Josh abruptly stood, taking my hand in his. "We'll finish this conversation later, Beau. My mate's tired."

"Oh, but I'm not-"

Josh gave me a direct, meaningful look. A rather scorching one.

I shut my mouth.

Beau chuckled. "Just call me when the weekend's over. We'll see about moving your stuff. Both of you go get some sleep. I'm going to go home to my mate. It's been a long day for all of us."

As we left the courthouse, I had the tiniest bit of fear that we'd be ambushed in the parking lot by the angry lynx alpha, that this wasn't just going to blow over.

Josh paused, staring into the parking lot.

My heart stuttered. "What is it?"

He gave me a wry grin. "My car's not here. I forgot that I rode with Ramsey."

"Oh. And I rode with Sara. Looks like we're stranded."

"Nah, wait here." Josh returned a few minutes later with a pair of keys and jangled them at me. "We're taking Beau's Viper. Bath's swinging by to pick him up."

My eyes widened as we approached the sleek sports car. "He's letting us take his Viper?"

He grinned. "I think he's worried that if we linger, Bath is going to want to chat about the new plans for the agency, and he'd rather just take her home and kiss the hell out of her. Like I plan on doing to you."

That sounded awfully good. "Let's get going, then."

As we drove, Josh told me about what he'd learned while being under house arrest with Ramsey.

It seemed that poor Lily was not so poor anymore. The Alliance vampires were horrified at Andre's actions, and the bodyguard we'd tied up had corroborated our story enough that Lily's crime of staking Andre was quickly swept under the rug. As hush money, the vampires had given her half of Andre's fortune in a trust account. The other half had been given to the local reigning vampire lord.

My father's name had never been mentioned in connection with the incident, which relieved me.

"That doesn't fix Lily's problems, though," Josh told me. "She's basically under house arrest until we figure out what to do with her. No one trusts her not to tell her side of the story, and she already ran once. When she's free, she'll be a rich woman. So we need to decide what to do with her until then."

Poor dirty, frightened Lily. "I want to help her. Any way we can. I feel responsible for her."

"The twins are watching her," Josh assured me. "But we'll go visit tomorrow, if you like, and make sure everything is okay."

We drove back to my place in record time and parked the car, then Josh swung me into his arms and carried me up the stairs. I clung to his shoulders as he unlocked the door, pushed inside, kicked it shut behind us, then moved straight for the bedroom.

I chuckled and leaned in to kiss his neck, inhaling his scent. He smelled different now that I was were-cougar. Delicious and rich and full of woodsy notes that tickled my nostrils like perfume. No one smelled as good as Josh. I ran my tongue along the cords of his neck. "You taste as good as you smell."

"You're going to find that a lot of your senses are more sensitive now that you're a were-cougar."

"Mmm, sounds good to me. Is there a downside to this?"

"An intense attraction to fuzzy mice, tuna, and an inability to tell the alpha no."

That didn't sound so bad to me, since Beau was the alpha of our small group. "It's a trade-off, I suppose," I said lightly, running my fingers along the inside of his collar, then nipping at his neck. "I saw my mate mark."

"You like it?" he asked in a husky voice, depositing me on the bed.

I curled my hands into his shirt and dragged him down next to me so I could keep kissing him. "I do. Do female shifters give them to their mates?"

"Sometimes," he said, sliding a hand over my hips and resting it on the curve of my ass. "Did you see Ramsey's neck? It's covered."

I shook my head. The big were-bear wore his blond hair long and shaggy. I'd check for it next time. "I guess Sara likes him a lot."

"You could say that."

I ran my fingers along his neck. "So can I mark you? Lay claim so all those other nasty were-cougars in the area keep their paws off?"

"Well, seeing as how the only were-cougars in this area are either male or related, I don't think that's an issue. But I'm more than happy for you to mark me and declare me all yours."

I crawled over him, fascinated by touching him, the feel of his pulse underneath his skin. The scent of him was intoxicating. I moved in and licked his neck again, testing for just the right spot to mark him, and was rewarded with his groan of pleasure. "Am I going to like being a were-cougar?"

"Once you get the hang of shifting, yes. I'll be at your side every step of the way, guiding you. And then, when you don't need my help, I'll be at your side chasing away any potential admirers."

"I don't want anyone but you," I told him.

"Sweet Marie-Pierre," he said, and grinned at the face I made. "I'm glad you're all mine." He knotted his hand in my hair and tugged my face down for another long, sweet, licking kiss. "And I'm so damn relieved that you're better."

"Me, too." Then I sat upright, glancing around the room. "Oh, shit. My dad. I should call him and tell him everything is okay. He's worried for you."

Josh dragged me back down to his chest. "Call him tomorrow. Tonight, you're all mine."

"Only tonight?" I teased and leaned in to nip at a promising spot on his neck, enjoying his masculine shudder of response.

"We'll start with tonight," he said. "But I'm greedy, Marie-Pierre. I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to settle for less than every minute of the rest of our lives."

"I'm okay with that," I told him and sank my teeth into his neck.

That evening, as we lay in bed, Josh played with a curl of my hair, my chest propped on his. "I love you, Marie-Pierre."

I pinched his side. "You're cruel."

"For telling you that I love you?"

"No, for using that name. Telling me that you love me is just . . . confusing."

He sat up, jostling me from where I was nestled against him. "Confusing? What are you talking about?"

I rolled in the bed, moving away from him and wrapping up in the tangled sheets. "I don't know. I just don't see how you can be in love with me. Unless you fall in love with everyone you sleep with."

