Page 13 of Coming Up Aces

Rayna

If Rayna weren’tboth a shifter and a trained agent, she would never have agreed to stay at Asher’s, even if her Cheetah thought they were mates, but what better way to judge his character than to live in the same house? So far, the male had been charming and kind. And honest. He apologized for trying to voice her, and she hadn’t felt the odd sensation since she admitted the compulsion didn’t work on her. Spencer hadn’t been wrong about some of the MC being mercenaries, but if Asher had been truthful about the things David did to Rhiannon? Rayna would trust a merc any day over someone who put tracking chips in his child, then dragged her off to live in a cult.

She unzipped her duffel first. Removing her firearm, Rayna placed it on the nightstand, then put her casual clothes and underwear in the new-looking dresser. She hid the burner phone Seth gave her underneath her shirts. Until she knew without a doubt she could trust Asher, she wasn’t going to tip her hand that she had another way to contact Seth. Her suits she hung in the closet. Then she took her toiletries across the hall to the bathroom. She was pleasantly surprised at how clean his place was. For a bachelor’s home, it was charming, decorated in soft blues interspersed with beige and gray. Rayna had expected something different for a biker, which went to show you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, no matter how sexy said cover was.

Asher stating he was demisexual was an even bigger surprise. Not that he was demi but that he admitted it after such a short time. If her instincts weren’t misleading her, Asher was decent and caring. Even before going through training, Rayna considered herself a good judge of character. If she had been wrong about her boss, was she also wrong about Asher? She didn’t think so, and neither did her animal. Rayna’s Cheetah certainly thought he was the shit, and she wanted to come out and play with Asher’s Lion. It had been months since she’d been able to let her other half free, so now that she was unpacked, she planned to ask if he minded. She found him in the kitchen where a burner phone sat on the island.

“Here you are.” Asher pushed the phone across the tiled counter, and Rayna closed the distance to take it. “Fresh out of the package,” he added.

“Thanks.” She set it down on the counter and twirled it. “Should we go see Rhiannon?”

“I’ve already called Ryker and warned him. And throwing this out there, I also told him about you. Since you planned on going to their house, I didn’t think you’d mind.”

“No. That’s fine, as long as they know I’m on their side.”

“I assured them you were.”

Rayna picked the burner up, giving her hands something to hold onto. She was nervous, but with some prodding from her Cat, she asked, “Would you mind if I shifted? It’s been months, and my Cheetah is itching to come out.”

“I don’t mind at all. As a matter of fact, my Lion wants to meet her, if that’s okay?”

Rayna grinned. “That’s perfect. I’ll just go…” She thumbed over her shoulder toward the bedroom. She wasn’t going to get naked in front of the male. She wasn’t ashamed of her body, but she didn’t want to seem too forward. Not after what he shared about his sexuality.

“Me too. It’s unfair the dire wolves can shift with their clothes on.”

“I’ve never heard of them.”

“I hadn’t either until one of the Hounds mated with one. They’re bigger than regular wolf shifters. Anyway, I’ll meet you in the living room? I need to close all the blinds before we shift.”

Rayna agreed, then retreated to her room to undress. She had to leave the door cracked so she’d be able to get out, so she waited until Asher walked past to get to his bedroom. As soon as she was in her fur, her Cheetah purred. They padded down the hall to the living room and waited. When Asher’s Lion prowled toward her, her Cheetah rolled onto her back like a hussy. Since it considered Asher her mate, it made sense her Cat would show her belly.

Asher’s Lion chuffed and shook its large mane. He closed the distance and stretched out next to her. Both she and her Cat were smitten with the majestic animal. Rayna wondered what her mother would have done if she’d met another shifter instead of a human. Would she have mated the male? Or would she have tossed him aside the same way she did Rayna’s father?

Rayna didn’t date often. It had been over a year since she’d gone to dinner with someone, and there had been no spark, so she didn’t accept the second invite. She saw no use in dating for dating’s sake. Unlike her mother, Rayna wanted a mate. Someone to share her life with the way her grandparents had. As she spent the morning with Asher in their fur, she let her imagination run free. What if she weren’t an agent who worked long hours? What if she and Asher hit it off and she moved into his house permanently? Rayna could be patient, becoming friends first, then lovers later. It had been years since she had sex with anyone, so waiting wasn’t a problem. Rayna mentally rolled her eyes. Who was she kidding? The male was gorgeous, and she was nothing special. Just because he was nice andoffered her a safe place to stay didn’t mean he was interested in her. He had to get to know someone before becoming romantically involved, and Rayna had nothing to offer. She had no hobbies outside knitting and watching TV. She couldn’t cook. Her looks were okay, and she was stubborn.

Her Cheetah rolled over and stood, then padded around the living room. It had been forever since she’d been able to let the animal outside to run. Maybe Asher knew of somewhere they could go to do so. Since they couldn’t communicate in their fur, Rayna returned to the guest room, nudged the door closed, and shifted back. By the time she was dressed and walked down the hall, Asher was waiting for her in the kitchen where he was sipping a beer.

“Would you like something to drink? I have beer, soda, juice, and white wine. Oh, and all kinds of liquor in the den.”

“Isn’t it a little early for the hard stuff?” she joked.

“We’re shifters. Unless your metabolism is different than mine…”

“I was just giving you a hard time. I’d love a beer.”

Asher set his bottle down and retrieved one for her. After popping the top, he handed it over.

Rayna took a long pull, and after swallowing, let out anahh. She’d missed drinking whatever she wanted. “Thanks, and thank you for letting me shift.”

“No problem. Feel free to shift anytime you feel like it. It’s easier for me since I can take to my Eagle and fly.”

Something about that niggled at Rayna’s mind. “Your Eagle wouldn’t have white wings, would it?”

Asher rubbed the back of his neck, a sweet blush rising on his cheeks. “Uh, yes?”

Rayna grinned at him. “That was you in the tree watching me, wasn’t it?”

“Sorry if that was creepy.” He picked up his beer and took a swig.

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