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“Do you mind? I have some business to take care of. I will come back.”
Shae pounced on the excuse. She pushed Eiji toward the door. “Of course not. You can’t just neglect yourself worrying about me.” Even touching him the way she did, heat radiated through his shirt, and while it didn’t set off the storm of lust from a week ago, she wanted him nearby. Her sexual drive had been back to normal for a while. She had bouts of sickness and weakness, but mostly she stood on an even keel. Despite that, every time she opened her eyes, her first thought was of Eiji. That couldn’t be. She needed a break from him, wanted to get him out of the house because she’d been too dependent. “I’ll be here.”
He took a few steps toward the door, but hesitated. “Do you feel…”
Her throat dried. “Feel what?”
Dark eyes burrowed into hers as if he could read her soul. She turned her gaze away, hoping one of the abilities of the wolf shifters wasn’t mind reading. He seemed at a loss on how to explain what he meant, or it could be he didn’t want to bring it up. If that were the case, they were in agreement. The weirdness that sometimes arose inside worried her, but she also wondered if it wasn’t just her crazy mind playing tricks on her. Every day, she still told herself this was s
ome kind of elaborate joke or a dream that had gone on too long. Nothing extreme had happened beyond getting sick, and that just could have been infection from Darryl’s psycho ass biting her.
“I’m fine, Eiji. Like I said, you don’t have to worry about me. Go on. I want to be alone, and you’ve been getting on my nerves lately.”
His brows rose, and she almost laughed. She refused to take back her words, and after he studied her a bit longer, he turned and left, the door clicking behind him.
Shae blew out a breath in relief and walked to the bedroom. She sat down on the side of the bed and glanced at the TV. No, the programs there didn’t hold her. She liked to keep moving and having fun. Locked in the house all this time had worn on her emotional state, but thinking about going out scared her too. If Darryl had turned her agoraphobic, she’d kill him twice.
An odd thought popped into her head, or more like an odd desire. She suppressed it and picked up her cell phone. Her dad’s number on speed dial, she phoned him and waited with a somersaulting stomach.
“Shae, dear,” came her dad’s deep tones over the line.
Rapt fear overtook her. What had she been thinking? If she wasn’t human…
“I’m sorry I’ve missed your calls, honey, but as I said, I was arranging for someone trustworthy to reboot our systems. I think I found him. In fact, you can come home within the week. It looks like we recovered a small bit of data for a portion of Asia.”
She had been tapping her fingers on the bedside table, but at his words, she stilled. “A-Asia?”
“Yes! That’s the brilliance of our new boy. I shouldn’t call him boy, but to me, you know…”
He rambled on. She thought about her mother and the new information Eiji had shared with her. Questioning her dad on the phone wasn’t how she preferred to do it. She wanted to look into his eyes and demand to know the truth, but going home now could not happen. The niggling desire grew by several degrees.
“Dad, seriously, I haven’t been here a month, and I haven’t taken off for years. You can spare me a little longer, right?”
“Is something wrong, honey? You don’t sound the same.”
She clenched her teeth. “No, why would anything be wrong? I’m soaking up the sun, partying like there’s no tomorrow, and well, the guys aren’t half bad out here.”
“Oh, Shae, when will you settle down? I’ve told you I want grandchildren.”
An image of puppies popped into her head, and she almost sobbed. “I know, Dad. I’m just—”
“I know. Sowing your oats. Don’t wait too long. You’re over thirty now.”
“Gee, thanks for pointing that out.”
Her mother had always loved kids and had pushed for their father to have more after Shiya, but Dad had refused, given their dangerous work. As far as she knew, it was the only thing they had seriously disagreed on.
“Daddy, I know you’re not turning me down for some rest, are you?”
“Don’t you try to manipulate me, young lady,” he snapped.
She sighed. “I will be on the road by morning.”
“No, you will not.” His tone softened. “Sakura is coming home. She will take anything that might come up. Honey, you come home when you’re ready. I don’t like you girls overworking yourselves.”
Why did it sound like his idea that she take some more time? “Okay, Dad, thanks.”
