“I’m fine,” Lynn insisted, noting his concerned expression.
He looked her over again with a more critical eye. “You’re going to work?”
“Yes. I have patients to see this afternoon, so I need to be there before one o’clock.” When she moved toward the table, Jag took her hand. Immediately, an intense flutter, like a thousand hummingbirds taking flight, curled low in her belly. Lynn turned to him, meaning to ask him a question, but her movement found the fronts of their bodies pressed together. “I’m sorry, I—”
Jag’s other arm came up around her waist, pulling her even tighter against him. “I’m not sorry, and if you don’t tell me to stop, I plan on kissing you senseless right here in your kitchen. That color looks lovely on you, but the red on your lips is making me a little crazy.”
Oh, my. What could she say to that? Nothing came to mind, so Lynn did the only thing she thought of. She closed the distance. The warmth of his mouth on hers was wonderful, seeping into her body, his hold on her growing tighter and making her feel bold enough to run her hands up his sculpted chest. His mouth parted, his tongue playing at the seam of her lips just as the front door crashed open.
A split-second later, she was behind Jag as he snarled at the door leading to her living room. That didn’t stop Samantha from barreling in, a scowling Dylan right behind her, an infant carrier in hand.
“Seriously?” Sam shouted. “You don’t answer my call because you’re playing kissy-face with Jag? I thought you were dead last night! The least you can do is apologize for giving me my first gray hairs, Lynn.” Turning to Jag, Samantha wagged her finger as if he were an errant child, apparently in full-on mommy mode. “And you, not that red isn’t a lovely color on you, but I’d suggest wearing it somewhere other than your lips.”
Dylan stepped forward, his hand coming to rest on Sam’s shoulder. “Easy, Sam. You’re still upset from last night. Take a deep breath before you say something you can’t take back.” He shot Lynn a wink before smirking at Jag, clearly unaware of how dangerous Sam could be when upset. The woman had a better arm than most quarterbacks and launched whatever was within reach.
“Did you get my text? I sent you one right before I jumped in the shower,” Lynn replied, hoping to calm her friend a bit before things started flying. Literally.
“Oh, yeah, and I see how concerned you were with calling me right back, too,” Sam snapped. “I guess I see where this is going though, and I’m glad you two finally got with the program.” She gestured between Lynn and Jag.
Little Eli whimpered in his carrier, and Dylan set it on the table before unbuckling him. Sighing,
Samantha grabbed the diaper bag and headed to the sink. “You’d better start buying groceries in bulk if you two have kids. I swear I’ve never seen a baby eat so much in my whole life! I breastfeed then have to give him two bottles afterwards.”
Lynn was ready to ask a few questions, such as who’d said they’d have kids anytime soon, but Sam put up her hand to stop her. “Before you go there, I pump between six and ten ounces every four hours, but he’s insatiable.”
Dylan came to Sam’s side, kissing her softly on the cheek. “Just like his daddy.”
Sam blushed as Dylan relieved her of the bottle and strolled into the living room. “So, do you need to talk about anything?” Samantha asked.
Lynn didn’t feel the need to confide anything at the moment but figured telling her dearest friend about the previous night would go a long way to mending the hurt feelings between them. “Yeah, but you’ll have to come to my room. I’ve got to fix this makeup and finish getting ready for work.”
Jag still stood in his spot, and Lynn wondered why he hadn’t followed Dylan. Was he upset? Embarrassed? She certainly hoped not, because she wasn’t. In fact, she was rather hoping he’d give her another kiss when he took her to work later. Placing her hand on his arm, Lynn leaned close and whispered, “I’ll be back in a few. Maybe, you could keep Dylan company?”
His eyes met hers, and the iciness nearly stole her breath. He was mad? “I’m going to run the perimeter while you finish getting ready. I’ll be back in twenty minutes.”
Lynn watched him leave, struggling to keep her tears at bay. She’d thought they were moving forward. Hell, after a kiss like that, most men would be looking for a way to get rid of their company, not taking off alone.
