HOTSHOT BROTHERS: Coyote Shifters

by Hunt, Sabrina

  But as I left, I couldn’t help giving that bed a fond, affectionate look.

  Chapter 10

  Standing in the shower, I scrubbed at my skin as though it could wash away my idiotic impulses. I’d already destroyed my promise to Rayner. Obliterated it to the dust.

  And now I couldn’t help but wonder, well, since we’ve already gone this far…

  “No. You’ve gone far enough, Sky Hess,” I said out loud and it strengthened my resolve for a half a moment.

  Then, Cree, lounging in my bed shirtless, popped into my head and I squeezed the soap so hard it ricocheted out of my hand. I scrambled to get it, as I now remembered the sensation of kneading out the tension from his back. I sat down on the shower floor heavily. Oh, God. As the water cascaded over me, I put my face to my knees and let out a groan.

  Was I trying to get sent straight to hell? Or did I want to put myself in my own personal one?

  Last night, in trying to help him, I hadn’t thought of him in that way. (Or, okay, only a little.) But this morning, my mind was obsessively thinking of him in that way and every other kind that it shouldn’t. As well as wondering, what was Cree thinking?

  I mean, I’d curled up on his back until he fell asleep.

  Oh, he had to be thinking I was insane at this point.

  When I got out of the shower, I threw a towel around myself and hastened to my room to get dressed. Cree was sitting on the couch and he looked up as I rushed by.

  “Hey, I’m ready…” he trailed off, blinking as he looked at me and then he slopped water all over himself. “Dammit.”

  “Um, do you need help?” I asked, stepping forward.

  He waved me off, not looking at me. “It’s cool, it’s cool.”

  Alone in my room, I was rifling through my closet for the second time. I was vaguely unsatisfied with my choices. Even though it was only breakfast, I wanted to wear something nice.

  My hand hovered over a pale lilac dress, which was a ruffled off-the-shoulder and flaunted my curves. Pulling it out, I decided to go for it and wear it. Then I squeezed some product into my hair to give it some texture as it air-dried and gave myself a dab of mascara. Finishing the look with wedges, I took a deep breath as I stepped out of my room.

  Poking the lion… sang a voice in my head.

  Good, said another, smug and sassy.

  “Sorry that took so long, Cree. I might have to run into work later so…” I said.

  Cree nodded, glancing over, and then did a double take. Oh, there was nothing subtle about the way his eyes widened or tracked down, then back up.

  “No-no worries,” Cree said, pulling on his collar and looking away. “Shall we, gorgeous?”

  Coming over, he offered me his arm, but I tapped it with my clutch and sashayed ahead of him. “You don’t know the way,” I said innocently. “I got this.”

  He laughed a little, his throat sounding a little hoarse. “I can see that.”

  On the way to Bang Bang Café, I peppered Cree with questions. I was bursting with curiosity about him now, although I did wonder if I was crossing a line by asking them. But Cree didn’t seem to mind. He told me rip-roaring stories about his “shenanigans” in the Navy, which his poor friend Wes either got dragged into or along for while trying to keep Cree out of trouble.

  I was laughing so much at his impressions of one Sergeant Smarm, I almost walked right past the restaurant.

  Once we were seated at a table by the window, waiting for our burritos and sipping on coffee, I randomly asked, “What made you decide to go into the Navy?” It was such a casual question, a shock went through me at the rapid change in his expression.

  His smile slipped away and his eyes became a steel-like blue. “Wasn’t my decision,” Cree said shortly, glaring at his coffee cup.

  I leaned forward, touching his wrist lightly. “What do you mean?”

  When he looked back up, I could tell he was trying to school his expression and be the happy guy everyone knew him for. My stomach twisted. I hadn’t meant to poke a nerve.

  However, I couldn’t deny I was now even more intensely curious about him.

  “What’s with all the questions about me?” Cree asked. “Isn’t it your turn?” He was trying to sound teasing, but his heart wasn’t in it.

  “I’m not as interesting,” I said with a sigh.

  “Oh, I beg to disagree.” Taking my hand and turning it over, he studied my palm. “Yup. These lines say otherwise.” A square, sturdy finger traced along the center of my palm. “An adventurous spirit always seeking beauty and the bigger picture. Likes to have fun. Hm, my kinda fun too.” Now he swept his finger up and in a circle. “Bit of a troublemaker. A daring, divine dancer of a human.”

