“So. What’s on your mind these days?” she said.
“I’ve been wondering. Why did you agree to come here?” Miles asked her. “I mean, I know you literally drew the short straw, but you could have just run away. Gone underground.”
Which was exactly what Jamie Roberts had done. Dakota understood not wanting to go through with a ridiculous death challenge, especially when it was to defend the “honor” of a loser like Shaun. However, sending Dakota up here to die in her place had been low.
Not that she could tell Miles that.
Had she thought that Dakota would just blurt out the truth and admit who she really was, so that Miles didn’t kill her? Or had she just not cared? Had she thought that Miles would kill Dakota without stopping to ask questions?
Odds were that Dakota would never know. Jamie was long gone.
“I just wanted to know what really happened up here with Shaun,” she said finally. “And then there’s the children.”
“Yes. Precious little angels, aren’t they?”
She stared at him. “You are kidding, aren’t you?”
“Of course I’m kidding. They’re a bunch of little brats. Although they seem a little less obnoxious now that they’re with you and your friend.”
She glanced at the naked shifters in the river. They had paired off and were locked in passionate embraces. She felt a stirring of longing deep inside.
She stood up, and Miles followed suit. “Speaking of which, there’s only so much torture I should inflict on her. I’ll go relieve her of duty.”
He gave her a roguish grin. “Well, whenever you’re ready, you know where my cabin is.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“So your way of ensuring that you never find a woman who’d want a real relationship is to insult them?”
He looked taken aback. Clearly he wasn’t used to anyone calling him out on his behavior. “How am I insulting you?”
“By making it clear that you want nothing more than a quick roll in the hay.”
“Well, let’s face it, Jamie, I’m not exactly life-mate material.”
And I’m not Jamie.
She glanced around. “You’ve created order out of chaos here. Well, at least more organized chaos. You’ve provided a safe haven for shifters who have nowhere else to turn. You have the respect of your packmates and shifters of every species. You even show mercy when it’s warranted. You might be a better life mate than you think. And no, I’m not applying for the job.”
“But you’re attracted to me.”
He waited for her to deny it, but she couldn’t. “So? Every woman’s attracted to you, Miles. That’s just biology.”
“Uh…okay.” He looked thoroughly baffled now. “Well then. So, the point I was trying to make, apparently not very well, is that I’m free tonight.”
“And? What exactly is it you want from me?”
He looked a little uncomfortable at that. Good.
“Well, you know…” he said.
“No, I don’t know. Tell me. What exactly are you asking me to do?”
At that, he regained his composure, and his lips curled in a slow, seductive smile. “Shall I start at the beginning and finish with you waking up next to me tomorrow morning?”
“No, Miles, I know how sex works, thank you very much.”
“Not really. You haven’t experienced it with me.” There was a gleam in his eye, and she had no doubt that he was telling the truth – that sex with him would be amazing and mind-blowing. But that wasn’t enough – far from it.