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“You sure do have the complex shifter emotions thing down.”
He turned to look at her.Yeah, she felt it too. Great. His wolf was practically prancing.
“Whatever. Clint will be here any minute and then we will head over. I assume you don’t live too far away?”
“Just across town. Cypress and Willow Way.” She was still looking at him askance. “Fine. But one and three quarters pay.”
“Deal. Now let’s get breakfast cleaned up quick before he gets here. Then we can see about your comfy bra.”
For the first time all day, he was doubting his whole “forgetting spell” idea. He had kind of enjoyed that little interaction.
‘Kinda’ my ass, you loved it.
CHAPTER9
What the fuck was that?She had been trying to suppress all the very inconvenient feels, but she couldn’t deny something had passed between them there in the kitchen.Now I really need my phone. I need to call Julie, ‘cause I sure as shit am not thinking straight. Thinking? Who’s thinking.Winona let out an audible sigh as they walked out of the house. She would obviously have to keep her crazy hormones out of the picture as best she could. Still, she had to admit she at least felt some sort of mild satisfaction. Yes, she was still, technically a prisoner of this guy, but, she felt she had regained a little control this morning.At least I gave him a piece of my mind.Plus, despite the extreme circumstances, she actually almost believed him when he said he was going to pay her.He better pay up. I need that money if I want to save enough for Art School.Her mind wandered to the way her hands on his chest had felt.Gawwd. Definitely losing it. Gah.
I should be thinking about escaping. Maybe I could make a run for it at my apartment?
Yeah, try and outrun a shifter? And a shifter cop, or whatever he was at that? Good luck? Besides, truth was, she did need that money. And he did have those luscious pecs.
You are certifiable, Win, I swear.
She felt at least a little of her fear ebb as she climbed into Rollo’s jeep. Something in their dynamic had definitely changed. And what about that crazy story he had told her about the kids? She didn’t know what to believe.But if he is lying, he is one good actor.Except, she didn’t think he was. If there was one thing she gave to the shifters, it was that most she had met lived by a code. That code could be kind of infuriating at times, but it had never included lying. And the pain was clear in his face as he spoke of his brother. Same as the anger when he mentioned the man they were hunting. Confused, but also thinking of the children, she got in the jeep.
“My apartment is on the second floor. So when we get there, I’ll just run up quick if that’s okay.And if I am gonna get my comfy bra, I might as well pack a little suitcase.” Suddenly, an idea occurred to her. She had a little leverage already.
“Look. You said you need me on your side, right? Or something like that?” she said, looking into his eyes. His deep hazel eyes.Winona,her mother’s voice echoed sternly.Focus.Though she had only been eight when her parents passed, she did have some memories.
“That’s right. I need you to just trust me a bit here,” he replied.
“Fine, then ‘help me help you,’” she said, thinking of the old movie, Jerry Maguire.
He glanced at her quizzically as they rounded a corner.
“You said you would pay me one and half time for today, one and three quarters actually, right?”
“Man, you are single-focused, aren’t you?” he said.
“Well, you did say it, and you need to pay up,” she said swelling her chest up and stretching to her fullest height. All of about five three.
His look turned to one of slight annoyance as he furrowed his brow.
“We don’t have time for this. Besides, this is not a negotiation.”
“Look, this is hardly a guarantee for me, but it would sure as fucking shit feel like a gesture of goodwill, okay? I could at least stash the cash here at my place and believe you weren’t just gonna take it back before you do God knows what you might have planned for me when this is all over!”Don’t lose your nerve, she told herself.
“Man, you have some dark thoughts. What part of ‘my kids are in danger and I amthisclose to catching their father’s killer’ didn’t you hear?” was all he said. Then after a minute, he shook his head and pointed to the glove box. “There’s five hundred in there, okay?” I keep it for emergencies, and well, since you obviously don’t trust me…”
“Don’t trust you? Of course I don’t trust you!” She rolled her eyes and would have stamped her feet too if she were on solid ground. This guy was unbelievable.
“Look, like I said, we don’t have time for this.” As she opened the glove box, he pointed again. “There, take that envelope. Five hundred. In this case, I am coming up with you, so don’t get any ideas of making a run for it. The cash is yours. Trust me or don’t trust me. I got bigger things to worry about, but this would be easier if you just got with the program.”
“You are delusional, you know that? And like I could get away from you anyway. You would probably turn into a, what are you anyhow? I’m thinking wolf. You act just like my little brothers. You would probably chase me down so you could drag me back to your lair,” she said as she got out of the jeep.
“My lair? And yes, I am a wolf. And boy, you have some strange ideas about shifters.” They pulled into the parking lot across from her apartment complex. “And what do you mean, your brothers? Why would I be anything like them anyway?”
Now it was her turn to dodge. “Oh forget I said anything,” she said as she reached for the door handle. “Let’s just be quick, my landlord is on the nosey side and I would rather not deal with him.
