Page 42 of Protector

I want so desperately to believe that. But because I want to, and I know that I could find out with one pointed question if he’s being honest, I refuse to.

Instead, I point at him. “Don’t you bare your fangs at me.”

Another step. “What did you say to me? It’s my smile.”

Oh, Luna. I’ve seen Trsitan’s smile. It takes his movie-star good looks to the next level. Those fangs belong to a monster—and, fuck it, now I find myself smiling.

You know why? It’s because he only parroted back what I said. He listened to me.

How often does someone actually listen to me unless I’m threatening to go all guardian on their ass?

I smile, and Tristan crosses the last of the space between us, wrapping me up in his arms.

“Listen to me. You are my mate. You always will be. I’ll do anything to prove it to you. Just give me a chance. Trust me. Believe me. Look. We can start over. Okay? Here.”

The Beta pulls back just enough that he can peer down into my face. “Welcome to Winter Creek. I’m the self-proclaimed welcoming committee. Name’s Tristan Crowder, but you can call me anything you want.” He waits a beat. “Except for maybe ‘hotshot’. Only my mate’s allowed to call me that.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Nice to meet you, Tristan.”

“Just be careful around my mate. She’s a feisty one.”

“She sounds amazing,” I tease.

“Oh, she is. And I can’t wait to spend forever making sure she knows it.”

We were teasing each other, I know we were, but when he says that…

My heart skips a beat.

He squeezes my elbows.

“What do you say?” Tristan murmurs softly, the dimple popping in his cheek again as he grins down at me. There’s hope in his pretty blue eyes and pleading in the curve of his smile as he holds me close. “Can we start over?”

I plant my hands on his chest, giving just enough of a push to get him to let me go.

He doesn’t hesitate. I can sense how much he doesn’t want to release me in the emotions filtering down through our bond, but he’ll never hold me against my will. That’s just not his style.

Tristan’s not an Alpha. He’s not a guardian, either. He’s a protector and a Beta, and he might drive me crazy

I’m a she-wolf. I think I was crazy to begin with.

And he still wants to start over with me? Give us a second try? Forget the past and have a future together?

You know what? Yeah. I can do that.

I offer him my hand. A shiver travels down my spine when he clasps his palm against mine, the heat of his skin warming me up from my fingers all the way to my toes.

“My name is Jeannie Lipton, but I’ve changed my mind again. You can call me Jean Louise if you want. No carving required.”

“What if I want your claws to carve me up, marking me as yours?”

I laugh. “I think that can be arranged.”

Using his grip on my hand to tug me back into him, Tristan catches the edge of my jaw with his free hand.

“To finally be considered one of the three most important people in my mate’s life,” he rumbles against my lips, “there isn’t anything I want more. Except, of course, for you forever.”

I pat his chest. “Remember that when the full moon is out, hotshot.”

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