Chapter twenty two

Annie scrambled down the muddy path, clutching the towel over her chest to cover the nipples that were poking through her sodden shirt. She was acutely aware of his seething fury as he stalked silently behind her. It rolled off him in waves, it showed in his burning eyes and the grim set of his mouth. What on earth had she unleashed? She'd wanted to tease him, to make him laugh, to make his eyes light up with desire. By no means had she wanted to pro

voke a black rage.

God, she was sick to death of tiptoeing around men black rages, she thought, with a burst of temper. She'd done

more than her share of it in her lifetime. She whirled aroundto tell him so.

"Jacob-"

He gave a short warning shake of his head. The look in his eyes made her turn tail and scurry on ahead of him, her heart in her mouth.

After an eternity of stumbling on her trembling legs, they finally arrived at the campground. The place was deserted.

not another car or tent in sight. Rain streamed off the canopy over the tent. The sealed plastic bags Jacob had brought were beaded with rain. She was soaked to the skin. but too flushed and agitated to feel cold.

Jacob's gleaming hair was plastered to his head. Raindrops slid down over the beautifully sculpted planes of his grim face.

Twilight was deepening. Charcoal gray clouds sat heavily on the hills above them, smothering the horizon in a thick, blurry fog that muffled the sound of the cars passing on the nearby highway. There was no other sound but the

immense sigh and rustle of rain on the billows of fallen leaves.

Annie turned to face him, feeling very small and alone.

Stop glowering at me, Jacob."

"I can't. I'm fucking furious. You're jerkıng me around, Annie."

She shivered, feeling the cold for the first time. "I did it to please you," she whispered. "I'm sorry you didn't like it.

I wanted-" She stopped. A hard knot was forming in her throat, blocking the words.

"You wanted what? he prompted.

"To turn you on," she confessed in a tiny voice.

Instantly he was upon her, one hand pinioning her against his chest, the other twining itself deep into her tangled hair.

"Yeah, well, it worked," he said roughly. In case you were wondering." And his mouth covered hers in a hard, plundering kiss.

Always betore his kisses had been exquisitely gentle, and she had loved  his gentleness; it had set  sensuality free. But the savagery of this kiss unleashed something dangerous and wild.

She loved his fierce intensity , his controversial strength, his tongue plunging into her only inflamed her. She wanted to claw him, bite him, Provoke him. The towel fell to the ground, and she grabbed a thick handful of his hair and kissed him back like a wild thing.

He pulled his mouth away with a suddenness that left

her reeling. "Never play with me like that again, Annie."

She reached for him, dazed and aroused. "Jacob, I".....

His hands clamped paintully onto her shoulders.

Anyone who happened to be up there in that canyon could have seen you with your legs open and your hands on your-self."

She tried to twist out of his iron grip, but it was useless.

"There was no one else! she protested. "It was all for you!"

His hand moved swiftly, and buttons flew as he rippednopen her shirt. "All for me," he muttered, staring at her breasts.

She displayed herself to him, feeling bold and reckless.

"Did you like it, then, Jacob? Is the image burned into your memory?"

"Yeah, sweetheart," he said in a harsh, grating voice.

"when my time comes and my life flashes before my eyes,that scene is going to get extra play time. Does that make you happy? Driving me nuts, messing with my mind, you find that really entertaining?"

"No!" she  yelled, frustrated beyond endurance. "Christ, "Jacob, I'm sorry, already! I'm sorry for everything! Im sorry  for the hot spring, I'm sorry I was rude, I'm sorry I was ungracious when you tried to help me knowing truly well that you're my mate, I'm  sorry six ways from Sunday! OK? Are you satished?

"Not yet." His eyes glittered generously. "A lame-ass apology is not going to cut it.

She jerked her torn blouse together over her breasts. "So Just what would cut it?" she demanded, her voice defiant

He was silent. A gleam of speculation entered his eyes, and his gaze dropped, raking her body hungrily.

She took a step away from him, unnerved by the dark purpose in his eyes. "Oh, no," she whispered. Not like that.

Yes," he said, advancing on her. "Exactly like that »

I don't want to," she said, wrapping her arms defensively around herself. "Not if you're angry."

He regarded her coldly for a long moment, and shrugged carelessly. "Whatever. I'm out of here, Annie. Have a nice

life."

Rain dripped off the end of her nose as she watched him pull the cover off his bike. He flapped it vigorously to get the rain off and folded it with methodical precision, as if

she no longer existed. Determined to gone for good. 

She wrestled with herself out of sheer habit, but she knew from the start that the battle was already lost. She couldn't let him go again. Not now. She would dissolve into

the rain, evaporate into the mist, sink into the dead leaves as if she had never been. She couldn't face the night alone,

no matter how much self-respect it might cost her.

Her hate for mate was wrong, it'snot giving her any joy instead Sorrow, and since her mate found her, he was good to her and take good care of her, even when she treated him bad, and rude to him , he never gave up on her, so.... what really her problem?.

Jacob put on his helmet, and panic clutched at her stomach. She stumbled forward as the engine roared to lite.

"Jacob," she called.

He cocked a questioning eyebrow, revving the engine.

She tried to speak, but her throat was closed. She swallowed hard and tried again. "I'm really sorry," she called, over the sound of the motor.

Jacob cut the motor and waited, silent and impassIve.

She took a deep breath, and slowly spread open her wet

shirt, offering herself to him. "All right," she said in a tiny Voice.