Night Games

by Crystal Jordan

  What did he want? A cookie? He was just doing his job. Now he could go and eat with some other woman. She shrugged, though she doubted it showed while she was bouncing along at a swift trot. “I was just trying to help Peyton out with the nose thing. I didn’t expect to end up in a professional tangle.”

  “This whole separation of job and personal life is a big deal to you, isn’t it?” He dipped his head to try to meet her eyes.

  She shot him an incredulous look. “What was your first clue, Laramie?”

  “I get it with the sex with co-workers thing, but ... just running off like that bordered on rude and unfriendly.” He spoke easily, not even winded from running and talking at the same time.

  “What was unfriendly was how all of you stared at my tits. So you’ll forgive me if I didn’t want to stand around and be ogled by my colleagues. It’s easier to think about breakthroughs in the case when no one is visually groping me. A little professional separation is a good thing, in my book.” If her voice came out choppy and sharp, she put it down to the fact that she was jogging, not that his accusation stung. So he thought she was a bitch. He wasn’t the only one.

  “I’m not sure that you can’t be friends with your co-workers, which seems to be the extreme you’ve taken it to, but you’re right about us staring at you. That was rude, and I apologize.”

  Damn. A graceful apology that undercut any ability to be pissy with him for not being buddies with her colleagues. Her teeth gritted together. Time to change the topic to something that didn’t have her on the defensive. “Aren’t you going to be late for your lunch date?”

  “I can be a few minutes late.” He said it so casually, she wanted to smack him. Or blast him with a really nasty spell. If they weren’t in public.

  She lengthened her stride a bit, but then she figured outrunning him was futile. Maybe after they went past his street, he’d stop following her. “Most women I know don’t like to be kept waiting.”

  He was silent for a long moment. “Seriously, Selina. Did I do something to piss you off? I thought we had a good time last night.”

  “We did. Or, at least, I did. I can’t speak for you.” She tossed her hair out of her face, annoyed by the damp strands clinging to her neck.

  A strangled sound emerged from his throat. “If the ‘oh, fuck, yeah, just like that’ wasn’t a pretty good clue that I enjoyed myself, I’d be happy to get more vocal for you.”

  Gods, was it hot out here or was it just her? Seattle was having a sudden heat wave. The vivid reminder of what Jack had said and done to her the night before sent her hormones into overdrive. A bead of sweat slithered between her breasts, and her breath came far faster than it needed to for the speed they were going. “You were fine.”

  “Fine?” Indignation laced his tone along with a large dose of bruised masculine pride. “You say that to a fifteen-year-old who can barely find his dick. I’ve been better than fine for a long time, darlin’.”

  “And modest, too.” She fought the need to smile, which just annoyed her because she didn’t want him to make her laugh, and she ignored the fact that that was totally irrational. It was just that kind of weekend. Off balance and thoroughly fucked.

  He made an offended noise. “You want me to act like I don’t know what I’m doing?”

  As if she’d go for a second round with someone like that. She echoed the offended sound he’d made. “We wouldn’t be sleeping together if that was the case.”

  “Okay, then tell me what I did to piss you off.”

  She had no idea how to put it into words without making it seem like she was more invested in this ... thing they had going than she was. “Look, it’s fine if you’re fucking someone else, but... announcing it as you leave my bed is bad form, you know?”

  “Announcing? Fucking someone ... What the hell are you talking about?” Genuine confusion colored his words, and it took everything she had not to punch him. Hard. Which was not like her cool and collected self.

  She tossed one hand up. “And I repeat, ‘I need to get back home and clean up some, make sure there’s food in my fridge. She’ll worry otherwise. We’re supposed to have lunch today. Gotta go, bye.’ Is this ringing any bells?” She widened her eyes at him. “So, yeah, I thought you’d given a pretty pointed indicator of what was going down today. Naughty nooner ... hot lunch date. Whatever.”

  He huffed out a laugh. “Wow. I swear I’m not usually an ass about this kind of thing.”

  Yeah, that was so reassuring. He usually juggled his women better than this.

