Page 14 of Moonlight's Mate
“He’s the only one who might say yes,” she said. “But that’s not what made me suspicious. I’ve seen that thing he was whispering about too loud, that imp.”
Merrilee stiffened. “When? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“And hear the whiskey comments? No thanks. Anyway, I thought it was another one of you people, changing into something else.”
Beck laughed once. “Claudia, is there anything you don’t know?”
She didn’t smile back. “Why a man who can change into a grizzly bear is scared enough to be shopping in my barn for cold iron.”
Beck’s smile flatlined. “No lie, but we’re not sure either. That’s what we’re trying to find out.”
After they’d taken Claudia’s report of the imp sightings—plus another set of fireplace tools, a few antique farm implements, and a good length of wrought iron fencing with each upright topped by an arrow point—Beck and Merrilee returned to the street. They’d left their purchases in the barn, planning to return with Beck’s truck.
Merrilee glanced back as they headed for the Harley. “Can we trust her?”
“No reason not to.”
She ticked off on her fingers. “Alcoholism. Selling out to the highest bidder; she robbed us at those prices. Her wanting to get her hands on your ass again… Wow, you’re blushing, Bexley.”
He strode to the bike and slammed on his helmet. “You coming or not?”
Amused, she settled herself against his spine. They never spooned after sex; she never hung around long enough to get that far.
It seemed strange—and maybe just a little sad—that only the imminent threat of a fae invasion had pushed them so closely together.
Chapter 5
Beck loved his Harley, but he’d never been so eager to get off it. The moment they arrived at the Sun-Down, he sidled away from the press of Merrilee’s hot body. How many layers of denim and leather—how much steel—would he need to put between them to forget her touch?
Maybe the fae queen could suck that desire out of him.
The nasty thought made him frown, and Merrilee was echoing his fierce expression when she pulled off her helmet.
What didshehave to be angry about? She had her rewarding work, far away from him. She had her pack and her fuck buddy with no strings attached, just as she liked it.
Orson’s quartet hadn’t shown up yet, so he unlocked the bar, though he kept the shades down. Normally he didn’t open until happy hour, making the bar a good place for a clandestine meeting.
Assuming everybody in town wasn’t already in on their secret like Claudia.
Merrilee went behind the bar, tossing her coat beside his. “Mind if I get a drink? I think I need one after this morning.”
“Help yourself,” he said. “As always.”
She’d bent down to the cooler, but she straightened slowly at his dangerous tone. Her blue eyes glimmered in the light of the neon beer signs. “You can just say no.”
“Apparently I can’t.”
“I thought we were talking about a can of Dr. Pepper.”
He leaned his hip against the pool table and clicked on the overhead light. “For someone with wereling senses, you sure are oblivious.”
Abandoning the soda, she stalked around the bar toward him until she was right up against the toes of his boots. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He huffed, wishing the scent of her wasn’t so enticing. If he could just clear his nose and his skin of that wild fragrance, maybe he wouldn’t be so inclined to reach for her whenever the opportunity presented itself. Whenever she presented herself. But all he could do was tuck his hands under his arms. “Never mind. Let’s stay focused on—”
“No, now I’m curious.” She didn’t look curious; she looked furious. “If you want me to walk away, just say the word.”
“You never walk away. You run. You hardly batted an eye at Claudia mentioning fairies, but when she said something about us being together—” He dangled his fingers and wiggled them like little running legs.
