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“Okay. Yellow polka dot.”
“Got it. And shoes?”
“Why are we talking about Steppe cross-dressing?”
“Just answer the question.”
“I don’t know. High heels.”
“Stilettos. Got it.”
He gave her a look that said how crazy he thought she was in that moment.
“I’m not insane. Two things,” she said. “One, I thought about compelling Steppe to cross-dress. Not that it would make it even for what he said about Bailey but it’s a start. And two—”
“You can compel?”
“Yes.”
“You know if Steppe ever found out you did that to him, he’d—”
“I didn’t say I would actually do it. But it’s fun to imagine. Which brings me to reason two.” She gestured to him. “You’re not shaking anymore.” He looked down at his arms. Solid. He looked back at Cambria’s smug expression. “You’re welcome.”
He tried to ignore the way her eyes intrigued him. Something about her made him want to bait her, just to see her get riled up. He wondered how she’d look angry. Fierce. Dangerous … He shook the thought away and replaced it with an image of Steppe in a dress. He smiled. “Thanks for distracting me. I feel … better. I take it you don’t like Steppe?”
She raised a brow at him. “Should I?”
“I don’t know. He’s your leader.”
“You say that like I’m a follower.”
“I have no doubt you’re not that.”
“Really? What am I then?”
She peered up at him through heavy lids and his pulse sped. What the hell was wrong with him? She was messing with him. Harmless flirting. They were talking politics for crying out loud, and he was acting like a sixth grader with a crush.
“Difficult,” he said finally, hoping his expression had, for once, not belied his thoughts.
Blood Bond
Derek & Cambria at the pool hall
Derek
“Eight ball, corner pocket,” Cambria announced.
She leaned over the table, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Derek watched her intently; taking the opportunity to appreciate the mysterious beauty slouched across the pool table across from him. She was snarky, feisty, and quick to anger, but in the short time he’d known her, she’d completely taken over his life.
He’d tried fighting it—for about five seconds. But then she’d said something, did he even remember what it was? Something about compelling Steppe to cross-dress as a means of revenge for what he’d said about Bailey. From that moment, he’d been hooked.
No one in his family had even given him a hard time for it, which surprised him. Cambria was a Hunter. He was a Werewolf. Then again, it wasn’t like he’d had many girlfriends. Maybe they were relieved he’d finally taken the risk.
Cambria’s eyes darted up and caught him staring. It jolted him out of his reverie and he straightened, frowning at being caught. She only grinned and repositioned herself for the shot. She drew back the pool stick and then jammed it forward. The cue ball struck the target and it sank into the pocket like a bullet. Cambria straightened and walked over to him, still smiling.
“You were staring at me,” she said.
He shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. His pulse accelerated at her closeness. Why did she have to affect him like this? A guy couldn’t think …
