My hands wanted to play. Instead I sashayed to the other sink, adding a little more sway to my naturally exaggerated catwalk. Aric leaned back and locked on to my backside. And that’s how he stayed while I brushed my teeth. “I’m going to shower after I finish shaving. Want to join me, baby?”
I rinsed my mouth and pushed out my butt just a little more, swinging it slightly. “Sure, if you want me to.”
Aric stopped his razor midstroke. “Well, you know what they say, ‘Save water—shower with a werewolf.’”
“Mmm. Yes, your kind is all about saving the environment.”
“Damn straight.”
I laughed as I dried my hands. Aric lathered his jaw and made quick work with his razor. He scowled at his cell phone when it rang. “Could you tell me who’s calling, sweetness?”
I flipped his iPhone over and read the out-of-state number on the screen. Aric wiped his hands and took it out of my hand. He answered with a big, affectionate grin lifting the edges of his mouth. “Hey there, pretty lady.”
Pretty lady?
A female responded in a playful voice. “Hello, handsome.” She paused. “You were supposed to call when you got back to your place. I was worried.”
I stood there with my jaw inches from the russet tiles. What the hell?
Aric winked my way. “I got distracted.”
“I’m sure you did, but that’s no reason to forget about me,” she teased.
“How could I ever forget about you?”
I stormed into the bedroom, completely pissed off and ready to set everything Aric owned on fire.
So I’m not the only one. None of this was real. I’m just another one of his freaking playthings. Damn it. DAMN IT!
I opened the window and knocked the screen out, ready to throw Aric’s crap on the lawn in true Diary-of-a-Psycho-and-Scorned-Latina-who-can-change-into-a-tigress-and-beat-your-ass fashion, when he strolled in and sat on the bed. He did a double take upon catching my tigress eyes blinking back at him and my fangs ready to tear flesh. I thought I saw understanding fill and soften his expression, until the bastard grinned—grinned.
He reached out, trying to grab me. I smacked his hand hard, breaking a few of his fingers. “Ouch!” he mumbled, before laughing. His fingers realigned almost immediately, making me want to break them again, along with a few other body parts.
“What’s wrong, sweetie?” the hussy asked.
Aric spoke through his increasing chuckles. “Hold on a second.” He held the phone out to me. “Celia, my mother is on the phone. Would you like to say hello?”
“Your mother?” I asked in a small voice.
Aric lurched off the bed and shoved the phone into my hand. He snickered and brought it to my ear when I gawked at it like an idiot.
“He-hello?” I dissolved my fangs, though they weren’t the cause of my stutter.
“Oh, Celia!” Her voice was warm, and her thrill at speaking to me as clear as if she stood before me. “It’s so nice to finally talk with you. I’ve heard so many wonderful things about you from Aric.”
You have? I covered the phone. “Does she know we’re living together?” I whispered just above a breath.
Aric tugged off his boxers, not bothering to keep his voice quiet. “That’s not all she knows about us, hot stuff.” He danced his eyebrows at me.
I reeled away from him, ignoring his come-hither physique, and tried my best to start a half-intelligent conversation with his mother. Aric, of course, just had to seek revenge for his broken fingers. He pushed me onto the bed and held me with one hand, while the other wandered under my shirt.
“I’m looking forward to meeting you, dear. Would you and Aric like to fly out to Colorado and spend Thanksgiving with me?”
I couldn’t answer. My free hand was busy trying unsuccessfully to push Aric off me.
Aric’s teeth latched onto my nipple. “I think my mother just asked you something, Celia,” he muttered through tiny nibbles.
“Um, I don’t know.” That was me, goddess of wit, charm, and self-control.
Aric yanked off my panties and took in my flushed skin. “Sure, Mom. We’ll fly out for the holiday.”
I don’t think Aric’s gruff voice registered with Mama Connor. She continued in that same lovely pitch. “Of course, Aric has explained how close you are with your sisters. They’re also welcome. It would be nice to have all the boys home.”
I rolled onto my stomach and tried to scramble off the bed when Aric’s hands went from daring to downright naughty. “I’ll have to ask them about it,” I choked.
“Yeah, and maybe you can come spend Christmas in Tahoe,” Aric said. He clasped my ankles and yanked me back with one tug. “We have to go, Mom. We’ll call you later, okay?”