  His blue eyes were twinkling as he squeezed my hand and let go. I could still feel where he traced his fingers across it. “You know palmistry?”

  “No.” His smile was full of mischief.

  I shook my head, putting my hands on my lap. My palm was still tingling. “Did you get into trouble and get sent into the Navy?” I blurted out.

  HIs eyebrows raised. “Oh, you think I’m a bad boy?” Extending his hand across the table, Cree challenged me, “Check the palm. What’s it say?”

  Taking his hand with both of mine, I peered at it and then danced my fingers across his heart line, life line, and fate line. “Oh dear, definitely a bad boy.” Impulsively I ran my fingertip back and forth over his heart line. “Hm, I shouldn’t speak of the rest.”

  “Why not?” Cree burst out, leaning over the table so that he could see his palm and then looked up into my face. “You’re messing with me.”

  “Maybe,” I tried to keep my face serious. “But my mom does know how to read palms. Maybe she taught me. Or maybe not.”

  Cree squinted at me, our faces inches apart. I was still holding his hand, but suddenly I wanted to press my hands to the side of his face. For him to grip the back of my neck.

  For there to be a breathless, long moment of looking at each other before we kissed. I wanted those lips against mine and to feel the soft scratch of his neatly trimmed scruff. I wanted, no, I had to know what it was like to kiss him.

  His eyes had widened slightly and then I saw Cree smirk. For a dizzying, vertigo-inducing second, I thought it was going to happen. But he glanced left and sat back.

  “Hi folks, sorry to interrupt.” One of the servers had appeared with our breakfast. “Enjoy.”

  The server seemed to slap me awake. What was I doing?

  As we began to eat, Cree casually asked, “Are you going to tell me?”

  My heart stopped and I stared at him. “Oh, you mean your palm. No.”

  “What’d you think I meant?” he asked, tilting his head.

  I don’t know, maybe how it’s hard to think straight unless it’s about how much I just wanted to make out with you in a public restaurant.

  “Hm, life is full of mystery. Tell me about the Navy and I’ll tell you about your palm,” I said.

  “Let me read your book and I will,” Cree said.

  An incredulous noise escaped me as I watched him innocently take a bite of burrito. “When did that get put on the table? That’s not part of this. No.”

  “Upped the ante,” Cree said.

  “Well, then it’s only fair we both do.” I paused. “Tell me what my brother’s been up to.”

  Chewing, Cree shook his head and then swallowed. “Uh, he’s gonna tell you. Remember?”

  “When he gets back. I don’t know if I can wait that long,” I said.

  “Nah, I can’t, Sky.” Cree’s eyes became distant. “I think it’s important that your brother and you talk. I’m not coming between that.”

  “Oh,” I said, a little touched. “Well, okay.” Then I paused as another idea came to me and I bit my lip, trying not to smile. No, I can’t ask him that.

  “What’s that face?” Cree asked, pointing a fork at me. “’Fess up, Hess.”

  “No – I shouldn’t,” I said. “Too mu
ch ante.”

  “Too much…?” Cree let out an exasperated sigh. “Just tell me, woman.”

  “It’s not information, it’s a favor.” I laughed as his face became intrigued. “But I don’t know if you’ll be here, so it’s not fair to ask…”

  “When is the date of this alleged favor?” he asked.

  “A week and a half from now. The company I work for got invited to a charity gala out at the golf club and everyone can bring a guest.”

  “And you want to bring me?” Cree was delighted. “Yes. I’ll stay till then. No big deal.”

  “It’ll probably be a really boring evening, though,” I warned.

  His eyes glinted. “We’ll see about that.” Sticking his hand across the table, Cree ordered, “Shake on it and agree to it. I get the book and the palm story, you get me as the best date ever.”

  “And the Navy origin story,” I added.

  Rolling his eyes, he muttered, “Fine, yes, okay. Shake.”

  We shook hands as the server came back and grinned at both of us. “Coffee refill?” We both nodded. Once the server was done, he fished a flyer out of his pocket. “Yo, if you guys are free tomorrow night or next week, or whenever, come check this out.”

