Chapter Nine
"… I'm just tired, Dad. I had dinner out with a friend last night, and I have all this work backed up. I just think it would be best if you and the boys come over after all this rain lets up. You know how they mess up my kitchen when it's wet outside…" Tarek listened to Lyra spin a song and dance to her father later the next evening that even he wouldn't have believed from her.
His sensual, sexual little mate was giving her father excuses that even he, who had no experience with parents, would never have tried.
What was it that made her think that delicate, sweet little voice was fooling anyone?
You're crazy! he mouthed slowly, ignoring her as she waved him away with a graceful little flip of her hand.
After two days of sex that should have killed him, in positions he hadn't tried in all his sexual lifetime, he was even prone to be fairly prejudiced in her favor. But the sweet, candycoated innocent tone had him rolling his eyes at her before giving her a fierce frown.
What? she mouthed back, shooting him an irritated glance before turning her attention back to the call she had made to her family.
Considering the fact her brothers were Special Forces, he doubted their father was dimwitted. Yet here was his independent, feisty mate, reclining naked in his bed with nothing but a sheet to cover her, weaving an excuse that had him wincing painfully.
Her silken hair was tangled around her flushed face, her blue eyes gleaming with irritation, and she had the nerve to sit there and attempt to put her father off in such a way. She was tired. She didn't feel like cooking. Her brothers made messes…
Give him a break. Hell, give him strength because he had a feeling the full fury of a father plus his sons would arrive on her doorstep, fouling the careful setup Braden had there to catch the Trainer.
"Yes, Dad, I know how irked they get when they have to wait to do things, but my yard looks like a swamp right now, and they couldn't do anything even if they wanted to. They just want a free meal, and I'm busy."
She was pouting. Seriously pouting. What happened to the independent "do it my way or no way" woman he knew? He shook his head, pushing his fingers through his hair as he tried to think of ways to fix this before her family became his headache.
There was no stopping her. He sliced his hand across his throat, frowning at her warningly. To no effect. All he got was a glare in return.
That glare effectively hardened his cock. All she had to do was think about opposing him, and that stubborn flesh rose to rigid life. Dammit. She was wearing him out.
But what a way to go.
He would have grinned at the thought if she hadn't chosen that moment to tell daddy, in that sweet innocent tone, that she was going to work all evening.
It was enough to make him groan silently.
"Yes, Dad, I promise I'm being careful and locking the doors and windows at night." The promise was made in an almost automatic tone. "I promise, the only wild animals I'll let in are the four-legged variety. Not that I've seen any lately." She grinned cheekily at her words as she winked at Tarek. Insane woman! He snarled silently, mouthing the words to her as she rolled her eyes at him. Who did she think was believing this?
"This isn't bread-baking day," she yawned after the muted sound of her father's deep voice stopped speaking. "Besides, I'm busy. They can wait another day or two." She nestled deeper in the pillows, frowning as he watched her with almost morbid fascination.
She was actually convinced she was pulling this off. He could see it in her face. In her father's tone of voice, he heard another story. Not that he could hear the words, just the alert tone, the almost military crispness.
She was going to get him killed. His training was excellent, but three Special Forces of the caliber that had helped free the Breeds from the Council Trainers and soldiers wouldn't be in any way easy to defeat. Especially considering he couldn't exactly kill his mate's family.
"Yes, Dad, I promise to rest, and I'll call you tomorrow," she answered in a placating tone that was so sickeningly sweet, it had him wondering if his dinner was going to stay down. He made a note to never be taken in by that tone of voice himself.
When she finally hung up the phone, he glared at her sternly.
"I hope you are not convinced that you pulled that off," he growled furiously. "We will now have your entire family ripping the neighborhood apart looking for you."
"Don't be silly." She laughed at his prediction. "They'll come here first. I don't think they entirely trust you. Something about not being able to find enough background information." She wiggled her finely arched brows suggestively. "Have you been a bad boy, Tarek? Hiding records and such?"
She shimmied beneath the sheet, bracing her hands on the mattress as she leaned closer to him, her eyes dancing with shimmering lights of amusement as she gave him a suggestive little smile.
"Should I spank you for being bad now?"
His brows snapped into a frown. He was ignoring the ache in his cock. He needed a shower and food or he was going to collapse in exhaustion.
"You, I will spank later." He pointed his finger at her with determined emphasis. "Someone needs to teach you better than to play such obvious games with men who know you much too well."
"Yeah. Right." She had the nerve to laugh at him. "I didn't he to him. He can see straight through my lies. Everything I said was the truth…"