His panther purred fiercely, determined to submit to her. The pull between them was like magnetism, like gravity. It was as if her blood sang to him, the magic of her scent weaving into his mind and heart until he was bound to her with every fiber of his being.
How does she not feel this? She must feel it. She has to.
Even though Kate writhed against him, pressing her hips against his and opening her mouth to deepen the kiss, Devlin pulled back. The panther’s purr became a growl, and he struggled with the beast within.
“Kate, we’ve been spending so much time together,” he said, trying to sound rational. It was difficult when she was so close, her scent rising around him, confusing all his senses.
“Yes, we have,” she muttered, the slow blink of her big green eyes enchanting him. “I’m having a great time.”
Devlin felt relief wash through him. She felt the same as he did. That made things much easier.
He cupped her cheek gently with one hand so he could look deep into her lovely green gaze.
“I want you to move in with me,” he said, his voice hushed with expectation. He smiled, feeling joy singing through his veins as he waited for her enthusiastic acceptance.
“What?” she muttered, a small line appearing between her brows. “What are you talking about?”
Devlin felt a stab of uncertainty. It trickled through his blood, reaching his heart and making him truly afraid.
“You have a key to my place … you’re here so much. I just thought it would make sense for you to move in.”
Kate sat up, pulling the sheet across her as she put space between them. Every movement sparked new fear in his blood as his stomach began to churn with full-on anxiety.
What the hell did I do wrong?
She was staring at him in disbelief, the frown on her face deepening to a point where she actually looked insulted. Devlin was beginning to feel exactly the same way.
“Devlin, I think you’ve misunderstood what’s going on here.”
“Misunderstood?” he echoed, feeling cold and shocked. The warm peace that he had been basking in just a few moments before had evaporated as if it had never been.
“I’m having a great time with you, but I’ve only let this go on because it’s a casual thing.”
Devlin stared at her as the icy waves of shock kept pouring through him. He could barely speak. “Casual ‘thing?’” he asked, his voice high as he forced it through his closed throat.
“Yes,” Kate said, pulling the sheet even tighter around her. Hiding her body from him was a reflexive action he couldn’t fail to notice. She was pulling away from him completely, putting up barriers that were physical as well as emotional.
Even the way she wrapped her arms around herself made it obvious she was shutting him out.
“But I thought we were making progress,” he snapped, his confusion breaking free from the cold numbness.
“We are,” she said gently. Kate’s expression softened just a little as she took in his response. “Or I should say, we were. I’m having a great time. But rushing things is going to bring it all to a screaming halt.”
Devlin floundered for a moment as emotions piled up inside him. He shook his head, putting his hands on his temples. Rage flowed through him, making his whole body feel hard and dangerous, as if he was responding to a threat.
“Is this a game to you?” he asked, his rejection finding an outlet in his temper. “Are you just toying with me? I never expected to be mated to a human. It’s true I didn’t know what to expect, but I never thought my fated mate could be so cruel.”
They stared at each other, and in the pale, flickering light of the TV, Devlin saw her green eyes go cold as her face fell into a reserved, determined expression.
“Cruel?” she echoed. “How am I being cruel?”
“Because I love you,” he cried, need and desperation making his voice almost roar from his chest. “I think about you every minute of every day. It’s like you’re in my blood, behind my eyes, inside my heart. Every single cell in my body is devoted to you, to loving you, caring for you, and protecting you.”
He paused for a breath, and to his horror, she did not react at all. She just kept staring at him with those icy green eyes that had grown so sharp that her gaze felt like it was cutting his soul.
“That’s not enough for you?” he went on, his voice hoarse as he crumpled before her stare. “It’s everything I have, all that I am. I thought if I gave you everything, you’d let me in. Youhavebeen letting me in. We’ve grown so close. Now you’re just going to shut me out? Reject me?”
“I’m not rejecting you,” Kate said. “I just think we should slow down. I don’t understand this situation, okay? I’m not ready to uproot my whole life for you. I have no idea where this is even going.”