Ice_Reaux - Laura Wright Page 0,47
“It’s a terrible crush, actually.”
It took him a moment to get there, for his eyes to gentle and his lips to twitch. “I’m sorry.”
“Yep. I don’t see myself getting over it.” Her gaze moved over his face. “Unless, of course, that guy doesn’t feel the same about me.”
Reaux exhaled heavily, shook his head. And then before either of them could say another word, he leaned in—boy in his arms—and kissed her. Nothing hungry, nothing possessive, but slow and drugging and filled with promises.
“He feels the same,” he whispered against her lips. “That guy.” He smiled. “He feels unquestionably, unabashedly, unreservedly the same.”
And then he kissed her for a full five minutes in the middle of the path before they finally broke apart and headed for home.
***
Reaux slid the covers up to the cub’s chin, then paused a moment. Is this what it felt like? To be a parent? A father? Caleb looked totally at peace, cheek pressed against his pillow, so trusting. He has a mother who would die for him. Reaux smiled. Lucky boy. To have such a female love you.
The scent of mint tickled Reaux’s nostrils and he instantly growled softly.
“Is he all right?” Karen whispered, coming up beside him.
He was more than all right. “I can sense it in him. His cat. It’s very strong-willed.”
She laughed softly. “I’m not surprised.”
Her quick sigh brought his head around. “What is it?”
“I wish I could sense it. I feel like I have nothing to offer him in that way. No understanding.”
Reaux slipped his arm around her waist and eased her to him. “You have more important gifts to give him. Love. Security. Acceptance. You have no idea what those things mean to a young male.”
Her eyes searched his. “Or to an older male?”
“Yes,” he breathed. Goddess, his heart was full. He needed to tell her. How he felt. What he wanted.
But what if she didn’t want him? Just the idea had his insides aching. A strange and terrifying feeling. He’d never realized until now how he’d rejected mating. Used his ‘curse’ as an excuse never to get close.
When Caleb rolled to his side and coughed, Karen made a let’s-get-out-of-here gesture with her head, and they left the room.
“Ice cream?” she whispered, closing the boy’s door and heading into the hallway.
“Definitely.” He followed her into the small kitchen, then leaned on the counter and watched as she scooped green chocolate mint into two bowls. Afterwards, they stole back into the living room and dropped down on the sofa.
“I like your house,” he said, glancing around. “Comfortable.”
“It’s one of the new cottages for us rats and hybrids. Not that it’s huge or anything,” she continued in between bites of ice cream. “But to me it feels massive. After living in that cage for so long.”
His cat dragged its claws down Reaux’s spine. It wanted out, wanted to kill every single being that had hurt this female. “You’re free now,” he said. “In so many ways.”
“I’m just starting to feel that.” Sudden happiness bubbled in her eyes and she said, completely without restraint, “Do you want to stay over?”
Reaux’s skin went tight, and his appetite for ice cream evaporated. “Are you sure?”
She nodded. “I am. I’ve never slept with anyone before. In the same bed.”
“Neither have I,” he told her.
She smiled broadly, almost conspiratorially. “So, you want to?”
The puma jumped, but Reaux pushed it back. What it wanted to say was, I don’t want to ever leave your side. You’re mine. But that would sound dire and desperate, and frankly, he’d been an overbearing asshole of an alpha while they’d walked home, over the Adrian issue.
But then again, he was Pantera. A male. A predator at his core. And he’d found the one he wished to mate. How could he not show her that?
“Well?” she pressed, her eyes bright with excitement.
“I’d love to stay,” he said. And when she smiled again, he smiled back.
After they finished their ice cream and put the bowls in the sink, Karen showed Reaux the bathroom, gave him a spare toothbrush, then went into her room to change.
Reaux had brought nothing, so when he came out, he was wearing only his boxers. “Didn’t bring my overnight bag.”
Dressed in a thick, pink robe, Karen stood by the window. Her eyes moved over him covetously. “You’re fine. Really…fine.” She chewed her lip. “If you’re comfortable, I’m comfortable. You look…”
“Fine?” he asked.
She let out a groan. “I don’t know why I’m so nervous.”
“First sleepover. For both of us.” He got under