Page 42 of Pawsitive Data

Her smile lit up the room. “You are soooo funny.”

“Seriously,” she continued, “everyone thinks I’m just obsessed with science, that I don’t care about romance or family.But I’ve always wanted both - groundbreaking research and someone to share it with. Someone who understands that my enthusiasm isn’t just about data collection, it’s about the joy of discovery.”

“The way your eyes light up when you’re excited about something,” Lucas murmured, bringing their joined hands to his lips, “makes my panther purr with pride. You face everything with such wonder, such fearless curiosity. How could I not fall for someone who treats supernatural warfare like a fascinating experiment?”

Emma’s pulse jumped at the casual mention of falling for her. “I’ve never been good at relationships,” she confessed. “Too focused on research, too enthusiastic about weird things, too much everything. But with you... even when I’m babbling about supernatural frequencies or trying to document claiming behaviors, you look at me like I’m something precious instead of strange.”

“Because you are precious,” he assured her with heated tenderness that made her crystal flare. “My brilliant, beautiful mate who can shift from serious scientist to passionate woman and back again in heartbeats. Who makes me want to show off my panther’s grace just to see your eyes sparkle with curiosity. Who treats every moment with me like a fascinating discovery worth documenting.”

“Even when I’m trying to measure intimate contact patterns?” she teased, though her voice was suspiciously wobbly.

“Especially then,” he growled playfully, drawing her closer.

Emma’s laugh held equal parts joy and vulnerability. “I do want it all eventually,” she whispered. “The breakthrough discoveries and the lasting love. Family game nights and laboratory adventures. Someone to share both the science and the silence with.”

“We’ll have it,” Lucas promised with quiet certainty that made her heart clench. “After we deal with Malcolm. After we solve the fertility crisis. After I thoroughly distract you from documenting our next kiss...”

Her attempt at a scientific response dissolved into a soft sigh as his lips found hers, the kiss deep and tender and full of promise. For once, Emma didn’t think about readings or experiments or fascinating supernatural frequencies.

She just felt.

His kiss held equal parts heated promise and playful affection. “How about we continue our discussion about fascinating future experiments somewhere less public?”

“Like a bed?” she whispered against his lips, crystal pulsing with deeper emotions than just professional curiosity.

“A bed sounds perfect,” he agreed softly, eyes reflecting all the love she felt glowing in her heart.

“But what about our food?”

His grin was sinful. “I’ll have it delivered later.”

Emma’s answering smile was pure joy as she let him guide her through the restaurant and to the car.

THIRTY-FOUR

Hours later in the safe house, after eating their delivered food, Emma was once again surrounded by her even-better-makeshift lab. She’d sweet-talked Victor into bringing out more equipment.

Lucas snuggled up to her while she did her scientific work, though it was a bit awkward.

Perhaps this was just Lucas’s way of “ensuring optimal security parameters” by keeping her tucked against his side.

“The defensive cuddling suggests overacting protective instincts,” she noted while trying not to melt as he nuzzled her crystal.

“Just maintaining proper mate bond connection,” Lucas assured her with heated tenderness that made her pulse jump. “Unless you’d prefer I stop demonstrating these interesting claiming frequencies?”

“No!” she replied quickly, then blushed as her crystal flared.

His laugh rumbled through her as he drew her closer. “My marvelous mate, trying so hard to be professional while I remind her exactly why those resonance patterns kept her busy earlier.”

“Your purring is causing my sensors to vibrate, which is making the lines on the screen wiggly.”

“Wiggly?” he asked with a chuckle. “Is that your scientific observation?” He nibbled on her earlobe.

She gasped. “What are you doing?”

“Multitasking,” he murmured against her throat. “Protecting my mate while simultaneously conducting very important research into how many times I can make her forget about documentation.”

Emma’s attempt at a scientific response dissolved into a soft sigh as his lips found hers.

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