Chapter 10
TRAVIS DIDN’T LIKE the way Glory joined the wolves and he especially didn’t like it when one by one, the cougars wandered over as well. They were up to something. Especially based on the speculative looks they kept giving Phoenix.
Of course, he knew his sister would never hurt Phoenix, but he also knew Glory was worried. Worried that Phoenix might never shift. Worried that her brother’s bear might never have the true mating it deserved.
Under those circumstances, she might be willing to do anything.
He was relieved when the night was finally over and he was able to usher everyone out and turn his full attention to Phoenix.
Cassie had cashed out thirty minutes before last call, and Glory, to his shock, left with the wolves, leaving him and Phoenix to close the bar on their own. Which wasn’t a big deal. He enjoyed stealing kisses from her as they worked side-by-side wiping everything down, loading the dishwasher and sweeping the floor.
As they worked, Travis contemplated his next steps. Now that he knew Phoenix’s animal wasn’t necessarily hiding from him or his bear, he was rethinking his whole strategy. If as he suspected, Phoenix’s animal had never appeared because it had no shifter connections, holding back from theirs might do more damage than good. And to be honest, his bear was driving him mad, constantly pacing and swiping at the air, trying to catch and savor the elusive, wavering scent of their mate.
This time when they went upstairs, Travis led Phoenix to his door instead of hers.
He captured her lips in a searing kiss, then murmured, “Come inside with me?”
* * *
Phoenix didn’t even hesitate. “Yes.”
Travis gave her no time to second-guess herself and immediately pulled her into his apartment, backed her against the door and kissed her again.
As waves of heat rippled through her, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulled herself up and hitched her legs around his waist.
He took immediate advantage, sliding one hand to cup her bottom and grinding himself against her.
She threw back her head and whimpered.
He buried his face in her neck and carefully scraped his teeth along the sensitive flesh there.
Phoenix shivered and clutched at his shoulders. “Travis, please.”
With a guttural sound of approval, he turned and strode down the hallway.
A moment later, he tumbled Phoenix onto his bed and followed her down. Gently smoothing her hair away from her face, he stared into her eyes and asked, “Are you okay with this?”
“Yes. Travis, please, yes.” Phoenix practically writhed beneath him, the blood in her veins on fire for him.
He leaned over and buried his nose in her neck again, inhaling deep. When he pulled back, she would swear his bear was looking back at her from feral eyes.
“My bear thinks you’re his,” he rumbled. “Ours.”
Maybe those words should have freaked her out, but instead they made something deep inside relax. “What does that mean?”
“It means he thinks you’re our mate. If we do this, whether it’s true or not, whether you shift or not, whether you’re human or not, you’ll always be our mate. And we will never let you go. Be sure, Phoenix. Be very sure.”
Phoenix closed her eyes, tears burning there, then opened them again. He was telling her that he would never walk away, that she would never be alone again. She lifted a hand and cupped his jaw.
He leaned his cheek into her caress.
“If we do this, Travis, you and your bear will be mine. I won’t ever walk away and I won’t ever let you go. You’ll be stuck with me forever. You need to be certain as well.”
His eyes flared bright and he lowered his head to hers, capturing her lips in a searing hot kiss.