was not only horrible to do, but when I did, it was so—you melted my brain, and it was just an errant thought, I actually blurted out. I wasn’t trying to use what we’re building like that. I just had a thought how he could help me please you more and it came out.”
“While you were still coming in me,” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest and trying to back away. I bumped into the island, and he trapped me there, nuzzling my neck.
“I was,” he groaned. “Fuck, it was so good. You are so amazing. You melt me and my mind, kitten. I’m sorry I was so stupid. Hudson kicked my ass all over the place for upsetting you and my being such a bad mate. He was furious—”
“Wait, stop,” I sighed, shoving at his chest but he wouldn’t move. “I don’t want that either. I don’t want to be in the middle of you both.”
“Tamsin, you very much loved being in the middle of us,” he argued, his voice going deeper.
“Not what I meant,” I hissed, my body shivering as I remembered how good it had been. “I don’t want him hurting you because of what you did, and I don’t want you trying to butter me up for him. It’s not—I don’t want that. I feel like…”
“You’re not a toy we fight over or play with,” he growled, lifting me up and setting me on the counter before I could blink. It made it so I couldn’t duck his gaze as easily, and now we were staring into each other’s eyes. “You’re our mate. Of course we’re going to get emotional and step into each other’s business. Yes, I want you back with him, but not mostly for him.”
“Huh?” I didn’t catch that one at all.
He growled and spread my legs, moving between them. “You look so fucking sexy, it’s making it hard to think. I’m so fucking desperate for you, it’s killing me. It’s killing me that you’re upset with me. Zack’s right and you’re so the boss of me. You’re my Alpha and I fucking love it. I’m an Alpha bear, meant to lead one of the biggest and most prosperous sloths, have a shot at the council, and you’re my Alpha.”
Okay, I admit, that got me hot. The moment we made up, we’d be so fucking all over the place, but we had to handle this first. The apology was good and yay, treats. He could be forgiven, and he’d been trying to apologize this whole time. I hadn’t been ready.
“I don’t understand,” I grumbled when he tried to kiss me. “You want him with me for me?”
“Yes,” he sighed. “He makes you happy, but more than that, he’s a lot of protection, kitten. He’s protection I can’t give you, and a level people would be stupid to fuck with. I’m your mate. I want you protected, loved, and happy. He fucked up, but he does give you all of that. I know the idiot much better than you do, and I know exactly how his stupid brain was thinking. That’s where my mind went. I’m sorry.”
It made sense, and we all said stupid things at the wrong time. It was also valid that I’d gotten upset, but dragging this on any longer would be too much.
Decision made, I was more than ready to switch gears.
“How sorry?” I purred as I grabbed the hem of my dress and pulled it up, sliding the whole thing over my head so I was before him in nothing but my bra and panties.
Which I planned on losing fast.
“Very, very sorry,” he moaned. “Shit, I need my kitten’s cream.”
“Yes, yes, you do,” I agreed, hurrying to undo my bra. Then I moved my leg around him and lost the panties.
“I fucking love how flexible you are.”
“Eat up,” I teased as I spread my legs wider, leaning back on my elbows. “And then fuck me so loud we let Darby know we’re doing bad things down here and he joins us.”
He ran his fingers through my wetness. “This if for me? From my teasing only, right?”
I frowned. “What else could have gotten me hot?”
He shook his head. “You really don’t get it, do you?”
I sighed, closing my legs around his hand. “Do you want to have fun and make up, or start trouble?”
Anger filled his eyes and I froze. “I was paying you a fucking compliment about how fucking loyal you are.” He snarled and spread my