Page 72 of Bewitched By the Werewolf
“Are you worried other males will see me?” I counter. The playful smirk vanishes from his lips and his eyes dart down to my bare torso, a small growl emanating from him.
“You wait here. I’ll go grab our clothes.” He grumbles. He doesn’t wait for me to argue or agree, he also doesn’t cover himself up. Walking tall and proud out of the cover of the trees and into the backyard, half hard dick swaying between his thighs.
I venture closer to the edge and spot many other naked people wandering out of the forest. Nudity must be a normal thing among shifters. Since no one cries out in surprise or embarrassment. I watch Ryder scoop up his pants and slip them on before grabbing the rest of our clothes and bringing them back to me.
~
The food tables are overflowing with all kinds of dishes. Pastas, salads, nachos, burgers, steak. Lots and lots of steak. Go figure, wolf shifters like steak. Ryder makes sure I fill up my plate and eat it all. It’s all good and I’m not going to complain when forced to eat free homemade food.
I’ve just placed my plate in a bin to be washed—because they’re more environmentally conscious than green peace—when a tall, beautiful, and impeccably dressed woman with long auburn hair approaches us. She eyes me dubiously and I prickle at the judgement in her glare.
“So, you’re Tess,” she says in way of greeting.
Well hello to you too.
“And you would be?” I snark back with just as much attitude as she gave me. I’m not easily intimidated, and I have a knife in my boot.
With one raised manicured eyebrow she snips back. “Ginger.”
We appraise each other in that way woman always do. Taking in the others appearance and ranking our ability to take the other one out, either with words or fists. In our case I think we would be evenly matched in both. A small flicker of approval mixed with my reflexive defensiveness. I’ve dealt with many a mean girl in my day, one more won’t be an issue. Though when Ryder sighs and steps up to my side, Ginger’s scowl softens. Which makes me like her a little less. Ryder’s mine, she can’t have him.
“Retract your claws, Ginger. Tess this is my younger and mostly annoying sister, Ginger. She knows all about you and what you do.” He adds quietly.
“Oh.” A range of emotions rolodexes through me and I can’t decide which one I should settle on. Defensive and alert, suspicious and polite, calm and friendly? I like that he told his sister about me but also am concerned she may have judged me already if she knows I’m a werewolf hunter.
Ginger sniffs the air and her eyes widen on Ryder, then shift between me and him. Fucking non-humans and their superhuman sense of smell.
“So that’s how it is. I didn’t realize,” she says, more to her brother than me. He shrugs and grunts, which apparently, she understands because she hums and her expressions shifts back to something more composed but intrigued.
“Uh, it’s nice to meet you,” I attempt a pleasantry, because I’m pretty sure that’s what you’re supposed to do when introduced to a family member of the guy you’re sleeping with. I extend out a hand and Ginger’s nose immediately recoils at it.
“No offense, but I don’t want to smell like my brothers jizz.” Her hands remain firmly around her drink as she eyes my hand as if it were dripping sticky white evidence of what we did in the forest.
I look at my hand wondering if I missed a spot when washing them. They look clean to me.
“Scent lingers on the skin for a long time, even after washing,” Ryder helpfully whispers in my ear. “But my sister is being overly vulgar for no reason,” he says louder this time, so it’s obvious he wants her to hear.
“What? I was just being honest,” Ginger retorts, but grins teasingly at him.
A little embarrassed I tuck my hand into my back pocket so as not offend any others with my obvious lack of non-human etiquette. I don’t let it show on my expression and stand taller next to Ryder. I may have blundered the first impression introduction, but hopefully I can redeem myself. I want his friends and family to like me.
“You can lay off the attitude now Ginger. Tess knows all about us and Snowberry and has no intention of exposing either. Do you Tess?”
I should probably be mad about him speaking for me, but he’s right. I don’t plan on exposing any of this or them. I hadn’t said in words out loud yet, but somehow, he still knew.
“No, I don’t.”
“And what about your website?” Ginger immediately asks, her eyebrow raising accusingly. I guess it should be no surprise she knows about my website if she knows what I am. What I was. Because there’s no way I can continue being awerewolf hunterafter this.
“You know I was actually considering taking it down. I think it’s time for me to find something else to do.”
Both Ryder and Ginger watch me with surprised and hopeful expressions. Ginger more suspicious than Ryder but I can tell she’s starting to soften towards me.
“Really? Like what?”
“Umm…I haven’t figure that out yet. I’d probably make a good P.I.” Then a strange idea pops into my head, one I hadn’t thought of before, but now faced with the possibility it kind of makes sense. “Or perhaps I could apply for your sheriff’s department. The law around here seems a little lax. I think it could use a little help.”
I watch Ryder from the corner of my eye, giving him a taunting look. I’m teasing him of course for spending all his time following me around town but am also serious. With my skill set and knowledge I could be a decent deputy.
