Page 41 of The Mating Game
He shoves his hands in his pockets, offering me a thin smile. “No problem.”
“And…I guess I should actually say thank you.”
He cocks his head. “Thank you?”
“For…” My cheeks heat. “For helping me. For being the good guy. You could have really taken advantage of me that night, but you didn’t. And now that I know you’ve had bad experiences with people like me…Well. Thank you.”
“Oh…” He rubs at his neck, shifting his eyes to his feet. “It was no problem.”
And right there on the tip of my tongue are questions about the omega he knew—what she was like, how they met—all sorts ofthings that aren’t my business to ask or even tothink, but they’re waiting there anyway.
I open my mouth, not even sure what’s about to come out of it, but thankfully, Chase saves me.
“Yo, Tess!”
I turn to my brother. “Yeah?”
“Can you come look at this? I need your eyes.”
“Be right there,” I say.
He goes back inside, leaving me alone with Hunter again.
“Well,” I say. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”
“Lots of fixin’ to do,” he answers with a wry smile.
I match it with one of my own. “Lots.”
I leave him there, feeling better than I did before I found him. Maybe we can put the weirdness behind us. It’s only hormones, after all. It’s not like it meant something. Provided my body behaves, maybe the rest of my time here will go by smoothly. Maybe Hunter and I can even be friends.
Flashes of his naked chest flit through my thoughts, from the defined muscles to the thick fur there that shouldn’t be as appealing as it is.
Friends, I remind my stupid, horny brain.Just friends.
10
Hunter
Things have beenslightly less strained after my talk with Tess on the deck a few days ago. At least…outwardly. I still think about the way she sounded and smelled in my arms at least fourteen times a day, but who’s counting?
She and her brothers have gotten quite a lot done in their first week; the carpet in the great room has all been ripped up, and they’ve even started working on the mantel over the fireplace. I have to admit…the changes are already an improvement, and there’s still so much more to be done. My few discussions with Tess prove that she’s doing her best to plan her updates without changing the heart of the place, and I can’t tell her what that means to me. I probably should, but then again, I can barely speak to her for more than five seconds without remembering her touching herself in my bed. It makes for an awkward working relationship, to be sure.
Which is why I’ve resorted to calling what Ihopewill be a more expert opinion.
It rings twice before he picks up; ever prompt, my cousin.
“Hello,” Noah greets.
“Hey,” I answer. “Busy?”
“Most days, yes,” he tells me in that dry tone that garners no nonsense. “Did you need something?”
“I needed to ask for…some medical advice.”
“Are you hurt?”
“No, it’s not for me.”
