It Takes Two to Tango Quotes

“Suddenly Heller turned serious and stepped away from Lawson. He came straight at me—okay, what the hell was he doing?—and I about swallowed my tongue. Heller hugged me like a long-lost brother.
“Thank you for protecting my mate,” he whispered in my ear.
“You’re welcome. You mean the world to him, you know?” I left it at that because, really, what more was there to say?
“Yeah, I do know. Now he needs to know.” Heller stepped back from me, then turned around to face Lawson.
Then he went down on one knee.
Lawson gasped, Remi thrust his fist in the air and yelled, “Yes,” and I rolled my eyes. Of course, that was more for show than anything. I did have a reputation to keep up
“Lawson?” Heller
held his hand out to Lawson, who took it. “You’re my everything, but I’ve told you that. My life would be… would be incomplete without you. You’re my mate—my one and only. What I haven’t done is tell you that… that… I love you, and I don’t know why I haven’t. I think… no, I know I fell in love with you the moment I looked into those beautiful gunmetal-gray eyes of yours at your shop.”
“Jesus, Heller,” Lawson gasped.
Heller pulled a small box out of his front pocket. “Shifters don’t marry… not like humans. Sometimes we have to shift with next to no warning, so we don’t wear jewelry.”
“But… you don’t shift, and being part human, I guessed marriage means a lot to you. It does, right?”
Lawson wiped his eyes. “Oh God, yes, it does. Especially since now gays can marry.”
“Will… will you wear my ring? Will you… will you wear it so the whole world can see that you’re taken?”
“Fuck.” Lawson dropped to his knees and threw his arms around Heller, sobbing into his neck. “Dammit, hellcat! I love you. I love you so much.” Lawson pulled back to look at Heller. “Yes, yes, I will wear your ring. Oh my God, you’re unbelievable! Put it on me!”
Remi eased his arm around me and rested his head on my shoulder. “Beautiful, isn’t it?”
I turned my head and kissed his hair. “They worked hard for this.”
“Yes, they did. How many times do you think he rehearsed this speech?”
“At least ten.”
After a passionate kiss I thought I might have to break up before they set the rug on fire, the four of us munched on goodies, drank a couple of beers, and spent what was left of the evening watching movies. Things were going exceptionally well.
I couldn’t help but wonder when the other shoe would drop”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“I’ve made my decision.”
Remi flinched, but I didn’t.
Dolf stuck out his hand. “Welcome, Marshell.”
I knew before he opened his mouth—I saw the acceptance in his eyes. I didn’t often see that on the faces of other paranormals, so when I saw it, I knew it.
“Oh, thank the goddess.” Remi dropped his head on the table.
As we shook hands, Dolf looked down at Remi, who was very calmly beating his head against the table. “Stop being so damn dramatic. That’s Heller’s job.”
Remi jerked his head off the table. “You did not just call me a diva.”
“So does this mean I can start calling you Cinderfella?”
Remi scowled at me. “You do, and I will kick your ass.”
“I’ll pencil you in.”
“Ass,” Remi retorted.
“I didn’t hear any complaints about that particular part of my anatomy from you earlier.” Oh yeah, I was smirking.
Dolf tapped on the table. “Children….”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Well, there’s a point now. You’re my mate, and as such, we should be living together. I have a house—a big, lovely house I’ve spent years restoring. I… I love my house, and I don’t want to leave it. There’s plenty of room too.”
Remi shut the suitcase with a snap. “What exactly are you asking me, Remi?”
“Well, it sounds to me like I’m asking you to move in with me.” Okay, wow. I cringed. That sucked. On the romance scale, that was probably a negative one.
“Let me see if I have this right.” Marshell advanced on me. “You’re asking me if I want to leave this dumpy little home I rent? This place which has next to no furniture in it.”
“Um….” I backed up until my ass hit the dresser.
