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“Of course I am!” I kept my hot face in the snow.

“But is getting her panties off theonlything you’re interested in?”

“No!”

“Right. So keep going slowly. You don’t hurry a relationship you want to last. You’re doing everything right. Besides, how are you going to get naked with her when you still have this touching issue?”

I raised my head with a sigh and looked up at them.

“Ignore Jax when he teases you,” John advised. “He likes to wind you up.”

“It’s so easy.” Jax shrugged. “But for real, dude, I’m amazed that you can stand as much contact with her as you do.”

“It’s different with her. Iwanther hands on me. It helps that she’s small and gentle. And kind. And sweet.”

“Andyou love her.” Jax grinned.

“Yeah,” I admitted with a half smile.

“She loves you, too, you know.”

“I wish.” I threw a handful of snow at him.

“She does.” John agreed.

“Impossible.” I knew my voice was harsh and dark, grimmer than it had been in a long time. “No way she could ever loveme. And this conversation is over.”

“Don’t drive her away by being stupid,” John warned me.

I growled, but he’d already ’ported out.

I lay there, glaring up at the blue sky, until Jax held out a hand. I squinted at my friend - probably my best friend ever - and hesitated. The look on his face was hopeful, like it was every time he tried some form of contact.

“I really am sorry, K-man.”

I rolled my eyes, but reached out and took his hand. Looking like he might have a heart attack, he pulled me to my feet.

9. One Predator to Another

Kerry

The next morning, I stood with my hands in my coat pockets and watched the sky. I had an idea, and the bird circling in slow loops overhead would do nicely.

“Hey, Jax, can you do something for me?”

“Sure.”

“See the bird there?” I pointed. “Can you make it come down?”

Jax looked in the direction I was pointing and whistled.

“That’s a peregrine falcon. You sure?”

“Yeah. ’S just a bird, right?”

“Actually—” Jax began, but Gigi cut him off.

“Oh, no, Kerry, you asked for it. The professor is now going to launch into lecture mode.”

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