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Dread filled her when she recognized the shirt the man was wearing. She slowly raised her chin. Her eyes locked with a pair of startled brown eyes. They were dark with a hint of red in them the same as the bark of a redwood tree. He immediately dropped his hands and stepped back.

“Sorry.”

She gave him a wary stare. “I was the one who ran into you. Why are you sorry?”

Van nodded his head in the direction she had just come. “Well, if the way Brennan is holding his balls and his expression is anything to go on, I figure I’ll ask for forgiveness just in case you might think of doing the same thing to me.”

Her lips twitched at the teasing amusement in his voice. She glanced over her shoulder and grimaced at where he was staring. It looked like the PA was searching for her. The shifter didn’t look like he was in a too forgiving mood. She didn’t relish the idea of running into him again—especially so soon after what had just happened.

She turned back and bent to pick up the stuff she dropped. Her head collided with Van’s when he leaned down at the same time. Stars danced in front of her eyes for a second before she scowled at him.

“Ouch!”

She rubbed her head where they connected before she reached out and pulled her bag out of his hands. Another quick glance showed a large box truck with a produce sign on the side had blocked the PA’s view of them.

“Here you go. Uh, were you going to the kitchen?”

“Yes.”

She tried to ignore the way his voice washed over her. The warm timbre was doing all kinds of weird things to her body that she didn’t like, or understand. Cradling her bag against her chest, she tried to hide the way her nipples had hardened into twin peaks. He held her lance in his hand, away from her.

“Listen, I was about to get a snack and a drink. Would you like something?”

Behind them, Jayden heard the truck changing gears. If she didn’t move soon, the shifter from the medical tent would see her. Her stomach growled at that moment, and she rubbed it under the bag.

“Okay. Yeah, I’d like something. Where’s Peterson? You two always seem to be together,” she replied, casting a wary eye around.

He chuckled. “That’s what brothers do—hang out together. Or at least we do. He’s intercepting a rather bent-out-of-shape lion shifter at the moment,” he answered.

“Oh. Well, that’s nice of him,” she mumbled, stepping around him when he moved to the side and motioned for her to precede.

Chapter 9

Van didn’t know how he had gotten such a lucky break, but he wasn’t about to throw it away. He smothered the goofy grin on his face when Jayden glanced suspiciously over her shoulder. He followed her to the back door of the kitchen. Reaching out, he opened the door for her, giving her a charming smile when her eyes narrowed.

“After you.”

She shook her head and stepped into the kitchen area. There was a mixture of humans and shifters inside. Van was relieved to see Jayden’s tense shoulders relax as she surveyed the room.

He crossed to an empty table in the corner. She followed at a slower pace. He observed her attention lingering on the lavish spread of appetizing food at the buffet.

“I’ll put your stuff down if you’d like to grab a plate and dish up,” he offered.

She thrust her bag at him and turned away. He didn’t know whether to laugh or curse when she grabbed a plate and held it to her chest. Her eyes were flashing from one tray to another. She reached out and gripped the spoon on a portion of beans as if afraid the feast would disappear.

She scooped a serving on her plate. She licked her lips and studied the assortment of dishes before she replaced the spoon and eagerly lifted another. He placed her bag on the back of the chair and leaned her lance against the wall.

He turned in time to see her walking in a fast clip to the table. She was balancing a plate that was overflowing in one hand and a large cup in the other. He grinned at her when he noticed the roll hanging out of her mouth and the purposeful gleam in her eye.

He chuckled when she wrapped her foot around the leg of the chair and pulled it out before placing her plate. His low whistle of appreciation earned him a disdainful glare. She pulled the roll from her mouth. A large chunk was missing from it. He was fixated on her lips, unable to look away as she chewed and swallowed.

“I thought you said you were hungry.”

He swallowed and nodded. “Yeah, I-I’ll be right back.”

Turning, he headed to the buffet. He needed to keep his thoughts clean and focused. A part of him was still in shock that she had agreed to a meal with him.

She like us.