Page 38 of Plus-Size Mate

“What's the matter, Carly? Finally getting a taste of your own medicine?”

The voice that sounded down the hall caused them both to jump, and Eddie leaned forward just enough to see Will striding towards them.

Fuck, here we go!Eddie thought. Was this where Will took over his old role of being jealous of every guy Carly flirted with?

Eddie almost felt sorry for him—almost, because if he was stupid enough to set his sights on her, like Eddie had been, then he likely deserved to feel some of that hurt for the sheer foolishness of it.

Will stopped just a little way off, mirroring Eddie's crossed arms.

“You know, I thought we'd have a little more fun before you set a target on someone else again,” Will continued, and Eddie watched the way Carly's face started to redden.

“That’s not what this is,” Carly said, her tone quite unsure. Her eyes flitted between the two men. “I was just checking up on Eddie before the big day.”

“Is that what you call trying to throw yourself at him?” Will asked, cocking his head to the side. “It seems like you've beencheckingon a lot of our packmates of late.”

Carly's face grew beetroot red then, and she took a step away.

“What's the harm in having a little fun?” Carly demanded, her face growing sour.

The sweet, innocent expression she so often presented for all to see was gone, and now she simply looked like an annoyed little teenager who hadn't gotten her own way.

Really, that was all she was—a teenager in a grown woman's body. Hell, Eddie knew as well as anyone that werewolves matured slower than humans, but this was just plain ridiculous.

“It seems to be rather one-sided on your part, Carly,” Will said, and Eddie stood, dumbfounded. He had yet to hear anyone actually call the woman out on her antics.

The awkwardness in Carly grew. Her shoulders tensed and her face became more than a little strained. “I think maybe I should go.”

She threw her thumb over her shoulder as she spoke, and Eddie noticed the way that her hand was trembling a little.

“I think that would be for the best,” Will said, shaking his head. “And to think, we were getting on so well.”

There was pure sarcasm in his tone, and for the first time, Eddie realized what Will had been doing by accepting Carly's advances. It seemed his only intention had been to keep her eyes from wandering to anyone else.

I should have known,Eddie thought, struggling not to laugh. Will was never the settling down type. And though she liked to act as if she was, Carly most definitely wasn't, either.

Watching Carly scurry away with her tail between her legs was perhaps one of the best things Eddie had witnessed in a long time. He couldn't stop the laughter from bubbling up his throat as he said to Will, “Thanks for that.”

Will dropped his arms to his sides the second she was gone and shrugged. “What are packmates for?”

Eddie scoffed at that, feeling a little foolish for ever imagining that Will would fall for Carly's tricks.

“What's that look for?” Will asked, his brow furrowing. “You didn't actually think Carly was my type, right?”

Eddie laughed openly then, almost throwing back his head. “If I'm honest, I don't think any of us know your type. You've gone through so many races, so many women with different personalities and professions, it's hard to keep track.”

Will laughed right along with him as he clapped Eddie on the shoulder and said, “Well, isn't that what they say tasting the rainbow is all about?”

Eddie rolled his eyes. Will was always joking about tasting the rainbow of women on offer to him before maybe, just maybe, he actually considered settling down.

“You sound like a commercial for kids’ sweets,” Eddie joked.

“Oh, believe me, this is anything but PG,” Will countered, and together, they laughed again.

It felt good not to be the butt of the joke, as he had felt he was for a couple of weeks now. Perhaps that also had to do with Eddie moving on. After all, Will was his same old charming and funny self.

“Speaking of types,” Will said, his expression and tone growing more serious. “What about this witch of yours?”

Eddie cringed at that. Running his fingers through his hair, he grumbled, “She isn't my witch.”

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