Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 107670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107670 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 538(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Harley sighed. “Nick’s not gonna go for it.”
“No, he’s not,” agreed the redhead. “We need to be smart in how we go about this.”
“You mean we need to manipulate him,” said Roni.
Shaya cocked her head. “I prefer to think of it as avoiding complications.”
Lightly rocking the chair, Harley said, “Can’t I just go to him and—”
“No,” stated Shaya. “If you’re serious about buying the club, we need to be smart about how we present the matter to Nick. Trust me, I know him well.”
“Have you mentioned it to Jesse yet?” Ally asked Harley.
“Yes. He didn’t react well initially, but he’ll support me as long as he’s responsible for the security. Since that’s not my area of expertise and it gives him peace of mind, I’m okay with that.”
Shaya smiled. “It would be really cool to have a place to go that we know is safe for us. I love our territory, but there are times when I’d like to go have some fun without Nick worrying too much. I’m glad you’re willing to stick around, Harley. I know you haven’t officially claimed Jesse yet, but you’re not holding back—you’re really giving this relationship a try. I like that. He’s a good guy, and I’d really like to see him happy.”
“It really doesn’t bother you that I come with a ton of shit?” Harley asked.
“Even if I didn’t like you—which I do—it wouldn’t.” Shaya was silent for a moment. “You know, I always thought Jesse was bad at relationships. They never lasted long, they often ended badly, and he just didn’t invest anything of himself in them. But when you came here and I saw him with you, I realized it’s not that he’s bad at relationships, it’s just that—to put it simply—those females weren’t you. He knew who he wanted and who could make him happy. And I want Jesse to be happy.”
“I’ll bet he’s happy that you smell of him,” said Roni.
Harley snorted softly. “I’m not surprised I smell of him. He rubs himself all over me every day.” Like a damn cat.
“No, I mean . . . his scent is imbedded in your skin. There’s a difference.”
Ally stood and sniffed Harley. “Roni’s right. And you know what that means.”
Imprinting had begun. Harley was shocked enough about that for it to override any other emotion she might have felt. “I didn’t think it would start unless I returned his claim.” Having been out of the shifter world for so long, she wasn’t as educated about these matters as she should be.
Ally shook her head. “Imprinting is a tricky thing that I don’t think anyone fully understands. It’s a process that, if completed, will result in a mating bond. It seems to work differently for each couple. Sometimes it begins quickly, sometimes it takes years, and sometimes it doesn’t happen at all. I was in a relationship with a guy for quite a while. I cared about him, and he cared for me. But we didn’t imprint on each other. Probably because I didn’t love him.”
“I’m not so sure it’s about love,” said Shaya. “I’ve known couples to begin imprinting on each other when the emotion wasn’t yet present, but maybe love is the kicker. Maybe without it, the couple can’t fully imprint on each other.”
“But that doesn’t account for the couples who love each other yet haven’t fully imprinted,” Roni pointed out. “It could be that a host of things need to be present. Like love, loyalty, respect, acceptance, and trust—the type of things that build and sustain not only relationships but mating bonds.”
“That would make sense,” said Shaya. “The couple needs to have the building blocks as well as the willingness to completely expose themselves to one another before nature will grant them the bond.”
“So what does it mean if I’m wearing his scent but he’s not wearing mine?” Harley asked.
Roni frowned. “If you’re wearing his scent, he’ll be wearing yours. That’s how it works.”
“If that was true, he’d have said something,” said Harley. “I’m surprised he didn’t sense it.”
“Oh, he’ll know you’re wearing each other’s scents and he’ll be damn smug about it,” said Ally. “If he hasn’t mentioned it, it could be because he’s worried how you’ll react. Or maybe he just wants you to sense it for yourself.”
“If it’s the latter, I’ve totally ruined it.” Roni slipped her lollipop back in her mouth as if to shut herself up.
“He should have told me.” Harley rubbed her forehead. “But, then, he also shouldn’t have slung me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and then spanked my ass.” Recalling why he’d done that, she said, “Ah, maybe that’s why he never mentioned it.”
Confused, Ally asked, “You think he was distracted by spanking your ass?”
“No. He asked me if I was happy. To tease him, I pretended to mull it over. He wasn’t upset or anything, he even seemed amused, but he could have read something into it.”