Page 60 of Fastlander Fallen

“They were raised in the wild, I apologize for them,” Corey told her.

“I have questions about the menu,” Owen said.

“No he doesn’t,” Corey interrupted him. “He wants a double-order of biscuits and gravy.”

Owen was frowning. “And add lots of bacon,” he said. He glanced over at Gunner, who was glaring at him. What, he mouthed.

Manners, Gunner mouthed.

“Oh, please. Thank you.” He gave Gunner a stupid look, and now Corey could hear it—the growl emanating from the Alpha again.

“Dude, you just ordered bacon,” Ace said to Owen.

“So?”

“So, you’re a boar shifter. Isn’t that like eating your own people?”

Owen leaned over the table and stuck up his middle finger at Ace. “They don’t serve bear meat.” His eyes flashed blue, and then he leaned back in his chair.

“I’m not a bear,” Ace said.

“Shit,” Owen said as he pulled a little notepad out of his back pocket and dragged a pen across the paper, marking something out.

“What is that?” Captain asked as Hallie ordered her breakfast from the waitress.

“Notes.”

“You’re keeping notes on us?” Captain asked, a frown on his face as he leaned over and read what was on the notepad. “Hey, Ace, so far he has that you aren’t a bear, you aren’t a boar, and you aren’t a flight shifter.”

It was Ace’s turn to sigh. He shook his head and ordered another beer before he ordered his breakfast from the waitress. When he was done with his order, he leaned closer to Corey. “What are you wanting?”

She pointed at the Big Farmer Breakfast, and he ordered for her. Now, she wasn’t one of those women who needed a man to coddle her, but she would fully admit she liked how he took charge and took care of her. Even if it was something simple and gentlemanly, she really enjoyed that caring instinct in him.

Out of all the shifters here, Ace’s manners were definitely the most refined.

After the waitress brought out another bucket of mimosas, this time with blueberry flavor, he reached over and grabbed Corey’s hand, slowly pulled it over to himself and rested it on his thigh, then leaned forward and started a conversation with Gunner about what he needed over the next week to prepare for their courthouse ceremony.

Okay. Okay! Ace liked physical touch. Perhaps it was his love language. She kind of hoped it was, because she was also very affectionate when she cared for a man, and she was absolutely starting to care for this one.

The boys calmed down after that. Sure, they still insulted each other literally the entire time, but Corey and Hallie found it funny as hell. They kept exchanging glances, and Corey didn’t remember the last time she had laughed this much. Her abs were getting a workout. And the best part of the breakfast? Ace touched her in some way the entire time. Even when they were eating, he pulled her chair closer to his and slid his leg over so that it rested against hers.

What kind of shifter was he? Something affectionate.

Did he realize that with every adjustment, with every touch, he was building a fire in her middle for him?

While he had been eating, he had cut a bite off of everything on his plate and set it on the rim of her plate for her to try, and didn’t even break conversation to do it. Just naturally shared with her like they’d done that a hundred times before. She did the same for him, and he slid a smile to her that made her heart thump erratically against her chest.

Oh, she was really starting to like him.

It wasn’t until the end of the lunch that she noticed Owen’s attention on her more and more. He stopped talking and watched her, leaned back in his chair.

“Enough,” Ace said, dragging his glare to Owen.

“She’s in heat,” Owen murmured, his eyes turning blue as he slid his gaze to Ace.

“It’s not your concern,” Ace assured him.

“If she’s presenting for you, means she’s getting attached,” Owen said. Clearly he was trying to start shit with Ace, but Corey didn’t like him talking about this stuff.

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