Deadly Desire (Riley Jenson Guardian 7)

"No problems on the Quinn front?"

"He's being quite the gentlemen."

Liander snorted. "That'll change once you start acting like a proper wolf again."

I gave him an exasperated look. "I am acting like a proper wolf."

"Have you gone back to the clubs? Taken other partners yet?"

"You know I haven't. I'm happy as I am, Liander, and Quinn and I do share something special."

"He's not a wolf, my girl. And your wolf soul will always hunger for its mate, no matter how happy you might be with Quinn."

"You're not telling me something I don't know. I'm just not ready to venture fully out of the cave yet."

"You know, if I ever meet Kellen again, he's going to get a very large piece of my mind."

"Don't you dare. He was doing what was right for us both."

He snorted softly. I ignored him and continued to eat the lasagna. One of the many good things about Liander coming to live with us was the fact that the quality of the meals we were getting had improved-mainly because he could cook and Rhoan and I couldn't.

I took a sip of coffee to wash it down, then said, "I had something of a close call yesterday, actually."

"Oh?" He raised a gray eyebrow, amusement teasing the corners of his silvery eyes. "Do tell."

"You remember Kye? The bodyguard Patrin employed?"

"The one Rhoan reckons was more than just a wolf?"

"Yeah. Turns out he's a bounty hunter, and he sort of saved my butt."

"Well, it is a cute butt."

I grinned. "Maybe so, but I doubt that's the reason he saved it."

"So, you got hot and heavy with him as a thank-you?"

"Not intentionally." Liander's eyebrows rose again, so I added, "I blame the moon heat and the fact that he smelled so good." He kissed damn good, too, but that was beside the point.

"So why didn't it go any further?"

"It's hard to concentrate on loving when there are a couple of hellhounds wanting to tear you to pieces."

"I guess." He took a mouthful of food, then added, "You intending to see him again?"

"No. I don't really like him, and I certainly don't trust him."

"Hey, I didn't like Rhoan when I first met him, either."

"I thought you got hot and heavy on the first date."

"Nope. I thought he had a great body, but a shitty attitude. I still thought that when we had sex a few days later. Of course, attitude or not, he was the one. And he has mellowed, thankfully."

"He's never going to be the perfect man." Even I knew that, and I loved my brother to death.

He waved a hand in agreement. "All I'm saying is you should never write anyone off just because you don't instantly fall in love. Or lust."

I snorted. "Trust me, I don't expect to-although lust is always handy." Especially if you had to spend the rest of your life with him. I took another mouthful, then added, "Besides, if I meet Kye again, I'm going to have to arrest him, because it means he's still investigating a case I've warned him off."