“My boy-” I start to turn, but stop myself. “Oh. Titus is outside?”
Adele tucks an errant black curl behind her ear and gives me an assessing look. “Are you not into him? I kinda thought you guys had chemistry?”
“Oh we have chemistry all right. That’s sort of the problem.”
“How is that a problem?”
I lean my elbow on the counter and put my chin in it. “Makes it harder to keep my distance. Especially because the sex is so good.”
“Ah. So the sex is great but the personality isn’t there?”
I pop another truffle in my mouth. “I like his personality, too. I just… Well, I’m too much for him. Story of my like… I mean, life.”
Sympathy flickers over Adele’s expression before she hides it. “Never make yourself small for a man,” she says firmly. “You keep on living loud and proud, being who you are. The guy who’s man enough to let you be you will show up.”
My eyes smart, but I blink it away. “Yep,” I agree, because I’m only capable of speaking the one syllable without letting out a warble in my voice.
“As for this guy… if you need help shaking him-”
“Oh, no.” I wave a hand. “He would back off if I made it clear that’s what I wanted.” But it’s not what I want. That’s the problem. “I’m sure he’ll leave on his own soon enough.” The words taste sour. I select another truffle.
“When things end, you’ll still have your friends,” Adele murmurs. “We’ll all be ready to order a bottle of wine and commiserate.”
“Thank you, dear. Time heals all lies… I mean, wounds.” I stuff the third truffle into my mouth before I mix any more metaphors. “Ahem. What do I owe you?”
“Oh these are on the house.”
I smile, somewhat relieved because her truffles are damn expensive. As they should be-they’re the finest thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. “Thank you so much, darling. Well, I’d better get out there and see if I can’t lose my bodyguard.”
“Eh. Use him for the sex. You deserve it.”
I laugh. “Already have!” I sing out as I leave.
Titus is leaning up against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his massive chest and a first class scowl on his face.
I ignore him and sail past.
He gives a low growl, but doesn’t touch me, just follows a step behind.
I wind my way through the plaza, stopping to greet and chit chat with friends, knowing I’m driving Titus bonkers.
It’s his choice to make himself my babysitter. Eventually, I end up sitting down on a bench because I hit the end of the line, and I don’t have a plan yet for getting to my RV.
Titus looms over me, blocking the harsh angle of the sun. He sticks his hands in his pockets, which is a decidedly non-dominant pose. Apparently, he’s making an effort to appear conciliatory.
I look up.
“I’m going to drive you out to your RV now,” he mutters.
I purse my lips. It’s on the tip of my tongue to refuse, but that would be the definition of cutting off my tongue to spite my nose. Or whatever the saying is.
Instead, I stand. He hesitates like he wants to say something, but then just tilts his head toward the parking lot where we left the Harley and waits until I start walking to fall into step with me.
He’s smart enough not to touch me or to say anything. In fact, neither of us say a word during the walk to the bike.
“I’m parked out on Cebolla Mesa,” I tell him.
He shakes his head, unfamiliar with the area. I give him directions and accept his helmet before I climb on the back of his motorcycle.
I wrap my arms around his washboard abs-the best I can with the cast-and try not to think about how easily my body sinks into pleasure just touching him. I try to ignore the thrill of the speed on the bike and the expert way he handles it.
No, this hedonistic pleasure that Titus incites can’t be trusted. I was smart enough to walk away last time.
I need to do the same thing now.
Titus
I OUGHT to be glad Sunny’s through with me. I called her on her shit and she walked, same as last time.
But there’s something itchy and unsettled in my center. Like I fucked up and I need to fix it.
So my compromise is making sure Sunny gets safely to her RV instead of wandering around the plaza like a vagabond.
The drive to her RV is beautiful and the place she chose to park exquisite. She’s nestled right on the edge of the Rio Grande gorge, but still among pine trees.
She has a couple solar panels on the roof, a solar shower set up in a tree and a little flower pot with wilted columbines by the front door.
“Oh, you’re thirsty, aren’t you, sweet flowers? Let me give you a drink.” The looney woman is talking to her flowers. She opens the RV and comes back out with a jug of water, which she pours on the wilted flowers. “The pot is too small,” she says to me, as if I was wondering. “It dries out too quickly and with me not coming home last night…” She pops back into the Airstream.
I want to go, but I feel uneasy about leaving her here. I know she’s a grown woman and she’s been living on her own forever, but it strikes me as extremely unsafe. She’s a fragile human female, out here in the wilderness, where no one could hear her scream.
I circle around the RV, lifting my nose to scent the air. I wish I were in wolf form, so I could really get a sense for what’s been around here. I step into a thicket of trees and catch a scent that sends a shock through me.
Shifter.
Male wolf.
Who has been out here? My buddy Buzz?
Or could this have something to do with the lab I’m looking for? Maybe an escaped test subject.