Page 21

Again, my brain paused because Booker hadn’t lobbed the insult I’d been expecting. And what he said was right. It wouldn’t be easy, and we had obstacles to overcome. Big ones.

“Humans are ignorant of our world. How can he be integrated into your life and the pack?”

There was only one answer to that. “By being honest.”

Booker stood before me and said to straighten up. He always complained about me slouching my shoulders.

“As you’re talking to me and your mate isn’t around, my guess is he didn’t take it well. Bet your fox hates him now.”

“No, no, and no.” No matter how Joss reacted, my beast would always adore him, as I would.

“Great.”

Booker’s one-word answer unnerved me more than him haranguing me, and I tore off my nail and regretted it.

“I’ve not told him.” I positioned myself near the door so I could make a quick escape if needed.

My brother dragged me to the couch and plonked me down. “You gotta tell him, Garner. This is eating you up inside.”

True. I narrowed my eyes at Booker because he was being, for him, kinda, sorta supportive. “Why are you being so nice?”

He made a face. “Nice? Don’t call me that. I’m the ass who calls you out on your shit. That’s my job.”

“Fine, Mr. Nice Guy. So what do I do?”

My brother shrugged. “You’re asking me how to deal with a human? I don’t know. Watch a rom com or read a romance novel? All I’ve gleaned from living among them is that humans like and expect to date.”

Dating, yeah, we’d had business lunches and coffee meet-ups to discuss work, but we’d never gone out purely for pleasure and to get to know one another. The three days away didn’t count. That was work and with a ton of sex thrown in.

“Now spill. Who is it?”

“Joss.”

“Who?”

That was how much my brother was interested in what I did in the office. Other than criticizing me, he paid little attention.

“The consultant? The one you were flirting with?”

“Jog my memory, bro.”

“The guy who’s helping the division get out of the huge-ass hole we’re in.”

“Oh, that guy? I never flirted with him.”

Booker wasn’t lying. That was just his usual spiel when he met someone new. Turn on the charm to make a good impression.

“If I’m flirting with a guy, I charm the pants off them, and much as I like humans, I wouldn’t consider one for my mate.” At my sharp intake of breath, he continued. “Tossing a human into our world complicates our life.”

I understood where he was coming from. If Joss had been a shifter, we would have mated, marked one another, and been living together. And placing a human into a world of predators where whenever I shifted, my beast killed another creature, might be too much.

Most humans didn’t enjoy watching a fox fell a bunny and eating it because they were shielded from the realities of life. They bought their meat at the grocery store or a market and didn’t witness the animal being killed.

Booker got up and clapped me on the shoulder. “You better figure it out because your beast will take his fur without your permission if you don’t.” He waved. “Good luck, and if you need a buddy when you shift the first time, let me know. My beast is so damned cute.”

He isn’t. He just thinks he is.My fox had a running beef with my brother’s, much like us when we were in human form.

Sitting at my desk, I scrolled through dating suggestions, but they were all so blah. I wanted to do something exciting like stargazing or paragliding, but perhaps I should lower my expectations. If Joss broke his neck or was scared of the dark, it would set back the shifter reaction timetable by months or years.