Page 29 of An Uncertain Claim

“Thanks. I give pretty good head.”

A laugh burst from Nathan’s chest and while the volume jarred me a little, the sound of it was rich and sexy, sending a little shiver down my spine. “You do, baby. But I was referring to your wit and intelligence.”

“Oh.” I yawned again. “Thanks.”

My eyes had been drooping, but they fluttered open when he brushed a soft kiss over my lips. Then he pushed off the bed and walked out of my line of sight, so I let my tired eyes close again. A minute later, the bed dipped, and I was suddenly cocooned by a strong, warm body.Hmmm…I could get used to this.

“Peyton?” Nathan’s hot breath bathed my ear when he whispered into it.

“Yeah?”

“Why are you so afraid to have a mate?”

I shrugged and cuddled closer. My brain had long since begun to shut down. But the answer to his question lingered, then it fell from my lips. “It’s my nature.”

“But that’s not the whole reason, is it?”

I wanted to sleep, and he was keeping me awake, so I grumbled when I responded, hoping if I gave him what he wanted, he’d let me fade off to dreamland. “I don’t like anyone in my head. I don’t like the power it gives them over me. Can I sleep now?”

Nathan nuzzled his face into the crook of my neck and placed a kiss on the sensitive skin. “Almost. When was someone in your head, baby?”

Sighing, I opened my eyes and some of the sleepy fog began to dissipate as I realized what he was doing. “No one is in my head, Nathan. Now let me sleep.”

He must have picked up on the clarity and finality in my voice because he settled down and didn’t ask any more questions. He’d slipped an arm under my head and rested his other hand on my hip, but as I drifted off, I felt him move it to cup the roundness of my belly.

Chapter Fifteen

Nathan

Peyton stumbled into the kitchen just as I was removing a quiche from the oven. With mussed hair and a sleepy expression on her face, wearing nothing but one of my T-shirts, she looked sexy as hell. It made me wonder why I’d left the bed before she woke up, but a knock on my door reminded me.

Wait outside for a minute,I told him.

“Tanner is here, baby. Why don’t you go and put some pants on?”

Squinting, Peyton cocked her head to the side and crossed her arms under her breasts. “Since when do shifters give a shit about nudity?”

I frowned and set the baking sheet on the stove, then mirrored her stance. “Since it’s my mate and another man.”

She rolled her eyes and threw her arms up in the air. “Fine, but you’re being weird.” I bit back a chuckle when she stomped out of the room muttering. Peyton was not a morning person and her huffy attitude amused me.

I happened to agree with her though. The feeling of possessiveness that had rushed to the surface at the sight of her in my clothes, along with the jealousy that appeared when I thought of Tanner seeing her mostly naked—when it wasn’t about shifting—were strange. My wolf had also grunted in approval because it strengthened our scent on her, staking our claim on her.

My first instinct had been to chalk it up to being mates. I’d expected to feel some of these emotions to a degree simply because of that connection. However, the force with which they’d hit me earlier had startled me. In addition, I’d known shifters who’d met their true mates and felt nothing for each other besides the physical desire it sparked.

It all circled back to my consideration of what Peyton truly meant to me. I suspected there might be more to our relationship than sex and the baby. But I had no idea how I was supposed to recognize it or what it meant. Or what the fuck to do about it if I figured it out.

Frustrated, I stalked to the front door and punched the code to disarm the newly beefed-up security system before opening the it to allow Tanner to enter.

“You’re early,” I grunted as I returned to the kitchen to dish up the quiche. We had some appointments for pack business, but they weren’t scheduled to start for a few hours yet.

“I want to talk about Peyton.”

My brow knitted and my lips curled down. “Did you find something new in the investigation?” If he had and was just now telling me…

“No. Still hit a wall there. I meant about yesterday.”

“What about yesterday?” Peyton’s voice interrupted our conversation and we both looked toward the source. She’d put on a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved black tunic. My frown deepened and my wolf made his displeasure clearly known. Peyton looked taken aback when she clocked my expression. “What?” she exasperated. “You said cover up and I did. What could possibly be your problem with these clothes?”

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