Page 4 of Wine Tasting with a Sea Turtle

Warner was feeling a little overwhelmed as Geoff helped him into his seat. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d met so many people, but Geoff must have worked at the park for years because he seemed to know every worker they passed. On top of that, everyone seemed so welcoming and friendly, greeting him and welcoming him as if him being with Geoff was the best thing ever.

It was confusing as all get out.

“So, I know you work at a winery, but do you want wine or something else?” Geoff asked, relaxing in the chair to Warner’s right as opposed to being across from him. “This place offers a great array of cocktails if you’re interested in something lighter.”

“Um, I don’t think I’ve ever tried any,” Warner admitted, peering at the menu. “Until I started working at the winery, I hadn’t even tried wine.”

“Really?”

Once again, Warner felt his cheeks heat. He pressed his lips together as he jerked a nod. Hoping that focusing on the menu would help keep him from blurting out something else that would betray his inexperience, Warner began reading about the appetizers.

They all sounded delicious—calamari, crab cakes, fried clam strips, shrimp scampi, and more.

Warner’s stomach growled.

“Sounds like coming here was a good idea,” Geoff rumbled in a deep soft voice that caused butterflies to bump in Warner’s belly. When the big man reached over and gripped Warner’s wrist in a light hold, rubbing gently at his pulse point, it caused the hairs on Warner’s arm to stand on end. The way Geoff leaned toward him and practically purred his next question made Warner’s heartrate speed up.

“Did you want to try a cocktail? We have several refreshing varieties in a myriad of flavors.” Geoff’s smile looked hungry for a reason other than the prospect of food when Warner met his gaze, causing his heart to skip a beat as arousal flushed through his body. Geoff smiled as if he knew exactly how he was making Warner’s body react as he continued, “Mojitos, daquiris, and margaritas in strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, peach, and more.”

To Warner’s relief, the waiter arrived, interrupting them. “Hi, Geoff.” He smiled widely at Warner while placing a pair of water-filled glasses on the table, surprising him when he added, “I’m Thane, and I’ll be your server this evening. Happy to meet you, Warner.”

“N-Nice to meet you, too,” Warner stuttered, still confused by how pleased everyone seemed to be to meet him.

Thane glanced between them, continuing to smile. His dark eyes even appeared to dance with his pleasure, betraying just how true his words were. He glanced at where Geoff gripped Warner, and his smile widened to a grin.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Thane focused on Geoff and offered, “A bottle of champagne, perhaps?”

Geoff chuckled softly as he rubbed over Warner’s pulse point in a rather soothing way. “Not quite, yet, Thane, but thanks.” Then he focused on Warner. “Something more than water, sweetheart?”

Feeling his cheeks begin to heat upon hearing the endearment from Geoff’s lips, Warner opened his mouth, then closed it again. He really had no idea how to respond. His mouth felt dry, and he grabbed the closest glass and took a sip of the chilly liquid, the ice clinking against the sides.

“How about a pitcher of the strawberry margarita,” Geoff stated, obviously seeing Warner’s dilemma.

“Sure thing,” Thane replied with a nod.

Before Thane could walk away, Warner came to a snap decision. “Wait.” He glanced from Thane, who paused, to Geoff and back again. “The blackberry margarita instead, please.” Warner cut a side-eyed look Geoff’s way, wanting to see his reaction to having his orders countered. “I like blackberry better.”

Warner spotted Thane nodding in his peripheral vision even as he stated, “Got it. Blackberry instead.”

Geoff smiled at Warner, his expression appearing relaxed as Thane disappeared from view. “That sounds delicious, too.” He squeezed Warner’s wrist lightly while once again massaging his pulse point. “Glad we could get something you preferred.” Warner wasn’t too certain if he could trust that comment, but before he could come up with a way to verify, Geoff turned his attention to the menu and asked, “See anything on there you like? Did you want to start with an appetizer?”

Nibbling his bottom lip, Warner switched his gaze to the menu once more. Hearing Geoff’s soft growl caused him to snap his attention back to his companion’s mocha features. Warner gasped upon seeing the way Geoff stared at his mouth, heat filling his expression.

With a cough, Geoff cleared his expression. He met Warner’s gaze and offered a half-shrug. “Told you I wanted to do that to your lips, too.” His deep brown eyes narrowed as he asked huskily, “You doing that on purpose, sweetheart?”

“Doing what?” Warner asked, unable to get his brain to truly process the question.

