Bowman put a hand on Ryan’s head. “That’s enough from you, cub. Don’t sass your mother.”

“I’m not sassing. Everyone knows you and Mom are trying to find out if the other is going to run off first chance to find a mate bond with someone else. The whole Shiftertown knows it. I don’t know why you think it’s such a secret.”

Ryan ducked out from under his father’s hand and ran off toward the arena, where Shifters were organizing the pumps on the water truck to hose down the floor.

“Shit,” Bowman said, watching him go.

“You can be kind of obvious,” Kenzie said. “Trying to see if I’ll care if you pay attention to other women. Like you did with Dr. Pat, and Serena in the roadhouse parking lot.”

Bowman jerked his head around to focus on Kenzie, his face, which had been lined with exhaustion, becoming less tired-looking. “I knew you were out there. I wouldn’t have done that if you hadn’t been.”

Kenzie remembered him sliding down his jeans, the parking lot lights outlining every perfect inch of him. “I know. That’s what I mean.”

Bowman somehow was standing closer. “It wasn’t for her. It was for you.”

Kenzie’s heart beat faster, her blood heating until the cold around her faded. “You mean you wanted me to walk across that parking lot and go down on you?”

Bowman’s hint of smile made her burn. “Wouldn’t have minded.”

Kenzie was aware of him with every cell in her body. She pictured herself completing what she’d wanted to do that night, sliding down him until she was on her knees in front of his thighs. She’d look him over, then lean forward and take the length of his cock into her mouth. She knew exactly what he tasted like, and never grew tired of it.

She wanted to do it right now. Here, in the freezing cold, with snow falling and Shifters striding every which way to carry out Bowman’s commands. She wanted to feel the hard ground beneath her knees, his heat warming her skin.

The intense stillness in Bowman’s eyes told her he wanted it too. Their shared look smoldered the air between them.

Each knew the other was imagining every second of Kenzie unbuckling Bowman’s jeans, Bowman’s fingers going slack as he let the waistband drop from them. He’d be backed against one of the cars, his jeans around his ankles, hand in Kenzie’s hair as she knelt.

He’d fill her mouth, the taste of him hot and smooth, the tight skin of his thighs warm under her fingers. The hair curling at his balls would beckon her touch, and Bowman would make a faint sound of pleasure as he rocked into her mouth.

Even now, as they stood face-to-face, Bowman’s hands closed into fists. His eyes softened with his fire, and his mouth lost its hard line.

“Kenz,” he said in a low voice.

Kenzie said nothing. She stood rigid, wanting him, while the snow fell around her, and Shifters swarmed about a little way from them. Her hands ached, and she realized she’d clenched them tightly.

Bowman said her name again, or she thought he did. In the next second, he closed the space between them and brought his mouth down on hers.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

The kiss burned, but Kenzie didn’t pull away. Bowman’s mouth was strong, mastering. His arms went around her, hands hard on her back. Kenzie sought him, scrabbling inside his coat to find his warmth. His sweatshirt stretched over his broad chest, outlining what she wanted to see, to touch.

Her knees went slack, but Bowman’s strength poured into her and kept her on her feet. Thinking about how Serena had seen him bare in the parking lot, even if he’d only wanted to scare the woman, made Kenzie growl even as she kissed him.

My mate. Mine.

She slid her hands behind his neck and dragged him against her. Bowman bit down on her lip, the kiss taking over her mouth.

Kenzie gasped for breath, but Bowman wouldn’t let her breathe. He wouldn’t let her move, or go, or do anything but frantically kiss him back, watery need flowing through every limb, as snow danced around them.

“Goddess,” came the irritated voice of Pierce, the Guardian. “Would you two get a room?”

His voice jolted Kenzie out of her building frenzy. Almost. She remained plastered against Bowman, feeling the hard ridge of his cock against her abdomen even as Bowman turned his head to glare at Pierce, his eyes hot with anger.

When they’d first moved to this Shiftertown, Kenzie and Pierce had gone out together for a while. Before that, neither of them had ever tried a cross-species relationship, and Kenzie knew that most of what they’d shared had been curiosity.

They’d gone their separate ways by mutual agreement not long after, and Kenzie and Pierce had remained friends. This had been a few years before Kenzie and Bowman had mated, but their past relationship always drove Bowman crazy.

“What do you want?” he snapped at Pierce.

“The ritual is done,” Pierce said, giving Bowman a hard stare in return. Guardians were the few Shifters who could look a leader in the eyes without fear. “The creature has already turned to ash.”

“So quickly?” Kenzie didn’t back away from Bowman, but she blinked in surprise. “I thought something that big would burn for a while.”

Pierce shrugged, which moved the Guardian’s sword on his back, its hilt rising above his left shoulder. “It’s a magical being, like Shifters. Ashes to ashes, very fast.”

“Interesting,” Bowman said, his body starting to relax. “Save me a sample of the ash, and bury the rest.”