Page 12 of As The Shifter World Turns

Ivor found his voice. “Tell us what?”

“We’re selling Sunshine Manor.”

“What? No.” Ivor again, and while I was disappointed and irritated that Daire had let me move in knowing what his parents were planning, my fellow wolf shifter was genuinely distressed as he leaned on the fence and his face crumpled.

“How about we go out for dinner?” Daire announced to his folks. “My treat.”

Both his parents snorted, and without saying goodbye to Ivor or me, headed for the car with their son trailing behind.

“Be right there,” Daire said as he turned to me and said, “Nothing's certain yet. That’s why I didn’t mention it. I’m going to convince them not to sell. And please don’t say anything to the others, especially Neil.”

“Fine,” I replied.

“Okay.” Ivor’s wavering voice had me wanting to hug him.

“Thanks.” And then he was gone, swallowed up by the huge black car.

“You all right?” I asked Ivor.

“I guess.” He shrugged, but the tremors in his hands told me he was anything but.

I was bummed as I trudged up the stairs. Finding the apartment at Sunshine Manor hadn’t been easy. As I got to the second floor, Ryder’s door flung open and Kellan charged out, yelling, “You thought cooking me dinner last night and begging me to stay until morning was going to make me change my mind? I just came by to collect my wallet I forgot when I left for work.”

He headed toward me, and I flattened myself against the wall in an attempt to stay out of his way.

“I was trying to show you I’d changed,” Ryder shouted as he charged after the guy.

That was seriously fucked up, I said to myself as I reached the third floor.

I’d originally thought I’d get used to Micah’s scent. That it wouldn’t have the same tantalizing effect on me as it had that first day. I was wrong.

It swirled around me, tying me up in its potent aroma and enticing me toward his door. My cock reacted, and so did my wolf.

Go, he challenged me.

No. Gathering my courage, I ignored the fragrance, and opened my door and slammed it, my inner teen hoping Micah had heard me. If the building were sold and we were all turfed out, Micah’s distracting presence would be a thing of the past. Shame, but I pushed that thought away and got ready for dinner.

Ivor had thought Micah and I were on a date when we were in the car, and now, I wondered if Micah looked on my dinner with Neil as a date. It wasn’t. Neil was friend material. There was no spark between us except the one of friendship. Daire had let slip that Neil struggled to leave Sunshine Manor, which was why he’d been reluctant to come with us when we shifted. Open spaces made him nervous, though the rooftop patio was his safe space.

Thirty minutes later, I was on the second floor after being assaulted once again by Micah’s aroma as I left my place. Maybe he was doing it on purpose, rubbing himself over the walls and railings in the hallway, knowing it was driving me crazy. I’d never jerked off as much as I had since I’d arrived at Sunshine Manor.

And the whole dildo incident at the dumpster had me conjuring up scenarios where both Micah and a dildo were in my bed.

“Hi.” Neil’s cheery voice interrupted my daydream. “Have you been running? You’re a little flushed.”

“Nah. Just got out of the shower. Something smells amazing.” I handed him the wine I’d bought, anxious to put away the X-rated vision of the unicorn shifter. Neil had me sit on the couch while he uncorked the wine.

“I made vegetarian lasagna. Hope you like it.”

“I’m sure I will.”

Neil had obviously lived here a while. Plump cushions were piled on the sofa and a fluffy white rug sat on the door. Photos lined the walls, many of them of soccer teams holding shields or cups, everyone with huge smiles on their faces.

I got up and peered at the pics. “Is this you, Neil?” I pointed to the one guy in each pic wearing a different uniform.

“Yeah, I was the goalie.”

“Do you play professionally?”

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