Page 48 of Furry Equations

“And you will.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “But not if you work yourself into exhaustion.”

He was right. He was always thinking about her well-being. She thought about how quickly he’d responded to her, how gentle his hands had been even in the midst of danger. The way he made her feel both protected and capable, never diminishing her strength while offering his own.

The realization hit her like a physical blow: she’d fallen in love with him.

Not just surface-level attraction or chemical reaction, but something deeper, more profound. She loved his protectiveinstincts and his dry humor, his fierce loyalty and hidden softness. She loved how he challenged her while supporting her dreams, how he saw her brilliance as an asset rather than a threat.

The truth of it settled in her chest like a warm weight. She, Natalie Grant, woman of science and logic, had completely, irrevocably fallen for a growly alpha werewolf with a hero complex and devastating smile.

Her life had become a paranormal romance novel, and she couldn’t bring herself to care.

She slid her fingers into his hair, loving how the thick strands felt against her skin. “ I should probably get back to work. Those samples won’t analyze themselves, and-“

“No.” His hands settled on her hips, grip possessive. “You need rest.”

“I need results. The molecular structure of the modified formula shows fascinating properties that could-“

“Natalie.” He stepped between her legs, effectively derailing her train of thought. “The lab can wait.”

“That’s not fair.” She squirmed as his thumbs traced circles on her hipbones. “You can’t just use your... your everything to distract me from science.”

“My everything?” His smile turned predatory. “Please, elaborate.”

“You know exactly what I mean.” But her hands slid to his shoulders of their own accord. “Your whole tall, dark, and demanding routine.”

“Demanding?” He raised an eyebrow. “I prefer authoritative.”

“Bossy.”

“Protective.”

“Overprotective.”

“Concerned for your safety.”

“Control freak.”

“Says the woman who color-codes her lab notes.”

“That’s different,” Natalie spluttered. “That’s organizational efficiency, not-“

Marcus cut off her protest with a kiss that curled her toes. His mouth moved against hers with devastating precision, tongue teasing until she opened for him with a soft moan. One large hand tangled in her hair while the other splayed across her lower back, pulling her closer to the edge of the counter.

Heat pooled low in her belly as he deepened the kiss. She stepped closer. The move aligned their bodies perfectly, drawing a growl from deep in his chest.

“Natalie,” he breathed against her lips. “We should stop.”

“We should definitely not stop.” She nipped at his bottom lip. “In fact, from a purely scientific perspective, we should-“

A sharp knock at the lab door made them both freeze.

“Boss?” Jax’s voice called through the wood. “I’m here and I have those security reports you wanted. Also, your sister’s here. Something about lab results?”

Marcus dropped his forehead to Natalie’s shoulder with a groan. “Your timing is terrible, Jax.”

“It’s a gift.” Jax’s grin came through in his voice. “Should I tell Emily you’re... indisposed?”

“We’ll be right out,” Natalie called, trying to sound professional despite her racing pulse and swollen lips.

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