"Well, this is flattering," he said dryly. "You're so good with compliments, it's astounding that you're single, Marie. Absolutely astounding."

"I'm serious," I said. "You've dated dozens of women. Gorgeous women. I've seen some of your dates. They're bangin'. And you declare love for a skinny woman with enormous bags under her eyes and sleeping problems? You'll have to excuse me if I have a hard time believing I'm not some kind of charity case."

"Are you kidding me? You're skinny because you were sick. Emphasis on were. And it didn't take away anything from your appearance. I see a strong, determined woman when I look at you. That's beautiful."

"More beautiful than double-D cups?" I asked doubtfully.

Josh laughed. "I can't believe I'm reassuring you about your looks. Your figure is gorgeous. You're gorgeous."

I waved a hand. "It wasn't mainly my looks I was worried about. I want to know why you love me, and not all those other women you've dated."

"It's just you-everything about you. The way you flay me with your tongue in one sentence and then devour me with your eyes the next. It's your grit. Your refusal to give up when things look their bleakest. The way you won't back down from a challenge. I love all of that about you. It makes me want to challenge you even more, just to see how you react." He grinned. "It's why I loved teasing you in the first place."

I leaned in and gently kissed him. "I love you."

He pulled me in close, grinning. "Now say something dirty in French, just for me."

I laughed and did just that.

After a fierce round of lovemaking and a night of blissful sleep, I called my dad the next morning. We made plans to meet him and Posey for breakfast. I'd promised Josh that I'd tell my dad everything, though we were resolved to be careful about anything related to vampires or shifters, since Posey hadn't signed a nondisclosure like Dad had.

The diner was crowded this morning, but as soon as we walked in the door, Carol gave a cry of delight, throwing her arms out to hug Josh. He enveloped her in a bear hug and gave her a smacking kiss. "How's the most beautiful girl in the world doing?"

She batted at him with her notepad. "She's still immune to your bullshit, young man."

Oh, please. If there was anyone who loved his bullshit, it was Carol.

I was surprised when she moved to hug me. "You look well, honey. Those dark circles under your eyes are gone."

"Thanks," I said. "I've been catching up on my sleep."

"Josh, honey," Carol said. "The manager ran out to the bank and I need a box of menus from the top shelf in the back. Could you be a dear and go help the cook get it for me?"

"Of course." He winked at her and sauntered back to the kitchen. "I'll be right back, ladies. Marie, baby, I see your dad over there." He gestured at the far end of the restaurant just before disappearing through the swinging door.

I glanced in that direction. My dad sat in the back booth with Posey, who was wearing enough makeup to make Mary Kay pause, and even though it was seven in the morning, her hair was in a huge, perfect blond bouffant. For some reason, though, she didn't fill me with the annoyed dread that she normally did.

Dad raised a hand, waving me over.

I began to step toward the table when Carol batted me lightly with the notepad in her hand, getting my attention. "I'm glad to see you back, missy."

I smiled. "You are?"

"You had him all tangled up," she said. "Every night he came in, he was stressed out about you. Said he couldn't charm you like he charmed everyone else. I never saw him so flustered over a girl."

Well, wasn't that adorable? I laughed. "Oh, he's just saying that. I'm sure he tells you that about all the girls he brings here."

She shook her head and gave me a sharp-eyed look. "You're the only one he's ever introduced me to, honey. When I saw him come in with you, I thought, he's going to marry this one. He's asked you, hasn't he?"

Jeez, she was sharp. I felt myself blush and resisted the urge to touch the mate mark on my neck. "More or less."

"That's good," she said, patting my hand. "That's very good. You make him happy."

"And he makes me happy," I said softly.

It was true. When he emerged with that box of menus and shot me a cocky, confident grin, my heart melted all over again. I adored the hell out of that overconfident, arrogant, loving, caring guy.

And I planned on spending the rest of my life proving it.

Epilogue.

Wake up, sleepyhead," a voice murmured in my ear, rousing me from the most delicious dream.

I snuggled deeper into the pillows and didn't open my eyes. I mumbled, "Five more minutes."

There was a soft chuckle, then a hand pulled me against a large, hard male body. I felt Josh lean over me, and felt his warm breath on my ear a second before he began to nibble on it. "You naughty minx. You're always sleeping late, aren't you?"

"Mmm," I said, sighing with pleasure at a good night's sleep-and the delicious man teasing my ear. "I love sleeping."

"It's time to wake up," Josh murmured, then kissed my neck. "You know what today is?"

It took a moment for it to register in my sleep-groggy mind, and then I realized. My eyes flew open. "Oh, jeez. My picnic!"

He chuckled. "That's right."

"Oh, heck, I've got to get up," I said, all sleepiness vanishing from my body. Today the were-cougar clan was gathering in my honor. It promised to be a big party, and it wouldn't do if I showed up late. Plus, I'd promised Bathsheba that I'd bring a few dishes to help out with the picnic part of things . . . and I hadn't started. I'd meant to cook last night, but Josh had distracted me with flirty kisses, and before I'd known it, we'd fallen into bed early, though sleep had come hours later.

I tossed the covers aside and rolled away from Josh, intending to get out of bed . . . only to be snared at the waist and dragged back against him, my sleep tank top riding up to expose even more of my skin.

"Where are you going in such a rush, gorgeous?"

"Tte de cochon," I said affectionately. "I need to shower and start cooking."

He kissed my bare shoulder, sending shivers through my body. "You can do that later."

"But-"

He nipped my flesh, then stroked it with his tongue to soothe the ache.