No.
She shook her head and forced herself to move out of Nash's grip. He was like a drug. And she was happily addicted.
"I have to get to work." Kira used her firmest voice, more to convince herself than Nash. She tugged her pants on and tucked her shirt in before she fastened her belt. "You will have to wait until later."
"Baby, I'll wait forever for you if I have to."
She kissed him chastely on the lips. "I won't make you wait that long." Before she could step back, Nash pulled her close and kissed her properly until a fresh wave of desire washed through her.
Damn. Distance was going to be the only thing that helped her move on with her day. Their passion had only grown stronger since he'd claimed her.
Claimed her. It was still crazy to think about. She wouldn't have thought it was possible to mate a bear with a wolf. But when it came down to it, nothing had felt more right-and crazy or not, that was the only thing that mattered.
"Okay, I really have to go." She pulled away before she could get sucked in for another kiss. "Shouldn't you get to work, too?"
Nash waved his hand, dismissing her comment. "How can I work after the most amazing night of my life?"
She knew he was teasing, but there was so much truth in his words that Kira couldn't help but smile. "Seriously." She tried to sound stern. "You should get to work."
"I will, I will." Nash reached out and grabbed her arm. "Before you go, I really just wanted to ask you something." His face shifted so quickly, worry pricked at her spine. His teasing smile was gone, replaced by a mask of seriousness.
"What is it?"
He slowly pulled her close, but didn't kiss her this time. "I just wanted to make sure you were okay. With everything that happened last night, I mean."
"I … of course … I … " Words escaped her. But that was crazy, because of course she was okay with everything. Wasn't she?
Nash reached out and stroked a strand of her hair, not yet tied back in her signature braid. "Because I know it was a lot," he said. "What happened between us. I know it might feel a little … "
"Crazy?"
He smiled. "I was going to say intense."
Kira nodded. That was a good word choice, too.
"But as crazy or intense as it all was," Nash continued, "it was right, too. Don't you think?" When she didn't answer right away, he added, "Me and you? We're right."
She nodded again. But this time found her words. "Yes. We are right. I feel it, Nash. I always have. I think that's why I resisted you so much when I first met you. It was all too intense," she said, using his word. "And I'm not going to pretend how it makes sense," she continued. "A wolf and a bear? It's … well, I guess it just is."
He kissed the tip of her nose. "It is." His strong arms wrapped around her into the warmest, most secure hug Kira had ever experienced and in that moment, she knew: crazy, intense, weird, or whatever other word anyone could come up with, it didn't matter because all that really mattered was that together, they were right. Mates.
One more kiss and Kira finally managed to slip out of Nash's bedroom and make her way into work. She'd been bracing herself for a phone call about more dead fish, but it never came and she really hoped it wouldn't. After all, she hadn't seen anything the night before and if there were no dead fish discovered today, that would be two days in a row that everything was good. Definitely a trend, no matter how small, in the right direction. Maybe whoever was responsible for the mess-and it was definitely a someone, of that much Kira was sure-had grown tired of their game and moved on?
Yes.
That was the attitude Kira would take. The perpetrator had moved on and everything would be fine from now on. She almost laughed aloud at her rose-colored attitude, but everything seemed a little brighter after last night with Nash, so why shouldn't it carry through all aspects of her life?
"There you are." Sasha's voice burst through her thoughts. Kira turned to see her friend in the doorway of the registration office. "Where've you been?" She wiggled her eyebrows, but Kira was not about to give her any details. Especially after what had really happened the night before. She was not one to kiss and tell, and she was most certainly not one to bite-or have been bitten-and tell.
"Sorry," Kira said. "I slept in a little."
"Are you feeling better?"
It took her a moment to remember her lie from the day before, but then it came back to her and she nodded. "Much. Thanks for asking."
"Good." Sasha stepped out of the building and closed the door, looking behind her. "Because someone is here to see you."