thing Jaime wanted her to do, but she could truly understand why Shaya might feel that she had to.
She shrugged. “Maybe I won’t have to. He hasn’t been here for a while. Maybe he’s planning to stay away now. God, I hope so.”
“Is it easier when he’s away from you?”
“Not easier where the urge to claim is concerned. But it’s easier here.” She placed her hand over her heart.
“If it makes you feel any better, he’s going through the same pain. I saw it on his face that day in the tattoo parlor.”
“Emotional pain and physical pain are two different things. I’m not saying that I love him or anything. I don’t know him. But when your own mate doesn’t want you or even acknowledge you…
that’s pain.”
Now that she was mated, Jaime could imagine exactly how that felt. That evening as she lay naked on top of Dante, with him still semihard inside her, she said, “I’m not sure that Trey will be as happy for us as the others have been.” They still hadn’t seen the Alphas, who were both spending quality time with their new arrival.
“Yes, he will.” Dante paused in doodling on her back with his fingers and kissed her hair. “I know he will. He gave me his blessing when he knew I wanted to imprint on you.” Startled, she lifted her head to meet his gaze. “You wanted to imprint on me?”
“Obviously.”
“But…after what Bitch Face did—”
He put a finger to her lips. “That was all a long time ago, and yes, I’d stayed clear of relationships because I didn’t want to go through that again. But I knew you were nothing like her.
You don’t play games”—kiss to her forehead—“you’re not self-absorbed”—kiss to her cheek
—“you’ve got a big heart”—kiss to her lips—“and you’re loyal to the bone.”
“And I’m broken.”
“Hey, what have I told you? You’re not broken. Don’t say that. You wouldn’t have agreed to imprint, would you?”
“Only because I don’t want you to be hurt. If we’d imprinted and Trey asked me to leave, you would have had to break the bond. I knew you wouldn’t want to go through that a second time, and I wouldn’t have wanted you to.”
“I’m glad she did what she did. I never thought I’d say that, but it’s true, because I wouldn’t be mated to you right now if she hadn’t.” He studied her through narrowed eyes. “You would have left me, wouldn’t you?” She didn’t look even the slightest bit guilty about it. “I would have hunted you down.”
“I know.”
He snaked a hand around her throat, ignoring the spark of irritation in her eyes. “Know this, too: if you ever get an idea like that again, I’ll know, baby, and I’ll spank your ass so damn hard there’ll be a permanent handprint right there.”
She gave him a cheeky smile. “As long as you understand there’ll be a matching one on your face.”
He smiled crookedly as he flexed his cock inside that pussy that was made for him. Gripping her by the waist, he gently moved her up and down on him. “So…is there any chance of you reconsidering getting my name tattooed on your ass?”
Jaime rolled her eyes at his possessiveness. “Not a chance,” she said a little breathlessly as he began to harden further inside her.
“How about my initials?”
“Not going to happen, Popeye. Get over it.”
“Now that’s just mean.”
“You have your brands all over me.”
“I know.” He smoothed his hands up and down her back, loving the velvety feel of her skin. “I just think it would be hot.”
“You really want someone touching and looking at my bare ass?” She refrained from smiling as his grin vanished, just like she’d known it would.
He cupped her ass possessively, again slowly impaling her on him. “No, I don’t. This ass is mine. Mine to look at, and touch, and bite…and fuck.”
“You truly believe I’ll let you do that, don’t you?” She patted his head patronizingly. “Aw, you’re so pretty.”
“Oh you’ll let me. Right over my office desk. You don’t want to admit it, but you want it. I knew that before we mated, and now that we are, I can feel that you’re intrigued.” Damn that freaking bond. “Intrigued and willing aren’t the same, Popeye.” He patted her head just as she had his. “Aw, you’re so full of shit.” Before she could respond with an insult or a bitch slap, he flipped her onto her back and fucked her until neither of them had the strength to