ear. His teeth grazed the throbbing vein at the curve. I shuddered as he nibbled and laved.
My hands were free. Instead of socking him in the eye, I pulled him closer, my fingers tangling in the dark, curling strands of his hair.
When had my legs wrapped around his waist? When had his palms cupped my ass?
He nuzzled the tops of my breasts. I yanked my shirt down and his mouth closed over a nipple, his tongue pressing me against the roof of his mouth, once, twice, again. I tightened my legs. I was going to come. He lifted his head and whispered, "I love you, Leigh."
My body went ice-cold. I didn't have to struggle; this time when I pulled away he let me go. My breasts were still exposed, wet from his mouth, aching with arousal and frustration. I covered myself and fought the urge to take a shower.
Hurt flickered in his eyes; his face hardened. "It's OK to have sex with you but not to love you?"
I lifted my chin. "That's right. I seem to recall a deal that involved taking what you could get."
"I've been taking most of my life. I've finally found someone I want to give something to."
"I'm not buying."
"I'm not selling. I'm giving. I love you."
"Stop saying that!" I shouted.
Jimmy had loved me. It had gotten him killed.
Damien could take care of himself, like Hector. Who had also loved me. Sick son of a bitch.
Which man did Damien most favor? Sweet Jimmy who'd wanted nothing more than for me to be happy?
Or demonic Hector who'd only wanted me to be like him?
Shit.
"Leigh," Damien whispered, his fingers caressing my arm, his breath in my hair. "What can I do to make you believe me?"
I was swaying toward him before I realized it. Since I'd lost my family, my future, and my mind, I'd prided myself on my self-reliance. I needed no one. In that way I could never be destroyed again when someone I loved died.
How many days had I known Damien? Already my body accepted his nearness, trusted him above my head and my heart. Stupid body.
I wanted to lean on him, believe in him, but I couldn't.
I inched away, stood on my own again, even though my hand lingered on his arm, slid through his palm, fingers clinging for just an instant to his.
"I have no idea," I answered, which was true.
How could I prove he wasn't an evil werewolf when, as far as I knew, there'd never been a nonevil one before? Asking Edward would raise too many questions. Same thing with Jessie and Will.
The door burst open and Damien shoved me behind him. Impressive. But was the move real or had he heard Jessie pounding up the stairs with his superwolf powers? More than likely.
"Knock much?" I asked.
She ignored me. Her face was eager; she was practically dancing on the tips of her toes. "I have to talk to you," she blurted. "Alone."
Damien shrugged and headed for the door. I reached for him and caught just the tail of his shirt. The silk slid through my fingers and was gone.
I didn't want him out of my sight. What if I never saw him again?
"Damien?" He turned. "Don't - uh - go anywhere, OK?"
He lifted a brow. "Where would I go?"
Was he trying to be a smart-ass? I couldn't be sure.
"Jeez, Leigh, you can hop back into the sack with him later."
I winced. Thankfully she didn't notice, but Damien did. His eyes went sad and he slipped out the door.
Why did I feel as though I'd kicked a puppy?
The analogy almost made me laugh until Jessie spoke. "We've got two more half-eaten wolves."
"Where?"
"Elwood found them near his house about forty-five minutes ago. He lives a good thirty miles on the other side of town."
Thirty miles from Crow Valley. Ten miles from the tavern to town, which made forty miles away.
"Had they been dead long?"
"That's the best part. Elwood saw the wolf eating them."
Our eyes met. I didn't even have to ask.
"White," she said. "Just like we thought."
"That doesn't mean much with super-duper shape-shifter powers."
"Doesn't hurt, either."
I thought about what she'd said. The white wolf had been seen forty miles from here at the same time I'd been saved by a brown wolf, which I knew to be Damien.
It didn't mean Damien couldn't have killed those wolves; he could even have had a nibble or two. But he couldn't be the white wolf. This was good news and made me feel a little bit