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Rhoan had the good grace to look uncomfortable. "Only when he's in town, and that's not often these days."
"But didn't you tell Liander you two were no longer an item?"
"Well, we aren't. We're more occasional lovers."
"A nitpicky difference Liander will not appreciate."
He shrugged. "Look, maybe my inability to commit is just a part of what I am."
I knew he was referring to his sexuality more than his being a guardian or a half-breed. And that angered me.
"Liander's just like you, and he wants to settle down. Don't start making excuses just because you're scared."
He raised his eyebrows, yet there was a keenness in his silvery eyes that suggested I was right on the mark. "Scared?"
"Yeah. Settling down means making a commitment. And you don't want to commit to anyone because of what you do, not because of what you are. Admit that to yourself - and him - if nothing else."
"He deserves more than just a part-time partner."
"Maybe he does," I agreed, eliciting a startled response from Rhoan. "But neither you or I have the right to decide that for him. It's his choice, his life."
He chuckled softly, then leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "You're pretty clever for a girl. And I hope you take note of that advice in your own life."
"Me? Take advice? It'll snow at Christmas before that ever happens." And given December was the first of the summer months here in Melbourne, something pretty disastrous would have to happen to the climate for that to occur. Though given the weird turns my life had been taking recently, snowing at Christmastime wasn't altogether beyond the realms of possibility.
Nor was me actually taking some of my own advice.
I gave him the baton, then shoved him gently toward the exit. "Go see him, and make sure you talk to him."
"You don't want me to walk you up to the change rooms?"
"Nah, I'll be right." The arena was fully monitored by security whenever anyone was down here training, but I had no doubt Jack would also be around somewhere. He had a vested interest in keeping me safe and whole. Not only because he wanted me on this mission, but because he wanted me as a full-fledged guardian. "I'll see you here tomorrow morning."
He nodded, tossed the towel around his bare shoulders, and headed off whistling. Obviously, I wasn't the only one anticipating a good time tonight.
Grinning slightly, I headed down the other end of the arena where my towel and water bottle waited. I grabbed the towel and wrapped one end around my ponytail, squeezing the sweat from my hair before wiping the back of my neck and face. I might not have been fighting to full capacity tonight, but we'd still been training for a couple of hours and not only did my skin glimmer with heat, but my navy T-shirt was almost black with sweat. It was just as well I could shower here - with the way my luck had been running of late, Kellen would be waiting for me by the time I got home. And as much as most wolves preferred natural scent over synthetic, right now I was just a little too overwhelmingly natural.
I reached out to collect the water bottle, then froze as awareness surged, prickling like fire across my skin. Rhoan had left, but I was no longer alone in the arena.
My earlier intuition had been right - crap had been about to step back into my life.
And it came in the form or Gautier.
Towel still in hand, I casually turned around. He stood at the window end of the arena, a long, mean stick of man and muscle who smelled as bad as he looked.
"Still haven't managed to catch that shower, I see." It probably wasn't the wisest comment I'd ever made, but when it came to Gautier, I couldn't seem to keep my mouth shut.
It was a trait that was going to get me in trouble - if not tonight, then sometime in the future.
He crossed his arms and smiled. There was nothing nice in that smile. Nothing sane in his flat brown eyes. "Still jumping mouth first into situations even the insane would think twice about, I see."
"It's a failing of mine." I idly began twirling the towel and wondered how long it would take security to react. And if Jack would let them react.
"So I've noticed."
He'd be hard-pressed not to when most of my mouth-first offenses of late involved him in some way. "What are you doing here, Gautier? Haven't you got bad guys to kill?"
"I have."
