Page 17 of Claiming Claire

“You know my body, maybe. What’s my favorite color?” I challenged while plastering on a smile, knowing the whole pack was watching.

“We just met, you’re being unreasonable,” he growled, and it vibrated through my body.

“Am I? Gabriel likes blue. Vix yellow. You and Laden both like green, but you prefer darker colors, like the forest instead of his bright lime preference.”

“So what? I could have told you that.” We approached the last step, and I tripped, he caught me with ease as I landed against his body and in the distance, I heard a few women swoon.

“You could have, but you didn’t. I learned it just by observing you. Why? Because you’ve been avoiding me.”

His eyes locked on mine as he held my body close to his. “I haven’t been avoiding you.”

“Are you sure you aren’t a cat in there?” I pulled away, wearing a fake smile as he lead the way to the table set at the head of the dance floor.

He growled a deep sound that would have intimidated me if I didn’t have three other protective men at my back. “Watch it, sweetheart, my wolf doesn’t take lightly to taunts like that.”

“I’m sorry, I thought I heard a purr.” Behind me, I heard Laden choke on a laugh.

“Claire!”

“Yes, Jace?” I made a slight purr in my throat.

He stopped walking midway to the table, centering us right in the middle of the dance floor, then turned. Taking my face in his large hand, he held my jaw in his fingers, tight enough I couldn’t move, gentle enough not to hurt me. “Stop talking, Claire.”

I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. Not when he was staring at me so intently, my mouth went dry, and my pulse picked up. A battle warred behind his gaze before finally one side won. He leaned in, his lips seeking my own like the pull of magnetic forces, before we crashed together, in a soul-searing kiss. My legs felt suddenly weak, and if it wasn’t for the strong arm that bound around my waist from behind, I’m positive I would’ve crumbled to the ground, right there in the middle of the dance floor.

He pulled away slowly, and cheers erupted around us. Placing his forehead on my own, he closed his eyes. “Why are you making this so hard?”

“So hard for what?” I cupped his cheek, stroking the slight stubble with my fingers.

“So hard to not like you.”

He grabbed my hand in his and turned, pulling me behind him, leaving me no more time to ask questions when we were suddenly surrounded by people, eager to celebrate our new status and share their own newly mated stories.

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