Page 25 of Love is Trash in Hallow's Cove

“Hey, buddy,” I say, giggling when it gets close enough for me to offer my hand out to it and it headbutts against it, snuffling like it’s looking for food.

I shake my head and hold my other hand out for it to inspect. “Sorry, I don’t have anything.” I know I should probably be worried about this raccoon being rabid and biting or scratching me, but it’s so cute and fluffy and sweet that I throw caution to the wind again.

It huffs almost derisively, and makes a beeline for my pocket, using its grabby little paws to dig inside and extract the candy bar before I can push it away. It takes the candy and moves back a few steps, staring at me with its cute little masked face, like it’s worried I’m going to take the food back.

“I’m not sure if you’re supposed to eat that, but I’m not going to stop you.” I laugh as it shoves it into its mouth, spitting out the wrapper and letting it fall to the ground.

When my raccoon friend is done with its treat, I expect it to scurry away, but it approaches me again.

I shake my head. “Sorry, cutie, but now I really don’t have anything.”

The raccoon stares at me like it’s assessing the truth of my words, little nose working as it sniffs the air. A moment later, it paws at my knees and I sit down on the asphalt so it can climb into my lap. Yeah, this alley isn’t the cleanest, but I’m already all sweaty and gross and you don’t give up the opportunity to snuggle with a raccoon.

I stroke a hand through its soft and surprisingly clean fur, marveling at this strange, wonderful situation. “If we’re going to hang out like this, I should give you a name so I don’t keep thinking of you as ‘it’ or ‘that pervy raccoon’.”

The raccoon in question doesn’t react to my words other than to paw a little at the hem of my jacket.

“Hmm…” I continue to card my fingers through its fur, eyeing its adorably fluffy tail longingly but knowing most animals don’t like having their tails touched. “I don’t know if you’re a boy or a girl, and I don’t really want to check.”

It huffs out a sigh like it agrees with that decision.

I smile down at the creature as I think. “You know, I always wanted a pet as a kid, but we moved too much for it to make sense. Not that you’re my pet! But I had a whole list of name ideas, so maybe one of those will work.”

The raccoon rolls over onto its back and stares up and me and I almost die from cuteness overload. It scratches at its chest again and seems to be waiting for me to keep talking.

“You don’t look like a Princess Woofles… maybe, Marshmallow? No, that would work better for a big fluffy white animal. Oh! What about Bandit? Or is that too on the nose?”

The raccoon yawns, clearly disinterested in determining its name.

“Okay, you can be Bandit for now. I’ll have to ask Jake and see if he has any better name ideas.” As soon as I say my handsome neighbor’s name, my chest squeezes and my eyes dart up toward his window, which is still dark.

Maybe by the time Bandit leaves and I get back inside to take a quick shower, Jake will be done with game night and I can bring him over some late night snacks.

Or maybe I could be a little less desperate.

Bandit must sense my mood shift, because it scrambles off my lap with no preamble and meanders away into the bushes behind my building. I give it a wave goodbye, wishing it would’ve stayed longer, but knowing the longer I sat out here with a raccoon in my lap, the more likely someone would see me and then I’d become known as the weird raccoon girl.

With a sigh, I head back inside to wash off the cleaning grime and raccoon fur, wishing that Jake had been around for tonight’s magical moment.

Chapter eleven

Jake

Ireallyshouldn’thavedone that. Hayley is bound to catch on that I’m her new raccoon friend if I don’t stop visiting her. But I saw her in the alley as I was heading back from my post-game night dumpster rounds, and couldn’t stay away.

I can’t even blame Beans this time. I wanted her to hold me and be close just as much as he did.

Dammit, I need to tell Hayley the truth. It might ruin things, but coming clean myself has got to be better than her figuring it out on her own, or worse, someone mentioning to her that the guy she’s seeing is a raccoon shifter.

I’ve already gotten comments from friends asking why I’ve been spending all my time in my human form, rather than my hybrid one. I brushed it off as trying to make Hayley more comfortable as we get to know each other, but that lie will onlyhold for so long.

I wish I knew how she’d react. Hayley has been a delightful surprise. Her wit, humor, and quirks are far beyond anything I could’ve hoped for. But even a sweet, silly person like her probably won’t take her neighbor stealing her used panties and broken vibrator as anything but a violation of her privacy. Maybe she’d be more accepting of the weirdness if I told her she’s my mate, but I can’t do that.

Hayley wants to fall in love, not have it thrust upon her.

Shit, that’s two secrets I’ve been keeping. I’ve got to tell her the truth.

Not tonight, though. Not while her scent envelops me, infused into my skin and beard. I’m too needy. Too desperate for her.

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