Free Overcome by Annmarie McKenna

he found her crotch and grabbed for his own.
    Yeah, she was outta there. No words of good-bye, no thank you.
    The last thing Anna heard before she slammed her car door was his bellow, “When ya gonna move in?”
    •●•
    Marc tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in agitation. He’d give her five more minutes, and then he was calling Colton. It was already dark, dammit. She should be home. Safe in her bed, wrapped in cotton. Or bubble wrap. Where nothing could harm her. If she were in their bed, even better. Where he could keep an eye on her. Make sure nothing bad happened.
    Jesus, this mate thing was hell.
    “And we’re not even mated yet.”
    Headlights blinded him, and he raised his hand to shield his eyes. Relief hit him hard when he saw Anna’s car turn into her parking space, and he wondered if his feelings for her would always be so intense or if he’d always feel this overwhelming sense of serve and protect. This alien need to make her happy.
    Now they just had to convince her.
    He exited his car at the same time she did and immediately noticed the slump of her head and shoulders. Her body language screamed dejection, and Marc couldn’t help but throw a mental punch into the air. If she hadn’t found a place, there was still hope to get her moved in with them.
    She glanced up at her apartment and then turned to stare at the street light. Her face, bathed in the orangish glow, showed a tinge of sadness mixed with anger, and she was mumbling into the air. He caught the words “gateway to hell” and sighed.
    Depressed he could handle. In spades. He had all the tools he’d need to be the shoulder she could cry on right in the back seat.
    “Anna.”
    Her head whipped around and her hand went to her heart.
    “Jesus.” Her eyes narrowed. “Stalker much?”
    “Hey, Colton got alone time with you yesterday. Today it’s my turn.” He pulled his goodies from the back seat and bumped the door shut with his hip.
    “Am I a competition?”
    “One we are definitely going to win.”
    Her hands went to her hips, but her lips twitched. Marc didn’t hesitate. Moving the cooler to his hip, he leaned in and kissed her softly. Surprise made her mouth open with a gasp, and Marc pressed the advantage, slipping his tongue in and rubbing against hers.
    Damn the cooler needing both his hands. He wanted to take hold of her, devour her, make her understand how much they not only wanted her but required her in their lives.
    Anna responded for long, sweet seconds, reciprocating the kiss, tilting into him, her heart beating faster.
    Right up until a horn honked on the street behind them and a rowdy chorus of pubescent males shouted, “Get a room!”
    Anna jerked back, eyes wide, and then proceeded to glare at him as if he’d committed a mortal sin.
    Marc laughed. “Oops.”
    “Don’t you oops me.” She huffed and spun around to march up the walk to her door.
    “Why are you angry?”
    After stabbing the key in the lock, she wheeled on him. “I’m not angry.”
    “Then why are you shouting?” Teasing her was fun.
    “I’m not shouting.” She cocked her head. “All right, I’m shouting. I’m shouting, I’m shouting, I’m shout—”
    Marc did his best not to laugh. “ Clue ?”
    Her mouth dropped open. “You know Clue ? It’s my all-time favorite movie.”
    “Definitely a good one.”
    Her excitement morphed into suspicion. “Why are you here?”
    “I’ve brought treats. And I told you, I thought maybe we could get to know each other a little bit. Spend some time together. Besides, I was jealous as hell Colton got to eat lunch with you.”
    She showed him her back, opened the door, and entered while muttering something.
    “What’s that?”
    The keys flew from her hand to land on the table next to a giant vase of flowers. Marc smiled. Good. She hadn’t taken them and thrown them out the window, at least. Her arms went across her chest, plumping up an area he really should keep his eyes off of for the