Looking to Sam, Lynn confided softly, “Damn it, I consider myself a strong woman, but that man is wrecking me left and right. I don’t know what I did wrong!”
Sam’s expression softened. She walked over to Dylan, took their son then urged him out the door to find Jag.
“I’m not Dr. Phil, Sam. How the hell am I supposed to know what his problem is?” Dylan griped.
“They’re called words. You say a few, he says a few then it becomes a conversation. Go try it out.”
“Smartass.”
“But you love me anyway!” Sam called out when he exited the house. She turned back to Lynn. “Okay, girl, you dish while I feed your adorable godson.”
They moved to the bedroom where Samantha took up residence in the rocker that sat by the window. Lynn recapped what she could remember of the previous evening’s events, all the way up to the kiss in the kitchen. The only thing she left out was something she wasn’t entirely sure of herself. Either she was really drunk and had hallucinated, or there’d been a conversation between Jag and Kitty that confirmed Kitty was also a shifter.
Lynn didn’t feel that needed to be mentioned until she was absolutely certain. “So, now you know what an insane day I had yesterday. Before you lecture me, yes, I know how irresponsible it was of me to not check in, but I feel like I’m on parole!” Smoothing her hair back into a sleek ponytail, Lynn continued. “I’ve been guarded, for the last five or six weeks, by a man who at first didn’t want me because ‘it wouldn’t be right’, then kept giving me gifts and acting as if he wanted to make up. The same man took care of me last night, kissed me this morning then took off as if he couldn’t wait to be away from me. Honestly, I’m so fucking confused I could scream. So yes, I needed a damn drink last night, and by God, I need another one now!” By the end, Lynn noticed her voice had risen considerably, and she was suddenly thankful Jag had left the house.
Sam’s eyes were wide as she gave Lynn a slow owl-blink before placing Eli on her shoulder to burp. “Well, okay then.”
“That’s all you’ve got to say?” Seriously, after everything Lynn had just unloaded, Sam couldn’t come up with anything better?
“I’m not really sure how to respond. What exactly did I walk in on? From the looks of things, you guys had been having a decent make-out session when we arrived.”
“More like sharing a first kiss. A really hot kiss that probably would have led to me being late for work if you hadn’t shown up when you did.” Lynn plopped down on the bed after re-tucking her blouse into her slacks. “I’m not sure what I did to upset him.” At the rate she was going, she’d be on meds before long—or develop a serious drinking problem. The yo-yo effect of this whole would-be relationship was playing havoc with her emotions.
“It’s probably not you,” Sam replied. “It likely has to do with the interruption by my big mouth. I need to apologize to him for being such a bitch when I first came in. I was so worried about you yesterday then when you still didn’t call me back, I kinda went off the deep end. I’m sure he was looking forward to taking that kiss further before we showed up.”
Lynn took a moment to let that sink in, taking comfort that she probably hadn’t upset him. It was the situation as a whole. Lord knew, she wasn’t too happy about having their time cut short either. “You know what would make me feel better?”
“What?” Sam asked, though her grin said she knew exactly what Lynn was thinking.
“Some baby therapy. Hand him over.” Lynn accepted the squirming bundle and settled him in her arms. Little Elijah North would be every bit as much of a heartbreaker as his dad and uncle were. Already, he
had a thick cap of brown hair and the stunning, golden eyes of the lion he’d later become. It was crazy to think the tiny infant in her arms would someday become a four-hundred-pound predator, but that was her new reality. Shifters existed and had been around for as long as humans had, just in hiding.
Looking down, she was blessed with a gummy grin and a slight vibration where her hand rested on his tiny rump. If only her life could be so simple. Eat, sleep, have the one’s you love shower that love back on you then repeat.
* * * *
Jag heard Dylan’s approach, but he didn’t slow his jog. He’d remained in his human form, simply because he knew they’d leave soon, and quick shifts were hell on the equilibrium. Not to mention, his inner jaguar didn’t always want to give up control.
“Are you really going to make me chase you?” Dylan groused from about twenty feet back.