  “I’m having lunch with my mother. That’s the ‘she’ I was talking about, the one who would care if I’m working too hard and not taking care of myself.”

  Oh.

  Jack swung left down the next street, Grim close on his heels and dragging her along behind. Her mind spun, trying to process what he’d said, and being hit square between the eyes with just how hard the green-eyed monster had bitten her. She wasn’t supposed to care if he was shagging everything on two legs.

  This was not a good sign.

  It was only then that she realized she’d followed him to his house, which wasn’t what she’d planned. Story of this week, right? She sighed and slowed to a stop in front of his place, ready to say her good-byes, again, and take herself home for a shower and a few hours poring over the paperwork from the All-Magickal Council. She also needed to give some thought to what she wanted to ask this Connie Wright about the case she thought she’d closed. The wheels in Selina’s mind spun, a million details to consider bombarding her at once. With any luck, the first victim hadn’t been cremated and Tess could take another whack at an autopsy. With any luck, the wannabe vamp boyfriend could give them some useable information.

  Luck had never been on her side with this killer, but she had to try.

  “Hey.” Peyton appeared before them, and he didn’t seem the least bit winded. She and Jack had been jogging at a decent clip, and Peyton hadn’t passed them on the way. The wolf shouldn’t have been using his super speed to get back to the house first.

  She narrowed her gaze at him. “How did you beat us here?”

  “Took a shortcut through the neighbor’s yard.” He shrugged. “They’re friends.”

  A shiver of awareness went down her spine, and she knew they were being watched. By Magickals. She could all but feel their gazes drilling into her. She tilted her head, opening her senses to try to discern where their observers were. And what they were. Werewolves. The thought hit her, that familiar boom of precognition that reverberated in her skull.

  Magickals gave off certain signals that other Magickals could pick up, depending on the type of precognitive abilities they had. Some had the sight, like Merek. Others could read magic through physical touch, or hear it with clairaudience, a few could even taste it or smell it. Telepathy, telempathy, it ran the gamut, but every Magickal had some of it.

  Werewolves and vampires had an animalist combination of extrasensory abilities, but she didn’t know if it was technically classified as clairvoyance. It made up for the fact that they sucked at casting spells.

  Selina had a pretty low level of claircognizance. She just knew things, sometimes without any real explanation why. Gut instinct, she’d always considered it, but with a twist of magic.

  And she knew they were being watched, the awareness growing, creeping down her skin and leaving gooseflesh behind.

  “There are werewolves staring at us.” She met Peyton’s gaze. “Have you done anything to piss off your pack lately?”

  “No.”

  Chatty as always, that one.

  “It’s my mom and stepfather.” Jack raised his hand and waved at someone down the street, who stepped out of a sedan with dark-tinted windows.

  A woman who looked a lot like Jack jumped out of the passenger side of the car, while the driver was a man who could easily pass for a mountain boulder, he was that huge. The woman wasn’t short, but he easily dwarfed her. Both were definitely werewolves.

/>   Selina expected to relax, knowing these weren’t enemies stalking them. Instead, nerves winged through her belly. She felt like she was meeting her boyfriend’s parents for the first time, and she wanted to bitch-slap herself for the feeling. No one knew she was sleeping with Jack, and she was not his girlfriend.

  “We didn’t want to interrupt, so we gave you a minute to finish your conversation.” The big man rumbled, his voice matching his appearance. He didn’t acknowledge for a second that his wolf hearing could probably have reached far enough to overhear them.

  Jack nodded, gesturing between the two groups. “Selina, Peyton, this is my mother, Angela Maria Bates Laramie Kerr.” The woman made a face at him and he winked. “And my stepfather, Darren Kerr.”

  Selina had heard of Darren Kerr before. He was an up-and-comer in the local wolf pack. Some said he might make a bid for Alpha some day. And he was married to Jack’s mother.

  They all shook hands, and Selina tried not to fidget as Angela gave her an assessing look. Gods, she was four times the age of this former Normal. She told herself to get a grip and just nodded at the other woman.

