He chuffed at her and flicked his tail away, but not before she’d nipped it.
“Ouch. Okay, Rambo. Let’s head home.”
Home. With Grady. She liked the sound of that. She trotted next to him, preening as she accepted his flattery and appreciative study. Her fox liked the nimble-tongued feline. And speaking of nimble tongues…
She whispered what she wanted to do with him when they returned, and he nudged her to hurry. She smiled. She couldn’t wait.
From some distance away, he watched them turn and leave, glad he’d had the foresight to roll in the carcass and entrails of the deer he’d killed earlier to mask most of his scent. Stupid to have gotten too close. But he’d wanted to see if the rumors he’d heard were true. Another feline, but one that could shift into a fox as well? Intriguing, and she would definitely be of interest back home. If he planned on telling.
Because Quince had no intention of helping the jackass currently ruining the pride with anything other than dying, and only after he’d seen to his own future—one that included a sexy cat with claws.
He needed to report something though, especially since the female had been claimed by a Chastell. Which brought him to a particularly sore point—Chastell’s bastard younger brother. Now what to do about him…and Joy? He climbed down the tree he’d been hiding in and ignored the urge to mark the spot as his. Instead, he wandered back into the forest, debating how far to take things. Initiative was a wonderful thing, but too much of it could get him killed.
Chapter Six
They spent Saturday making love and having the time of their lives in an upscale bed and breakfast in Whitefish. Grady had gone to great expense to treat Gabby to a romantic weekend away from everyone and everything but him. It had been a magical time he’d never forget, and it had forced him to confront his feelings. He’d decided to tell her the truth—he loved her. The big L. The issue with Joy and Dean could wait. It bothered the hell out of him he had to deal with it, but as soon as he reasoned a way to tell Gabby without looking like a horse’s ass, he’d do it.
There was no way they could hide the mating scent from the others. The thought of flaunting his relationship in front of Miles excited the immature competitor within. “Stupid,” he muttered, wishing he and Gabby could have spent forever sequestered and in love.
But was she in love? He thought so. The way she looked at him, the way she’d loved him with her entire being. He compared her glances to the ones Rachel gave his brother—a pair of cats totally enamored of one another. Gabby never seemed annoyed with him. She got him. She liked that he worked in Whitefish, away from town. She appreciated his close ties to his brothers and that he planned to live in the pride until the day he died. With any luck, they could convert his or her cabin into a place big enough to raise cats. Kits. Whatever.
He hadn’t brought up the question of babies, and he wouldn’t until he confessed how he felt and heard it returned. Sweat covered his brow. What if this was all just fun to her? Some hot sex and light-hearted play? Foxes were devious creatures, after all. Yet he’d scented a deeper bond, hadn’t he? Or was he just overwhelmed by their chemistry? Would their mingled scent fade in time?
Fuck. He needed to talk to Burke, to figure out what the hell he and Gabby really had. He knew what he felt, but the time had come to determine what she felt as well.
Sunday afternoon, he pulled his truck up to her cabin to drop her off. “I’ll meet you back here in an hour, okay?”
She kissed him with a lingering desire that only sparked brighter when they touched. “Sure thing, hot stuff.” She giggled. Actually giggled and flushed that pretty pink. Then she left the truck and entered her house.
Their joined fragrance lingered after, appeasing the feline inside him.
He still worried about her avoidance of anything serious and pondered what that might mean as he drove back home. He’d parked before he realized he wasn’t alone. Unable to avoid him, Grady left his truck and lugged his travel bag onto the porch.
“Well, well. Bad kitty finally comes home.” Monty took a long drag on a beer bottle and pushed himself away from the front door.
Monty. Work. The fishing tour he’d been supposed to take out on the boat this weekend, when he’d been with Gabby instead. “Shit.”
“Yeah, shit. When you didn’t show on Saturday and refused to answer your cell, Dean and I covered for you. Look, I appreciate that you’re finally getting a piece of ass—”
Before the wolf could finish his sentence, Grady had him by the throat against the door. “Do not, I repeat, do not ever refer to my mate as a piece of ass.”
Monty choked out an apology and sucked in a breath when Grady dropped him.
“Fucking cat claws.” He winced at the cuts at his throat.
Grady would have felt bad at losing control if Monty hadn’t insulted Gabby, so he said nothing.
The wolf had the grace to know he’d been in the wrong. “Hell. I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t mean anything by it. I like Gabby. You, on the other hand, are a pain in my ass.” Monty braced himself against the wall and stood, fingering his throat. “I was this close…” he put his thumb and forefinger together “… to having Sophie accept an actual date without laughing. From me, you asshole, not Scooby.”
Grady smothered a grin.
“But instead of going out to dinner, I spent my weekend entertaining businessmen fly-fishing.” He sneered. “I hate fish.”
“The Watson group. Sorry about that.” He so wasn’t. “But Gabby and I…we mated. She’s mine.” I think.
“Good God. You mean it. So that scent all over you isn’t just sex. I thought it smelled deeper.”
And if Monty could smell it, the others definitely would. Miles included.
“Well, I’m off. Dean will be by soon enough to tear you a new one.” Monty punched him in the arm. “Next time, dickhead, just call to let us know you’re busy doing whatever with that delightful vixen.” He paused. “For the record, foxes are more dog than cat. Wolves, jackals, foxes. We’re canids, dude.”
Grady grinned. “Please. She’s a fox, a cat and mine. Not a dog, Scooby.”
Monty shot him the finger and walked away, looking awfully graceful for a gray wolf, though Grady didn’t think he’d like knowing that being in the pride was rubbing off on him.
Thinking he’d survived the worst of it, he entered and took a quick shower, wanting to be perfect for Gabby while avoiding his brother at the same time. But when he exited the shower, he found an irritable Dean waiting for him. To make matters worse, Joy stood with him, looking equally annoyed.
He gripped the towel around his waist tight and faced them. How bad could it be?
Gabby decided to surprise Grady. She couldn’t wait to be with him again. No one around here locked doors or windows, so she figured she’d sneak through his bedroom window. When he came out of the shower, he’d find her naked and waiting…and ready to confess. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She was going to do it. To admit how she felt, but only after making him say it first. Her fox yapped at her to get on with it already, while her cat wanted to take her time, to play with her prey before going in for the kill.
She took care to be silent as she approached. With any luck, she’d be in bed when he walked back into the room, hopefully sans a towel. Without clothes, the man was a virtual god.
Movement from within showed Grady in the bedroom. She slowed as she approached the window, content that from this angle and half hidden by the curtain that fluttered in the wind, he couldn’t see her. Added to that, she stood downwind, like any smart predator would. A familiar scent hit her. Joy. A female near the man Gabby considered hers. Her hackles rose and she took a step closer when she scented Dean as well. Oh hell. They meant to confront Grady now, on the day she’d planned to pledge her undying love and loyalty? She’d have to do it tomorrow then. No way did she want anything to mar this mating.