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.It was and then it wasn’t.They wouldn’t be physically overwhelming, but emotionally was a different story.Her feelings were still riotous and this new magic wasn’t helping matters.Especially not when it reached for the man who approached.Chance or Hawkins, the magic wanted him and stretched to stroke him.She kept her forehead pressed to the cool glass, her gaze remaining focused on the wildlife playing in the yard.Yet when the werewolf got close, when he sat on the other end of the window seat, she couldn’t help but glance at him with her peripheral vision.Hawkins.Gruff sure, but with his hint of gray at his temples, she could almost overlook his snarls.The near white strands made him more attractive to her, not less.It was his words she took issue with.She remained silent, remembering his brusque statements on the driveway.Yeah, he spoke the truth, but… Just but.They hurt her feelings, her battered and bruised feelings.No, she didn’t have a choice.She didn’t have a choice when she’d been dragged to the damn Gathering and she hadn’t had one when she’d been kidnapped a second time.She didn’t even want to think about the lack of choices when it came to being beaten.Yes, the choice of mate was beyond her control, but after all the drama, it wouldn’t have hurt him to at least pretend.“Hi.” His deep rumble stroked her and she suppressed the shudder that crept forward.Barely.Paisley didn’t look at him, but did respond.“Hi.”Hawkins squirmed, shifting in his seat until he finally leaned his back against the wall of the alcove and brought a knee up to rest on the seat.His attention, like hers, turned to the yard.“It’s beautiful here.”“Yeah,” she agreed.“Our land isn’t this pretty.Not really.It’s not this big, either.But I think the house is nice.Chance calls it cozy, but that’s because he doesn’t pick up after himself.” His voice rolled through the air.He was trying.She had to give him that.He kept his tone free of what she assumed was his natural snippy tone.“What do you call it?”“Safe.” The word immediately snapped through the air.“That’s important to you? I mean, I’m sure everyone wants to be safe, but your house—”“Our house.And yes.Nothing is more important than being safe.Nothing.” The last word was a hoarse whisper.Paisley wasn’t going to argue about his reiterated “our.” “Tell me about it? What do you like about the house?”Hawkins relaxed and she realized this was where he was comfortable.“We’ve got twenty acres.Not as big as the compound’s lands, but it’s just me and Chance.The trees are trimmed back like this, though I think Keller, Madden, and Scarlet wanted the yard for their pups to play in, but ours is cut back so we can see anyone who approaches.It gives us a greater opportunity for defense.Can’t kill the enemy if you can’t see them coming.”She imagined there was a reason behind his assertion, but she kept quiet.For now.“The lawn is green like this, a thick layer of grass.Just beneath, we’ve got pressure sensors that sound an alert inside the house if anyone comes near.The system is programmed for offense, not defense.So if it senses a trespasser it activates the plan we have in place and the turrets rise up from the roof.And then there are the land mines…”Paisley slowly turned her head, forehead still pressed to the window, brow furrowed and stared at the man.“What happened?”It was his turn to frown.“What do you mean?”She straightened and faced him fully.“I mean, what made you create a fortress instead of a home?”That scowl deepened.“Nothing.I just want to keep us safe.”“But… You guys don’t even go out on the grass? Relax under the shade of a tree or something?”Hawkins shook his head.“No, if a tree is too close to the house, it impedes your view and can act as an access point for—”Paisley held up her hand to stop him.“What about children? You expect them to stay holed up in the house? Never play in the sun or climb trees or run around screaming their heads off?”“I suppose we could build a sunroom.Lay down some Astroturf.We could have bullet-resistant glass windows.” He nodded, obviously not seeing her horrified expression.“Yes, we could do something like that.” Then he grinned.“You talked about children.”She lowered her knees and sat Indian style.“Scroll back on all that [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]