“I thought about it,” Jag replied but slowed to a walk.
Dylan growled. “Did I miss that it’s National Smartass Day or something?”
“What?”
“Nothing, now what gives? Why did you take off?” Dylan asked, hands on his hips.
“I needed a moment.”
“Clearly, but did you have to leave Lynn almost in tears?”
Shit! Can’t I do anything right where she’s concerned? Jag thought miserably. “She thinks I left because of her?” He shook his head in frustration. “Of course, she does. Damn it, I just panicked!”
“Why?”
“Sam mentioned having kids, and I realized if Lynn and I become mates, she’ll probably want to have some. I’m not sure I’m ready for kids yet.” Seeing Dylan’s frown, Jag rushed to reassure him. “Not that Eli isn’t the cutest baby in the world, but I haven’t exactly led a charmed life, Dylan. What the hell do I know about raising kids?”
Dylan laughed. Clearly, he didn’t notice or didn’t care that Jag’s inner cat pressed to get out and lash at anyone who made light of the stress he and his beast felt.
“Dude, do you think I have any idea what I’m doing? Sam had to walk me through everything. My first diaper change was a nightmare! Eli almost pissed in my face then I didn’t put the damn thing on tight enough and he pooped right out the side and all down my shirt.” Dylan shuddered, and it was Jag’s turn to laugh. “Trust me, I’m just as lost, but women seem to have instincts that tell them what to do, and that’s a blessing.”
Jag raked his fingers through his hair, pulling the tie out and letting the strands hang loose. “Thanks for telling me, man. It makes me feel a little better, but I still feel like shit. I’m screwing up everything with Lynn. I left, and she thought it was her fault because I failed to reassure her. Now, I need to go and set things right before she goes in to work. I don’t want to leave things unspoken with her ever again.”
“That’s a good rule to follow. It’s pretty hard to have misunderstandings come between you when you don’t hold anything back. Trust me.”
Remembering how Dylan and Sam had started out, Jag realized just how right his Prime was. “I’ll do my best. Now, we should head back. I think I hear Liam’s truck coming in.” They’d begun their walk when Jag remembered something else from last night. “Oh, I wanted to let you know that I met a shifter last night—a female and she’s not a member of the Pride. She smelled like a tiger, but there was something different about her scent.”
Dylan’s expression showed no signs of concern, which confused Jag. With everything that had happened lately, Dylan should be calling in the scouts to find Kitty and question her. “You must be talking about Mason’s bartender.”
“You know about her?”
“Of course, I do. Any shifter who settles close to another group’s territory checks in with the leader. Mason is a polar/grizzly hybrid, so he doesn’t really fit in with either breed. Not that it matters. The man prefers to be on his own anyway. He came to me about a year back and told me he had a female shifter who needed a safe place to lay low. He vouched for her and promised to keep her from causing any trouble, and so far, there have been no issues.”
“What kind of hybrid is she? The only animal I smelled was tiger, but there was something more.” It was that mystery scent driving his cat crazy. Curiosity was a curse to the feline breeds, and when they couldn’t figure something out, it was only a matter of time before they investigated.
“The truth? We don’t know. She won’t shift, at least not in front of anyone. Mason figures she’ll confide in him when she’s ready, but the poor girl doesn’t trust easily. She’s skittish around other shifters, but seems perfectly comfortable around humans.” Dylan shrugged. “Sam and Lynn know her from the bar. They used to hang out there and befriended Kitty, though I’m pretty sure they don’t know what she is.”
“Well, Lynn might if she remembers any of last night. I came at Kitty in my jaguar form, and she was prepared to take me on to protect Lynn. When Lynn scolded me, Kitty laughed and said no wonder Lynn’s confused because she’s gotten herself involved with shifters.”
Dylan chuckled softly. “Kitty’s a real handful according to Mason, but she runs a clean bar, takes no shit from the patrons and ensures the women in the place don’t have to either. She looks out for those weaker than she is, and from what Mason says, that’s damn near everyone.”