“Teasing me,” Geoff replied. Then he must have realized that Warner wasn’t really following, for his features relaxed into a warm smile. “No, of course not.” He lifted Warner’s arm and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. “You’re not the type. I know that.” Returning their hands to the table, Geoff glanced pointedly at the menu. “Let’s try this again. What food are you hungry for? Remember, get whatever you want. My treat since I asked you on this date.”

“So if I ask you on the next date, will it be my treat?” Warner blurted the comment without thought. Snapping his focus back to Geoff, he blanched. “Um, I mean—”

Geoff grinned and winked. “I know what you meant.” Then his brows furrowed. “Although, I really like the idea of taking care of you, so I’m not sure I could.” Pausing, Geoff rubbed the back of his neck with his big free palm.

Understanding, Warner offered, “Maybe just the tips?” He smiled shyly as he peered at him through his lashes. “That way, I could feel like I’m contributing?”

Heck fire, it’s not as if I have the money to splurge on these sorts of places anyway.

To Warner’s relief, Geoff nodded. “I think I would be amenable to that.”

Just then, Thane returned and placed a pitcher, as well as a pair of frosted glasses, on the table. “Here we go, gentlemen.” He placed the tray under his arm and pulled his order tablet from his apron pocket. “Have you decided or do you need a few more minutes?”

After Geoff glanced Warner’s way, he must have suspected his continued indecision. “I think we’ll need a few more minutes. Sorry, Thane.” As he spoke, he picked up the pitcher and began filling glasses.

“That’s no trouble at all.” Thane winked, saying, “First dates can be like that.”

As Thane turned away, Geoff called, “How about we get an appetizer started.”

Thane turned back to them, smiling expectantly.

Geoff cast a warm look on Warner. “I noticed you checking them out. Did one call to you?”

“Well,” Warner hedged slowly, glancing over them again, trying to decide. He didn’t want Geoff to think he couldn’t make a decision even as simple as that. “They all sound so good,” he murmured. Reading through the descriptions caused his mouth to water, but it didn’t help him narrow down his options. “Uh, I haven’t had calamari or clam strips in ages”—try years, since before his mother became sick—”or crab cakes or—” Snapping his mouth shut, Warner almost started nibbling his bottom lip again.

When Geoff chuckled, Warner lifted his gaze to focus on him. He feared he would see the handsome man looking at him with derision. Instead, the mirth in his eyes appeared to be full of... fondness.

Am I imagining that?

“I got an idea,” Goeff claimed. Turning his attention back to Thane, he told him, “We’ll take one each of every appetizer.” After a second of hesitation, Geoff smirked and added, “And two lobster tail sides.”

Thane grinned broadly as he stated, “You got it.”

At the same time, Warner gasped, “You can’t.”

With a laugh, Geoff waved Thane away, and the waiter scooted with a grin. “Sure, I can,” he countered, moving his hands to cradle one of Warner’s. “The way your eyes gleamed with want when you started talking about the appetizers... well.” Geoff hummed as he massaged his fingers, causing the hairs on Warner’s arm to stand on end pleasantly. “I could see how much you wanted to try it all, and I can give that to you.”

Warner realized Geoff wouldn’t allow him to change his mind, and in truth, he truly had wanted to try it all. Still, he didn’t want to feel greedy and demanded, “Then we’ll definitely be letting me leave the tip.”

Geoff narrowed his eyes at him before clicking his tongue. “Okay.” He dipped his chin in a nod. “Fair enough.” He released him with one hand and grabbed his drink. “So, when was the last time you went to a seafood restaurant?”

“Years,” Warner replied, grabbing his own drink. Before taking a sip, he murmured, “Before my mom got sick.”

“Sick?” Geoff’s concern came through clearly in that one word. “I’m sorry. Is she, uh—” He hesitated, probably picking up on Warner’s sudden sadness. “Is she okay?”

Shaking his head, Warner murmured, “Died last year. Cancer.” He swallowed a gulp of the drink. Even tasting the tequila, he enjoyed the notes of blackberry, too. “It’s good.”

“Glad to hear you like it,” Geoff replied softly. After a second of hesitation, he asked, “Do you have other family around?”

“My father’s alive,” Warner replied flatly. Then, having no desire to discuss his screwed-up relationship with his father, he forced a smile, focused on Geoff, and asked, “So, you said you’re an engineer here. What does that entail?”

Geoff stared at him for a few seconds before smiling and accepting Warner’s blatant subject change. “Well—” He launched into his position at the park, explaining about the intricate machines he monitored that controlled waterflow, salt content, and other things that Warner couldn’t hope to follow, but he sure didn’t mind listening to the deep soothing tones of Geoff’s voice.