“You want me to leave all this so I can move into that beautiful, grand old home of yours? You’re asking me if I want to spend my days, and more importantly, my nights with you? You’re asking me”—Marshell waved at the urine-soaked bedding and the little dinky room—“to leave all this?”
“Um… yeah?”
“Thank fuck.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Going to come…. I need…. You need to….”
“Come for me, you hot fucker!” Marshell ordered.
He dropped down over me and sealed his mouth over mine in a scorching kiss, then jerked back. I tilted my head a little to the left, and he struck. Sharp pain exploded as he sunk his fangs into me, and then it faded.
Pleasure quickly overrode everything else. I felt him suck, heard him swallow, and then he growled as he came inside me. I lost control and came too, shooting all over my stomach. Finally he stopped taking my blood and withdrew his fangs.
He danced his tongue over my skin, and I assumed he was closing the holes. Panting, he leaned back so we could make eye contact. His braids covered both of our faces, and we stared at each other until he finally softened and slipped out.
“Wow,” I whispered.
“Please tell me that’s a good wow,” Marshell said.
I lifted my hand and traced his jaw. “Absolutely. It was as good as good can get, and yes, we will definitely be doing this again. Thank you for making it special.”
The relief on his face touched me.
“Always.”
With a sigh, he eased down next to me and pulled me against his body. He wrapped his arm around me. I lay there, enjoying the moment. We’d mated. He was mine, and I was his—no matter what the future held”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Remi’s lips parted as he panted. His eyes darkened. “Yes. I want you.”
“Then what else is there? Mate me.”
“Oh goddess. Yes!” Remi shuddered. “I… I’m going to bite you and take your blood. Then I’m going to make love to you—going to claim you. Take what’s mine. Then… then you’re going to do the same… exact… thing to me.”
Holy. Fuck. Emotions flooded me, but I couldn’t seem to grasp any one thing. Desire, anxiety, confusion, need. They were all there. I wanted him. I wanted him desperately, but all this talk about making love… I had never made love.
Oh, I fucked. A lot, actually. I couldn’t count the men and women who’d been in my bed. None of them I made love to, though. I damn sure hadn’t given my ass to any one of them either. Remi would be my first. “Can’t wait. Remi, I’ve never….”
“I know. You’ve never… and my first experience was less than pleasant. What a pair we make.” Remi kissed my cockhead. “But I will do everything I can to make sure you like it.”
My partners always came—I made sure of it and prided myself on my skills. I often took over and, well… controlled the whole thing. But for once I was going to lie back and let someone else do the work. No, not someone else. Remi. I was giving him control. Remi explored as much as he wanted, and I didn’t try to take over. He purred softly as he nosed my cock. I clenched the bedding. Oh God, please just….
He licked the tip, and my eyes rolled. I liked getting my cock sucked as well as the next dude, but this…. I had never been so desperate to have a mouth on me.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Want something?”
“Yeah, your mouth on my dick.”
Remi’s eyes darkened.
“I also want your cock up my ass.”
Lust and shock slid across Remi’s face. “You… you…. Are you saying you want to mate?”
Fuck yes, I was. We’d talked, and I knew what we faced. Didn’t matter. I wanted him. All that other shit was unimportant. He was all that mattered. “Yes.”
Remi’s eyes widened. “We don’t have…. We can suck each other off. I can…. We can—”
“Am I your mate?” I demanded.
Remi blinked. “Hell yes.”
I noticed he hadn’t let go of my cock. “Do you want me?”
Remi gulped and nodded frantically. His hair whipped around his face. “More than my next breath.”
“You’ve explained how we mate, correct?”
“Yes.”
“Then as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason to wait. Yes, we have a bunch of issues to deal with, but you want me, and I want you. Is that right”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Holy shit.”
“Yeah. If sex with you is that good, it may kill me,” I laughed.
Remi jerked back, a scowl on his face, and then punched me. Well, shit, he certainly hadn’t pulled the hit, but I guess I deserved it. Fuck, what was I thinking? I knew immediately that was the wrong choice of words.
“Not funny. Seriously not funny.”
