Page 48 of Rejected Exile

"I like you a lot, Finn."

He grins. "Me too—I like me a lot."

"But I don't know if I can settle down with you," I tell him, shifting my weight back and forth uneasily. "I mean—it just might not be in the cards for me. Because I don't know if I have a mate. When I was in the Mating Circle at fourteen, they said I didn't have any bonding threads coming out of me at all."

Finn's brows slant together. "So? How would that matter? You're shiftless, after all. You could choose someone just because you wanted them, regardless of what the circle says. Plenty of werewolves don't get one mate, even if theydohave a wolf."

I open my mouth to tell him about the chip, but instead all that comes out is, "You're right."

Thoughts nag at me, though, and in my mind I see Lance's steady face, and Roarke's unexpectedly handsome adult frame. And though I hate it, I also see Kieran's wounded expression and the dark circles beneath his eyes.

So I can't help but add, "I just worry that it'll get complicated. I know you say it won't, but—you're not the only werewolf around here that I'm attracted to."

Both of Finn's brows go up at this. In a quiet tone he murmurs, "Oh, I'd noticed."

My blush starts up again, and this time I know there's no use in trying to hide it. "Oh? You had?"

"I am a werewolf," he points out. "I can smell attraction and arousal pretty easily. Not all werewolves can—some are pretty bad at sorting out the meaning of different scents—but it's one of my specialities."

All I can do is squeak out, "Oh."

Of course that's not all he has to say. "That's one reason why I wanted to take this opportunity while we were alone to show you what I can do to your body. Before any other male gets the chance. So just remember as you're soaping up—there's nothing you can do to erase the scent of me so thoroughly that Lance and Roarke can't smell me on you."

Before I can even process that, the sound of a truck pulling up to the curb hits my ears, and Finn gives me the most wicked grin in history.

"Better hurry and wash up," he tells me, "or you'll be saying hello to yourothertwo crushes with my cum on your chest."

I swear I'm going to catch on fire and burn into a thousand little pieces.

That would be a useless act, though. So instead I burst past Finn, run into the bathroom, and turn the shower on—doing my best to ignore the peal of rich, deep laughter from the other room as he revels in the indelible mark he's left on me.

Sixteen

Delilah

"You've been squirrelly all day." Cat eyes me over the kitchen counter that evening as we unpack a brand-new set of dishes that just arrived, courtesy of another much-needed shopping spree. "Actually, it wasn't all day—just after we got back from lunch. I swear I didn't see you from then until now. What were you up to?"

Scrubbing my skin until it was raw and fresh, for the most part. Once I felt anythingapproachingclean, I kicked Finn out of my bedroom, furiously scraped at the wallpaper, and waited for the kitchen to be empty before I snuck out to grab a sandwich.

Even just the thought of Roarke or Lancesmellingsomething likethaton me was enough to make me shudder.

"I had stuff to do." I avoid Cat's eyes as I hand a white plate over to her for drying. "It's a big house. Guess I just got lost in it."

"Mmm-hmmm." She puts the dry dish away in a cabinet. "So nothing happened between you and Finn, then? Nothing that would account for this squirrelly attitude of yours?"

Only a session of pure pleasure that somehow satisfied me yet left me wanting more. "You're relentless, do you know that? I can't believe you removed the doorknob from my room. You know we had to use a screwdriver to get out? It's like someone made you in a lab to create mischief."

I feel like I sounded convincing as I evaded her question. But as I glance over at Cat, I catch her grinning at me like the... well, the her that caught the canary.

"You did it!" She whoops and fist pumps in the air. "You finally jumped one of those hotties. I have to say, I'm very proud—not sure I would've picked Finn myself, but he's definitely a looker."

"I didn'tjumphim." Not exactly. He was the one who did most of the prowling and jumping. "Yes, you're right, something happened. But! I'm not gossiping about it. And Idefinitelydon't want anyone to know."

Cat takes the next clean dish from me and shoots a speculative look in my direction as she dries it off. "So you don't wantLance or Roarketo know. Still keeping your options open? Wait—" A horrified look crosses her face. "Please tell me you're not still holding out hope for that piece of trash Kieran."

I wince, trying not to think of the other day when I pushed him onto the ground. It felt good at the moment. Most of those good feelings evaporated as I found out more of what he went through while I was gone.

It isn't fair that I still care for him. Something as awful as what he did to me, and the things he's said since I came back to town, should cut off all those feelings I have for him. Unfortunately for me, my emotions don't seem to operate via an on/off switch.

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