  Angela smiled. “Great to meet you both. You’ll join us for lunch, of course.”

  Oh, hell no. Selina had planned to cut and run half an hour ago. What was she even still doing here? She should be home now, reviewing files. She lifted Grim’s leash for everyone to see. “Oh, I have my dog with me, so I’ll have to—”

  “Nonsense.” Angela flapped a hand, a steely light filling her gaze. The woman had made a decision, and that was that. Selina didn’t have to wonder where Jack got his tenacity from. “There’s this great little bistro a couple of blocks over. It has plenty of outdoor seating, and people bring their dogs there all the time.”

  “Well ... uh ...”

  Jack nudged her shoulder, flashing an enticing smile that did quivery things to her insides. “Come on, take your mind off of work for an hour. It’s good for you.”

  He was right, damn it. Sometimes it did help to think about something else for a while. It was why she’d gone for a run in the first place. Her mind was still subconsciously working on the problem, and not focusing on it could let her sort it out. She hated when he did that. He seemed to know exactly what to say to cut any arguments out from under her. She fought back the need to growl. “Fine.”

  Jack watched his mother hook her arm through Selina’s as the group walked down to the restaurant for lunch. “Jack has mentioned you.”

  “Has he?” The death rays beaming out of Selina’s eyes made him damn glad she wasn’t allowed to do magic in public. He’d have been roasted by the hex she cast just then. “What has he mentioned about me?”

  His mother shot him a wicked look, and Jack fought the urge to muzzle her. The thing about his dad dying and the two of them being left alone was that she’d become as much friend as parent, which meant she felt free to harass the shit out of him.

  “I haven’t said anything.”

  Both women snorted at that.

  Peyton gave him a look that said he was screwed, but his stepdad didn’t feel the need to express the sentiment silently. “You are so hosed, son.”

  “Thanks, Darren. That’s really helpful.”

  The two women were now talking too quietly for him to overhear, and Jack tried not to worry. He hadn’t said a word about sleeping with Selina to anyone. It was no one’s business except his. And hers. But he was pretty certain she wouldn’t have said anything. She didn’t seem to have anyone she confided in. At least, no one she’d mentioned. He hit that frustrating wall where he lacked the knowledge he craved to answer all his questions. He could school himself to patience all he wanted, but it was maddening. She told him just enough that he couldn’t protest she was refusing him, but she stonewalled any real attempt to know her. He hadn’t been fooled the night before that she’d teared up over an old case that haunted her. Sure, that would be enough to throw her off balance, but tears? No. She wasn’t the type to cry over ancient news—she was too experienced a cop for that. There was something else she wasn’t telling him; he could feel it.

  It made him want to shake her, take her over his knee and spank her. The thought of her bare ass draped over his lap made his cock stiffen. He thrust that line of thinking away before he humiliated himself. It was a good thing his basketball shorts were loose or he’d be more than a little uncomfortable right now. Even now, Darren shot him a knowing look, then glanced at Selina and raised his eyebrows.

  Jack kept his face impassive, but he doubted the older man was fooled. Who else would he be getting revved up about? It sure as hell wasn’t his mother, and Selina was the only other woman here. Damn. He’d tipped his hand. He could only hope Peyton hadn’t noticed, but it was unlikely. That wolf missed very little. The only consolation Jack had was that Peyton didn’t gossip. Or even talk much.

  He might get out of this morning without Selina skinning him alive. First, he’d let her think he was having a nooner with another woman, and then he’d let it slip that they were knocking boots. He was batting a thousand here. Awesome.

  “Jack! Aunt Angela, Uncle Darren!” A slender blond woman came flying out of the café and threw herself into Darren’s arms. Then she hugged Jack and Angela, shook hands with Selina and Peyton, and escorted them to a table on the patio under a big umbrella.

  “Friend of yours?” Selina arched her eyebrows, a grin twitching at her lips, as she watched the younger woman croon over Grim.

