Savage Hunger(53)

He felt himself harden again and swore. He’d thought one time would be enough. Had been stupid enough to take her—without precautions—on the riverbank, he’d been so mindless with desire.

“I’m not wrong,” she argued and retrieved her clothes, tugging them back on. “And while we’re on the subject, let me just say this. You don’t need to worry that I have expectations, Warrick. From the beginning I knew the rules.”

“And what rules were those?” He arched a brow, trying not to focus on all the delectable parts of her that she was busy covering up again.

“I knew this was going to be a one-time thing.” She pulled a rubber band off her wrist and fixed her hair into a ponytail. “I suppose I should even thank you. Now I don’t have to worry about the next guy I sleep with going all weird because I’d never gotten laid before.”

Warrick’s vision reddened and a roar that was all wolf rose in his throat. “The next guy you sleep with?” Her words and the image they evoked were not settling well. “So that’s it? One time is good for you? What the hell, Sienna? Have you just been holding out for me to break you in since that night back in high school when you tried to seduce me?”

Sienna’s choked gasp hit his ears about the same time her palm did his cheek. It probably hurt her more than him, because she winced and immediately clutched her wrist.

“Break me in?” she seethed, shaking her head. “You’re a real bastard sometimes, you know that, Warrick?”

Warrick slowly rotated his jaw and counted to ten to ease his temper. He knew he’d deserved the slap—it was completely out of line for him to say something so crass and cutting—but it did little to erase the need to jerk her back into his arms and show her how quickly he could have her begging for him to take her again.

He slid his gaze over her slender, trembling form. Her face was taut and pale, her arms folded defensively across her chest now. He’d hurt her with his comment, and regret slid through him. But he couldn’t seem to force out an apology.

“Of course I didn’t hold out in hopes you’d be my first. God, where the hell does your ego end?” She gave him a dirty look that clearly showed she was still pissed. “I’ve messed around with other guys. I almost had sex with one, but it just didn’t feel right so I stopped. You know I’m not one to do anything half-assed. That includes sex.”

“But it felt right with me,” he said gruffly, not sure why the idea both pleased and terrified him.

She didn’t reply, just looked away with another scowl.

“I didn’t use protection. What if you get pregnant?” he voiced the fear that’d been running in the back of his mind since he’d come to his senses.

Still holding her wounded hand, her expression turned skeptical. “Is it even possible for a human to get pregnant with a shifter’s child?”

“Of course it is. The process of conception doesn’t change with us, Sienna. The child is just born with dormant genes. Though they’re part shifter, have some characteristics, they don’t have the ability to shift.”

And they tended to be treated like the redheaded stepchild of the community. Looked on with derision and occasional pity. It was unfortunate, and needed to change, but for now, that’s the way it was.

Concern flickered in Sienna’s eyes, and she worried her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, before looking away. “I had my period last week. So it really shouldn’t be an issue.”

Warrick grunted in response, still not completely at ease or convinced she was even telling the truth. He could easily imagine her fudging the dates a bit to put him more at ease.

“I’d like to head back to the house now,” she said quietly.

Biting back another round of curses, Warrick gave a terse nod and gestured for her to start walking. He almost wished he’d gone first when she turned around and left him, because then he wouldn’t have to stare at the sweet curve of her ass in those tiny shorts or the pale, shapely legs that ate up the trail with her furious strides.

He followed after her, scowling at the ground as he tried to figure out how his precious control was getting snapped so easily lately.

The sound of Sienna’s startled cry had Warrick’s attention snapping back up. He was at her side in an instant. Found her staring wide-eyed and pale at the police officer on the trail in front of them.

Son of a bitch. This was just the last damn thing they needed.

The officer was probably pushing fifty, had a receding hairline and a gut that stretched the buttons on his uniform. His hand rested pretty damn close to his gun, which meant he was already a bit weary of the situation.