“Sorry. That was really…. Yeah. My bad.” I kissed his forehead.
“Say something like that again and you won’t have to worry about the sex killing you.” Remi took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. “I will.”
“Point taken”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“WELL, THAT went well. Not.
Remi all but ran out of here. Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed, but damn it to the pit and back, the scent of his desire was driving me mad. He wanted me. I wanted him. Neither of us wanted to bottom, so how the hell was that going to work?
Okay, to be fair, I’d never tried it. It’s just… the whole dynamics of bottoming made me uncomfortable. Allowing a man to top me meant I’d have to give up control, and that was hard for me. Especially for me.
I knew being a bottom didn’t necessarily mean a man was submissive, either in the bedroom or in everyday life. It didn’t make him less of a man. Likewise, being a top didn’t mean a man was inclined to be dominant in his interactions with others.
It didn’t make him more of a man. I got that. I really did… but. But I knew myself well enough to know I couldn’t just let anyone into my
body. It wasn’t all about the fear of being penetrated, but that was some of it. It’s why I took time to open my partner up. To get him riled up and desperate.
What was the point of sex if it didn’t feel good? Then, of course, there were the usual perceptions: big, muscular black man… of course he’d only top. Of course he had to be hung like a horse too. I hated it when guys talked about me as if I were nothing more than a big black cock.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“My clothes aren’t going to get dried until you wash them. Which involves putting them in the washer, and that involves picking them off the floor.” Marshell wiggled his eyebrows at me, then turned and stepped into the shower.
I did drool when I got a look at his ass. “Oh my….” Did I mention I was an ass man?
“Remi?”
“Uh-huh?” My vocabulary had taken a hike, it appeared.
“I can smell your desire. If you’re still here by the count of five, I’m getting out and coming after you. One of us is going to get fucked in this awesome shower of yours, so….” Marshell said from the shower. “One.”
The sound I made was a cross between a squeak and a growl, thanks to acres and acres of wet, glistening skin. I wanted to run my tongue over every square—
“Two….
“Three….”
I grabbed his jeans and ran. The softly whispered word “chicken” followed me out of there. I was halfway to the laundry room before I could take a deep breath. Then it hit me what I’d done. I ran out on him. Honestly calling me a chicken was too kind. I was a coward. The only reason I ran was because I was afraid to bottom.
I was a top. I always topped. I threw his clothes in the washer, tossed in one of those little pods, and turned it on. Then banged my head against it. What was I doing? Why was I standing here and not in the shower with him?
Yes, I topped because I was afraid to do anything else. My one and only experience with bottoming was an unmitigated disaster. A painful, excruciating, unbearable disaster, and I hadn’t repeated the experience since.
“I’m an idiot.”
What happened was a long time ago. A really, really long time ago, and I let it shape me. Not only shape me, but run my life. I knew that, but it didn’t really seem to matter. The males I hooked up with were bottoms.
They wanted me to top, so it was never an issue. Now things had changed. Marshell was my mate. I knew perfectly well he’d take care not to hurt me. How did I know? Because when I got a chance at that ass of his—and I certainly planned to—I’d take care not to hurt him either. All I had to do was… trust him.
Trust him. But I really didn’t know him. Then
again, I nearly lost him too. My goddess wouldn’t match me with someone I couldn’t love. Maybe I needed to trust her. Maybe… maybe I needed to trust myself. Something deep inside me said Marshell was a good man.
I hurried out of the laundry and back to the bathroom.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Shit.”
Remi leaned back and stared at me. “There you are.”
I remembered it all, and I was horrified. This was not how I wanted our first time to be. “Remi. I… I…. Are you okay?”
“I’m perfectly fine. You were very careful and gentle with me.” Remi brushed a few of my braids back. “Besides, I’m not the one who was stabbed in the chest. Are you okay now?”
“Better. I’m better, but not okay. I need human blood.”
“I’m glad you’re—” Remi gulped, shivered, and then the tears started.
