Page 26 of Midnight Whispers
“Wait a minute. You got one more hug to receive. Don’t worry about the partial shift. He gets that way when we’re on a case sometimes.” Dad took both bags with a smile.
Oh, Riley knew why Cass’s eyes had turned canine and his fangs had dropped. It wasn’t because of a case. But he couldn’t correct his dad’s assumption.
“Oh, I don’t think Cass wants to hug me.” The last thing Riley needed was to chub out in front of his brother and dad. And that was what would happen the second Cass touched him.
It didn’t help that Riley had been remembering their kiss all day. He couldn’t look at Cass without focusing on his mouth.
Cass pulled Riley into him. His arms were thicker than most. The strength in them was unmistakable, but he held Riley as if he were precious. “Thanks for whatever’s in the bag.”
“You don’t know what it is yet.” Riley could live in Cass’s arms for the rest of his life. He laid his head on Cass’s shoulder and shut his eyes. “Also, thank god for this apron.”
Cass chuckled. “I have the same problem. And it doesn’t matter what it is. I still appreciate it.”
Riley sighed. He didn’t want to end the hug but knew he should, so he pulled away. But he met Cass’s gaze. “It’s a muffin.”
“What flavor?”
“Blueberry lemon.”
Cass grinned. “I’ll love it.”
Riley cleared his throat and tried not to focus on how his face heated.
Cass kept a hand on his back as if he needed to touch Riley. The way his dad watched them, with speculation in his gaze, made Riley's instinct to step away from Cass kick in, as if his dad caught him with his hand in the cookie jar. But what he wanted was to lean against Cass.
Dad’s gaze went from Riley to Cass and back again.
Griffin shook his head and rolled his eyes at the same time. When he met Riley’s gaze, he held his hands out as if to say ‘what the hell are you doing’. But Riley didn’t understand Griffin’s reaction unless…they weren’t that obvious, were they?
Shit. What if they were?
Before they could do anything, Zinnie came in, carrying a rifle. “There’s a wolf in the forest. I’m not sure if they’re a shifter or an animal. Either way, they shouldn’t be in town.”
“You’re right. If it’s a shifter, they risk exposure. Especially this close to the inn.” Exposure must mean a shifter shouldn’t be in their wolf form, so close to unsuspecting people. Fortune Falls Inn had a steady number of visitors.
Even though she wasn’t talking to him, Riley started out of the room, untying his apron as he went.
“Oh no. You’re not leaving this room,” Cass said right before an arm wrapped around his waist and pulled him back.
Riley stiffened. He didn’t want to be angry at Cass, but he didn’t like being restricted. Riley hadn’t ever had someone protect him before. He’d always been the one who had to respond to everything, threat or not. It felt good to have someone else take charge of a situation.
Iven set the paper sacks on the counter. He raised his eyebrows at the way Cass held Riley but said nothing as he headed out. He waved a hand to Zinnie, asking her to follow him. “Tell me where you saw it.”
Cass kissed Riley’s temple before letting go.
“Lock the door,” he said as he left the room.
Griffin did as Cass said, flipping the lock on the door leading outside. And then he sat down again, turning off the radio. “Something is going on. It’s all connected to that murder, I bet.”
“What is? The wolf Zinnie saw? How could that be connected?”
Griffin shrugged. “No one sees an animal around here. They are always shifters. That wolf is watching Dad and Cass. It probably followed them here.”
“How do you know?”
“I don’t for sure, but that murder has something to do with the pack.” Griffin washed his hands before sitting at the table, tucking into a muffin. “I feel it in my gut.”
If the pack was involved, what did that mean for Cass?
