Mitch reached out, gripping Sissy’s hand. “Wanna go upstairs and find out what other French things we can do?”

“Later.” Sissy swung her legs off the railing and stood, her hand still gripping Mitch’s. “Come on. Let’s go to Cougar Hill and watch the sun rise.”

“Cougar Hill? You named a hill after a cat?”

“Well, that’s where my great great granddaddy tossed this cougar named ol’ Jed off the side of the hill when he wouldn’t leave Smithtown after they’d run off all the other cats. And my great great granddaddy just laughed and laughed. He thought it was so damn funny that he named the hill…Cougar Hill.”

Mitch let Sissy lead him to this infamous hill, her hand warm and firm in his own. “Aw, Sissy, that ain’t right.”

Chapter 22

Smitty paced back and forth over the white sands of the exclusive tropical island beach he and Jessie Ann were honeymooning on. The whole island belonged only to them for two more weeks.

He’d never been a big scenery guy, but even Smitty had to admit the place was absolutely beautiful. They had a wonderful staff to take care of their every need, including gourmet meals, scuba diving, or simply being left alone.

It was paradise.

And for the last forty-five minutes, Smitty had been pacing the beach of this paradise, his dog, Shit-starter, right beside him until Jessie walked outside. She wore only one of his oversized T-shirts, looking disheveled and well-fucked. Smitty knew he’d never love anyone the way he loved her.

She waited until he stopped pacing before she stood behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. But I can’t shake the feeling all hell’s breaking loose.”

“If that’s what you feel, then you’re probably right. Have you called home?”

“Yup. And they all tell me everything is just fine.” Smitty growled. “They’re all liars.”

“Have you talked to Sissy?”

“No. I was told she went back to Tennessee for a visit, but she won’t answer her phone.”

“So?”

“Sissy doesn’t go home unless it’s a major holiday, and even then, only if I go with her because I’m the only one who can stop her from trying to kill Travis in his sleep.”

“If you’re this worried, we should go back.”

Smitty closed his eyes and gripped the small hands wrapped around his waist. Lord, he loved this woman. His mate. His wife.

“I don’t want to ruin our honeymoon.”

“I know. But this is much more important. What if Sissy’s in grave danger…or…or…somethin’?”

Smitty slowly faced his bride. She peered up at him with that perfectly blank expression onthat beautiful face that told him she was lying to him.

“You’re bored out of your ever-lovin’ mind…aren’t you?”

It took her a good ten seconds, but suddenly, she burst out with, “God, yes!” She held her hands up and clarified, “Sex…amazing. Bored with you? Never. But in between sex…” She threw her hands up. “Bored!”

Now Jessie started pacing. “I have no Pack; I don’t know what those damn kids are up to; who knows what’s happening at my office; and I have no video games to distract me.” To illustrate, she did this weird thing with her hands like she was holding something, and her thumbs moved back and forth. Smitty didn’t get it, but he’d learned a long time ago that when it came to Jessie Ann, it was best to simply accept and move on. “And you won’t even consider playing a little Dungeons & Dragons with me.” She stopped pacing and faced him. “If I were any more bored, Bobby Ray Smith, I’d set myself on fire!”

“You could have said something.”

Now that she’d gotten all that off her chest, Jessie blushed and stared at her bare feet. “I didn’t want to ruin everything. This is the dream honeymoon for most people.”

“People who aren’t part of a Pack. We’re not good on our own, darlin’.”

“How do people not live with a Pack? It’s beyond me.” She was so earnest in that doglike way she had, all Smitty could do was smile.

“They do manage. But we don’t have to.” He walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close. “How about this for an idea? We go home as soon as we can get that boat to pick us up and a flight, make sure everything is straight with our Packs, and straighten out whatever shit any of ’em started. Then you and me check into the most expensive, snobbiest, rudest hotel in New York City and fuck so hard and loud that they’re eventually forced to throw us out. That way we get our dream honeymoon, but we also have our Packs within spittin’ distance. How’s that for a plan, Jessie Ann?”

“I can’t explain it but”—Jess shook her head—“it sounds weirdly…wonderful.”

“It does, doesn’t it?”

He woke her with soft kisses and gently urged her to the shower. When she got out of the bathroom, he’d already made breakfast for her. Waffles and bacon—a shifter’s breakfast of choice, it seemed.

She took the seat he held out for her and waited while he served her. He stared at her longingly all through the meal and then insisted that he would clean up and she should do nothing but rest.

At least, that’s how it happened in Sissy’s fantasy world where she had complete control.