Figure of Speech

“Tank you.”

He kissed the top of her head. “You’re welcome. Feel better?”

“Mm-hm.” She snuggled closer, surprising herself with a wide-jawed yawn.

“It’s normal. You’re no longer running on adrenaline, and now your body wants to sleep.” Jim stroked his hand down her back. “Do you want to try and nap while Cyn and Julian talk to the others?”

“Are day here?” She didn’t glance toward the parking lot. She didn’t want to move at all.

“Not yet. You’ve got time.” He rubbed his chin against the top of her head. “I’ll make sure of it.”

She smiled. “You’re scent-marking me.”

He stilled. “I am?”

Chloe giggled. “I like it.” She wanted to bathe in his scent, have every shifter who came across her know that Jim was hers.

“Will you scent-mark me as well?” Jim sounded…intrigued.

“All over.”

“Oh?” His voice went husky. He squirmed a bit, making her laugh again. “Tell me more about this all-over-marking thing.”

She bit her lip and glanced toward Cyn and Julian.

Oh hell. From the thumbs-up they both shot her, they’d heard every word of what she’d said to her mate. “Jeez. A skittle privacy, people.”

Jim’s silent laughter shook her, but in a good way. “We’ll have to discuss this, in length, when we’re alone.”

Chloe swallowed as he caressed her hip. “Uh-huh.”

“I think they’re here.” Jim stood, cradling Chloe in his arms. “Jules? I’m taking Chloe upstairs.”

“Don’t start anything you won’t have time to finish.” Julian waved them off, his arm around his mate.

Apparently Jim didn’t need any further acknowledgment, because he started up the stairs at a rapid pace. “We need to pack.”

“Pack?” She lifted her head from his shoulder, looking around in confusion. “Why?”

“You’re moving in with me.”

She opened her mouth, but only a squeak came out. Her words had deserted her again.

“I’m going to have you work with some of the animals in the clinic. You can’t do surgery, and you can’t work the front desk, but you can sure as hell do other things.” He opened the door to her apartment and carried her straight to her bedroom. “Your scent is so strong in here.”

His tone was growly again, Julian’s influence not as strong now that they were no longer in the Kermode Bear’s presence. Julian’s powers were sometimes frightening, but his big heart made up for any fear Chloe might have felt around him.

When he slammed her bedroom door closed with his foot she understood that Julian’s influence was gone entirely. Jim’s eyes were golden brown as he lowered her to the bed. “I’m sorry. I have to.”

She stroked his cheek, smiling as he leaned into her touch. “I know. I taunt you to.”

He chuckled softly. “I promise I’ll go as slow as I can.”

Considering she could feel how hard he was trembling she doubted he’d be going all that slow. But her voice was gone again, lost in a swirl of soft touches and tiny, maddening kisses across her collarbone. Jim knelt above her, pushing up her shirt as he peppered each patch of bared skin with butterfly kisses. He didn’t hesitate at her scars as she’d feared he would, instead pausing at each one to stroke and caress.

When he licked the scar over her belly button she moaned, the sensation intensely erotic. He carefully removed her shirt, exposing her “cleaning day comfy bra”.

Hell, it wasn’t like she’d expected her dream man to throw her onto her bed and finally claim her today. She’d been throwing out the trash, for God’s sake.

Jim didn’t seem to mind the ratty-ass bra, though. She grabbed hold of her comforter, clenching it in her fists as he worked his way up to it, gently lifting her up enough so that he could work the clasp in back. He coaxed her into letting go of the comforter long enough to remove the bra, then sat back on his heels and studied her. “Beautiful.” He stroked the tip of her breast with a gentleness that startled her. “My little Fox.”

She held up her hands, smiling when Jim immediately leaned into her. She tugged him close, the feel of his shirt against her bare breasts intoxicating. She tilted her head, baring her throat to him, took a deep breath and prayed her voice would cooperate. “Claim. Me.”

“With pleasure.”

Jim struck, sinking his fangs into Chloe’s creamy skin. She screamed, but it wasn’t a sound filled with pain, like he’d feared. Oh, no. This sound was all about pleasure. Chloe’s hips rocked under him, brushing against his cock until he thought he’d cream his jeans like a fucking teenager during his first make-out session.

She’d come just from his bite.

My God. Why the fuck did I wait so long? The scent of her pleasure permeated the room. Her breath came in gasps, her eyes became dazed and her pupils dilated. Her lips were parted, her tongue darting out to lick the bottom one.

“Wow.” She smiled, the expression almost loopy. She raised her arms in the air and waved them around, almost clocking him. “Let’s fro again! Let’s go again!”

Jim chuckled. She was adorable, all rumpled and half-naked, waving her arms in the air like Kermit the Frog on downers. “Let’s get you naked first, hmm?”

She nodded eagerly, pushing at his hips until he got off of her. She wiggled out of her jeans, using her right hand far more than her left, but when he tried to help she scowled at him.

He let her be. Chloe had been dealing with her physical limitations long enough to know what she was capable of. He would watch, see if she needed his help, but otherwise she was strong enough to do things on her own.

Between Chloe and Spencer he was being fed some serious humble pie. He didn’t think he’d handle their issues nearly as well as the two of them did. He’d be a basket case, sobbing in the corner about his lost dreams. Spencer simply asked for a room and a bed, and Chloe?

She asked for him.

He was a goddamn ass, and he’d spend the rest of his life making it up to her. “Thank you.”

Her brows rose. “For getting naked?”

“For giving me another chance.”

Her expression softened. “Of course.” Chloe’s expression was both hopeful and fearful. “Are we really going to do this?”