Page 42 of Bria and the Tiger

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“You’re not. It’s an office get together. Right, Rosalie?” Jace said.

“It is. C’mon, Bria, it’s still early. Have a drink with us.”

Bria hesitated before nodding. “Okay. Thanks.”

* * *

“You know those two are going to have sex tonight, right?”

Jace studied the way Sam had her body pressed up against Derek’s. Bud’s Bar had a small, almost miniscule, dance floor tucked near the back. Sam and Derek, along with a few other couples, were swaying to the music.

“No, they’re not,” he said.

Derek reached down and squeezed Sam’s ass. The squirrel shifter grinned up at him and Jace groaned when they kissed.

“That is definitely a we’re-having-sex-tonight kiss.” Bria’s voice was laced with amusement.

“Great.” Jace tipped his beer bottle to his mouth and drank the last swallow. It was just him and Bria and Sam and Derek left. Rosalie had only stayed another half hour before saying she had a headache and leaving. He had no doubt that her leaving was more to do with watching Lincoln shove his tongue down a redheaded fox shifter’s throat. Rhonda had left soon after. It was more than awkward, watching Sam and Derek flirt while Bria made small talk. He was relieved when Sam convinced Derek to dance with her.

“Rosalie said there was no rule about coworkers dating,” Bria said. “Was she wrong?”

“No, but it’s a complication that the office doesn’t need. What if they start dating and then break up?”

She shrugged. “Maybe they’ll remember they’re adults and not make it weird at work.”

“Doubtful.”

“If you’re so against coworkers dating, why don’t you have a firm rule against it?”

He had meant to update the employee handbook, he really did. Except now Bria was working for him and…

And you want to date her.

No, I don’t!

“Jace?” Bria touched his forearm.

“I’ll be asking Betty to update the employee handbook in the next month or so.”

“Oh.”

They sat silently for a moment before Jace cleared his throat. “Sorry about earlier. I hope I didn’t scare you like I scared Rosalie.”

“Why would it scare me?”

Fuck, he couldn’t even hold a normal conversation with Bria. Lincoln was right – he was a goddamn train wreck.

“It wouldn’t. Of course, it wouldn’t,” he said. “Sorry.”

“I should be saying thank you. It was nice of you to come over and help out,” Bria said.

“You probably had it under control but I…”

How exactly was he supposed to end that sentence? Just causally say that he knew she had it under control but the minute he saw the wolf shifter grab her arm, his tiger had lost its goddamn mind?

Truthfully, he had no memory of stalking to Bria’s table. His tiger was firmly in control at that point. Jace was certain if the wolf shifter hadn’t released Bria, his tiger would have torn the shifter’s throat out. His tiger was losing it and –

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