He wrapped his trembling arms around me. He didn’t yell or scream, but his body shook violently as he silently cried. Such control. It pained me, him hurting. Even a silver knife to the chest didn’t hurt this bad.
I wanted to do something, make it better somehow. I ran my hands up and down his back, wishing he hadn’t seen this. No one should have to deal with what he had to, and so soon in our relationship too.
“Hey. Hey, now. I’m okay. Seriously I’m going to be fine.”
Remi burrowed closer. “I thought… I thought…. I was terrified I’d lost you. I’d just found you and, and….” Remi grasped my shirt. “I thought you were dead, and… and…. Gods! I’m so glad you’re not.”
I laughed slightly as I held him. The torrent of tears didn’t last long. “I’m glad I’m not dead too.”
Remi sniffled and wiped his nose on the back of his hand. “Jeez, I sound unhinged.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“When I fantasized about this, I never stopped to truly think about what exactly I was asking from the other person, and what I was also asking from myself. I always thought about how hot it would be to have somebody totally helpless to me.
I never realized how worthy that would make me feel. I hadn’t stopped to think about the gift he ended up giving me: the gift of his submission. His trust. He submitted to me, but I’d given him my heart.
My heart thumped hard against my ribs. Remi… Remi was my life. Maybe I should start saying “goddess,” because goddess help me, I’d fallen in love with him. So how the hell had he ended up with me? I wasn’t good or noble or even remotely levelheaded.
Remi narrowed his eyes, and I shook my thoughts off. Then he crossed his eyes, and that startled a laugh out of me. Remi moved his lips, which meant my venom was wearing off. Soon he would be back to his normal assertive self and I… and I… I was a chickenshit of the first order. I had to do this fast.
I looked back at Remi, who was now frowning at me. “You’re probably going to kick my ass later for what I’m about to do, but what the hell. I love you.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m a wimp. I admit it. But it hit me, just now, what a good person you are. How noble you are. You’re down-to-earth and likable. I see it everywhere you go. Me? Yeah, not so much. People fear me, even if they don’t know what I am. Those who do? Yeah, then they really fear me.
“So I sit here looking at you, thinking what a wonderful person you are, and it hits me right between the eyes. I need you like I need blood to survive. I need you to survive. I didn’t believe I could fall this fast for somebody, even though I know about the mate-draw thing. I don’t deserve you, but I’ll damn sure fight to keep—”
There was a blur of movement, and I found myself flat on my back, both of my arms held above my head. I stared at Remi. Whoa.
“You love me? You tell me that while I am spread out and helpless?”
“Um, not looking too helpless now.”
“I ought to shake you senseless. No, I ought to chain you down and beat your ass, then shake you senseless. And what was that rot you were spewing about me being so good and you being so not? Do not put me up on some damn pedestal. I’m not perfect. I’m as far from perfect as I can get. I’m no better than you, you fanged fucker.”
“Fanged fucker?” I snorted, then got serious. “Look, I—”
Remi released my wrists and put a finger to my lips… a finger with a nice sharp claw on the end. Well, hell. I found myself looking into the brightly glowing electric-blue eyes of his cat
“I love you too. I don’t care what you’ve done in your past. Also don’t care about whatever you’ve done to survive. You are all I care about.
“When that asshole stabbed you, I thought I lost you. I thought I lost everything. Yes, what I feel hit me quickly, and the intensity sometimes scares me, but I’ll fight tooth and nail to keep you. I’ll also gladly kick your ass when I think you need reminding.”
I hiked an eyebrow at him. “You’ll try to kick my ass.”
“No, I will.” Remi rubbed his cheek against mine, then sat up. “Together we can handle anything.”
I caressed that strong jawline of his. “You love me?”
“I love you. In fact, I love you more.”
“Not too sure of that.” My world finally settled in place around me. He was right. Together we could handle anything. “I love you too.”
“Good. Now that we’ve got that straightened out, let’s go take a shower. I, ah… yeah.” Remi pulled me up off the bed. “To the shower we go.”