  “Something like that. The blonde is Holly Kerr, and that’s Erin Bates.” He waved to a curvaceous brunette who poked her head out the door of the restaurant. “My step-cousin and my bio-cousin went into business together.”

  “Cousin?” For just a moment, Selina wore the same stricken expression he’d seen yesterday before she masked it. She cleared her throat and forced a smile. “It’s good you have family. When you’re around as long as me, you tend to be the last one standing.”

  His mother made a sympathetic noise, but something told Jack that Selina hadn’t been telling the whole story. Another secret she was keeping. It just made him more determined to dig under her defenses and learn everything about her. He couldn’t say why he was so fixated on it, only that no woman had affected him the way she did in close to forever, and he had to figure out why. What made her different from all the other females who’d gone in and out of his life over the years?

  “Holly has her MBA.” He pointed to the woman petting Grim. Then he gestured to where the brunette had disappeared. “Erin went to culinary school. They also own that new bakery over on Broadway.”

  Selina blinked. “You mean Sugar Rush?”

  “That’s the one.” He grinned, proud of what his relatives had accomplished.

  Her mouth formed a moue. “Good congolais.”

  “What?” Peyton spoke for the first time.

  She shrugged. “It’s a coconut cookie biscuit thing. It’s good.”

  “Do they serve it here?” A keen interest shone in his gaze, and Jack had to wonder if the wolf had a serious sweet tooth. It was certainly the most interest he’d ever displayed in anything besides work ... and Tess, but that was a topic Jack wouldn’t touch with a ten-foot pole. He had to associate with Peyton, Tess, and Cavalli for the rest of his foreseeable career. While Tess didn’t work with them directly, since she was a medical examiner, it didn’t make it any less awkward that Cavalli and Peyton both wanted the same woman they all dealt with on a regular basis.

  “I’ve heard of you, Agent Peyton. Or is it Peyton Something?” Holly quit petting Grim and stood up to face the table. She cocked a hip and propped a hand on it, her lips curling flirtatiously as she looked Peyton over. The barest flash of wolf canines showed in her smile. “One of my friends is the archivist for the pack, so she handles preserving all the pack records, and she says yours don’t indicate a first name. Just the one name, like Prince or Madonna.”

  Jack snorted.

  Remaining impassive, Peyton didn’t retur
n the smile or the flirtation. “I’m afraid that’s not a question I can answer for you.”

  “Top secret spy stuff.” She nodded sagely, winking. “Unless you don’t know your own name.”

  Peyton just grunted, picked up a menu, and began thumbing through it.

  Her laughter tinkled out at his response, or lack thereof. “I’ll be back to take your orders in a few minutes.”

  “And I’ve got coffee for everyone.” Erin, his Normal cousin, bless her culinary genius heart, passed out empty cups and just left an entire pot of liquid ambrosia for them. She dragged Holly away with her.

  Silence dropped over the table, and Jack sighed in relief. His mother poured coffee in everyone’s mug and then buried her nose in her menu. Under any other circumstances, he loved going out with his parents, but this seemed ready to explode in his face. He’d invited Peyton and a couple of his contacts in other law enforcement agencies in order to introduce them, establish more contacts for the wolf over in the Normal world, and have a nice competitive game of basketball at the same time. He hadn’t expected to run into Selina, or to have anyone dragged along for a warped version of Meet the Parents.

  Selina let her menu drop to the table and narrowed her eyes at Peyton. “I’d say you owe me for saving you from the nose-breaking drama back there.”

  A single eyebrow arched. “Did you want me to buy your lunch?”

  “No, I want you to answer a question.” She barely took a breath before she launched her little bomb. “Are you shagging Tess?”

  Jack choked on his coffee, and Darren reached over to pound him between the shoulder blades, nearly collapsing his rib cage.

  “Holy shit, Selina. How are you going to ask a man that at lunch?” Especially considering what a privacy Nazi she was about her own personal life.

  Rubbing his jaw, Peyton sighed. “Yes. I’m sleeping with Tess.”

  The elf reached over and socked him in the arm. “Why, you sly dog ... uh, wolf, I mean.”