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“I told you. I’m too old for her.”
“We’ve been friends for how long, Wes?” Grayson said. “You’ve never lied to me before. Are you really going to start now?”
Wes growled at him, but Grayson didn’t back off. He stared calmly at him, and annoyed by his friend’s inability to butt the fuck out of his personal life, Wes said, “I’m too fucking broken for her.”
“You’re not broken,” Grayson said. “Just because you can’t have kids doesn’t mean -”
“I’m not talking about that,” Wes said. “But it’s another reason why Eleanor and I wouldn’t work out. I’m too much. My life is too… I can barely stand under the weight of my own baggage. I’m not asking Eleanor to carry some of it too. She doesn’t deserve to be forced into my fucked-up life, okay?”
Grayson frowned. “Wes, your life isn’t fucked up. You have a great career, friends who love you, and you’re loyal and kind to the people you love. Any woman would be lucky to have you. And that includes Eleanor.”
“You’re wrong,” Wes said as his anger grew.
“Explain to me why I’m wrong.”
What the fuck? Was Grayson really going to make him say it? Especially today when the raw pain of missing Derek made him feel like a thousand bees stung his insides? “Are you fucking kidding me, Gray? You know why you’re wrong, but you want to hear me fucking say it? Fine, I’ll fucking say it. Eleanor deserves someone who didn’t -”
His lion roared so loudly that Wes grimaced and grabbed at his head before looking up to see what had his lion so pissed off. Grayson’s voice faded as the same anger infusing his lion settled over Wes.
Chase was touching Eleanor. The little pissant had his hand on Eleanor’s arm, and now he was about to lose his fucking arm. Wes would rip it off at the shoulder and feed it to him.
He pushed past Grayson, stomping toward the younger cheetah shifter. Chase’s back was to him, and Eleanor glanced over Chase’s shoulder. Her eyes widened, and she shook off Chase’s hand before stepping around him and blocking Wes’s path.
“Wes, stop,” she said.
He growled at her, and she said, “Stop growling and calm down. You know I’m not attracted to him. Don’t be a dick.”
“He touched you,” Wes said as Chase turned around. “He touched you, Eleanor.”
“Yes, and I was fine with it,” Eleanor said. “Leave Chase alone.”
Wes glared at Chance over Eleanor’s head. “You need a woman to fight your battles?”
Chase rolled his eyes. “Christ, Wes, chill the fuck out. I’m not hitting on Eleanor. Besides, she’s not your property, so stop acting like she is. Women hate that shit.”
Eleanor touched Wes’s chest before rubbing in small circles. “I’m not attracted to Chase. He’s not my type, and I don’t even find him good looking.”
“Ouch,” Chase said with a wry grin. “Don’t hold back, Eleanor. Tell the entire room how you really feel.”
Boone’s grandmother cackled laughter from her spot on the couch. “If it makes you feel any better, cheetah shifter, I’d bone you if I didn’t have a broken hip.”
There was complete silence for about five seconds before Cooper roared with laughter. It didn’t take long for the others to join in. Chase grinned at Nan and sat on the couch beside her.
“Mrs. Jameson, are you trying to seduce me?” he said.
“Chase, knock it off,” Boone said as Nan laughed.
“Get me another Dr. Pepper please, and stop ruining my fun, would you, Boone?” Nan said before patting Chase’s knee. “Cheetah shifter, you just might become my favourite of Boone’s friends.”
Wes sucked in a deep breath as Eleanor continued to rub his chest. Her touch helped soothe his lion like it always did, and as the anger faded, his embarrassment grew.
“Fuck,” he muttered, “I can’t believe I just did that to you. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Shifters are possessive of their mates. Everyone knows that.”
He swallowed hard. “We’re not mates.”
“Your lion thinks we are. Do I need to take you upstairs for a quickie to settle him down?” she asked with a teasing grin. “Because I’m willing to take one for the team if I have to. Especially if it saves poor Chase from being ripped into tiny pieces.”