Laughing, I followed him. I had every intention of helping him get totally and intimately clean, then taking his ass back to bed.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“My shirt said, I like cooking my family and pets. Use commas. Don’t be a psycho. The sweatshirt was black with white lettering. The last line was italicized and the psycho was done in blood-red creepy-looking lettering.
“Of course.” I knew perfectly well what it said. When I put the sweatshirt on earlier, Marshell burst out laughing.
“How did I miss this sick sense of humor you have?”
“Who has a sick sense of humor?” Heller came up behind Lawson and rested his chin on Lawson’s shoulder, looking at my shirt. “Good one, Remi.”
“Can we please discuss Remi’s sick sense of humor and his style choices inside? In case nobody noticed, it’s snowing. I hate the snow,”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Then I smelled it—the sweet scent of vanilla flooded the kitchen. “Aw shit,” I huffed. I’d smelled Aidric’s desire enough through the years to recognize it.
“Mate,” Carter growled, taking a step toward Aidric.
Aidric squeaked. That was the best way to describe the sound that came out of him.
“Goddess,” Dolf muttered.
“Oh, fuck me,” Temple said at the same time.
Marshell burst out laughing. Of course.
That seemed to break the tension in the kitchen. The rest of us all started talking at once while Carter and Aidric stared at each other. I was pretty sure nothing else existed around them.
Finally Dolf rapped his knuckles on the table, and that seemed to break whatever hold the two other men were in. Carter took a deep breath and ran one of those huge paws he called a hand over his bald head.
Aidric started breathing again. But that didn’t seem to be enough. He took another breath and then another… and pretty soon he was panting. Oh, that wasn’t good. I edged my way closer to him while keeping an eye on the other Alpha”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Let me put it this way. Kirk was human. Lawson was human. You didn’t belong to a group or a pack. Each of you was willing to join our clowder.”
“Okay, and…?”
“He’s an Alpha. A werewolf Alpha, like I said. Just like Dolf, Alpha Lovelock has a group of shifters he’s responsible for. He isn’t going to join our clowder.”
“No, I wouldn’t,” said Carter.
“So that means if they mate, Aidric would join them.” Dolf’s tone said he clearly didn’t relish the thought.
Marshell raised an eyebrow. “Really?”
“I’m afraid so,” I said.
“Then there’s the fact he’s a cat,” Temple added, lips pursed. His gaze danced between Marshell and Dolf.
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Just what exactly does that mean?”
“It means cats and dogs”—Dolf paused at a low growl—“sorry. Cats and wolves go together about as well as oil and water.” Dolf pushed the plate of food away from him. “So what now, Carter?”
“I… I wasn’t expecting….” Carter picked up his drink and swallowed half of it in one gulp. “We don’t worship the same goddess as you, but we do understand the importance of mates. We feel they are a gift from Fenrir”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“I’d assumed my mate would be female. As Alpha it’s my responsibility to provide an heir.”
“So your problem is he’s male? Or is it because he’s a werecat? Or do you even know, Alpha Lovelock?” I snapped because really, it was beginning to sound like this dumbass was going to reject his mate. Was it an epidemic happening with rejecting mates lately?
Dolf cut his eyes at me. “Remi, that’s not how you speak to—”
“Watch your tone when speaking to my Alpha,” Temple snapped.
“Why should I when it sounds like your Alpha’s on the verge of rejecting my friend?” I hissed at Temple.
“Beta Remi.” Carter’s voice was calm when he spoke. That quieted me quicker than anything. “I apologize for the misunderstanding, and I appreciate
your quick defense of your friend. Understand, please, I didn’t mean to imply I planned to reject Aidric. To be honest I’m somewhat in shock.”
“Damn, have you ever been with a man?” I asked.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but yes, I have,” Alpha Lovelock said. “I’m bi.”
“Um, I don’t want to rain on anybody’s parade either, but this might be a good time to point out who is not taking part in this discussion,” Marshell said.
