Page 12 of Healing His Darkness
“Hi.” He replies smoothly, like he’s completely unaffected by me, and that kind of pisses me off. If he’s going to make me feel like I’ve had a lobotomy just by looking at me, he should at least be a little ruffled.
He brushes my hair out of my face, gliding his fingers softly against my forehead in the process. His touch has me practically panting; I’m about five seconds from begging him to take me when my dad walks into my room. Rooster’s posture turns deadly as he catapults out of the bed and gets into an attack stance buck-ass naked facing my dad. Between the shock on my dad's face and Rooster’s stance, I lose it.
“Ohmigod, you should see your face Dad!” I’m rolling on the bed laughing so hard I can barely breathe. My dad recovers quickly and starts laughing, meanwhile Rooster looks between the two of us like we’ve both lost our minds.
“Son, put some damn clothes on before you try to take me on.” My dad says as he throws some clothes at Rooster before stalking out of my door. Rooster turns toward me holding the clothes like he can’t believe what just happened. Then his demeanor changes, like he comes to some kind of decision.
“I take it he’s used to you bringing home guys to your bed then?” His terse words should piss me off; instead, I’m pretty sure he’s just jealous. Being as I’m not going to sit here and take his little attitude; I decide to play along.
“Yup, it’s pretty much a revolving door of dick twenty-four seven. So much dick comes in and out of me and this bedroom he’s given up trying to defend my honor. He’s even started selling beer to the ones waiting in line.” Rooster’s lip twitches just a little and I know he’s holding in a laugh. Next thing I know he’s practically tackled me on the bed and is leering down at me.
“That was kind of an asshole thing to ask.” I nod smiling, because I’m pretty sure why he asked that question, but I kind of want him to admit it.
“The real question is why would you care.” I’m curious if I can get him to admit what I feel deep down in my soul to be true, that I’m his mate. It might take a little pushing on my part, but I think I can get him to admit it. He’s smiling down at me in a predatory way, like he wants to eat me.
“What makes you think I care?” Jumping off of me he starts to get dressed, his back to me. His ass is an ass to write songs about, like I could bounce a quarter off that sucker.
“Well, for starters you got kind of snippy there when you asked.” Sitting up on the bed I cross my arms under my breasts, he must like the effect because when he turns around his eyes zero in on my cleavage.
“Snippy? I don’t get snippy. Pissed maybe, but snippy is what women get not men.” Rolling my eyes, I laugh aloud, he’s purposely trying to rile me up.
“You’re kidding right? Men totally get snippy; my brothers get snippy all the time. But you still haven’t answered the question. If you weren’t snippy, but you were pissed then why were you pissed.” Letting out a sigh he runs his hand down his face and starts pacing the floor. His lips are moving but if he’s talking, I can’t hear him.
“Um...I don’t have shifter hearing you’re going to need to speak up if you want me to hear you.” Stopping in his tracks, he looks at me like he’s just now realized I’m still in the room with him. Maybe he got hit in the head harder than I thought last night, maybe he’s got some brain damage.
“Sorry internal conversation with my other half, we were…” He stops talking and rubs his hand over his mouth like he’s not sure what he meant to say.
“You were what? Dad says when his beast talks to him it’s usually in single word orders. My brothers all say it’s the same way. Is it different for leopard shifters? I mean does your animal actually make sentences?” Cocking his head to the side, which reminds me of a dog and definitely not a cat, he looks at quizzically. This time he hand goes to the back of his neck and he rubs it back and forth. I’ve seen my brothers do this before, it usually means they’re slightly embarrassed by what they’re about to say.
“I’m not used to humans knowing about that part of me. Usually when that happens in front of humans, they either think I’m crazy or brush it off as I’m talking to myself. Which I guess I kind of am.” He looks a little sheepish, so I wave my hand in front of me like it’s no big deal.
“I’m not just a human Rooster, I was raised by shifters. When my parents adopted me they told me everything. They never hid what my dad and brothers were. The first couple of years all I seemed to do was ask questions when something new happened. I’m sure my brothers were ready to return me a few times.” Standing up I move closer to him, close enough that I can feel the warmth of his body. I can see the tiny specks of dark blue mixed with the light blue in his eyes and I get lost in their depths again.
“I’m glad they didn’t.” I blink at him, trying to recall what I said before I got lost in his eyes.
“Return you that is, I’m glad they didn’t return you.” His eyes narrow in on my lips, and I can practically feel his lips against mine.
“Oh yeah, and why is that Rooster.” His eyes flash to grey, then back to blue. I know that typically means his animal is close to the surface. With my brothers and dad that usually means they are agitated, angry, or haven’t shifted in a while. Since Rooster just shifted last night, I’m assuming he’s either agitated or angry, but I’m not sure at what.
“You’re playing with fire Georgia.” He growls out, wrapping his arm around my waist and pulling me flush against his body.
“What if it’s you who is playing with fire?” He’s right, I am playing with fire and any moment I might go up in flames if he keeps looking at me like he is.
“Then we’re both going to get burned, but right now I can’t seem to find it in me to care.” Gripping the back of my hair, he moves me so I’m at the perfect angle for him. His eyes smoldering with need, a need I’m more than willing to fulfill.
“Just a taste.” He whispers right before his lips come crashing down on mine. The world fades away as his lips consume mine. This is not a slow seduction; this is a man who is starved and I’m the oasis in the desert to him. When he nips my lip, I let him in, his tongue dancing with mine in perfect harmony. After this, I know he’s going to admit he’s my mate, he has to. There’s no way he can kiss me like this and not feel what I feel.
9
ROOSTER
What was I thinking? I wasn’t thinking that’s the problem, my fucking animal was thinking, at least with his dick. Pulling away from George takes more effort than it should. I have to remind myself that I cannot give her what she needs. She deserves a mate; I can’t be that for her, I can’t be that for any woman ever again.
“Shit, I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.” When I see her face fall, I want to take the words back, but it’s better this way. It’s better for her if I make it clear now, break her heart a little now rather than much more later on.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now? That shouldn’t have happened. You know what Rooster, I don’t think you got your name because you're cocky anymore. I think you got it because you’re as stubborn as Rooster Cogburn was.” Instead of the tears, I’m expecting she starts pushing me out her bedroom door with fire in her eyes.
For some reason I don’t want her angry with me, hell I don’t really want her sad either, but definitely not angry. My animal starts to whine as she pushes me toward the door. Neither of us want to leave her angry.
