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“I’m still kind of worried you will,” he added with a sheepish, or was it foxish?, smile. “It doesn’t help that you thought Booker was a wild animal in my kitchen.”

“That’s because Ididthink he was a wild animal.” Looking back, poor Booker. Or maybe not poor Booker, given he did it on purpose.

“He’s just a meddling brother,” Garner said. “That was what that was—he wanted me to tell you.”

I nodded slowly. “This is a lot. I… I think I need some time to think.”

Garner pulled back slightly, not offended, but bracing himself.

“No, it’s not a rejection,” I rushed to clarify. “I just need to absorb it all. And honestly, with you here, it’s really… distracting.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“All I can think about is whyyoudon’t have your clothes on when I’m still fully dressed,” I teased.

He laughed. That easy, honest laugh I’d fallen for.

“I… I think I might talk to Harold,” I said.

“Yeah. Or you can call me. Or Booker, even.”

Booker. I thought about all the times he’d barged in on us while we were away.Was that him being helpful?I still didn’t understand their dynamic, but I didn’t have siblings, so maybe that was just a thing.

I stood, reluctantly. “I need to go.”

Garner nodded. “Okay.”

“Would it be okay if I got a hug first?”

He didn’t answer, just stood and pulled me into his arms. I stayed there until I felt like I could breathe again.

Until I felt strong enough to go home.

I didn’t want to leave. Not even a little bit. But it was true—thinking clearly wasn’t going to happen with him standing that close, smelling like cedar and wild air, and holding me like I mattered more than anything.

And Ididmatter to him.

That part, at least, I believed now.

I just didn’t want to mess it up. I wanted to do it right.

Because at the end of the day, this was still my Garner—and I was terrified of losing him.

15

GARNER

I was late to the office. On purpose.

Joss was coming in for a few hours to meet with a department, and this was the first time I’d seen him sincethatnight. I was still peeved at Booker, but there was a method to his madness, though I hated that he’d goaded me into revealing myself to Joss.

That thought made me smile, because it brought back memories of my brother’s beast causing chaos.

It was too much. My fox was annoyed because the first beast Joss witnessed wasn’t him. The only person not fed up with me was Booker. That had to be a first.

Damn, I should have gotten here at the crack of dawn and hid in my office. Pulled down the blinds so Joss couldn’t see me. Now I had to walk past the office he was using, and even if he had the door closed, I’d be visible through that huge glass panel. I cursed Uncle Cyrus yet again for his insistence on so much glass.

He’s our mate. We should be together.