“Either Mitch goes with me…or get used to finding your wife hiding in trees.” “That’s just mean.” “I’m a Smith. What did you expect?” “Good point.”

“Understand?”“Sure.”“Good.”“’Cause I always love a challenge.”He’d caught her with that when she was halfway in the cab. With one foot in and the other still braced against the curb, she stared at him. “What challenge?”“You’re challenging me to get you back into my life.”“No, I’m not.”“Your exact words were ‘I challenge you, Bobby Ray Smith, to get me back into your life.’”“I never said that.”“That’s what I heard.” The beauty of wolf hearing. You heard only what you wanted to, made up what was never said but should have been, and the rest meant little or nothing.”

“I’m not talking about them. We told you before, Smith, we wouldn’t play if her”—he pointed at Sissy—“or her”—he pointed at Ronnie—“were playing.” Mitch looked at her. “Uh…Sissy?” Sissy rounded on the coach. “I can’t believe you are still holding that against us. It’s been years!” “He was in traction for three months. A shifter! In traction!” “He was in my way!”

“I never knew she liked country music," Smitty said in awe.Yeah, that must make her prime mate material for a Smith. She'll fit right in at one of your hootenannies."-Mitch to Smitty”

“Your charm makes me want to punch you in the nose.”That made Ricky chuckle. “I’m not trying to piss you off, darlin’. Just trying to get you to give me a chance.” “Why?” she had to ask. “I’m really not that interesting. I’m cute but not stunning. I’m not excessively tall. And sexually, I’m rather vanilla. So then what is it?”Rickey decided to be honest with her. “I like your hair.”She suddenly went tense. “You don’t have to be mean.” “I’m not. I like curls. If we have sex, can I play with them?” “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”

“Smith shrugged and came over to Cella and Crush. Another shifter, a black bear, waited to lead them out, the security cameras conveniently and temporarily turned off.“What did you really do to him?” Cella had to ask her.“Nothin’.”“Smith,” she said, stopping by the bear. “The man shit, pissed, and vomited after spending less than thirty minutes with you. There has to be a reason.”“Got me. All I did was stare at him until he told me something I could use.”The bear looked Smith over. “Did you stare at him with those eyes of yours?”“I have my daddy’s eyes.”“Annnnd, we now have our answer,” Cella announced before they made their way out of the maximum security prison and headed home.”

“Look, I’ve got her, I’m carrying her, and I’m taking her to the hospital. So you can back off and let me do what I’m going to do, or you can get your ass kicked and I’m still going to do what I’m going to do. Your choice.”