“And that right there is the problem with so many males. They fail to see how pigeonholed females get when they make stupid comments.”
“Again, I didn’t say anything.” Before I can open my mouth, he holds up a hand. “But if I had, it would have been to say how cute she is and I hope she gets past her stage fright.”
“You’re not just saying that, are you?”
“Will you hit me again?”
“What do you think?”
“I think I’m gonna get hit again if I answer wrong.”
“Should have apologized,” Damien adds.
“Stay out of it,” Garrett snaps at his cousin.
“I wouldn’t hit a defenseless shifter,” I explain. “A stupid one, maybe, but not a defenseless one.”
“So my choices are to claim I’m defenseless or…”
“Or be right.”
“I’m supposed to read your mind?”
“Yes.”
“Told you to apologize, but you couldn’t listen. Now you’re entering the lion’s den.”
“What does that mean?’
“Nothing you say’s going to be right. Apologize while you still can.”
Garrett holds up both hands in mock surrender. “I apologize.”
“He’s always been a slow learner,” Damien says to me. “You’ll get used to it.”
“You’re not helping here!” Garrett says.
“Oh, so now you want my help. A minute ago you were ignoring me.”
“I always ignore alpha-holes.”
Damien’s growl sends a nervous shiver through me. “I didn’t mean to start anything. I apologize, to both of you.”
Suddenly, Garrett pulls me onto his lap, his arms protectively around me and his mouth against my ear. “Don’t take any of it to heart. Damien and I are just screwin’ around. Nothing more.”
“I don’t mean to cause trouble for you.”
“With Damien?” He harrumphs. “He’s a softie when you get to know him.”
“Nothing about me is soft. Ask my mate,” Damien says.
Garrett taps beneath my chin. “Hey, there, gorgeous. This isn’t like you. What’s going on?”
“I just… I just needed a distraction.”
“From the woods?”
I guess he’s still worried about how hard he took me. I loved every minute of it, but being here…
