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ARIZONA
What do you call a trendy pig?
Calvin Swine.
* * *
Ihurried to grab a pair of shorts, putting them on as I moved toward the door. Albert followed me, and I nearly tripped over him as I wiggled my way into the old denim shorts.
My mind was still working overtime, trying to figure out what exactly the guys were keeping from me, and how they thought it could hurt me. Which is why I flung the door open without remembering to check who was there first.
“Jack!” I squeaked his name like I’d been sucking helium, and all the air left my lungs in a whoosh.
Jack laughed. “I didn’t expect you to be so happy to see me?” I knew the moment his eyes landed over the two shirtless men in my living room, because his smile dropped away, and his expression shuttered closed. “I apologize. I should have realized you might have company.” I would never admit it, but it hurt when his eyes looked back at me, this time cool instead of friendly.
“It’s no problem. Don’t worry about it.” But I was worried about it. What if he started trying to do background checks on Rez and Zon? That wasn’t going to end well for the three of us.
“I came to ask if you would like to go out for a quick bite to eat. Maybe we could go over a few things I’ve found out about the disaster at the museum. Your friends are welcome to come.”
I didn’t miss how he stumbled over the word ‘friends,’ nor did I miss that instead of calling it a bombing, he called it a disaster. Red flags started waving in my mind. This was not good.
“We’d love to. Thanks!” Rez accepted before I could decline.
Rez! What are you doing? Are you crazy? This will just give him a chance to probe for more information, I growled, my frustration at an all-time high.
It is also a chance for us to learn about what he knows.Better to be prepared if there is going to be a problem. His eyes softened. I see the reaction your body has to him. He could be one of your mates, and you are fighting it.
Jack Oliver is human, not Vazi, and definitely not a dino-shifter. He cannot be one of my ‘gifts.’ I shut that idea down real quick. I had enough on my plate without bringing my enemy into my bed.
Stop being dramatic. Oliver is not your enemy. He is a man who is doing his job, and he may be able to help you stay out of trouble. Just because he isn’t a gift doesn’t mean he isn’t a mate. Have you forgotten that Tsufnu’s bloodline carried a magic that alerts you to your perfect matches?Rez tried to reason with me.
But I wasn’t in the mood to be reasonable. I was tired, horny, and hungry… and not necessarily in that order. You don’t understand how risky this is.
Maybe not. But I do understand how important mates are. His response was so quiet I almost missed it.
Sighing, I opened the door a little wider. “If we are going out, I need a minute to freshen up. Why don’t you come in?” I hoped I sounded sincere because my smile felt brittle.
“Thank you, Arizona.” Jack stepped inside. As he passed me, his shoulder brushed against my arm, and a bolt of electricity felt as though it sizzled through me.
Jack’s eyes shot to mine, but he didn’t say a word as he rubbed his arm and moved on into the living room. Rez and Zon took the couch, leaving the recliner for Jack. He sat down and started chatting about the show that was on TV.
I closed the door and then stood still, studying the three men. Jack wasn’t nearly as big as the other two. He would have been the scholar in high school, while Zon and Rez would have been the football players. Even so, they filled my living room with their bodies and presence.
With their bodies taking up the seats and their legs stretched out on the floor, there would have been nowhere for me to sit. Unless I sat in one of their laps. That thought had me snapping out of the fog and hurrying to my bedroom to make myself presentable for dinner.
* * *
Thirty minutes later,we were sliding into a cute little booth at my favorite Italian restaurant. Jack slid in first, followed by Rez, then me, and finally, Zon scooted in on my right. I was sandwiched between the dinos, and almost directly opposite Jack, who flashed a sexy smile before picking up his menu.
My stomach growled as the aromas of garlic and herbs drifted through the restaurant. I hadn’t been able to hide my excitement when Jack suggested it, and he’d admitted it was his favorite Italian restaurant, too. I’d ignored the knowing look that Rez shot my way. Just because we both liked Italian food didn’t mean we were soulmates.
Things were awkward in the booth for the first few minutes, and I breathed a sigh of relief when the server came to get our orders, grateful for someone to break the silence.
“Since it is your favorite Italian restaurant and you know which dishes are the best, how about you order for us?” Rez suggested smoothly. By having me order for us, Zon and Rez wouldn’t need to try to read the menu themselves.
Earlier, Rez had explained how Tsufnu had tried to create a spell that would allow both men to read and write my native tongue, but it hadn’t worked perfectly. It did help them to pick up my language supernaturally fast. Within a few more days, they would likely sound like native English speakers. Reading in English was slightly slower for them, but Rez believed they would have that skill tackled by the month’s end.
“When did you guys first meet?” Jack asked, grabbing a breadstick that positively dripped with garlic and olive oil from the basket.
