Shifters of Silver Peak: Mate For A Month by Georgette St. Clair Read Free Book Online Page B

swung open with a bang.
    Eileen let out a squeal of alarm and jumped back.
    Verity.
    She’d totally forgotten about Verity.

Chapter Eight
     
    Verity walked in, eyes narrowed. She stood there for a moment and sniffed at the air.
    “Aha! I knew you were faking! You two haven’t mated in here,” she observed. “I’d be able to scent it.”
    “Rude,” Eileen muttered.
    Marcus bared his teeth in a grin. “We’re nature freaks. We only like to do it outdoors. That’s why I mated her. It’s not every day you find someone who shares your fetish.”
    Eileen felt a blush creeping up her face, but forced herself to smile and nod vigorously. “It’s true. Under bushes, under trees, right in the middle of the grove…”
    “I have concerns,” Verity informed them. “I spoke to your father, Mr. Justin Pennyroyal.” She sounded very proud of herself for having spoken to a man of his status.
    “I already know his name, thanks,” Eileen said. “We’ve met.”
    Verity shot her a look of annoyance. “He knows nothing about this mating. In fact, he said that you’ve been promised to one of the Havershams.”
    “Promised? You do know this is the twenty-first century, right?” Eileen folded her arms across her chest and met Verity’s gaze defiantly.
    “He also said you don’t have skin allergies.”
    “How would he know?” Eileen said with exasperation. “It’s my skin, not his. I told you, he’s against this marriage. Mating. Whatever.”
    Verity glanced at Marcus.
    “You’re actually claiming this mating is real?” she said skeptically.
    “You’re questioning the word of my Alpha?” Marcus growled. “You heard him. We’re life-mates.”
    Verity stared at them, suspicion glinting in her eyes. “I’m going to be making regular visits here,” she said. “And I’ve got my eye on you two.”
    She shut the door and left.
    “Well, that’s just great,” Eileen said, listening to the sound of Verity’s heels crunching on the gravel as she walked to her car.
    Eileen heard the engine start, and then the car pulled out and headed away, leaving her alone with her reluctant mate.
    She looked up at him. He still hadn’t moved away from her. A sharp stab of longing lanced through her. She wanted him to stay close, but he wouldn’t, she knew.
    She was right. After a minute, he took a step back.
    “Why did you come home early?” she asked. Part of her was hoping he’d say that it was for her. To spend time with her. To get to know his new mate.
    His resigned shrug told her otherwise. “Got kicked off the job site. I got in a fight with one of the other guys and the argument lasted all afternoon and the project manager told me to go home.”
    “Over what?”
    He shrugged again. “Something stupid. He took Samuel’s toolbox and…it was stupid”
    “Oh. Well, sorry you had to spend time with me,” she said, annoyed.
    “It’s not your fault.”
    Of all the nerve….
    “You are a rude, obnoxious jerk, and by the way, no, you do not know how to kiss!” she yelled, with a stamp of her foot.
    At that, his eyes flared amber. “Really?” It came out in a low growl. “You seemed to like it when it was happening.”
    The next thing she knew, he’d pulled her towards him and was kissing her again. She pressed up against him, against his heat and strength. One muscular arm was wrapped around her. His hand rested lightly on her waist. His other hand cupped her chin as he kissed her.
    His lips were feather soft, and his tongue swept through her mouth gently, slowly, exploring with infinite tenderness. He tasted like sweet coffee and…Marcus. A delicious taste, one that she wanted to consume and draw into her body, her very soul.
    A wave of heat swept over her, rushing from her head to her toes. She kissed him back, hungrily, and let out a low moan of pleasure as his tongue probed deeper.
    That seemed to bring him back to his senses.
    Slowly, he pulled away, wrenching a whimper of protest from her. She