Page 49 of Shifter for Brains

Did a faint pink hue actually coat Chase’s face and the tips of his ears? What caused him to flush or the faint prickle of sweat across his brow? Tilting my head back to view him better because we were still so close, his Adam’s apple quivered and bobbed with a hard swallow. The sight punched me in the gut—I froze in place.

I found the scent. Arousal. Chase’s arousal.

~

Lucas

Events moved quickly after that. Chase and I jumped away from each other, and he bolted from the room, hopefully only to avoid Temple scenting the same thing as me. Temple threw his hands in the air, declared it break time, and left the house to escape the rest of us.

On a mission, I found Chase and dragged him to my room and shut the door behind us. He stayed there pressed up against the wood surface.

"We need to talk."

"There’s nothing to discuss." Chase crossed his arms in front of him, closing off and shutting down.

"Really?" I rolled my eyes. “What’s going on? You’re after my cousin one minute, then you hold my hand—"

"Okay, to be clear, I’veneverbeen interested in your cousin."

"Then who?” Only one other option. “Me? "

"Lucas." His lips pressed together tight, no other sounds or helpful info leaking out.

Damn, it had been such a thrill. Smelling more than a human nose should, unsure of what lay hidden inside me, and finding something beautiful and exhilarating.

I did it. I used my heightened senses. My fox senses.

The air had been rich with scent then and now my nose picked up on nothing. Chase seemed totally content to stare at his shoes and wait me out.

“Let’s get everything out in the open,” I said. “Don’t I deserve the truth?”

“You do.” His arms fell slack at his sides as he frowned. “But I can’t tell you.”

"Chase, please."

"Because if I do, it’s not gonna end there."

If he said ‘you disgust me most of the time,’ that’d certainly put a screaming halt to all this. I’d dive under the covers of this borrowed bed and never emerge. So… that meant…

"Does that mean—y-youareattracted to me?"

"Shit." He dragged a hand over his face. “You smelled what you smelled. What do you think?”

"I have no idea! I thought there was something between us that first night but…"

"When we were wasted and you were scared out of your mind?" he filled in.

"Oh..." Suddenly the events gained a new perspective: his. He hadn’t wanted to take advantage in that moment, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t interested.

“So… arousal,” I said. “That could mean you found me attractive in the moment. Or you’re sexually attracted to me and nothing more. It could also mean… other things."

"Let’s call it the first."

“What’s wrong? That I’m involved in a case and you’re protecting me? Or is it, is it because of—"

"Me." Chase stole the word from my mouth. “I’m trying to be better, to do thingsright.Yeah, I joke about not playing by the rules, but it’s really not funny because... because sometimes the damn book is right.”

He released the words, yet they still weighed him down, and he slowly began sinking down against the door.