Call Me Miz by Gem Sivad

the charges?”
    After he’d named each one, Miz touched the middle of Milo’s forehead. “You had a nightmare. This is a dream. You’re sick of West Virginia and you’re going to sell your bar and move to South Carolina where the rest of your family lives.” Then she pushed enough heat into his brain to glue the thought there. He slumped to the ground like an empty sack when she dropped her hand.
    Thomas stood watching her when she stepped away and Hank and Jenny came out of the cave. Miz gave Jenny a quick scan. Her one-time friend looked fine. Guess I got all the silver out. Her glance shifted to Hank and then back to Milo where he lay on the ground.
    “Hank, pay Milo enough for the bar so he can start over.” She was through here. “I’m taking your truck back to my place. You can pick it up there after I drop Milo off at the bar.” Miz looked at Thomas. “If you’re riding down with me, come on.”
    She half expected the men to rend Milo into six parts but they didn’t. Hank found the detonator in his pocket and went to deactivate the charges.
    Jenny kicked Milo in the head though, before she picked him up by herself and threw him in the bed of the truck. Miz didn’t criticize. He deserved it.
    Thomas didn’t offer to drive and it was a damned good thing. She’d be happy to let him feel her boot on his chin again.
    He didn’t voice a word but his thought purred over her. Mate.
    And that would be who? she asked for clarification.
    “You,” Thomas said out loud and laid his hand on her thigh.
    Heat coiled in her belly and she didn’t have to be a witch to know that sex was brewing in the air. She could scent her own arousal. “About this mate thing,” she murmured, “is that for real? I mean, you can’t ditch me and I can’t ditch you?”
    Thomas picked up her hand, wrapping it in his. “Yes,” he answered precisely. “I can’t ditch you.” His smile turned wicked. “And you can’t ditch me.”
    The sound of purring filled her mind. She risked a glance away from the road as her hand pulsed, burned and pronounced, Truth .“And just how long does this mate thing last?” she asked.
    “Forever.” Heat from his hand pulsed into hers, surprising her so much she almost lost control of the truck.
    Miz tried to pull her hand from his and he held on.“The Hess women don’t do forever, boyo. Besides which, I have issues with you being a beast half the time.”
    “Not any beast—a jaguar.” The fucking purring got even louder and the picture of the big cat flashed in her mind.
    “Proud kitty, aren’t you?” Miz snorted. She took Thomas’ hand off her thigh. “Stop that noise.”
    He leaned back in his seat, closed his eyes, and the purring stopped. Miz felt almost bereft without the mind and body contact.
    “I don’t do animals,” she said grimly, staring ahead at the road and away from him .
    “Did I not please you when I lapped your cream?” The purring started again and damn if she didn’t get the image in her mind of Thomas between her thighs, licking her clean.
    She almost tipped the truck over when she jammed on the brakes and came to a skidding halt. Hearing the sound of Milo’s body thump against the back of the cab, she winced.
    “Out,” she told Thomas.
    He laughed. The cretin laughed at her. “We can be very persuasive,” he said, opening the door and stepping down.
    Miz reached across, slammed the door, stepped on the gas and left him standing by the side of the road. Before she’d rounded another curve and he was out of sight, she saw Thomas shed his clothes, become a golden-colored beast and take to the trees.
    I’d have to be crazy to even consider the offer. Flying around the curves a hell of a lot faster than any sane person would, Miz sped down the mountain, her journey accompanied by a glimpse of gold leaping from tree to tree.
    The exhilaration of the jaguar’s power rushed over her senses and the image of Thomas, naked and gorgeous, filled her mind. A