You know what shes like, Jesse said passionately. Shell spoil everything. She can get people, can get Dad , to do things they had no intention of doing.
Not your problem, I told her, while Adams face tightened because he agreed with Jesse.
She can get me to do things, too. Jesses face was desperate. I dont want you hurt.
Adams hand came down on my shoulder.
You are responsible for your own actions, I told her. Told both of them. Not hers. Shes not a werewolf, not Alpha. She cant make you do anything unless you let her.
I glanced up at the clock, though I knew what time it was. Now, if youll both excuse me, I need to change clothes and head to church, or Im going to be late. I strode out of the kitchen, then gathered myself together and turned at the doorway. Something tells me that Ive got a lot of praying for patience and charity in my future. I flashed them a grin I didnt much feel, then left.
Church didnt help a lot. I was still unsettled by the events of the morning when my back hit the mat on the floor of the garage. The impact forced the air from my lungs in an inelegant sound
and drove my worries away. I snarled at my attackerwho snarled back with interest.
The snarl didnt make Adams toohandsome features less handsome, but it would probably have scared anyone else. Me? I think I have some kind of subliminal death wish because Adams anger makes me go weak in the knees, and not in a terrified sort of way.
What are you trying to do? Kill mosquitoes? Adam was too mad to be aware of my reaction to his anger. Im a werewolf. Im trying to kill youand you smack me openhanded on my butt?
Even with me on the ground, he stayed in sanchin dachi, a neutralready position that allowed him easy rotation for either strike or block. It also made him look pigeontoed. Not a good look, even for Adam, but his thin tshirt, wet with sweat, did its best to improve the picture.
Its a cute butt, I said.
He rolled his eyes, released the stance, and took a step nearer to me.
As for my hand on your cute butt, I continued, letting my shoulders relax against the mat, I was cleverly trying to distract you.
He frowned at me. Distract me from what? Your awesome, sneaky attack that left you lying on the floor?
I twisted, catching him in front of the ankle with one foot as I put my whole weight behind the shin I slammed into the back of his knee. He started to lose his balance, and I rolled up with an elbow strike that hit the big muscle that ran up the back of his upper leg with charleyhorsecausing force. As he went all the way down to hands and knees, I swung the wrench Id snagged on my original fall and touched him on the back of the head with it.
Exactly, I said, pleased that Id been able to lie well enough with my body language that Id taken him unawares. Hed been fighting a lot longer than I, and he was bigger and stronger. I was very seldom able to best him while we were sparring.
Adam rolled over, rubbing his thigh to relieve the cramp Id given him. He saw the wrench and narrowed his eyes at meand then grinned and relaxed on the wrestling mat that covered half the garage floor. Ive always had the hots for the mean and sneaky women.
I wrinkled my nose at him. Sneaky I knew, but I didnt know you liked mean. Okay, then. No more chocolate chip cookies for you. Ill feed them to the rest of the pack instead.
He sat up without using his hands, not showing off, but because he was just that strong. He wasnt vain enough to realize how it made the muscles in his belly stand out under the meager cover of his shirt, and I wasnt going to tell him.
Not that I had to. His mouth kicked up at the corners, and his chocolate eyes darkened a little as his nostrils flared, taking in the change that desire had made in my scent. He stripped off the shirt and wiped his face on it before tossing it to the side.
I only like a little bit mean, Adam confided in a lowhusky voice that made my heartbeat pick up. Withholding cookies is worldclass mean.
Wed been sparring every day since Id had a fight with a nasty vampire named Frost. Adam decided that since I was going to keep getting into trouble, the only thing he could do was try to ensure I could get myself out of it, too. I was still doing karate with my sensei three times a week, and I could feel the difference all the extra practice was making in my fighting ability. Sparring with Adam meant that I could pay attention to fighting without worrying about hurting someone (werewolves are tough). It meant that I could ignore the need to hide what I was behind humanslow movement. Today, it also meant that I could forget that phone call this morning for a little while.
I leaned forward, putting my forehead against his sweatslicked shoulder. He smelled good: the mint and musk of werewolf, clean sweat, and the blend of scents that was Adam. No. If I were worldclass mean, Id have told Christy to go find someone else to save her.
His arm came around me. I dont love her. I never loved her the way I love you. She needed someone to take care of her, and I like taking care of people. Thats all we had.