Free Secrets at Midnight by Nalini Singh Page B

pointed a finger at his brother. “Don’t tell Mercy, Herb.”
    Sage rocked back on his heels, a glint in his eye. “Worried she’ll scare away your girl,
Frenchie
?”
    â€œI don’t think Kirby’s the scaring-away type, are you, little cat?” Proud of the woman who was his own, he cupped her cheek, ran his thumb over her lower lip.
    Coloring, she nonetheless pressed a kiss to his palm. “If I was,” she pointed out, “all your growling would’ve done it already.”
    Bastien saw Sage’s eyes go leopard at that instant and knew his brother had realized exactly what was at stake. Not that he wouldn’t tell Mercy and Grey anyway—but he wouldn’t mention it beyond that tight circle. Not yet, not until Bastien was ready. He and his siblings might rag on one another, but they’d never mess with something so important.
    Leaning close to Kirby, Sage whispered, “Ask him about the infamous kitten defurring episode.”
    â€œRemind me to strangle you later.” Bastien opened the passenger door for Kirby, saw his brother’s smirk turn into a grin when Kirby waved at him after getting into the car, her eyes sparkling.
    â€œFrenchie, huh?” she said, once they were on their way again, the laughter in her tone welcome.
    â€œI really need to strangle him. Surely, my folks wouldn’t notice one less son.”
    Shoulders shaking, Kirby turned in her seat to face him. “You’re close.”
    â€œYep, all four of us are pretty tight-knit.” Every one of his memories of childhood included one or the other of his siblings. “Not that we didn’t fight like feral wolves sometimes,” he told her. “In one notorious incident, Grey, who was only a tiny cub at the time, got mad at Sage and clamped his teeth on the tip of Sage’s tail.”
    Kirby’s smile lit up her whole face. “What happened?”
    Wanting to kiss her breathless, he said, “Stubborn bastard refused to let go, despite Mercy and me trying our hardest.” The memory made his leopard huff with laughter. “When Sage tried to shake him off, he just dug his claws into the earth and growled in the back of his throat. We finally had to admit defeat and call in the Power of Mom.”
    Kirby’s laughter filled the car. “Tell me more.”
    He went to do just that when his phone rang. “Sorry. Probably work.”
    To his relief, Kirby didn’t seem to mind the fact that he had to be in contact with the office for most of the trip, her eyes on the scenery. Still, he didn’t like her so quiet, her fingers twined to strained whiteness around one another.
    â€œWhat music do you like?” he asked between calls.
    â€œCheery, chirpy pop.”
    Wincing, he pulled up a station that delivered exactly that. “You owe me.”
    â€œCome on”—she turned in her seat to face him once more—“it’s not that bad.”
    â€œI’m sorry? I can’t hear you past the sugar blocking my eardrums.”
    She mock punched him and his leopard purred. He wanted to luxuriate in her touch, wanted to demand the most intimate, most private skin privileges, but while he delighted in skin-to-skin contact with her, he wouldn’t push her to consummate their relationship. If he woke to see regret in Kirby’s eyes, it would fucking break him. No, when they took that step, he needed his mate with him all the way, confident and passionate and demanding in her own right.
    â€œIt’s not a long walk from here,” he said some time later, parking in a nominated area within the pack’s forested territory. “We have to be careful of the natural vegetation.”
    Having been twisting her neck to look every which way as they drove in, Kirby stepped out to spin around happily on the spongy carpet created of fallen leaves and pine needles. “I want to explore everything!”
    Her unhidden