Page 60 of Truthfinder’s Promise

He frowned at her sudden change in tempo. A second later actual concern marred his features and she knew her redirection had worked when he said, carefully, “And exactly how old would you be?”

She laughed—he had the look of a man suddenly afraid he was robbing the cradle. She batted her eyelashes at him dramatically. “Does it matter? I am smart and beautiful, after all. What’s age except a number?”

“Meredith.”

He looked so serious, she burst out laughing. “Relax. I’m twenty-six.”

He blew out a breath. “Good. That’s good. And for the record, I am not very, very old. I’m thirty-four, not on my death bed.”

He didn’t look thirty-four, and the age difference couldn’t have mattered less to her. Except he looked so bothered by it, she couldn’t help but tease him. “Not your death bed, but tragically on the other side of thirty.”

“If you think that’s old, I have bad news for you about how many years typically come after that.” He walked her back until she hit the wall, caging her in with his hands. “And I don’t remember hearing any complaints about my age when I do this.”

He kissed her, his tongue parting her lips and brushing against hers in a long, languorous stroke. She moaned into his mouth, and when his hand slipped under her shirt she arched into him. His fingers paused just beneath her breast and he drew back, looking her in the eye.

“This isn’t just sex.”

In or out, Meredith. “No. It isn’t just sex. But no promises.”

“No promises.”

She steadied her hands on his shoulders and jumped, locking her legs around his waist. His hands slid under her thighs to hold and steady her, and she leaned in to brush her nose against his.

“I guess all that Shifter strength must make up for the old age part.”

He held her up with one arm and used the free one to slap her lightly on the ass. “Watch it, woman.”

She opened her mouth to tell him that she didn’t actually think he was old, when he dove in and kissed her again. She rapidly reversed her decision and decided that maybe she would reserve teasing him about their age difference for special occasions. Because he claimed her mouth like he had something to prove—hot and hungry and thorough—and she was more than willing to keep her mouth shut and let him prove it.