His brows slanted in an angry line. “What?”

“Men have sex with me; they don’t sleep with me. There’s always a meeting, trip, or somewhere else they need to be. So they go. I don’t have any high expectations, and I don’t want you to feel guilty about putting on your pants and heading out. You don’t look like the cuddling type, and what would your family think? There’s no reason to give me that look.” I stroked the soft bristles on his chin. “I hope someday you can open up to Austin—or with your mate.”

“What mate?”

When I wriggled free, he gasped and sat up. I casually sauntered toward the short fridge. “The wolf you’ll find someday who makes your little tail wag,” I said with a grin.

Wheeler sat on the edge of the bed, wiping back his damp hair. “Maybe I’m not the mating kind.”

“Beer or water?”

“Beer.”

I pulled a longneck from the shelf and strolled back to the bed, standing in front of him and letting the chilly bottle touch his neck. “Can you open it?”

With a swift motion, he used his molars to bite on the cap, and it rolled to the floor.

“My big strong man,” I purred, playfully gripping the tangle of hair on top of his head.

He sucked down two long gulps and released an audible breath. “That hit the spot.”

I bent down and kissed the tip of his nose. “You can say that again.”

His cold tongue licked my nipple and I squealed.

“Come here.” He handed me the beer bottle and turned me around to sit on his lap.

“Hmm, I didn’t think Mr. Grumpy was the cuddling kind.” I took a baby sip and shivered when the bubbles slid down my throat. “Delish.”

Wheeler chuckled and squinted at me. “I like the way you talk.”

“I seem to recall our conversations going a completely different way.”

“That’s what I’m talking about. Right there. You breathe fire like a dragon, but you’re a classy lady.”

Was he baiting me? That negative Nelly in my head began to doubt his words rang true. Classy? I rested my head on his shoulder, enjoying the feel of his arms around me.

“What’s on your mind?” He yawned as he set the bottle down.

“Misha.”

“She wasn’t in that house. My wolf can smell a cat within a five-mile radius.”

I laughed softly. “Well he must have loved our close encounter. Here, let me get up. I must be crushing your legs.” I bent forward and Wheeler pulled me back down.

“Stay right where you are.”

“You’ll lose circulation.”

He gave a closed-lip smile, playing with a curl of my hair. “That’d be a shame. Trapped in bed with a beautiful woman.”

I stroked his jaw. “You should trim off this stubble. I liked it better when you just had the beard around your mouth.”

“Huh.”

“What?”

“Jericho used to give me shit for that. Said women don’t like it.”