  I picked up the hot pink flyer as he walked away and felt myself go the same color as the paper. “What the–?” I spluttered. “Why did he give us this?”

  Cree snatched it out of my hands before I could stash it away and let out a bellow of laughter. “Oh, we have to go to this.”

  It was an advertisement for a couple’s trivia night at a local bar. The trivia revolved around “all things romance.” To add insult to injury, there were inked cupids breakdancing along the edges.

  “He must be the DJ or bartender or something. Angling for getting extra bodies and tips for his side hustle. Sheesh, everyone’s always working an angle,” I muttered.

  “Hm, yeah or he thought we were a couple,” Cree sounded satisfied.

  “My boyfriend wouldn’t appreciate that,” I remarked airily.

  “You’re… You have….” Cree now sounded bewildered. Looking up, I saw him clenching his jaw and glaring out the window.

  “Cree, I was kidding,” I said. “Don’t you think I would have mentioned that by now? I’m single, trust me. I haven’t been in a serious relationship in a while. Haven’t dated in months, either. Work got too crazy.” I was about to apologize, then stopped. What was I apologizing for?

  Cree forced out a laugh, offering me a smile before chugging his coffee. But I could see his shoulders were still tight and I couldn’t help but stash it away in my mind as I tried not to laugh.

  Someone’s jealous, a triumphant voice sang in my head.

  Followed by an irritated, superior voice, which brought that parade to a screeching halt.

  Someone’s getting in over their head.

  Chapter 11

  Three hours had passed since breakfast. Sky had gone to work – promising to try to get out early if she could and maybe we’d get dinner on the waterfront – and I had gone back to the apartment. After I’d thrown on shorts, a tank, and my running shoes, I’d hit the streets.

  I’d gone back to Discovery Park but gave the bluff a wide berth. Instead, I wound up on a lonely hillside, sitting and staring out across the water. There was restlessness in my veins, a need to keep running, but I didn’t move. Part of me was considering going back and hitting the gym. That’s all I’d been doing lately to occupy my time – working out, exploring and investigating.

  At first I’d enjoyed it, but right now I had a headache and I was tired. I wished I was back in Montana. Why had I agreed to stay in Seattle until that gala thing? What was I thinking?

  Flopping back, I closed my eyes and tried to clear my head. Thoughts were jabbing at me and my breath was short. I wanted to be home. I needed to talk to Aunt Sil, and in person.

  I tried to focus on the splashing of the little waves in the bay, but I couldn’t hear them.

  What I could hear was birdsong and the distant hush of the wind in tall trees. Instead of smelling the salt of the bay and the pines, I could smell wildflowers and warm grass.

  “Cree?” asked a voice and I opened my eyes onto Aunt Sil’s upside down smiling face.

  Sitting up, I stared around and pressed my hands into the earth. “Did I teleport myself back here?” I asked. “Whoa. I thought only Hazel could do that.”

  “You’re right, only Hazel can.” Aunt Sil sat next to me. “You’re here in spirit. You must have had a pretty fierce longing to escape something, my boy.” Holding out her arm, a bird fluttered down from a branch and she stroked its head. “You’d never know it, but you, Cree, are a bit of a homebody.”

  “No way! I like to go on adventures. I’ve been running all over Seattle,” I retorted.

  “Then why are you here?” she asked, passing me the bird, who chirped and nestled in my hands. “There is nothing wrong with being homesick. Burr would tell you that. He’d never leave if he didn’t have to. And I know, in a way, this was your first real home.”

  I laughed a little as the bird went to sleep in my hands. I suddenly felt very young and unsure as I spoke. “I had trouble sleeping last night. The fear came back.”

  “Ah,” Aunt Sil said. “Do you know what triggered it?”

  I let out a dry laugh. “Some stupid movie. The girl was trying to help this werewolf guy and the guy was all like ‘no, I’m dangerous, stay away from me.’ Utter bullshit.”

  “Hm. Well, are you enjoying Seattle otherwise?” Aunt Sil asked abruptly.

  “Oh yeah!” I said enthusiastically. “Sky’s been showing me around; I’ve been seeing the city and stuff.” I bit my lip, cringing. “Maybe don’t tell the guys – I haven’t been investigating into the monsters as much as I should.”

