when the trail’s wide enough for us to run side by side.
She’s panting when we get back to the campsite and cocks her head. “What’s so funny? You’ve been smiling the entire time.”
I raise my eyebrows. “I have?”
She nods and bends her knee to stretch her quad. “Yeah. Do I have something in my teeth?”
My smile doesn’t lessen. “No, nothing’s in your teeth and nothing’s funny. Am I really smiling like an idiot?”
She laughs. “Kind of, although I wouldn’t call you an idiot.”
I shake my head and sling an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close. We’re both sweaty, but it doesn’t deter me. “I’m just impressed is all.”
Her eyelids flutter when I lean down to press a kiss on her neck. “Impressed with what?”
“You. I don’t know many human women that can run that fast for that long, especially on terrain that steep.”
She tilts her head up and makes eye contact. “But you know werewolf women who can?”
I nod.
We head toward the car to grab the tent. Her eyebrows draw together as we approach the vehicle. “Have you ever dated a human woman before?”
“A few.”
She stiffens and opens the hatchback’s door. “How many is a few?”
Shit. I don’t want to answer this.
She crosses her arms and faces me. “How many women have you dated?”
I rake a hand through my hair. “None that have ever meant anything.”
She grinds her teeth together and mutters under her breath about her reaction being ridiculous and that she’s dated other guys, too, but I can still smell the jealousy rolling off her. She’s swimming in it.
I slam the car door and haul her against my chest. “You’re the only woman I want now, Brianna.”
She struggles and pushes me, but I don’t let her go. “How many have there been?”
Shitting shit shit. I really don’t want to answer that.
She makes a disgusted sound and tries again to free herself, but I refuse to let her go. “I’ve only had a few girlfriends before you, but yeah, I’ve been with a lot of women, and I’m sorry about that. If I’d met you sooner, that never would have happened.”
She bites her lip. “How many girlfriends have you had?”
“Three.”
“And how many others have you slept with?”
My jaw works, and I don’t respond.
“Do you even know how many?”
I eventually shake my head. “No.”
“That many?” She makes another disgusted sound before saying, “What about your girlfriends. How long were you with them?”
“I was with Cali the longest—”
She covers her ears. “I don’t want to know their names!”
Man am I fucking this up. Wincing, I pry her hands away from her ears. “Babe, seriously, don’t worry about them. Please. It’s only you now. It will only ever be you now.”
I gather her closer to me and nuzzle her neck. Her heart is still pounding, and I can taste her annoyance, so I press myself more against her before kissing her neck again. “Baby, you’re the only one I want. Just you. Only you. I never wanted any of them like I want you.” I keep up my reassurances until she sags against me.
She shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I’ve never been the jealous type. I don’t know what’s the matter with me.”
I kiss her deeply, flicking my tongue against hers. The jealousy and irritation leave her scent as arousal takes its place. I growl in response. “It’s okay. I don’t mind that you’re jealous. It means that our mating bond is strong.”
“The mate thing makes me feel this way?”
I nod.
“But I’m human.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re fated even though you’re human.”
“Right.” She pulls back and grabs the water bottle. When finished drinking, she hands the rest to me.
Our fingers brush when I take it. “Should we stake the tent? Before we crawl inside it together?”
She takes another deep breath, and my stomach tightens. I think she’s forgiven me for being with so many women, but I’ll reassure her all night long if she needs it to feel secure with me.
But instead of that jealous glint filling her eyes again, she smiles coyly. “Yeah, let’s stake it and crawl inside together.
∞ ∞ ∞
Brianna seems to have fully gotten over her jealous stint by the next morning. I’m pretty sure the fact that I made love to her three times during the night helped.
Mid-morning, we leave the campsite to venture into the city. It’s easy to blend into the masses, but we’re still careful about concealing our identities. I keep Brianna close too.
Seattle isn’t that far from Boise—where the Supernatural Forces headquarters reside—which