I growled. I was really hungry, but biting into a bloody, furry bunny didn’t sound the least bit appealing.
“Right. Let’s not forget where the meat you eat comes from.”
He had a point, but I didn’t want to kill it myself. And bunnies were too cute to eat.
He patted my side. “Come on. I’ll give you some space.” He put a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt on the ground beside me. “Do what I said. Don’t freak out. Don’t pick it apart. Do it.” He walked away to give me privacy.
Fine. I was going to do it.
I closed my eyes and pictured my hands. Five fingers. My arms. My legs. My feet. And suddenly I was me again.
It went so fast, it didn’t even hurt. I patted my body to make sure everything was where it was supposed to be. No more fur. No more paws. Two arms, two legs. No tail. I really was me again. “Thank God.” I relaxed against the ground.
“Are you dressed?”
“No!” No, I wasn’t. “No peeking!”
I pulled on the T-shirt and sweatpants. They were way too big. I was smaller than everyone at the school by at least half a foot. Even the girls. I rolled up the bottoms of the pants and tightened the drawstring.
Before I could do anything, Dastien pressed me against the tree. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I didn’t do it by myself.”
“No. But you did it. And I’m glad you changed.”
“Eh. It wasn’t so bad.”
His answering grin made my legs weak. His dimples appeared, like magic, showing me how happy he was. He leaned in, brushing my lips softly with his before pulling away. “Je t’aime, cherie,” he said before kissing me deeply.
We slid to the ground. I couldn’t take my eyes from him as I tried to catch my breath. I licked my lips and stared at him.
God. He was way too hot. His abs. His long, muscular legs. His arms. Holy shit, his arms.
I was addicted to him. Totally and completely.
It occurred to me that he took great care of me, minus the whole biting thing, but what did I do for him? He balanced me. Brought me back whenever I was losing control. He was fun. He made me laugh and relax. He didn’t take anything too seriously, except for the Cazadores and the pack. And me.
Dastien sat up on his elbows. “What is it?”
I raised an eyebrow in question.
“You blocked me when you changed forms, so I can’t read you. But I can still feel your emotions and you’re full of doubts. What are you thinking?”
“Don’t make me say it. Just let me have a little privacy.” Man, he always wanted to talk about it. I could already tell he wasn’t going to let this one go.
“No way. Not when you’re feeling like that.” He pulled me closer. “That’s why I like the walls down. So you don’t hide things from me.”
My cheeks were on fire. “It’s nothing.” I hopped up, but he snatched my foot and I fell to the ground a few feet from him.
I screeched—a very uncool sound—and tried to stop myself as he dragged me back to him. It was a lost cause, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to win anyhow.
When I was close, he pounced on me, pinning me to the ground. “You sure you don’t want to tell me?”
I nodded.
His eyes flashed amber and he dug his fingers into my side, tickling me. I started convulsing with laughter.
He stopped. “And now?”
“No way. I’m not—”
I was laughing again. Gasping for air. I threw my weight around, trying to get out from under him, but I was fully pinned. There would be no breaking free.
“Now?”
“No way.”
He found the right spot, along my second rib. I don’t know why it was so damned ticklish there, but I couldn’t breathe I was laughing so hard. Tears rolled down my cheeks.
“Uncle. Uncle!” I shouted when I thought I might pee my pants if he didn’t stop.
He sat back on his heels and pulled me to sit. “And?”
It took me a second to catch my breath. “I was just…” Damn it. I wiped my hands down my face, and tried to untangle my hair but it was a lost cause and I had no hair tie.
Crap. This was beyond embarrassing. “I was wondering what our relationship did for you?”
The surprised laugh that came from Dastien made me want to crawl in a deep dark hole. “You what?” He yell-laughed.
I mumbled something incoherent and he laughed harder. It echoed through the woods and he fell on his back.
Screw this. I was being serious and he was laughing at me. “You’re an ass.” I got up and kicked his side.