Page 59 of Stray Cat

He was hard and big, strong. Xav’s muscles worked under her fingers as she grappled with him, his skin smooth.

Lindsay sobbed his name, her mating frenzy spiking. She needed all of him,now, and to never stop. Never, never stop.

“I won’t,” Xav vowed, and Lindsay realized she’d said the words out loud. “Never, Linds. You’ll never be rid of me.”

“Good.” Lindsay clung to him, silencing them both by taking his mouth in a hot kiss.

Xav continued his thrusts, the bathroom echoing with their groans and cries of crazed need. At least, Lindsay felt crazed. Xav closed his eyes while he loved her, then he opened them wide when he hit his climax, his seed scalding.

His smile when he slowed, the water pattering around them, was the most beautiful thing Lindsay had ever seen, and so was the love in his eyes.

* * *

“Tell me about the scent marking,”Xav said.

They lay in his bed, their bodies still damp, even after their quick dry off with the towel. Lindsay’s hair stuck out in golden clumps, which Xav thought was adorable.

They hadn’t been able to keep their hands off each other as they’d made for the bedroom, leaving piles of dropped clothes and wet towels on the bathroom floor. Xav had wanted to touch Lindsay all over, and he did it as he swept her onto the bed, and then lowered himself to her again, fiercely thrusting inside her.

He’d been a long way from spent. He never would be with Lindsay.

After a time, they’d stretched out comfortably together while they caught their breaths. Lindsay had her head on Xav’s shoulder and now looked up at him quizzically.

“Your brother is mated to a Shifter,” she reminded him. “You must have heard of scent marking.”

“Heard the term.” Xav brushed back a lock of her still-damp hair. “Don’t know exactly what it means.”

Lindsay laced her fingers through his, the flush on her cheek revealing her embarrassment. “There’s a scent Shifters can breathe onto each other, very faint, but discernable to Shifters. Eric tried to explain to me once that there’s a gland or something, but I didn’t really understand, or at the time, care. It tells other Shifters to leave you alone.”

Xav squeezed her hand. “You mean I smell? Can’t I wash it off? We used a lot of soap in there.” He grinned at the happy memory of the shower.

“No,” Lindsay’s flush deepened. “It’s not really scent. It’s more like … a sense. Any Shifter walking by you justknows.”

“Knows what?”

Lindsay looked up at him, her eyes holding anguish. “That you’re mine.”

Xav watched her in puzzlement. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No.” Lindsay’s answer was quick. “Unless you think it is. I can remove it. I think.”

“No wonder Neal and Brody stared at me so hard when they came in yesterday. You did this last night?”

“Yes.” She looked away again.

Xav put his finger under Lindsay’s chin and turned her to face him. “I think it’s obvious I don’t mind. Tell me next time, though, okay? So I know what’s going on when Shifters make fun of me about it.”

“There isn’t a next time. It’s on you, for good. Unless I remove it. If I can.” She shrugged. “Ask Eric. He’s like the walking encyclopedia of Shifter information.”

“It has nothing to do with the mate-claim?”

Lindsay again evaded his gaze. “No. Scent marking can lead to one but doesn’t have to.”

Xav studied her a moment, not liking to see her so uneasy, but he had to know about these things. “I talked to Tiger about the mate bond,” he said quietly.

Lindsay stiffened. “Did you?”

You and Lindsay are two halves,Tiger had said.Make them whole.

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