Jag raised a brow. Most shifters were strong, so he didn’t really see why that was such a big deal. “So she doubles as a bouncer? Bet that’s a blow to guys’ egos.”
“No doubt, but to be a bouncer, you have to prove yourself capable. Against Mason.”
Jag laughed. “And how did that go?”
“She put him flat on his ass.”
Gaping, Jag halted. “That little female took down a grizzly/polar hybrid? How in the hell did she manage that?”
Dylan laughed outright. “Supposedly, she punched him in the gut then kicked him square in the jaw when he doubled over. Mason swears he’ll never do anything to get on her bad side, and I don’t blame him. You’d do well not to piss her off.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Jag glanced down at his watch before beginning his walk back to the house again. “We’d better hurry or Lynn will be late. I still need to talk to her for a minute, too.”
Hurrying ahead of Dylan, Jag made it to the house just as Lynn gathered her purse and jacket. “Okay, I’m ready to go now.” Her voice was soft and pleasant, but her eyes avoided him. Not so much with Samantha, who gave him a nasty look.
“Can I talk to you for just a moment? I promise it won’t take long.”
With her head still down, Lynn nodded then walked back into the kitchen. It killed him to see her like this. Jag decided actions would speak louder than words. Once they were out of the other’s sight, Jag spun her around to face him and slanted his lips over hers for a demanding kiss.
It took a moment, but as soon as she returned the kiss, he knew everything would be all right. Pulling back, he whispered, “I’m so sorry, beautiful. I keep messing up and not taking into account how my actions might be read out of context. I wasn’t running off to be away from you. When Samantha mentioned us possibly having a baby, I panicked a little and needed some air. I don’t know what happened, but I just couldn’t breathe.”
“So the thought of having kids with me is that upsetting?”
“Damn, I’m not saying this right. I’d love to have a family one day, but I don’t know the first thing about kids.”
“You were one at one point. Do you remember much about your childhood?”
“Not much that’s good. My parents were hardly ever around. I don’t think they’d intended to have a kid. I pretty much raised myself from the time I could walk. When I turned five and wanted to enroll in school, I had to remind them to take me, though they rarely picked me up.” At her horrified look, Jag figured he’d be better off not going any further. “I didn’t exactly have the best upbringing, and I don’t want that for my kids. I need to be settled, to know my mate and I are ready to take responsibility for another
life. I refuse to allow another child to be subjected to the life I had.”
Lynn’s lower lip quivered a bit before she took a deep breath. “I think you’ll make a wonderful father, regardless of when it happens, but if it makes you feel better, I’m not ready either.”
Blowing out a relieved sigh, Jag hugged Lynn tight. “Thank you for understanding. I’ll try my best to be more open with you. I don’t want a misunderstanding coming between us again. You’re too important to me.”
“You’re ranking pretty high with me, too, Jag.”
They walked back into the living room, and Lynn promised to call Sam after work and to come straight home. Once all the goodbyes were said and done, they headed out, Lynn locking her front door before Jag took her hand and escorted her to the vehicle.
Liam’s truck was a single cab with a bench seat, making for a rather cramped ride. Jag sat in the middle and Lynn hugged the passenger side door. When he put his arm around her and she curled in close, it made it all worth it.
They pulled up to the hospital to drop Lynn off, and Jag was pleasantly surprised when she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before scooting out of the truck and into the building.
“So I guess you two kissed and made up?” Liam teased. “I’m glad. I think you guys will be good together.”
“Thank you. I hope I manage not to screw up again. I’m not very good at communicating with people, but I’m trying to get better.”
“Well, you’re off to a good start. I swear, when you first came to us, I wasn’t sure you were mentally stable. All you did was stare at everyone with that intense concentration, but then I realized you were observing us all.”
“I never had much socialization. Even in school they separated me from the other kids.”
“Why?”
“Something about my ability to learn. I pick up just about anything, but my social skills suck. The other kids didn’t know how to react to me, and I made some teachers nervous, so I had a private tutor who did nothing but school me.”
Guarding His Heart Page 7
