Page 5 of Small Town Girl

She motions with her head to the two men sitting by the stage. "They're in denial a bit. They have a thing for each other so they come here to pretend."

"Pretend what?" I ask, intrigued.

"You know." She shrugs, turning an adorable shade of pink. "It gives them a chance to say things aloud to the dancer that they really want to say to each other."

"That's incredibly intimate...how do you know? Are they friends of yours?"

She shakes her head and picks up a piece of cheese from the paper plate. "You never asked me."

"Asked you what?"

Amusement dances across her face. "If I was Fae."

“I did so. You never answered.”

She opens her mouth to respond, only to be interruptedby Steely calling out my name as one of the men reaches out for her, his hand sliding up her thigh. I've shifted and am in between them before he can even make it to the waistband of her panties. Eddie's supernatural senses are sharp. He’s there at my side, pulling the guy's friend up by the collar. I check on Steely, but she has the most apt stage name of any dancer I have ever met. She collects the cash at her feet and winks. "Don't leave your lady waiting too long,” she tells me as she heads to the dressing room.

I turn back to find Nollaig watching the scene with wide eyes. "Sorry about that," I tell her once Steely's safe, and I'm back behind the bar.

She studies me closely. "Your ears...can I touch them?"

"My ears? Oh." Partial shift gives me greater strength, but it also brings out many of the wolf characteristics—lots of extra hair and ears that rest on top of my head instead of on the sides. I lean over and let her run a hand along my ears. Her fingers brush lightly against both ears, sending goosebumps across my upper arms.

"They're so soft," she says quietly.

I snort. "I use conditionerevery once in a while."

She laughs. "And you move so fast. You were here, and then the next minute you were there pulling that guy off her."

I nod. "Sorry you had to see that. It's part of the shifting. It allows me to do more than my human form."

"Is this what you look like on the full moon?"

I shake my head. "On the full moon, we'll shift completely, but honestly I can shift completely any time. It just takes a lot out of me to do it."

Her eyes meet mine. "I'd love to see that."

"It wouldn't scare you?"

"Nothing you could do would ever scare me."

My mouth goes dry with the look in her eyes. "Full moon's in three days, you should come and see first hand."

She takes another bite of the food in front of her and looks around. We're completely alone. Even Steely and Eddie are nowhere to be seen.

"Oh, shoot, I'm sorry. I'm keeping you now."

I shake my head. "Naw. The earliest my uncle will let me close is ten. Unless you need to get home, then I'llcall you a ride."

She shakes her head. "I like it here. If you don't mind me sticking around until you've got to close up. All that's waiting at home is Da, and he's probably passed out by now."

“I’d love it if you stayed and kept me company,” I say a little too honestly. God, I’m failing at being cool. Nollaig just smiles and looks hopefully at my orange.

“You going to eat that orange?” she asks.

I chuckle and peel the second one before handing it to her. She finishes up her gin and tonic and looks around at the empty bar. “You need any help? If there’s one thing I’m an expert at, it’s sweeping and mopping.”

I shake my head. “Absolutely not. I’ve got a little brother for that.”

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