Wild Invitation A Psy Changeling Anthology - By Nalini Singh Page 0,26

table but didn't turn to face him. "What do you want, Nate?"

"I want you to talk to me." He found himself pressing against her. It took only a single move to enclose her in the circle of his arms and bury his face against her neck. He was ravenous for the scent of her, the feel of her. "Come on, baby."

Her body trembled so violently he felt her skin move against his caressing lips. "I can't do this anymore." Her voice was a whisper. "Please let me go."
Happiness Chapter 12
A GROWL ROLLED up from his throat.

"For how long?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

He didn't like the tremor in her voice. "Don't you dare cry, Tammy.

That's not fair."

"I won't." But there was a wet kind of pain in her words. "I know you don't really want me. I know it's the cat pushing for mating. That's okay. If I go far enough away, maybe you - "

"What?" He couldn't believe his ears. "You really believe that load of shit?"

"You made it very clear."

Everything went quiet inside him.

Lifting his head, he turned her in his arms. Her head stayed down - she wouldn't look at him. Keeping one arm around her, not sure she wasn't getting ready to bolt, he used the fingers of his other hand to tip up her chin. Her eyes were shiny-wet, but she met his gaze without flinching.

God, she was so proud. Proud and strong and stubborn. And she'd decided he didn't want her. He intended to teach her the error of her ways once and for all. Holding her gaze, he slid his hand down her neck, over her shoulder, and along her arm until he cupped the back of her hand with his. Then he lifted that feminine hand and placed it on his erection. She jerked in shock. The reflexive tightening of her fingers almost made him cry out.

"Does this feel like I don't want you?" he grit out.

"It's - " She paused, her breath hitching. "It's a result of the mating dance. You don't want me, not really." She pulled away her hand, curling it up to her chest as if it hurt.

Oh Jesus. She was not doing this to him. "Or is it that you don't want me?" he asked softly. "Is that it, Tamsyn? Am I too old for you?"

Her head snapped up. "Don't you put this on me!" The first hint of fire entered her tone. "I begged you, begged you, to make the bond real, to be my mate in truth. But you said no. You always say no! Well, you know what, I'm through with begging. I'm through with not being good enough for you!" It felt like she'd stabbed him. "You are the best thing that's ever happened to me," he said, the leopard alive in his voice. "I've spent every day of the past four years thinking of myself as the luckiest man on the planet - frustrated as hell, but damn lucky."

She shook her head. "Don't. Don't lie."

It was all he could do not to crush his lips to hers and kiss her into accepting his words. "I watch you work and feel such pride, sometimes I think my heart will explode. I look at your body and have to fight the urge to bare my teeth and warn off anyone else from doing the same. You want to know why I lost it when you wore those tight, sexy clothes?

"It was because others could see what was mine." It was a possessive, animal reaction, one he usually tempered with human civility. But Tamsyn needed to see the real man, claws and all. "I don't like to share."

Finally a reaction. "You didn't think I looked stupid?"

"I wanted to peel you out of those damn come-to-bed jeans" - something he was definitely going to do today

- "and mount you right there in the Pack Circle."

"Nate!"

"I wanted to show everyone that you were mine. I wanted to put my hands on your breasts and my lips on yours and my co - "

She squeaked, slapping a hand over his mouth. "Nate!" The scandalized expression on her face was very Tamsyn. His mate had come back to him.

He pulled away the restraint, using his other hand to manacle her free hand, too. "Where was I? I have wanted you so damn long, my balls are permanently blue. As - "

"I believe you!" A hint of desperation.

"I don't want any mistakes about this." And her time was up. The