Best Friends (New Species Book 15) Read online

  She felt jealousy rear its head. “Who was she?”

  He turned her sideways on his lap and bent her back a little, leaning over to gaze into her eyes. “Does it bother you thinking that some female has a hold on me that you don’t? Tell me the truth.”

  “You keep telling me you want me to be your mate, but no one wants to be a man’s second choice. I refuse to be compared to another woman and always found lacking. I’ve already had a boyfriend like that once. It made me feel shitty and tore me up. I loved him, but he took off the moment he heard his ex-girlfriend had filed for divorce from the man she’d married instead of him. He flew back to New York to try to get her to date him again.”

  He snarled. “You still love him?”

  “No. All I feel now is anger and a bit of self-loathing, because I knew it couldn’t end well as soon as I realized he was hung up on his ex. I was hopelessly naive and believed I could make him love me more.”

  “Is there a male you love now?”

  “I have bad luck with men. It’s the types I’m attracted to. They aren’t the kind of men who are good for me. Mel is drawn to bad boys. I’m drawn to self-centered pricks.”

  “Explain.”

  “They’re men who are incapable of loving anyone more than they love themselves. It’s all about them and what they can get out of a woman. They move on to the next one as soon as they feel they’ve taken all they want.”

  “You didn’t answer me. Is there a human male you love?”

  “No.” She could say that honestly.

  “Good.” He softened his tone. “There is no magic pussy for me, Mary. I’ve shared sex with a few Species females, but I didn’t want to keep them. I want to keep you.”

  “You don’t even know me.”

  “I’m Species. I don’t question my instincts. I listen to them, and I am getting to know you. My instincts weren’t wrong. You are mine, and I’m glad.”

  “Life isn’t that simple, Lash.”

  “It is in my world.” He lifted his head, gazing around the room. “This is it, Mary. Our home.”

  She followed his gaze. It was a beautiful space with the lights on. It almost felt as though they were outside, only there wasn’t summer heat or sunburns to contend with. The artificial trees gave the huge space a magical garden feel, and she did love that waterfall. The sound of running water had become soothing.

  She spotted the bed hanging up near the far corner. That was the only problem.

  “We could return to the Wild Zone if you don’t like our space, but I prefer it here. I’d worry about the other males sniffing after you, and Valiant stalks me anytime I get within a mile of his home. He fights me even though I’m not aggressive toward him. You couldn’t roam around without me at your side anytime we left my home there. We also tend to the rescued animals the humans didn’t want or have abused. Some have adjusted, but a few might attack you. I’d hate to have to fight with them just for following their instincts, but I wouldn’t allow anything to hurt you.”

  “I appreciate that.”

  He tugged at the towel wrapped around her body. “Take this off.”

  “No. Food, remember? What’s taking so long?”

  “You wanted yours fully cooked. That takes time.”

  “They’re delivering it?”

  “Yes. I used the phone and told them I’m hungry. They bring it to me. You saw me place a call when we left the bathroom.”

  “That’s kind of nice that they deliver. You never have to cook?”

  He shook his head. “They didn’t like it when I went hunting for my own food.”

  She was almost afraid to ask. “Like rabbits or something?”

  “I don’t enjoy killing live things and eating them.” His nose wrinkled. “I went upstairs into their kitchen. The ones who cook got angry because I’d taste things and spit it out if I didn’t like it. They said I made a mess. Now I use the phone and they bring my food. They make sure to remember what I like to keep me from hunting for food on my own again.”

  She pictured him in some kitchen putting his hands in food, tasting it, and how that would drive a kitchen staff crazy. “You’re totally spoiled, aren’t you?”

  He shrugged. “I like what I like. They want to keep me down here and out of their kitchen.”

  A loud knock sounded at the door.

  Lash quickly lifted her off his lap and rose to his feet. “Stay!”

  She clenched her teeth, not appreciating his harsh tone or being treated as if she really were his pet. He strolled over to the door and punched in a code. She wished she could see the numbers, but he’d placed his body in the way of the pad.

  He yanked open the door, and she twisted to the side trying to get a glimpse of whoever waited there. Lash took a big tray from the person, and then slammed the door closed. He came back to her.

  “You didn’t even thank the person? Seriously?”

  He growled and lowered back down to the floor, placing the covered tray between them. “They feed me or I go hunting. Wasn’t I clear about that? They don’t like it when I leave. Why say thank you for doing something everyone wants?”

  “You’re so rude.”

  He lifted the large cover on the tray, placed it aside.

  She had to admit to being a bit impressed. Their plates were platter-size. The soda cans had her arching her eyebrows, but the sight of chicken-fried steak smothered in country gravy with mashed potatoes quickly made her forget the strangeness of being served drinks in cans with restaurant quality food. It smelled delicious, too. She reached for the plate.

  “What are you doing?”

  She froze and looked up at him. “Eating…or trying to.”

  “I wanted that. You can have the fish.”

  She looked at the other plate. There were at least three kinds of fish with rice and mixed vegetables. “I don’t eat fish.”

  “I want that.”

  She slapped his hand when he tried to reach for the food she’d chosen. “Next time, I’ll use the knife to stab you if you try to steal my plate. You’re keeping me here against my will. I get to pick what I eat.”

  He scowled but withdrew his huge hand. “You’re rude.”

  “I’m learning from you.” She lifted the plate off the tray and set it down in front of her. She also grabbed the soda she wanted before he could pick. He growled, but she grinned.

  “Can I have bites?”

  She unwrapped the cloth napkin to get her silverware. “Maybe.”

  “You’re my female. We share everything.”

  She began to cut up the steak and took a bite. Her eyes closed as she chewed. “This is the best chicken-fried steak I’ve ever tasted. The gravy is delicious, and so creamy!”

  Lash growled.

  She opened her eyes and grinned, enjoying giving him a sample of his own treatment. “One bite.” She stabbed a larger piece of meat with her fork and offered it to him.

  He leaned in and opened his mouth. She was amused that he expected her to feed it to him, but decided it wasn’t worth an argument. She gently offered it to him, and he bit it off her fork. He chewed and swallowed.

  “You should give me half of that. You’re small.”

  She gripped the knife and pointed the tip at him. “Eat your fish. You can have whatever I don’t finish. That’s fair.”

  “You’re a mean female.”

  “I think I’m being quite nice. I’m not trying to stab you with this.” She cut another bite and put the knife down. “They really do have the best food at the NSO.”

  “We hire human chefs. They cook for us.”

  “I could get used to this.”

  “Good, since they feed us every day.”

  Lash ate his fish, watching his mate. Mary had already grown less fearful and acted more aggressive. He knew he’d pushed her too far and found it amusing that she gave him attitude back as they ate their meal. He hadn’t been wrong. She was his.

  He slowly reached for the brownie on the tray, makin