Page 142 of Beasts of Mine

“That sounds disturbing when you say it like that.” I pointed out to Tavian, giving him a flat look while he laughed under his breath.

“His scent is still in your hair. A little at your gland too.” Tavian explained, leaning close enough to breathe near my shoulder without touching me while citrus and spice mingled with the faint cedar still clinging to my skin.

Heat touched my face before I could stop it. Tavian noticed, but instead of commenting, his attention drifted toward the camera strap hanging across my body. Before I worked out what he was thinking, he caught the loose end between his fingers and dragged the inside of his wrist over the fabric.

I looked down at the strap and then at him.

“Are you scent-marking my equipment?” I asked Tavian slowly, staring at the fabric still resting between his fingers while disbelief fought with the urge to laugh.

“Yes.” Tavian answered without hesitation, releasing the strap and sitting back on his heels.

“My camera strap.” I repeated, lifting the fabric slightly while waiting for him to hear how ridiculous the situation sounded out loud.

“Yes.” Tavian nodded once, his gaze dropping toward his handiwork with visible satisfaction.

“Why?” I asked Tavian, one hand settling at my hip while the other continued holding the evidence.

“You smell mostly like Malek.” Tavian rubbed his thumb across his wrist before looking back at me. “You should smell like me too.”

“That is not an explanation.” I told Tavian, although I was beginning to understand that, in his mind, it probably was.

“It is exactly an explanation.” Tavian replied, settling back against the rock. I lifted the fabric closer to my face. Citrus, warm wood, and spice clung strongly enough that even I could identify them now, richer than the scent that normally lingered around him in human form.

My body liked that considerably more than I wanted to admit.

“You like it.” Tavian’s teasing softened when he noticed me breathing it in, his attention shifting from the strap to my face.

“I did not say that.” I lowered the strap and let it fall against my chest, wishing the warmth in my cheeks would stop giving him additional evidence.

“You smelled it twice.” Tavian pointed toward the bag, clearly delighted with himself.

“I was assessing what you did.” I told Tavian, smoothing the strap flat where he had rubbed his wrist against it.

“There is nothing wrong with it.” Tavian replied with mild offense on behalf of his scent, his brows pulling together.

“You still should have asked before deciding my camera equipment needed to smell like you.” I let the strap settle back against my chest and held Tavian’s gaze, keeping my voice calm enough that he understood I wasn’t teasing about that part.

The humor in Tavian’s face eased. He glanced at the strap, then back at me.

“Okay.” Tavian nodded once, his voice losing its joking edge as he accepted the correction. “Next time I ask.”

“Good.” I watched Tavian for another second before adding, “And that does not mean you should immediately start asking to scent every object I own.”

“I wasn’t going to.” Tavian replied with a face so innocent it became an admission all by itself, his gaze drifting suspiciously toward the rest of my camera bag.

“You absolutely were.” I told Tavian, unable to stop a laugh when his mouth finally gave him away.

His purr started before he could answer. I had heard Malek purr plenty of times now, and Luca’s was quieter, almost soothing enough to disappear into the background if I wasn’t paying attention. Tavian’s was neither. The vibration rolled through his chest with enough force that I could hear it clearly even over the waterfall.

“What?” Tavian asked when he caught me staring, his brows drawing together as the purr continued loudly enough that I could see the fabric over his chest moving slightly with each breath.

“Oh my God.” I pressed one hand over my mouth, already starting to laugh as realization settled in.

“What?” Tavian demanded, looking increasingly concerned while his purr continued to betray him.

“You made fun of Malek.” I pointed toward Tavian’s chest as the vibration somehow became louder. “You are louder than he is.”

“I am not.” Tavian straightened defensively, looking down at himself as though he could personally command the purr to become quieter.