“No. Not for saving my life. Besides, that’s in your canine DNA. Like a St. Bernard.” “A whirlwind of deadly blows,” she reminded him.”

“Gwen hates me,” she reminded him.“Don’t be narcissistic. She hates everyone.”

“Didn’t have much choice. Couldn’t handle the whining.” “She whines?”“Not her, but a teacup poodle.”“Canines have teacup poodle shifters now?”

“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.”

“Her dark brown eyes were staring straight at him. “Pretty teeth.” She had a light Texan accent. Not as hearty as the others he’d been hearing on his ride from California. “Long.”Her right index finger was in his mouth. It suddenly occurred to him that he hadn’t yet retracted his canines. She smiled at him. “You’re pretty too.” Wow, she was REALLY drunk. With a sudden surge of strength, she slammed Zach against the far alley wall. Thenshe was leaning into him, “I’ve never seen anyone as pretty as you.” Zach had been called a lot of things in his lifetime, “pretty” had never been one of them. She growled as she smiled… uh, no… leered at him.She kissed him”

“Why couldn’t she get the man out of her mind? Because he reminded you what that hole between your legs is really for.”

“If you’re worried arresting my sister will come between us — really, that’s not a problem. I’m pretty sure it will bind us tighter together. Besides, we made plans…involving Missy’s desk.”“You know I was only torturing your sister.”“So you were just using me?” He actually sounded wounded. “Like a whore?”“Mace…” She stopped and rubbed her eyes. Of all the places he could be doing this, her precinct should not be one of them.“You’re doing it again.”“Doing what?”“Trying to make me crazy.”The look he gave her was pure predatory male. “I like you crazy.”