  “Quickfoot, I think you’re maybe feeling guilty about enjoying yourself, hm?” Aunt Sil eyed me. “Why would your brothers mind? They’d be glad to see you having fun. You are fun.”

  “Yeah, but – I should be helping more. Not goofing off.”

  “Being a shifter can be enough of a sacrifice without dedicating every waking moment to it. There must be a balance.” Aunt Sil poked my shoulder. “You’re out of balance, Cree. Your fear manifests in the shadows of your mind – parts of yourself you don’t dare illuminate.”

  “I don’t know what that means,” I groaned. “No Mr. Miyagi speak, Aunt Sil, please.”

  “You do know.” Aunt Sil’s voice was gentle. “Yet, you won’t admit it. So then the fear takes root and whispers dark things to your heart.” Now she sighed. “It’s something I can explain over and over again, but until you face it, it will continue to come back.”

  “How do I face it?” I said, frustrated. “I’ve done everything. Am I so weak?”

  “No, Cree.” Her hand was tight on my shoulder. “The opposite. In times of darkness, you have always risen above. This is merely a longer journey. Think back on when you were eighteen and forced into an impossible situation. You could have let the anger and unfairness of it turn you bitter and cruel. Instead, you laugh and dance. Yours is a strong heart, Cree Campbell.”

  “Well, I had help back then. Wes, you know,” I said modestly.

  Aunt Sil laughed. “See? Honesty, fairness, and humility. This is why no one can help but love you, Cree. And the important thing with that is that you did listen to him. Became friends.”

  I snorted. “You make it sound like I had a choice.”

  “We always a have a choice, Cree.” She paused, her voice getting softer. “Once again, you must take a final leap of faith.” The bird in my hands woke up, stretched its wings and took off towards the sky. “And once you surrender to your fear, you will see it for what it was.”

  I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, the weight in my chest loosening. When I opened my eyes again, I was staring out across the green-gray water, watching clouds build up in the northwest, remembering a cloudy day like this, almost a decade ago now.


  I got back to the apartment later than I meant to. My hair was dripping wet from the rain which had stormed in, kicking up a wild wind and lashing down. It was only four o’clock, but the sky was black as night as I hurried inside the building, shaking off like a dog.

  “Oh, Cree, did you get stuck in the storm?” asked Lily Sampson. She was talking to Mrs. Kuoi, the owner, and they both looked at me in sympathy.

  “Yeah, I did,” I laughed. “Do I look like a drowned rat?”

  Lily shook her head as Mrs. Kuoi laughed and said, “You look like someone in need of a good, hot meal.” Her eyes twinkled. “I think your girlfriend has you all set, young man.”

  “My girlfriend?” I repeated, hands growing clammy and heart stuttering in its attempt to keep me alive. “Oh, Sky? She’s…”

  “She just got a big delivery,” Lily said, looking wistful. “Asked us if we had seen you.”

  Mrs. Kuoi gave me a stern look and folded her arms. “Well? You heard us. Get up there. She’s a good woman – don’t keep her waiting.”

  Dumbfounded, I nodded and took the stairs two at a time. Their conversation floated after me, Lily’s lugubrious tones and Mrs. Kuoi’s sharp ones.

  “Isn’t Sky so lucky? It’s not surprising, though. She’s so pretty.”

  “Hm. Yes, let’s just hope he’s good to her.”

  Taking the stairs even faster, I had a stitch in my side by the time I got to the top. Rubbing my side ruefully, I hesitated before I entered.

  Sky was standing in the kitchen with a book in one hand, a steaming mug in the other, her reading glasses on and hair swept up. Her sweats were pink with hearts and she was wearing a white, flowy tank with a pink heart on it. I could clearly see her bra through it and swallowed.

  “Oh, Cree,” she looked up. “I got take-out, hope you don’t mind. It’s so crappy out – as I see you’ve experienced first-hand.” Putting down her book and mug, she padded over as I walked forward. “Cree, you’re soaked. Go change, dummy.”

  For a moment, I almost did it. I almost pulled her to me, drenched with rain, and kissed her senseless. I could see her clothes getting damp, see the way I pulled her hair free of her bun and ran my fingers through it. Hear her surprised little gasp.