the movement in her throat. “You deserve that,” she told him with absolute sincerity. “After how your mother treated you. Have you…” She cleared her throat. “Have you ever come close to finding a mate?”
“No.” His eyes were locked on hers.
“Oh.”
His lips twitched with gentle amusement. “Not until recently anyway.”
“Oh.” She smiled.
Goddess, he wanted to kiss her. Could he get away with it here? He grinned to himself. Not with the kind of kissing he had in mind. Not just a peck across the table.
Two females came into the dining room then. Up until that point, it had been all couples, which hadn’t presented a problem for Reaux. But this, he sighed…this could be a problem.
It didn’t take long for them to catch sight of him or to ask to be seated close by.
“I’m done if you are,” Karen said.
Reaux’s gaze slid back to her. She understood completely.
“But you haven’t had dessert yet,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth and kissing it.
She shrugged. “I have ice cream in my freezer.”
“Really?”
She nodded, smiling and biting her lip.
He looked at her with hooded eyes. “I love ice cream.”
“Then let’s get out of here, male.”
Her words caused the puma inside him to snarl and scratch. It wanted out and at her. Cage yourself, he told it. We don’t want to scare her.
He stood, and went to pull back her chair. And after paying the check, he led the woman who was to become his mate through the dining room and out the door, utterly and completely oblivious to the two females staring after him.
CHAPTER 9
Karen stood in Adrian’s living room, Reaux beside her, trying to pretend there wasn’t a vibe happening between the two males. But it wasn’t easy. Reaux was acting all possessive of her, while Adrian was being territorial. And all the while, Caleb continued to sleep on the couch.
“Listen, I haven’t found anything,” Adrian said, his focus totally on Karen. “But you know I’ll keep looking.”
“Thank you,” she said, nodding. “And thanks for taking care of Caleb tonight.”
“Anytime.” He punched the word to make sure she really got it. “You want me to carry him home?”
“I’ve got him,” Reaux said, already heading that way, scooping up the sleeping boy and cradling him in his arms.
Adrian sniffed. “I was only suggesting it because he knows me.”
“He knows me, too,” Reaux returned with a thread of barely disguised aggression. “And even more importantly, his cat knows me.”
This took Adrian by surprise, and he turned to look at Karen. “He’s…shit, Kar, he shifted?”
She gave him a quick smile. “No. Not yet.
“He’s Pantera,” Reaux said, already striding toward the front door. “And if they’re in tune, one Pantera can scent another. He’ll learn all about what he is.”
“I’m guessing you’re going to teach him,” Adrian countered icily.
Reaux held the door open for Karen. “Already there, brother.”
“I think we should go,” Karen said quickly. Forget strained. It was like a testosterone explosion going on in here. She knew Adrian was protective of her, but this was ridiculous. And she wasn’t at all sure what Reaux was doing besides acting like an impolite jerk. “Thanks again,” she told her friend as they headed out the door.
“Like I said, Kar,” he called after her. “Anytime.”
As they moved away from the house, down the walkway and onto the path toward her place, Karen could feel the heat off the male beside her. Not a gentle, soothing heat. But a fire that needed to be extinguished.
“Okay, what the hell is wrong with you, Reaux?” She glanced over at him. His jaw was tight.
“That male’s in love with you,” he ground out.
“No. He’s not.”
He sniffed darkly. “I’m a professional, Karen.”
“A professional what?”
“This isn’t funny.”
“Oh come on. It’s a little funny.” Two massive gold cats came running past them. Reaux didn’t even acknowledge their presence. “Listen, Love Doctor, Adrian is dating a Hunter.”
That didn’t deter him one little bit. “You can date people, sleep with people…”
“Point?”
“Doesn’t mean they’re the one.”
“You’re very philosophical for a shrink.”
He stopped on the trail, a block from her little house, and turned to face her. Caleb was still sound asleep in his arms. His eyes blazed down at her. “You’re not taking this seriously.”
“No, I’m not. Because I’m not in love with him and that’s all that matters.”
Reaux stared at her, nostrils flaring.
“And furthermore—” she continued hotly.
“I get a furthermore?”
“Furthermore,” she pressed. “I’m already interested in someone.”
The blaze in his eyes upgraded to inferno. “Really?”
She nodded. Slowly. Then broke out the easy, flirtatious smile.