. But unless she fully accepted the mating he could chant the last bit of the spell until the universe ended and her shoulder would remain distressingly blank.
So Gareth put aside casting the rest of the spell, knowing full well she was hesitating, intent on leaving him. His wolf howled in protest, demanding he claim her, keep her chained to his side.
Gareth would do what he could to accommodate its wishes. The thought of Gen running back out of his home to confront her brothers gave him hives.
“What have you done?”
Gareth growled out loud. Instead of horror, or sadness, or even confusion, Gen was…
Was leaning toward him, her pupils dilated, her lips wet and inviting.
She was aroused.
So instead of answering her question, Gareth did the only thing he could do, that wolf and man would allow. He accepted her unspoken invitation, kissing her with all the longing he’d felt since the moment she disappeared.
Whatever he’d done, however he’d driven her away, he’d regret for the rest of his life. Once he figured it out, he’d never do it again. She’d know she was wanted, was needed more than breath.
Whatever it turned out to be.
But that was a question for another time. Now the most important question he had was whether she was a screamer or a moaner.
He’d never understood how someone could say that another person tasted like sunshine, but that’s exactly what Gen tasted like: happiness and warmth and everything good. She tasted sweet, like she’d been sucking on a hard candy, and Gareth drank her sweetness
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