* * * *

Sunning on a rock on the beach, Geoff allowed himself to relax in his animal form to keep calm. He wanted to see his mate so damn badly, but he knew his mate was human. He couldn’t smother him.

As it was, following Warner home from World of Aquatica after their date the prior evening had been pushing it. Fortunately, when he’d pointed out that Warner had drank two glasses of margaritas, it had convinced him.

Goeff lifted his head, taking in the rolling waves. He thought about going for a swim. Perhaps he could find a school of jellyfish to feed on. As a shifter, Geoff didn’t need to eat in animal form, but it sure made his turtle half happy. He liked keeping his other half happy.

Mmmm... jellyfish.

As Geoff used his large flippers to ease him off the flat rock and onto the sand, he wondered what Saul would say if he ever heard him say that out loud. The fellow shifter shared his psyche with a Lion’s Mane jellyfish, the largest of the species. As a fellow pod-member, Geoff would never go after him. After all, even when an animal, they were sentient beings.

Just as the first bit of wet surf hit Geoff’s fins, he heard a male voice call his name. Pausing, he turned his long neck to face his head backward. Geoff spotted not only Beta William, but Head Enforcer Eban, Detective Grisham, and Doc Anthony. Concern filling him, Geoff swept his attention over the area to check for spectators. While their beach situated north of World of Aquatica ’s housing development was private, that didn’t stop unknowing humans from occasionally stumbling across it, no matter how hard they tried.

Safety first and all that.

Geoff saw no one, so he started his shift. As a result of his training to keep his jealousy in check, his ability to change form had swiftened. Within a matter of ten-plus seconds, Geoff pushed from his knees and rose to his feet.

“Beta William. Enforcer Eban.” Geoff dipped his head in a nod, acknowledging their pod status. As he took the sarong the doc held out to him, he continued, “What can I help you with?”

“You followed Warner home last night, right?” William asked.

The fact that the usually relaxed and fun-loving beta didn’t even bother with a greeting sent alarm bells going off in Geoff’s head. “Of course,” he quickly confirmed. “He waved and entered the dwelling safely.”

Geoff didn’t want to admit that Warner hadn’t waited for him to get off his motorcycle to walk him to the door. His mate’s wave had been discreet as he’d hustled up the walk. Even Warner’s glance back at him as he’d disappeared inside had been furtive.

The moves had reminded Geoff of how Warner had seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders while leaving the winery after his shift.

What the hell is going on there?

“You know that as soon as we knew your mate’s identity, Ovram began researching him, right?”

Hearing Beta William’s question, Geoff nodded. “Of course.” It was standard procedure.

“Not a whole lot came up,” William told him. Before Geoff could ask what could be wrong, his beta continued, “Until recently.”

Geoff kept silent. Waiting.

“Medical records.” William glanced at Anthony for a second before returning his attention to Geoff. Finding medical records definitely made the doc’s presence make sense, Geoff decided, right before William added, “Of abuse.”

“What?” Geoff snarled, rage surging through him. “Who? When?”

Who the fuck dares to hurt my sweet mate?

William rested his left hand on Geoff’s right shoulder, holding him in place. “We don’t know anything for sure, but that’s not all.”

“There’s more?” Geoff ground his teeth. “What?”

Eban rested his right hand on Geoff’s left shoulder, mirroring William, and Geoff felt his pulse spike as bile rose in his throat.

Somehow, he knew whatever it was, it was bad.

“Your mate was checked into an emergency room a couple of towns over this morning,” William told him, digging his fingers into Geoff’s shoulder to keep him focused. “That’s why I wanted to know if you’d seen him go into his home last night.”

“The home is owned by Walter O’Brian, his father,” William told him. He stared intently at Geoff as he asked, “Did your mate say anything about his family life while on your date?”

“His mother’s dead,” Geoff murmured, and he saw William nod once. His scent didn’t give off surprise, which meant his beta already knew that. Then Geoff recalled the sound of Warner’s voice when he’d spoken of his father. “I don’t think he gets on with his father.”

“He lives with a father that he doesn’t get along with.” Grisham shoved his hands into his pockets. “I don’t like the sound of this.”

“Me, neither,” William grumbled. Pinning Geoff with a narrow-eyed stare, he beckoned. “Let’s go see your mate.”

Geoff was all for that.

It took everything in him to keep from running up the steep, sandy trail that led back to Aquatic’s condominium complex.