Page 55 of Brazen

“Even Remy can tell him about it.”

“Remy is a little shifter, too?”

“Yup. She has her dad to guide her. While I might not be JT’s dad, I’d like to be there for him. Like I want to be for you.”

I looked down for a moment. Even though my wolf was sure, it was possible I wouldn’t be enough for Clio no matter what I said or did. I had to put it out there, though, so she knew I was all-in.

“I know you think I’m a player. That I’m too young. But you need to know there’s no one else for me, Sparks. Ever. Wolves mate for life. As for age, I may be young, but I’m responsible. My motto used to be work hard / play hard, but playtime’s over, unless it’s with you. I don’t have a place for us to live together yet–I live in the bunkhouse at Wolf Ranch–but I’ve got land. A big piece along the river not far from here. I figured I’d build a place to live on it someday, but I never expected my someday to be a gorgeous mechanic and her amazing son.”

“Wow. I, um, I really did underestimate you.” Her cheeks had flushed.

I wanted to put that pretty color on them for a different reason. I took our glasses, set them on the bedside table, then rolled her beneath me. I held my weight off her with one elbow.

She looked up at me with those blue eyes. So open. So gorgeous.

The suspicion was gone. The walls were down.

“So–” I nuzzled her neck, kissing down to her shoulder. “Are we good, Sparks? We on to our new deal?

A flash of vulnerability showed in her expression before she hid it. She swallowed and nodded.

“Yeah? You’re gonna give us a go?”

“Yeah.”

I grinned. My wolf fist pumped the air.

I lowered my head and kissed her, grinding my hips against her in case she had any doubt of my intentions. I wanted to please her in all ways, starting with more orgasms.

Now that I knew what had happened with JT’s dad–why she’d had walls up higher than a fortress–I knew how to break them down. She was afraid of getting hurt again. That wasn’t gonna happen.

I’d keep showing her she was mine until she believed it. My mark would do that, for sure, but she was nowhere near ready for that.

Mark her, mark her, mark her, my wolf chanted.

Not yet, I told him. She was barely past letting me spend the night in her bed.

Our talk, though, had gone well. I was one step closer to making her mine.

23

CLIO

* * *

I was hiking with a sore pussy and a happy heart.

After another crazy round of sex this morning, we’d driven across town to Wes and Joy’s house to pick up JT from his sleepover then continued on to a trail that Sam said was his favorite.

We headed up into the hills with a layer of sunscreen for our faces. JT jabbered about his night, regaling us with stories of popcorn and cereal with chocolate milk instead of plain milk for breakfast. We rounded a bend, and JT hopped over a boulder in the trail.

It had been his first sleepover, and to him, it had been a success.

I stopped to climb over the big rock with far less agility than my son, and Sam took my hand to help me up and over. I caught my breath at how beautiful he looked.

Sam, the wolf.

He had his shirt off again, which I may have teasingly suggested was necessary. His tanned skin was smooth over sculpted muscle. The light golden hairs made his chest seem to glow in the sunlight.