Free Primal Call by Susan Sizemore Page A

For a few moments he stood in the doorway, caught by the pleasure of watching her move, enjoying the domestic normalcy of her actions. He appreciated the aromas of cooking bacon and toasting bread, too. He didn’t only hunger for blood. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten while he’d been acting on lust, instinct, and fear for Athena’s safety. Bonding made a Prime crazy in so many ways.
    He waited for her to look at him. He knew she was aware of him watching, but he wanted the contact of her looking him in the eye.
    “Your tea’s done,” she said.
    “I love you,” he said.
    She opened her mouth. Closed it. Looked away. Stiffened her spine and straightened her shoulders—he enjoyed how her breasts shifted beneath the cloth of the robe as she moved.
    Her gaze returned to his. Love and fear warred in her expression. “I—”
    “James Strahan loves you. Don’t argue with me that we barely know each other. Don’t tell me that you’re older than me. Don’t dare do anything but admit that you love me, too. You do love me, yes?”
    “I—”
    “And take into account when you answer that Wild Jimmy Wilde doesn’t exist.”
    “James, I—”
    The kitchen door opened before she could finish. James glared at the middle-aged man who entered. This had to be Ed Caven, the farm manager. James fought down the urge to kill this perfectly innocent person for being in the same room with his as-yet untasted mate.
    “Changed the blown out truck tire, but there’s an SUV blocking the drive,” he said. “Oh,” he said, when he noticed James. “Hello.”
    James managed a stiff nod. He managed to relax the muscles that had stiffened, ready for combat, at the sight of another male near his woman. By the goddess, bonding was no picnic for a Prime of his years, one who’d thought he was over all that hormonal, instinctual horny aggressiveness young vampires were prey to. Bonding certainly made a Prime feel young, which was not necessarily a good thing.
    He knew about Ed. Ed was happily married to Thena’s cousin Carol. He was a nice guy. No threat.
    Ed looked him over carefully, held tilted to one side. “Aren’t you—?”
    “I’m his stunt double,” James cut in hurriedly. “We’re—related. That’s why we look alike. My name’s Jim too. Jim Strahan.”
    Ed crossed his arms, and chuckled. “That’s too bad. I guess you better leave.”
    “What?”
    “Because it’s James Wilde she’s been having a long-distance romance with.”
    “I never said that!” Thena protested.
    “With all the texting, talking, sexting, and Skyping going on, it’s been hard not to notice,” Ed said.
    Thena blushed deeply. The heat of the blood near her skin make James’s fangs throb. He hid a smile at her being so embarrassed at not being as secretive as she’d thought she’d been. Well, she was bonding, too. Bonding wasn’t discreet.
    Ed added, “Don’t worry, me and the missus won’t tell anyone.”
    “Thank you,” James and Thena said together.
    “Nice to meet you, Mr. Wilde, but would you mind moving your car into the garage so that horse trailer can get hauled out of here?”
    James went out with Ed and pulled the rented SUV into an empty slot in the garage. When he came back in he found a plate of food covered by another plate waiting for him on the table, with a pot of tea next to it. He ignored it, because he heard the shower running.
    James grinned and followed the sound to the bathroom off the master bedroom. That’s what we need, he thought at her. Wet, slippery skin, sweet-scented soap, hot water pouring over us as we—
    Shut up and get in here! was Athena’s shouted reply.
    He knew his thoughts made her hot. He also knew she wasn’t quite aware or quite believing they had this connection between them.
    “Time to fix that, my love.”
     
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    Thena barely noticed the pleasant warmth of the water pouring over her. Her eyes were closed, her head full of erotic words and images. Her