Bite Me
Page 40
Not from some cat.
Lift your right leg, he ordered, easing the leggings down as she lifted her right leg, then the left.
So what are we doing? she asked.
Crashing here for the night. After what you put me through, Im not in the mood to drive.
Put you through? What are you . . . my mother? She held up her hand. Check that. What are you . . . Toni?
I now understand that poor jackal a little better. You must have put her through hell all these years.
She might have implied that . . . more than once. Livy drummed the fingers of one hand against her knee. Im hungry.
Vic tossed aside the leggings. We can order food. Bears love free delivery. Why hunt when it can be delivered right to your door?
He examined her legs. At least these look pretty good.
Why thank you.
Vic blinked. I mean they look relatively undamaged.
So you dont like my legs?
Frowning, he looked at her. I never said I dont like your legs. Why wouldnt I like your legs?
I see the She-bears around here. They have long legs.
Because most of them are over six feet tall. Some are over seven and play on the WNBA. Of course they have long legs.
Youre very logical, arent you?
Vic had no idea where this conversation was going. Did she have a head injury? Well . . . more than just the obvious ones he could see?
I guess. He shrugged. Being logical is part of what I do.
Livy nodded. Its very sexy.
Vic quickly stood and began to feel around Livys head.
What are you doing? she asked.
Trying to see if you have any skull damage. Did you black out at any point today?
She slapped his hands off her head. No.
Vic stood back. Are you sure?
Yes, Im sure.
Youre not lying to me, are you?
No.
He shrugged. All right. But we should watch for signs of concussion. He looked around until he found the doorway leading to the kitchen. I bet thats where Rita keeps the delivery menus.
Vic turned to walk to the kitchen.
Youve got a nice ass, too.
Vic froze mid-step. Livy
Dont ask me again if I have a concussion. I dont.
He faced her. Then what the fuck are you doing?
Im hungry.
Which was why I was going to get the menus . . .
And a little horny.
Vic took a step back. What?
I cant help it. I think it was the jousting. Beating the crap out of those cats has got me kind of . . . worked up. She gazed at him, then raised an eyebrow.
Vic pointed at himself. And you want me to do something about that?
Well, youre here.
Gee. Thanks. Thats so romantic.
Im not talking romance. In fact . . . Id like to avoid romance as much as possible. My parents had romance . . . that didnt end well for them.
Because your dad passed away?
No.
Vic sighed, rubbed his eyes with his fists. I am unsure where this is going, Livy.
Bedroom?
Vic quickly dropped his hands. Livy.
What? Im young and healthy
And battered!
youre young-ish and healthy
Im only thirty-three, he snapped, insulted.
so why cant we work off some of my untapped energy?
Because you may be operating under some kind of temporary brain damage. Youll hate yourself in the morning . . . and Ill be forced to hate myself for taking advantage of you.
Livy snorted.
What?
I like that you think you can take advantage of me. She stared at him a moment, snorted again. You.
And Im out, Vic snarled before turning away.
Giggling, in a tremendously good mood after going toe-to-toe with those cats, Livy reached out and grabbed Vics arm. Im sorry, she said quickly. Im being a douche.
You are!
And Im sorry. Really. Livy realized that she was making the bear in him panic. Vic, at least while humanshe had yet to see his shifted formwas so very much bear. And grizzlies were easy to startle, quick to enrage, and not at all hard to panic. Livy was managing to do all three without much effort.
Then again, Vic had never seen her after shed worked off her rage. She was probably completely freaking him out right now. And she really needed her friends.
Shed thought about telling Vic what shed found in Allison Whitlans apartment. That shed found her father. But she wasnt ready to talk about it. She wasnt ready to think about it. She definitely wasnt ready to get Vics pity over it. And although he knew something was wrong, he was still giving her space. As much as she liked tucking herself into cabinets and under beds, Livy still needed space when it came to everything else. She hated being crowded.
Lift your right leg, he ordered, easing the leggings down as she lifted her right leg, then the left.
So what are we doing? she asked.
Crashing here for the night. After what you put me through, Im not in the mood to drive.
Put you through? What are you . . . my mother? She held up her hand. Check that. What are you . . . Toni?
I now understand that poor jackal a little better. You must have put her through hell all these years.
She might have implied that . . . more than once. Livy drummed the fingers of one hand against her knee. Im hungry.
Vic tossed aside the leggings. We can order food. Bears love free delivery. Why hunt when it can be delivered right to your door?
He examined her legs. At least these look pretty good.
Why thank you.
Vic blinked. I mean they look relatively undamaged.
So you dont like my legs?
Frowning, he looked at her. I never said I dont like your legs. Why wouldnt I like your legs?
I see the She-bears around here. They have long legs.
Because most of them are over six feet tall. Some are over seven and play on the WNBA. Of course they have long legs.
Youre very logical, arent you?
Vic had no idea where this conversation was going. Did she have a head injury? Well . . . more than just the obvious ones he could see?
I guess. He shrugged. Being logical is part of what I do.
Livy nodded. Its very sexy.
Vic quickly stood and began to feel around Livys head.
What are you doing? she asked.
Trying to see if you have any skull damage. Did you black out at any point today?
She slapped his hands off her head. No.
Vic stood back. Are you sure?
Yes, Im sure.
Youre not lying to me, are you?
No.
He shrugged. All right. But we should watch for signs of concussion. He looked around until he found the doorway leading to the kitchen. I bet thats where Rita keeps the delivery menus.
Vic turned to walk to the kitchen.
Youve got a nice ass, too.
Vic froze mid-step. Livy
Dont ask me again if I have a concussion. I dont.
He faced her. Then what the fuck are you doing?
Im hungry.
Which was why I was going to get the menus . . .
And a little horny.
Vic took a step back. What?
I cant help it. I think it was the jousting. Beating the crap out of those cats has got me kind of . . . worked up. She gazed at him, then raised an eyebrow.
Vic pointed at himself. And you want me to do something about that?
Well, youre here.
Gee. Thanks. Thats so romantic.
Im not talking romance. In fact . . . Id like to avoid romance as much as possible. My parents had romance . . . that didnt end well for them.
Because your dad passed away?
No.
Vic sighed, rubbed his eyes with his fists. I am unsure where this is going, Livy.
Bedroom?
Vic quickly dropped his hands. Livy.
What? Im young and healthy
And battered!
youre young-ish and healthy
Im only thirty-three, he snapped, insulted.
so why cant we work off some of my untapped energy?
Because you may be operating under some kind of temporary brain damage. Youll hate yourself in the morning . . . and Ill be forced to hate myself for taking advantage of you.
Livy snorted.
What?
I like that you think you can take advantage of me. She stared at him a moment, snorted again. You.
And Im out, Vic snarled before turning away.
Giggling, in a tremendously good mood after going toe-to-toe with those cats, Livy reached out and grabbed Vics arm. Im sorry, she said quickly. Im being a douche.
You are!
And Im sorry. Really. Livy realized that she was making the bear in him panic. Vic, at least while humanshe had yet to see his shifted formwas so very much bear. And grizzlies were easy to startle, quick to enrage, and not at all hard to panic. Livy was managing to do all three without much effort.
Then again, Vic had never seen her after shed worked off her rage. She was probably completely freaking him out right now. And she really needed her friends.
Shed thought about telling Vic what shed found in Allison Whitlans apartment. That shed found her father. But she wasnt ready to talk about it. She wasnt ready to think about it. She definitely wasnt ready to get Vics pity over it. And although he knew something was wrong, he was still giving her space. As much as she liked tucking herself into cabinets and under beds, Livy still needed space when it came to everything else. She hated being crowded.
