Moon Shifter 02 - Primal Possession

Why would tonight be any different?”
    His words slightly rattled her. “Am I supposed to feel guilty about that?”
    “No. I’m just pointing it out. I’m staying here and if you want me to sleep in your car, I will.”
    “You
are
trying to make me feel guilty.”
    He grunted and she dropped her fork.
    “Enough with the barely monosyllabic answers.”
    Sighing, he placed his utensil down too. “I don’t want to do this tonight.”
    “Do what?”
    “Argue.”
    “And by talking we’ll automatically argue?”
    “I didn’t say that. I’m just pissed.” His words were almost a growl, as if he was trying hard to talk normally.
    “At me?”
    “The whole situation. I’m pissed you went out with that asshole
and
that he attacked you. If you hadn’t reacted the way you did, this night could have ended a lot differently. Most of all, I hate that you won’t let me take care of you. I just want to keep you safe.”
    “I’m letting you take care of me now.”
    Her words earned a ghost of a smile from Liam. “Heating up canned soup and serving you cold pasta doesn’t count.”
    She shrugged and took another bite. Other than her brother she’d never had
anyone
take care of her. Her parents had died when she was eight and she and her brothers had been sent to live with their alcoholic uncle. He hadn’t been physically abusive, just horribly neglectful. So they’d always had to fend for themselves with Parker being her only parental figure. When she was old enough, she’d started taking care of herself. Depending on someonewasn’t something she wanted to get used to. People left, died, or simply changed. Usually for the worse. She had a lot of friends, but she’d always kept them at a certain distance. It made life easier.
    “What are you thinking about?” Liam’s deep voice tore her out of her thoughts.
    Placing her spoon in her empty bowl, she shook her head. “Just how full and sleepy I am. It’s not even that late.”
    “Your body had a shock tonight. You’re lucky you didn’t go into actual shock, but the adrenaline you felt earlier has likely waned and now you’re feeling tired.” He reached out and placed one of his large hands over hers.
    Unlike earlier when her date had touched her, she didn’t cringe or pull away. She liked the feel of him touching her, however slight. He rubbed a callused thumb over the top of her hand. The action was light, soothing, and totally nonerotic. Still, it made her stomach do little flip-flops.
    Almost immediately guilt engulfed her. Her younger brother had died—been killed—because of
her
relationship with a shifter. The pain and weight of it all had nearly killed Parker. If she got involved with another one…She tugged her hand back and cleared her throat. “Let me put these in the dishwasher and I’ll show you where the guest room is.”
    He stared at her for a long moment, as if he could read her mind. Then she remembered he could read emotions.
Crap.
Liam wouldn’t know why she was feeling guilty, but he’d sense it just the same.
    He grabbed her bowls before she could move. “I’ll do it. And I know where the guest room is.” When he spoke, his voice was remote, distant.
    In a weird twist of emotional insanity, she didn’t like him pulling away from her. How messed up was that? It was what she wanted, but when he did it, part of her felt lost. She rubbed a hand over her face as she trudged up the stairs. She needed her freaking head examined.
    Liam resisted the urge to go after December. She needed to rest and he knew he’d already pushed her enough for one day. Why couldn’t females be more like males? She wanted him physically, but for whatever reason she wouldn’t let herself be with him. And he’d sensed
guilt
earlier when he touched her. Wasn’t sure what that was about.
    As he closed the dishwasher, the doorbell rang. With his senses on high alert, he went to answer it. Before he pulled the door open, he was already breathing a sigh of relief. Parker might not like him, but at least December’s brother wasn’t going to try to kill him.
    Parker had a scowl on his face as he strode through the front door. His tan and brown polyester uniform was rumpled and dirty. “Where is she?” he demanded.
    Thanks to his extrasensory abilities, Liam could faintly hear water running upstairs. “She’s in the shower. What the hell happened to you?”
    A small smile played across the sheriff’s face. “A drunk tourist thought it would