Out here, in the darkness, alone, Cassidy could drink him in. No shame, no worries. This man was awakening her mating frenzy—awakening all her emotions—for the first time in a long, lonely while.

Diego’s teeth scraped her lips, and Cassidy scooped herself into him, loving it. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him close while his fingers did their dance on the mound of her bu**ocks.

Something bounded out of the darkness, swerved past them, kept running. Wolf, by the scent. Diego broke the kiss as another wolf charged after the first. The two ran through the scrub, noisily disappearing into darkness again.

Diego looked around, breathless. “What the hell was that?”

Cassidy too tried to catch her breath. “Lupines. Those two just mated. They’re in a mating frenzy.”

“Mating frenzy?”

Cassidy kept her arms around Diego’s neck, not wanting him to step away. “The need to mate—constantly. Mating until you fall dead asleep. Then waking up and doing it all over again.”

Diego smiled his hot smile. “Must be something in the air.”

“Must be.”

Diego kissed her again, leisurely this time. He finished by brushing light kisses to her lower lip. “Cass…”

He was going to ask to sleep with her; she saw it in his eyes. He wanted her. Cassidy would say yes, and she’d love it. It would tear her up inside, because Donovan had been her mate, and she’d never forget that. She was confused, and scared, but still she knew she’d say yes.

A shrill peal cutting the air had Cassidy almost lifting off the ground. She gave a nervous laugh as Diego pulled his cell phone from his pocket. He studied the readout and gave it a regretful look.

“Sorry, Cass. I have to take this.”

Cassidy nodded, folding her arms over her stomach as Diego backed away. He touched the corner of her mouth, still looking regretful, then he turned and headed toward the house as he answered the phone.

Cassidy hung back to watch him walk away in measured strides, a man sure of himself. She liked that he never apologized for kissing her, nor tried to joke about it or express any shame about it. He kissed her because he wanted to. And he enjoyed it. If the phone hadn’t rung… Would she have been sorry for going home with him? Or just loved it?

“Damn, girl.” Lindsay materialized out of the darkness. “I saw that luscious kiss. On a scale of one to ten, I’d give you an eleven.”

“That good, was it?” Cassidy asked distractedly.

“That hot. Lip-smacking, I’m-pea-green-with-envy hot.” Lindsay bumped her hip against Cassidy’s. “What are you going to do about it?”

Cassidy’s throat felt tight. “I don’t know yet.”

“You don’t know? I do. You’re going to go for it. Diego has no human mate, he’s gorgeous, and best of all, he has a brother. For me.”

Any other time, Cassidy would laugh at her, but she was too wound up. “Part of me wants to.” She let out her breath. “All right, most of me wants to, especially the relevant parts of me. But I’m not sure it’s a good idea. It’s still too soon.”

“Cass, Cass, Cass.” Lindsay shook her head. “You don’t have to have the mating ceremony with him. You don’t even have to see him again if you don’t want to. But you’re throwing off pheromones so hard, you’re making me itch. I’m starting to have dreams about Shane and Brody. At the same time. Don’t do that to me. I only want to think about pretty Xavier.”

Cassidy unbent enough to grin. “You want me to jump Diego’s bones so you will calm down?”

“Yes. You owe it to me as your best friend.”

“What you’re really saying is that I should get Diego out of my system.”

“Amen, girlfriend.”

Lindsay had a way of putting things in perspective. Cassidy watched Diego standing between her and the house, having stopped to talk hard into his phone.

Getting Diego out of her system was probably a good idea. But remembering that searing, masterful kiss he’d just given her, Cassidy knew it would never be that simple.

Cassidy started back for the house, ignoring Lindsay’s Atta girl behind her.

Diego finished his call, closed his phone, and waited for Cassidy to catch up to him.

“Cass, I’m sorry, I have to go. There’s something I need to take care of.”

Cassidy’s heart beat faster. “Was that Xavier? Did they find Reid?”

“No.” The warmth in Diego’s eyes had gone, and he seemed distant now, closed off. “It’s a different case. I need to go talk to somebody.” He leaned down and brushed a kiss to her lips. “I don’t know how long this will take.”

Meaning he thought he wouldn’t be coming back tonight. Cassidy folded her arms, trying to suppress her disappointment. “I understand.”

Diego cupped her cheek. “See you tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

Diego smiled again, but absently, as though his thoughts were far away. He kissed her lips again, then turned and left her.

She watched Diego walk to the house, pause and say good night to Eric then Nell, who sat on the Wardens’ back porch in an Adirondack chair, and duck inside. As Cassidy reached the porch she heard Diego’s Thunderbird roar to life then rumble away down the street.

Eric gave Cassidy a brief, one-armed hug as Cassidy passed him. She returned the hug then sank down into the chair next to Nell’s. Cassidy’s mouth was still hot from Diego’s kisses, and her entire body throbbed.

“You look unhappy, Cass,” Nell said. “What did the human do? Or, wait, maybe it’s something he didn’t do.”

Cassidy shrugged. “Not his fault. He has a demanding job.”

Nell crossed her strong legs and sipped from her beer bottle. “Don’t hit me with your bullshit, sweetie. You’re upset about it. But you need to remember, he’s not Shifter. Most humans hold themselves back, no matter how much their needs scream at them. That’s why they have so many psychologists.”

“Some Shifters are holding back too,” Cassidy said.

Nell patted her hand with her large one. “I know it’s tough, Cass. I lost a mate myself. I know what you’re going through.”

“I know. Thanks, Nell.”

So much loss. That was why Shifters had agreed to human strictures, so they could recuperate from all the loss of their past. To recover, lick their wounds, strengthen. The humans thought they’d confined Shifters and controlled them with the Collars, but Shifters had learned to find strength in communities. They were rebuilding themselves behind the fences humans had erected for them.