Heart of Stone (Parts I & II)

II. Chapter 7 | Part 2 - Stone

She stank. There was no way of putting it nicely. 

Stone had managed to ignore Dan's smell in the bedroom the other day, where it was most potent, he could put up with it now.

It pissed him off that it was all over her—as if he had rubbed himself over every inch of her body.

Stone would like to rub his scent all over her. That evoked mental images far more tempting than the little bone he had to pick with Dan, even though it was because of Dan that he was there.

Gwen let it slip that Dan had said something suggestive to Aubree and it sent both Gwen and Stone into a fury. Stone had smashed his fist into a brick wall at the time, but he recovered. The wall, not so much.

He trusted Aubree not to have sexual relations with Dan at this time, but he couldn't help the possessive jealousy from taking over him the moment Gwen's mental barrier slipped and she started screaming in his head.

How could he not come over? He didn't know what he'd do or say to Aubree, but that was beside the point.

And now, Aubree stood before him, peering up at him through lowered lashes and looking absolutely delicious. Even though her scent was tainted by Dan's, he couldn't help the cravings for her touch, her lips, and the feel of her soft skin under his fingertips.

She was going to drive him insane.

"She was wise to get you out of there when she did." His voice was low and rough around the edges. 

He reminded himself to stay back, to maintain control over himself. They were in a public place. There were humans coming and going everywhere. Surely, that was enough to keep himself in check.

Then the blood rushed to her face, turning her cheeks to a delightful pink, and he could feel his grip slipping.

"Are you checking up on me?" she countered. "Because if you think I'll have sex with him, you don't have to worry about it."

There was that cheekiness he missed so much. It wasn't helping him in his cause though. And he didn't want to picture her mating with Dan. He stiffened at the mere thought of it and fought to push the mental image from his mind.

Too proud to admit that he was, indeed, "checking up" on her, he responded to the last part she said. "I'm not worried about it."

Which was only half true.

Of course, she wasn't buying it and raised her eyebrows. "Then why are you here?"

He swallowed, the corners of his lips betraying him as they perked upward. "Can't I come to see you?"

If only it were that simple.

She squirmed a little under the intensity of his gaze. "What if we get caught?"

"He's bound to find out eventually."

He didn't want to pressure her into rushing things. It wasn't as though he had time to spend with her anyway. He was no closer to finding Carina now than he had been a week ago. One of these days, she was bound to slip up, and when she did, they'd catch her for sure. Then, he could relax a little and enjoy his time with Aubree with one less thing to worry about.

Aubree stood there, twisting the hem of her shirt between her fingers. "I don't want him to find out that way."

He hesitated, afraid to ask, but he pushed himself to put it out there. "When will you tell him?"

Her lips fluttered, her gaze still avoiding his, but he couldn't tear his eyes off those plump red cherries. Her heartbeat was rather erratic. Was he making her nervous? Or did the subject of Dan make her nervous?