Page 20 of Coming Up Aces

Nope.

What?

Don’t even go there. Just be patient, and we’ll get what we want.

Rayna trusted her Cheetah, and she could be patient with Asher. But that didn’t mean he would want her romantically if she did give him time to get to know her.

His Gryphon wants us.

Hmm. That was intriguing, how the beast and the human weren’t on the same page. Asher was proving to be generous, and they’d only known each other less than forty-eight hours. Not that she needed him to buy her things, but the gesture was appreciated. Rayna’s mother had sent money to help Gran raise Rayna, and her grandmother invested every penny. While Rayna would have preferred to have Colette’s love instead, she wasn’t going to turn down the money. Growing up, she’d been content to garden in the summer and knit with Gran in the winter. Rayna loved being outdoors, running through the woods, climbing trees, and chasing smaller animals. Playing with them had beenfun. Fern had given her all the love she needed while teaching her life skills (except cooking) and letting her be a kid.

Unlike others she went to school with, Rayna hadn’t found her calling. She was content having fun and spending time with her grandmother, learning whatever Gran taught her. Being an agent hadn’t been her dream. It was Vanessa who convinced her to change her major in college when Rayna couldn’t decide on a career. Seth was already an agent by that time, and he talked at length about his job and what the requirements were. It sounded exciting, so she agreed. Her original plan had been to work until she was forty and then retire to find something else to fill her time.

Her job had been fulfilling up to the point she went undercover at Haven. Now, though, Rayna was considering retiring sooner. She didn’t need the income. She also didn’t need the headache that her boss continued to give her. If things with Asher worked out, Rayna would love to work with him and the Hounds in taking down The Ministry.

After they ate their fill at the buffet, Asher had taken the long way home. They settled on the sofa together and watched a movie before saying goodnight. The next morning, Asher left after breakfast to go spy on Haven. Rayna wished she could have gone with him. Instead, she was alone in his house with nothing to do. He’d left one of his credit cards and told her to order some knitting supplies or anything else she wanted since using her own card could lead her boss to where she was hiding. She asked if she could contact Glory, but she and Ripley were dealing with Glory’s family. Feeling a bit sluggish, Rayna went through a circuit of push-ups and sit-ups. She jumped an imaginary rope. She did burpees. Then she did it all again ten times. After that, she showered. Then she found herself going over every inch of Asher’s home. She wanted to learn more about the male.

There was next to nothing to tell her about his past. He had a couple of photos of him and who she assumed were his parents. There were a few with the other Hounds, including one of Asher and two of the cutest little boys Rayna had ever seen. She knew them to be Maveryck’s twin sons from her time researching the club. Maveryck’s girlfriend, Natalia Jones, had been a conundrum. When Rayna researched the female, she found little on the lavender-haired woman. Rayna concluded she was Maveryck’s mate since he was a Gryphon. Knowing the Lazlos were shifters put them in a new light. Ripley rescuing Glory added to the goodness. So did Sutton’s voicing the members of Haven to behave better toward one another. Rayna couldn’t wait to hear how the men were acting now that Sutton had convinced them to go against what they’d been taught by Josiah.

But she would have to wait, and that didn’t sit well with Rayna. She didn’t want to knit. She’d had her fill of that at the compound. She couldn’t cook, so preparing a meal for Asher’s return was out. What she wanted to do was help find Hanson, but being stuck inside without a computer made that impossible. Besides, she wasn’t a hacker. She would have to wait on Bishop to find her boss. She could call Vanessa, but that would give Seth access to her. Instead, she retrieved the burner Asher had given her and dialed the one person she could trust.

Gran didn’t answer, and Rayna didn’t expect her to since the number was unknown, so she left a message and waited. It didn’t take long for the phone to ring.

“Hello, Gran.”

“Rayna! Oh, my goddess, child. How are you?”

“I’m… Well, I’m no longer undercover, but things are a little chaotic.”

“Tell me everything.” Gran’s sweet voice washed over Rayna.

Rayna stepped outside, reclined on the lounge chair in the sun, and told Gran everything, including her feelings about Asher.

“A Gryphon? How exciting. I always wondered what other types of shifters were out there, and you’ve caught the eye of one. I’m so happy for you. But why do you sound sad?”

“I’m not sad, Gran. Just agitated. You know I don’t like sitting around, and until my boss is found, that’s exactly what I must do.”

“Bah. Turn in your notice and find something you love.”

Rayna flipped over to her stomach, placing the phone on the cushion while propping her head on her hand. “I don’t know what that is. I didn’t when I was younger, and it’s why I let Vanessa and Seth convince me to become an agent.”

“You have all the time in the world to figure it out. Or not. There’s no rule that says you have to work. You don’t need the money. Maybe instead of focusing on a career, you should give all your attention to Asher.”

“I still need something to fill my time. He’s only been gone a few hours, and I’m already going stir crazy. You know I don’t do well sitting still. It about killed me at Haven.”

Gran laughed. “We both know cooking is out.”

“Thank the goddess Asher has that covered. And I knitted enough blankets these last four months that I don’t want to look at yarn for a while.”

“Does he have a garden or flowerbeds? You’re good with making things grow.”

“He has trees and shrubs and natural wildflowers. Maybe I’ll ask if I can do a small vegetable garden in the backyard. There’s plenty of room.”

“He told you to do what you wanted, right? Why not surprise him? If he’s handy in the kitchen, he’ll appreciate having fresh vegetables. It’s too late in the season to plant some things, butthere are plenty that do well in the fall. And digging in the dirt, turning the soil, will expend some energy, which you obviously need to do. Heck, mow the lawn or trim the bushes. Those are things you used to enjoy. Share in the chores. Anything that will take something off his plate. If you truly believe he’s your mate, show him you care by doing small things.”

“Thanks, Gran. You always know what to say.”

“You don’t have to thank me, child. And my knowledge comes from living with your grandfather for over two centuries. I hated dusting, so he did that. I didn’t mind laundry, but I would let it pile up after it came out of the dryer, so he put it away for me. He enjoyed mowing, but when it came to pulling weeds, he refused, so I took on that task. It’s give and take. That’s what makes a good relationship. That and a lot of patience.”

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