“I imagine he’s also in shock,” Dolf added. “As we all are.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Who can let me be me,” I said to Aidric. “Who can accept who and what I am—the good and the bad. The ugly too. Who isn’t scared of me, and who isn’t afraid to take me on. I don’t intimidate Remi any more than I intimidate this table. He trusts me, trusts me with his heart and his body. You have no idea how I treasure that.”
Remi took my hand. “Sexy fucker.”
“Hot bastard,” I shot right back.
Aidric lifted his head and shook it at us. “That edge of violence might work for you two, but not for me.”
“Hold up,” Remi demanded. “It’s not violence, Aidric. Come on, man, stop being so damn stuffy and open your mind some. We happen to both be very toppy. This works for us.”
“I… I didn’t mean to insult you. I just….”
“Don’t like change,” Dolf finished for Aidric. “You never have.”
Aidric scrubbed his hands over his face. “I always assumed my mate would be another werecat. Someone who was quiet and composed—”
“Restrained, stoic, and prudish,” Brier interrupted. “Dull.”
“Wow, thanks for making me sound boring. Appreciate it,” Aidric snapped. “The thing is I’m not. You don’t know anything about me and what I like. It just so happens I like to be… cautious.”
Remi rested his chin on his hand. “Okay, you’re right. But that’s how you come across. As far as me not knowing anything about you? You’re right, I don’t. Whose fault is that?”
Aidric sighed. “Mine”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“We’re getting off track,” Dolf said. “My point was that our goddess doesn’t make mistakes, and she’s not punishing you. Yes, the werewolves have a reputation of being assholes. Yes, they can be speciesist… and the same could be and has been said of us. Maybe it’s time for them to make a change too.”
“I’m supposed to be the instrument of that change? I’m not brave like Kirk or Lawson. Marshell can just about kick anybody’s ass. Me? I’m a beta. I’m not even the strongest beta here.” Aidric’s voice rose.
“But you’re steady,” Brier said.
“And steady wins the race,” Remi added.
“Oh, are you for real? This is not the turtle and the hare fairy tale the humans use to teach kids with,” Aidric snapped.
“No, but I bet you can make that were cry wolf,” Remi said quietly. “You are the most unrelenting of all of us. You never give up. Never. That’s your strength.”
Aidric laid his head on the table. “I’d have to leave here.”
Dolf ran his hand over Aidric’s hair. “Eventually, yes, you would. That kills me, but I want what’s best for you.”
“You think this is it?” Aidric sniffed.
“Bast doesn’t make mistakes. What she does she does for a reason. We just might not be able to see it at first. As much as I’d hate losing you, this is your future and your decision. You’ll always be welcome here, you know that,” Dolf said.
Aidric sat up and hugged Dolf. “Thank you”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Oh, look at you. That was absolutely meowtastic.”
Scowling, Remi punched me in the shoulder. “Oh, bite me.”
I let my eyes change, and my fangs dropped. Grinning from ear to ear, I lunged at Remi and managed to wrestle him flat on his back. Good God, I never got tired of the strength he wielded so perfectly. Or that banging body. I might be stronger than him, but he always gave me a run for my money.
He was more important to me than even the blood I needed to survive because, without him, I was nothing. I loved this man more than life itself, and he loved me, which never failed to leave me breathless and amazed.
Straddling him, I looked down at my mate. “Thought you’d never ask.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“MY FAMILY unit had increased by one. Janelle was of my blood, and I loved her dearly. Lawson was the brother I’d never had. His mate, Heller, was Lawson’s whole world, so of course Heller was now important to me also. But Remi? Remi came before them all. He was my mate. Mine. I would kill for him. I would die for him.
Because of me he might be giving up everything he knew”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“The goddess gave me Marshell as a mate. I wasn’t exactly sure why she thought we were perfect for each other, but I wasn’t going to question it. I’d already come close to losing him once, and I’d be damned if it was going to happen again.
