Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109705 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
“Do what?”
“Evade conversation.” The female was almost constantly sucking on lollipops, and the sight was erotic enough to risk him coming in his jeans. He’d noticed that she did it when she was uncomfortable or anxious. He’d also seen her do it before battle, as if it helped her focus and think better. But she also did it when she didn’t want to talk. “It’s hard to get to know someone when the conversation is one-sided.”
“Why do you want to know me?”
He almost laughed at the confusion on her face. “You . . . intrigue me.”
He constantly surprised her, and she wasn’t sure if she liked it or not. Her wolf liked it a lot, liked his impish streak and wanted to play. “But . . . why?”
“I’ve watched you closely enough to learn things about you. You’re tough, smart, capable, and loyal—all qualities I like and admire. But for a very confident person, you hold back a lot and can be pretty uncomfortable in social situations. You can also be very self-conscious at times.” It was sort of cute.
She couldn’t help feeling a little defensive. Faking a delighted smile, she said, “Ooh, are we reeling off flaws today? If that’s the case, I’ve got some for you, Romeo.”
“Yeah?” He wondered if she even realized she was playing with him. Unlike her wolf, Roni was often too serious to play. “Hit me with them.”
“You come across as a smooth, easygoing flirt who’s all soft and cuddly. But in reality, you’re a dangerous fucker who’s simply very prettily dressed in charm.”
“Flattery won’t get you anywhere, Roni. Except, of course, if it’s accompanied by a kiss.”
“You hide behind the charm, flirt constantly, flash that bad-boy smile at everyone, and live by the ‘no strings attached’ rule. But in doing that, you’ve reduced yourself to a sex toy.” It made her wonder why and what he wanted to hide. Pain? Guilt? Shame? Loss? The guy was a puzzle, and that appealed to the curious side of her nature.
Her disappointment in him sat heavy in the air, and Marcus didn’t like it. “Well, if your opinion of me is really that low, it’s going to make my goal to seduce you even harder.”
She did a double take. “What’s that now?”
“Come on, Roni, are you really going to pretend you didn’t sense me circling you the past few months?”
She spluttered. “That was just you being your usual flirtatious self. I’m not your type. You like foo-foo females.”
“Foo-foo?” he chuckled.
“High maintenance, perfect appearance, devoted to spas, needs constant reinforcement, and—oh my God—do they ever shut up?” She’d expected him to be offended, but he laughed. “You lay on all that charm, give them your attention, but you don’t commit to them. You just kind of . . . float around them.”
He couldn’t argue with that. All of Marcus’s past relationships could be described as short, simple, and sweet. But he wasn’t equipped to cope with serious relationships or to meet the emotional needs of others. How could he be, when the only example of love he’d ever known was warped and twisted?
Roni shrugged. “But maybe you’re just saving your commitment for your true mate.”
In truth, the thought of mating absolutely terrified Marcus; his upbringing had showed him that a mating could be more of a trap than a blessing. Having watched as Trey, Dante, and Shaya found their mates, he’d seen how the bond could be something worth protecting. It might have given him hope if it weren’t for the conversation he’d had many years ago with the Seer within his sister’s pack.
She’d told him that he would find his mate, had even described her to him—small, slim, strawberry-blonde hair, and huge baby blue eyes. But the Seer had also told him other things about her, about what lay ahead for them, and the thought of having a future like that scared the shit out of him.
Returning his focus to the conversation, he said, “My problem is that I seem to attract clingy females.” He wasn’t lying; it was indeed one of his problems, just not the main one. “I’m not just talking physically clingy, I mean—”
“Females who need constant attention, get extremely jealous, take everything personally, and don’t accept responsibility for their own feelings—their unhappiness, rage, and envy are all your fault?”
So damn astute. “Yeah.”
“Zara was a classic example. It’s not all that shocking that you attract them, since they tend to go for strong, competent people. You know, their needy behavior can be a form of control and manipulation in some situations; it forces their partner to be their caretaker and address their every need.”
He really liked that brain. “You think I’m strong and competent?” She simply rolled her eyes. “So, we’ve established why I keep things casual. What about you?” She didn’t respond to his prodding. Pulling up outside Phoenix Pack territory, he turned his gaze on her as he waited for whoever was on security duty to open the gates. “Talk to me, Roni. It’s not so bad to ‘share.’ Try it. You might like it.”