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If Mendez said to get into the car, Jack had to obey without question.
“I love out-of-the-way joints like this.” Jack took the taco from Mendez. “They make the best food.”
His mate seemed in a better mood. He wasn’t so pale anymore, either. His smile was enough to keep Mendez in a perpetual state of arousal. Jack was already gorgeous, but when he smiled, his entire face lit up. It was a far cry from the haunted look in his eyes when he’d gone to bed earlier.
Something was going on with Jack, something more than creepy letters. Mendez saw it in the man’s eyes whenever Jack didn’t know he was looking at him. Vulnerability, pain, and something else that Mendez had yet to figure out.
They were both seated on the table portion of the picnic table, Mendez with his elbows resting against his knees, his hands joined. Jack sat up straight, chowing down on his third taco and enjoying a bottle of ice-cold water. Mendez tried not to stare, tried not to watch Jack’s throat muscles working as he drank.
“Just what I needed,” Jack said with a satisfying sigh. “I still can’t believe you packed away eight of them.” He chuckled. “You got some appetite.”
“I run when I can.” If Jack only knew he ran in his wolf form. There was no way Mendez was telling him that, not when he could never claim Jack and bind their souls together. Besides, the guy was too high-profile, and Mendez didn’t need the fact that he wasn’t human leaking to the press.
“Enough fresh air.” Jack stood and stretched, his shirt once more riding up to show that golden patch of skin with the sexy happy trail that Mendez wanted to explore at length with his tongue.
Mendez looked away when Jack’s phone rang. He saw who was calling, so he got up and threw their trash in a nearby receptacle. He didn’t want to listen to Jack talk to Rachael. They might have broken up, but they were still amicable, and Mendez didn’t want to hear what the two talked about.
Although Mendez was far enough away to look as if he was giving his mate privacy, his damn shifter hearing picked up both ends of the conversation.
“I heard you were abducted by aliens,” Rachael said in a friendly tone when Jack answered.
Jack laughed, and the sound made Mendez’s insides get all knotted up.
“Nah, just needed a break. Let me guess. Huck put you up to this.”
“You know he did,” Rachael said. “Just tell me everything is really okay, Jack. Huck was right. This isn’t like you to take off, let alone not tell your manager where you’re going.”
Jack rubbed his sternum as he stared at the ground. “Yeah, Rach. Everything’s fine. I just needed some time to myself.”
She hesitated for a moment. “Is that why you broke things off with me? If you need time, I can give that to you.”
Mendez ground his teeth at the soft, sweet way she was talking to Jack. It was killing him to hear it, but if he moved far enough away so as not to listen, he would be too far from his mate.
“We’ll talk when I get back.” Jack’s voice was just as sweet.
“Promise?” Rachael asked.
“Promise,” Jack said. “I have to go, but I’ll call you when I get back… Shit, I’m not sure if I’m going back to Memphis or Vegas. But I’ll let you know.”
Jack definitely cared about Racheal. Mendez could hear it in his voice, and that gutted him. Why in the fuck would fate think a straight guy would be perfect for him? That didn’t make any sense. But as hard as Mendez tried to figure it out, he came up empty.
“Okay, take care and enjoy your mini vacation,” Racheal said.
“I will. Talk to you later.” Jack hung up and slid his phone into his pocket. “That went better than expected.”
Mendez didn’t comment. What was he supposed to say? That Jack was killing him? That Mendez wanted him so badly that he ached for the guy in ways he never thought possible? Yeah, that would go over so well.
They drove back to the hotel, Jack at Mendez’s side, his head down until they reached the elevators. Mendez didn’t like sharing the small space, but others joined them. He didn’t even have to say anything. Jack moved behind Mendez, keeping himself in the corner as the car ascended to different floors. A few people looked Jack’s way, but Mendez made sure to block their view.
They made it back to their room, and Jack kicked off his shoes after Mendez did a quick sweep and crawled into bed.
“Tired again?”
Jack nodded. “That tour took more out of me than I realized. Maybe we’ll stay one more night before we hit the road.”
Mendez didn’t have a problem with that. If Jack needed to rest, then he would make damn sure his mate got all the sleep he needed.
* * * *
