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I bit the insides of my cheeks to keep from laughing at him. He always got around me with his sense of humor. “This is actually still my pool, right? I fell asleep in the correct condo last night, right? Why are you here again?”
He shrugged, sending droplets of water in all directions. “Why areyouhere again.”
This time, I did laugh. “It really is my condo, asshole. I’msupposedto be here.”
He chuckled. “I’m here by invitation, or did you forget again? And it’s so much nicer to get a few minutes of peace than be surrounded by pack members who want things.”
I raised an eyebrow. “And what would you know about that?”
He pointed his thumb at his chest. “Beta, remember? And you’ve been a bit more distracted recently.”
“Hmm.” I pretended to consider what he’d said. “Could it have anything to do with lack of sleep because the pack beta keeps waking me?”
He smirked.
“In fact,” I continued, “I seem to have found a redundant piece of equipment in my bedroom, but you’ve most capably replaced it.” I tossed my alarm clock lightly in his direction.
He ducked under the water to avoid being hit, then shot back out, erupting in a plume of spray with a laugh.
“You know what?” he asked, then waited, as if anyone ever had to reply to that question.
“What?” I only said it to humor him.
His eyes lost some of their sparkle as he became more serious. “It’s been a rough couple of days, you know? I just wanted to be sure you were okay.”
“So…what?” I shook my head. “You’re here to check on me? You spent a while watching me to be sure how I was, then climbed into my pool for your laps?”
He laughed. “I was waiting for you to wake up. I got straight on with my laps to get them out of the way first.”
I shook my head again. “You know, you always sneaking into my condo for a swim while I sleep would be creepy if we weren’t as close as brothers.”
Jackson folded his arms. “I think it’s probably pretty weird no matter the relationship, to be honest. But…weird is subjective, right?” He took a breath like he was about to go off on one of his tangents. “I mean, I find it pretty weird that some people can’t shift into wolves—”
“You meanhumans? Those are the people who can’t shift.” I laughed at his reference to them as “some people.”
He waved a hand. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Humans, non-shifters…same thing, right? Anyway, not shifting is weird. But at least I don’t make a big stink out of their inability to do something so basic. Not like the big stinktheymake when they find out they can’t do it, anyway. You think they’re jealous of us? Or just confused by the fact that all of their legends seem to reference needing a full moon to shift?” He broke off and looked thoughtful — an unfamiliar look on him.
I started to back away. My head was so not prepped for a conversation like this as soon as I’d gotten out of bed. Sometimes, Jackson lived in a reality all of his own.
“Anyway, Jax,” I said casually, like I was just continuing the conversation rather than bringing it to its logical conclusion. “Good talk. And thanks for checking on me, I guess.” I offered that even though he’d woken me from one of the best dreams of my life. Inwardly, I didn’t thank him at all, but he didn’t need to know those details. “I’ve got some business to take care of.”
He smiled. “Yeah, and I have laps to finish. You realize you rudely interrupted me, right? I’ve lost count now.”
“Start again,” I called over my shoulder as I walked back into my bedroom and closed the door firmly behind me.
I shook my head. Waking up to Jackson’s laps every morning was getting kind of old. And how would I ever have a personal life if he was always here, within hearing distance? I hadn’t wanted a personal life before, that much was true, but now I wanted Jo. And I wanted…options.
There were going to need to be changes in the future, that was for sure. Especially if all my early morning conversations were going to be as nonsensical as that.
I could certainly think of far better ways to wake up.
That brought Jo back to my mind, and I groaned. There were certainly better ways to start a day.
I reached over and grabbed my watch. Brody would probably be awake now. If not, I could wake him. Apparently, that was the kind of favor we were doing for each other in the Silver Claw pack now. I shot another glance to where Jackson was still splashing around my pool.
I dialed Brody’s number. When he answered, he sounded alert, and the repetitive sound of keys tapping played like a backing track to his words.
“Where are you?” I hadn’t intended that to be my first question.
