Page 120 of The Mating Game
“I still don’t understand how the fuck this happens,” Thomas chimes in.
“I told you,” Tess explains. “It’s called a ‘late presentation.’ It’s just something that happens sometimes.”
“That doesn’t explain why ouremployertried to maul us,” Kyle scoffs.
Tess shoots me a look, and I frown down at my lap, keeping my fingers firmly laced through hers. She seems to sense that doing so calms the more raging tendencies threatening to creep up with the close proximity of other males—brothers or no—and I’m grateful to her for indulging me, as ridiculous as it seems for me to be feeling these things in the first place.
“I’m sure you’ve heard what happens to shifter females,” Tess says slowly. “Periodically.”
“No.” Chase cocks his head. “What happens to them?”
Thomas grimaces, leaning over to whisper in his brother’s ear.
“Oh,gross,” Chase says, making anacksound. He shoots me a disgruntled look. “You’ve beenboningour sister?”
I grit my teeth. “It’s not so crass as that.”
“I’ve read it’s very painful for the female shifters,” Kyle says, eyeing me. “If someone isn’t there to…help.”
I nod. “It can be, yes.”
“Ugh,” Thomas says. “Are you saying we should bethankinghim for plowing our sister?”
My fist that isn’t wrapped around Tess’s hand clenches. “Don’t talk about her that way, please.”
“What’s with you being so uptight anyway?” Chase asks. “You were ready to bite our heads off for wanting to see our own sister.”
I take a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Because of what we are, your sister and I are very…compatible. With her going into heat…it’s hard for me to rein in my instincts. It makes me a lot more…possessive than I would usually be. Plus, it’s been a long time since I’ve been near someone like her. It makes me even more…not myself.” I take another deep breath. “I’m sorry. For the way I acted.”
Tess squeezes my hand. “You didn’t mean it.”
“Why are you taking his side?” Chase grumbles.
Thomas leans forward in his chair. “So what does this mean? Are you guys, like, a couple now?”
“I—” My mouth falls open, thrown by the question, considering it’s something Tess and I have yet to discuss. I turn my head to catch her equally distressed look, no doubt as lost for the answer as I am. I swallow thickly, keeping my eyes on hers so she can gather how sincere I am when I say, “I’m whatever she wants me to be.”
Her breath catches and her eyes shine, her lips parting to answer as Chase says, “Oh, gag me. This is too weird.”
“What will this mean for the job?” Kyle asks, more practical than his brothers.
I glance over at her, my brow cocked. “Nothing? Everything can go on as usual as soon as Tess is feeling better.”
“Or now,” she says forcefully. She looks up at me with a determined expression. “Nate will be heretomorrow, and we still need to finish staining the floors in the main room. I wasn’t even sure we could get it done with just me and you, but with my brothers here…”
“Nate?” Thomas asks. “From the magazine?”
Tess actually looks sheepish. “Oh, yeah…I called him to see if he could sneak this place into the next issue. Give it a little boost.”
“Oh God,” Chase groans. “She’s in love. They’re going to have little wolf babies.”
Tess’s face flames pink, and I once again feel a small urge to pummel her brothers just for making her uncomfortable, but I wind an arm around her shoulders instead.
“Let’s focus on the project for now,” I tell them. “I’ll pitch in as much as I can. Just tell me what to do.”
A small smile touches her mouth. “You sure you’re ready to be put to work?”
“Born ready,” I tease.
