Wicked Cravings (The Phoenix Pack Series - By Suzanne Wright Page 0,106

said, “So you’re not disputing that I can?”

“No. Definitely not. I know how capable you are.” He turned her around and cupped her neck with his hands, using his thumbs to lift her face to his. “I know I made this about me. I’m just not used to having someone else who I have to think about. I’ve been on my own for so long that I sometimes don’t even realize how self-centered I’m being.”

“I can totally help you with that with some well-aimed bitch slaps if you want. You’d soon learn.”

He couldn’t help grinning. “I did tell you I’d need the room to mess up a little. Overprotective and controlling is a real bad combination, huh?”

She nodded, feeling her mood calm at his self-recriminating tone. He was a perfectionist who was forced to face that there was something he was far from perfect at, and it was getting to him. She wanted to smack the shit out of his ex for making him cower from relationships for so long. Not that she liked the idea of him with other females, but she liked the idea of him all confused and self-doubting even less. “But so is bitchy and stubborn. When you think about it, we shouldn’t match at all, should we?”

“Yes, we should.” He kissed her lightly and let his hands slide down her body until they were locked at the small of her back. “As much as I like control, it’s not healthy for me to have it all the time. Your rebellious streak takes care of that. If you weren’t so bitchy, you’d probably let me steamroll you and wrap you in cotton wool.”

“I guess.”

“My overprotectiveness makes up for your appalling lack of a flight response, and my controlling ways give you a way to exercise your bitchy streak. I mean, you have to admit that yours runs so deep it’s more like a muscle. I give you a way to flex and stretch it when you need to.” She fought a smile, but it was hopeless. “Jerk.”

Moving his hands down to cup her ass, he said, “Wanna go to bed and play doctors?” Chuckling, she punched his arm. “No, I don’t.”

“Sorry, that was immature. How about playing gynecologists?” Again, she chuckled. “I would, but lunch is calling my name loud and clear.”

“Baby, I’ll call your name as loud and clear as you want.”

She kissed him lightly. “Save it for later, big guy.”

“Dick-tease.”

Less than twenty-four hours later, Dante was arguing with her again, and losing at it again. He had wanted to give Jaime another morning free of training to give her extra time to recover, but the stubborn female refused to rest. Eventually he had to concede that she was right on two scores. One, her leg was, in fact, totally healed. Two, he would never have given anyone else extra time. Jaime didn’t want special treatment. His wolf loved her strength.

As usual, they started with their warm-up and did several laps of pack territory. It was no longer necessary to do any exercises on stealth—that had become clear on the morning before last when he had introduced pressure drills. During the drills, he had asked her to close her eyes and rely only on her other senses as she avoided Dominic, Marcus, and Trick, who were skulking around the woods. Not only had she been able to remain undetected, but she was more difficult to sneak up on than a sleeping cat. The guys had soon learned as they attempted to track her through the woods that unless Jaime wanted you to see her, you wouldn’t.

In fact, now, Jaime was physically the perfect enforcer. Not only had she perfected every combat move and mastered stealth, but she was as fit as Dante and as resilient as they came. “You’ve done amazingly well with your training over the past few months, Jaime,” he told her as they finished their laps of pack territory and stopped for a drink at the patio table. Whereas at one time she would have collapsed into one of the chairs, now she stood upright, ready and alert. “But I’m pretty sure you know that.” Her self-satisfied grin proved him right.

“Can I just ask why the guys are hiding in the woods?”

He grinned. No matter how good they were, she always sensed when anyone was around.

“That’ll become clear in a minute. As I said, you’ve done well. And everything I’ve taught you will help you when you challenge Glory. But there’s more