A Prideful Mate by Amber Kell Read Free Book Online

warm skin wrapped around him, sent jolts of delight throughout Payce’s body. He let out the breath he’d been holding and leant against his mate, breathing in his wonderful scent.
    “I need you,” he admitted. If Kevin rejected him because he lacked control, pieces of his heart would break off, never to be found again.
    “I need you too, darlin’,” Kevin whispered in his ear. “We’ll work on your control. I’m surprised my children didn’t trigger you.”
    Payce shrugged. “I guess my cat doesn’t see them as a danger for your affections.”
    “You shouldn’t see Tia that way either, hon. We’ve never been more than close friends starting a family while we tried to find our mates. Tia didn’t want to wait for kids any longer, and I knew I wouldn’t get another chance since I knew my mate was a man. We love our kids but we don’t love each other, not like I love you.” Kevin tilted Payce’s face up until he was forced to look into the lion’s eyes.
    They sparkled, easing the knot twisting in Payce’s stomach.
    “We’ll get through this and be stronger in the end. Now, I think you’ve got an apology to make.”
    Payce nodded. “I do want to get along with Tia. I don’t want your boys’ mother to hate me.”
    “She doesn’t hate you none,” Kevin declared, “but she is a little miffed. I don’t suppose you’ve got a recipe for a kickass chocolate cookie.” Payce laughed. “I don’t bake.”
    “Shame. That worked for Adrian.”
    “You’re right.”
    “About what?”
    “He is a pretty man.”
    Kevin laughed. “Don’t let Talan hear you say that.” A PRIDEFUL MATE
    Amber Kell
    40
    “Where is your alpha?”
    “He had a business trip to a shifter conference. Adrian refused to go after the last meeting where leaders of the Alaskan and Oregon prides tried to hit on him. He said it was best for international interests that he not attend. Personally, I think he was just bored to death but he didn’t want to tell Talan. Adrian isn’t what you call sociable. Don’t get me wrong he’s not a hermit, but he doesn’t like crowds bigger than his pack or his pride.”
    “How does he have a pack and a pride?” Payce had never heard of such a thing. He’d never even had a real family and here was a guy who had two.
    Kevin laughed. “Because neither of us was willing to give him up. On full moons he heads down the mountain and spends the night with his brother’s pack. It’s hard being the only wolf with a bunch of cats, but he loves Talan something fierce.” Payce nodded and tried to not feel jealous. It must be nice to be wanted.
    His nerves jumped around in his stomach like a cadre of grasshoppers as he entered the house again.
    Kevin grabbed his suitcase. “Let’s get to my room and dress before we talk to Tia. No offence, but I don’t want her looking at your tender bits. Those are all mine.” Payce laughed. “I don’t want her looking at my tender bits either.” Kevin’s room was large and masculine with a luxurious bathroom attached to a bedroom bigger than Payce’s apartment.
    “Wow.”
    Kevin gave him a wide smile. “I hope you like your new home.”
    “What do you mean?” Payce had a disturbing idea that he knew what the other man meant.
    “Aren’t you moving here to live with me?”
    “What would I do? I do tile, I don’t see a bunch of buildings going up around here.”
    “You don’t have to work. I’ll take care of ya. It’s part of the having a mate thing.”
    “I’m not going to live off of you.”
    Kevin looked at him with sad eyes.
    Anger surged through the jaguar, how dare his mate be disappointed in him. “I’m not your pet. You don’t get to take me home and keep me.” Sitting on the bed, Kevin buried his face in his hands.
    A PRIDEFUL MATE
    Amber Kell
    41
    Damn.
    Payce sat beside his mate, wrapping an arm around the forlorn body. “I didn’t mean it like that.” Why did he keep battering away at this man who wanted nothing more than to