He was mine, and if Dolf didn’t want to lose me, then he better get with the program and accept Marshell. I flipped over to my other side, and Marshell immediately pulled me back against him. I was never much of a cuddler in my human form, but this was nice.
My cat meowed happily. Yup, I could grow to like this.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“You listen to me! Marshell, fucking look at me! Now, or so help me, I’ll show you pain.”
I knew that scent. Over the pain and the need consuming me, that scent reached out to me. Beckoning me. I knew that scent. Home. Safety. Love. I… I needed to… to do something, but the blistering pain refused to let me go. Kill, kill, kill, it chanted.
“Look at me!”
I’d look at them, all right. Then rip their throat out and—
“You must try. Please, you have to try. Please. You…. Marshell? Your mate needs you.”
Mate? My mate?
The monster that consumed my control eased back. A mate. That’s right, I had a mate. A beautiful, sexy cat who… needed me? He needed me? I fought the pain back further. It couldn’t have me. I refused to let it have me. My mate needed me. I couldn’t let him down, couldn’t escape into the ether that fogged my brain and promised escape from the torment. My mate needed me. He was my everything.
“Come on, that’s it. Come on. There you go. Come back to us, please. Fight it. I know you can. Come on, talk to me. Let me know you’re in your right mind.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“You sound surprised.”
“Not surprised, really. It’s just that….” Heller flashed me a sheepish look. “I haven’t actually told him I love him.”
“Really?” I assumed he had. Didn’t mates do that?
“Really, and I don’t know why I haven’t since I started falling in love with him the moment I looked into those sexy gunmetal eyes of his. Gods, those eyes of his. It’s like rolling in catnip.”
I leaned against my truck. Oh, this was almost too good. “Is this you waxing poetically?”
“Don’t hate me because I have great hair and a way with words. Jeez, Remi, I do. I do love him. Wow.” Heller looked at me, a happy smile plastered on his face. “I feel so much lighter now that I said it. I love him.”
“Of course you do. He’s your mate.”
Heller’s smiled
dipped. “It’s not that simple, and you damn well know it. Are you saying you love Marshell?”
“Whoa, there.” I held up my hands—like that was going to stop him. “I just met him.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Oh, come on. You know damn well he isn’t going to reject you.”
“You do know they’re meeting”—I made a show of looking at my watch—“right now, as a matter of fact. And no, I don’t know he won’t. Heller rejected you.”
“Heller….” Lawson stared into his cup. “That was a special case. There are things I can’t go into because it’s not my story to tell, but trust me, Heller had his reasons. Besides, Remi’s—”
“Stable? Unlike Heller?” I interjected. Okay, I couldn’t resist. That’s what Lawson got for leaving me such an opening. The sex must have fried his brain. Lucky bastard.
“Oh, aren’t you a funny guy. I was going to say ‘less traumatized,’ smartass.”
Suddenly I didn’t feel like joking around anymore. “What if they won’t accept me? They all know I’m stronger than their Alpha. If they refuse me, then—”
“Then they lose me, and through me, Heller.” Lawson reached out and clasped my hand. “We stand with you.”
“Are you insane?” I reared back, shocked. I couldn’t believe my ears. We were close, but this…. I never thought he’d do this. “You can’t expect Heller to give up all he’s known because you’ve got a wild hair up your ass about me.”
Lawson narrowed his eyes. “Want to bet? Do you think I’d throw this out there if we hadn’t talked about it? Come on, you know me better than that.”
“You’re nuts. Completely nuts.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango

“Just as I got to the door, Dolf opened it, read my shirt, and promptly burst out laughing. “You have got to tell me where you get those.”
Smirking, I shook my head. “It’s a well-guarded secret.”
Today I wore a black shirt with white writing: Be careful when you follow the masses…. Sometimes the M is silent. “Masses” was in light blue, as was the letter M, to draw attention to the play on words. I’d been known to follow an ass or two in my day. Those days were over now.”
― M.A. Church, It Takes Two to Tango