Page 12 of Rumble of the Crumble

“I’m not facing Amell in a pink sweater,” Maximus growled.

I thought they were all crazy, but maybe they were right. Running away would achieve nothing. It was time to face this monster and deal with him once and for all.

I left soon after that revelation. Leonidis walked me out via the kitchen door. I turned to face him as we rounded the house, and we stared awkwardly at each other for a moment. Then I cupped his neck and drew him close to me.

“One good-night kiss.”

His hum of approval was swallowed up as I brushed my mouth over his full lips. I pulled back. “Good night.”

He took a moment to focus on me. “That’s not a kiss,” he protested.

“Why don’t you show me?” I suggested, feeling him gather his courage.

He growled, then pressed his lips to mine in a chaste but fervent kiss. When he pulled back, we were both panting.

“I think we ought to try that again,” I murmured softly, not wanting to break the mood.

“Practice makes perfect,” he agreed.

I cupped his head and captured his mouth, wrapping my free arm around his back so that we were flush together andour erections brushed against each other. Everything narrowed down to this one moment. To this perfect man—lion who was mine.

I ran my tongue against the seam of his mouth, seeking entrance. His lips parted and our tongues danced together, a spicy yet sweet tango of need.

Now that’s a kiss.

I heard him say it, although I wasn’t sure if Leonidis was saying it to himself or to me. Either way, I agreed with him. The kiss went on until my lungs were burning and I had to pull back, then I rested my forehead against his, breathing in the scent of his arousal. It was heady.

“I think I’m ready to go now,” I murmured.

He gazed into my eyes. “I must be mad letting you leave.”

“There’s always tomorrow.” I kissed his mouth one more time, then I pulled away. “Sleep well, my beautiful mate.”

I drove away before I caved and dragged him into bed. Slow and sure would win my lion.

Not too slow.

I grinned at his plea. Our link was wide open now. “Not too slow,” I murmured back, giving him my sweet promise.

Chapter Seven

Leonidis

Once Butch left, I couldn’t face the kitchen full of loved-up couples so I headed to my bedroom. I needed time to decompress after the evening and hide my body’s reaction.

So much had happened in a few hours, I wasn’t sure which way was up. I stripped off, dumped my clothes in the hamper, and shifted into my lion form to resist doing something that everyone in the pride would know about.

I paced around the limited space in my bedroom, restlessness rolling through me. My enormous bed took up most of my room and I had limited space to move. But I was too wired to sleep, and too tired to want to go back to the kitchen.

What I really wanted to do was take my night time run through Valentine. After the first few shrieks, the nocturnal stalks had become used to seeing a lion bound through their streets. But Maximus had lost his mane when he caught me sneaking out and told me if I did it again, he’d clap me to my bed in handcuffs.

Like I couldn’t get out of handcuffs. But worse, he told the rest of the pride.

Bastard!

Have you ever tried to face down a sobbing mini bull? Worse, a sobbingpregnantmini bull? Ricky made me promise, on pain of getting Tartie to shear my mane, that I wouldn’t do anything that stupid to upset his mate. Of course I promised. If I didn’t, Burke would end ten feet up a pole somewhere. His babies were like that.

At the time, I hoped Maximus realized the glare I threw his way meant retribution would happen. From his smug look, I’d known he didn’t care.

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