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trail of my hand.
Vance frowned a bit.  You were injured so direly. The Goddess alone knows
why you didn t die, why you healed so quickly; however, do not seek to fool me. You
are still suffering. I ve seen how sudden movement makes you wince, how you hold
yourself when you think I am not watching.
I sat up, drawing a pissed breath.  But I didn t die and I m tired of you acting
like I did. I m more likely to die from sex withdrawal.
His lips quirked -- he was trying to hold back his laughter, damned sarcastic
wolf.
 Laugh while you can, monkey-boy, I deadpanned from one of my favorite
movies.
He only grinned harder.  You are the monkey descendant, not me.
Okay, I had to give him that one.  You think that s funny? How about this?
Grabbing a handful of chest hair, I tugged sharply, almost yanking it out.
Vance yelped and jerked away from me.  Ouida! That was not nice.
 Yeah, well, watch it with the ape jokes, dude. I sobered, leaning over him and
taking his face in my hands. I gazed into his eyes, trying to connect, to show him how
serious I was about what I was about to say.  I m human, Vance. Humans heal slower,
but we do heal. I was pretty banged up, so I can see why you held off the first week or
so. But I ve been much better for quite some time, and you ve kept me restricted to the
five-finger fiddle this whole time. Vanessa ain t too happy about that, I promise you.
Despite the occasional grimace when I move too fast, I m well capable of fucking your
brains out.
Vance s answer was a skeptical harrumph and a raised eyebrow -- exemplifying
the wise male stoically enduring the nagging of the little woman. I hated when he did
that. Under my breath, knowing he could hear, I mumbled,  I bet Xen wouldn t have
made me wait this long.
Camille Anthony Bunny Tails: Bad Hare Day - 53 -
The darned dog laughed so hard he lost his seating and slipped under the water.
He came up sputtering, still laughing.  The only thing Xen wouldn t have made you
wait for is the beating you re still owed. As for you being so contentious right now, he d
have already found an unbruised spot and applied a second set of red hot stripes to
match the ones due for going out alone after being warned.
Darn it, I hadn t meant to remind him of that. In an attempt to take his mind off
my well-deserved punishment, I stood up, slung a meaty thigh over his and came down
on his lap, facing him.  I did say I was sorry, Vance.
I laid my head on his shoulder, curled my arms behind his head, and played
with the loose hair at his nape. The silky locks ran through my fingers like spun sugar. I
love Vance s hair.
His arms came up and hugged me closer, mashing my pendulous breasts against
his hard chest.  Sorry wouldn t have saved your life if I hadn t headed home early and
heard you scream, then broken the sound barrier getting to you.
I swallowed thickly, remembered fear clogging my throat. My voice was very
small when I acknowledged his accusation.  I know.
Running his hands up and down my back, he massaged my skin, his soft
caresses in jarring counterpoint to his harsh tones.  Sorry would not have saved the life
of our pups, or stopped me from grieving every day for the rest of my life, which would
only have lasted until any children we had were mature enough to survive on their
own. But wait&  he growled.  They would have died with you, so there d have been
nothing to hold me here.
Startled, I pulled away, using stiff arms to keep him from tugging me back.
 Hey! What do you mean by that?
Vance s crystalline blue gaze bore into mine, the naked pain it held almost
tangible before he dropped his lids, sheltering me from stark emotion. In contrast to his
protectiveness, his voice was harder than I d ever heard when he continued.  I would
not live without you in my world. I would go mad and become rogue. Better to will
myself to die and follow after you.
Camille Anthony Bunny Tails: Bad Hare Day - 54 -
Fear and rage tussled in my chest, stealing my air and making my head spin. I
was so angry, furious at his fatalistic words.  Vance! Life is too precious to throw it
away. Baby, I m not going to live as long as you. I m human and more fragile. It just
stands to reason I ll die first, and I m okay with that as long as when I go I know you ll
survive. Promise me you won t even think about suicide when I die. Promise!
 Not until you promise me you will stop the irresponsible behaviors that
culminated in you almost throwing your own life away, along with the lives of our
pups.
His quiet demand cut me to the heart. Shame inundated me, bowed my neck. His
simply spoken truth ripped my self-righteousness away, exposing my guilt. I closed my
eyes, unable to bear the censure in his usually loving gaze. His disappointment in me
had the power to destroy me.
My hands went to my belly, cradling the precious load beneath my palms.
 You re right. I was careless with our babies. That knowledge has flayed me alive ever
since that day. How can you stand me when I can t stand myself?
I only noticed I was crying when he reached up and wiped away my tears. It
didn t do any good. They were quickly replaced with a fresh supply. Shaking his head,
Vance cradled me against him, one big hand smoothing down my back in a calming
caress.  Ouida, Ouida, please do not despair. You still seem to have no idea just how
precious you are to me. How vital a part of my soul you ve become. I do not condemn
you. I thought perhaps if you knew you truly hold my life in your hands, you would
not be so quick to endanger your own.
I heard what he was saying& and what he wasn t. And it finally -- after almost a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]