“You think because I live away from the pack that I don’t have feelings?”
She regarded him for a long moment, eyes narrowed. “On the contrary. I’m starting to think that it’s because you have strong feelings that you live away from the pack.”
He turned away and spooned up more stew.
She sat back down. “Why do you live away from the pack anyway?”
“Most people irritate me.”
“Join the club. Not that you would join a club.” Pause. “So, do I irritate you?”
He set his spoon down and looked up at her. Mac made sure he had eye contact with her before he spoke. “You’re one of the few people whose company I enjoy.”
She blinked, then their gazes caught and held. “Really? I’m surprised you’d say that. After all, I’m a human and we really don’t know each other very well.”
“I’d like to fix that,” he answered.
“The part where I’m human or the other thing?”
His mouth twitched. “I can’t make you a shifter, you have to be born with the DNA, so I guess it’s the other thing.”
“Oh.”
“You sound sur
prised.”
“Well, I am.”
He blew out a frustrated breath. “I live away from the pack because I don’t want to be a part of the politics. I’d be expected to challenge Randall for position of alpha since I’m one of the stronger of the pack wolves, and I don’t want it. I prefer to live here, away from the entanglements of other people.”
“Away from responsibility.”
“Sure, you could say that. I don’t mind being alone. I’m not afraid of myself. Living this way suits me.”
She studied him. “It does suit you.” She took another bite. “So can I ask you a personal question? Since, you know, you’re linking sentences together at the moment.” She smiled a little.
He knew he wasn’t the most verbose man in the world. “Sure. Ask me anything.” He leaned back in his chair.
“Were you born as a human or a wolf?”
It was a common question. Some shifters were born wolf and then turned human when they reached maturity. Most shifters were born human though, and changed for the first time into wolf form when they hit adolescence.
Mac looked at her through half-lowered lashes, a secretive expression on his face. “I was born human. Would it make a difference if I’d been born a wolf?”
“No. I was only curious. I think shifters are fascinating. The ones born in wolf form especially fascinate me. They seem . . . wilder than the others. That’s why I thought, er . . .” Way to put her foot in her mouth.
“So you thought maybe I’d been born wolf?”
“Maybe.”
Mac leaned closer and Lily’s breath caught. “Because I seem wilder than the others?”
“Uhm.” A sneeze tickled her nose and she fought hard to suppress it. His eyes were like molten chocolate and his mouth was . . . lovely. Edible. She could probably sustain herself for days by nibbling on his full lower lip alone.
Was he going to kiss her? Her body tingled at the possibility of it, something in the centre of her warming in anticipation. Yes, she wanted him to kiss her. She’d fantasized about it more than once. She’d fantasized about more than just a kiss, too.
He stared at her for a moment, then eased back into his chair. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”