Series: Shifter Ops Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 65371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 327(@200wpm)___ 261(@250wpm)___ 218(@300wpm)
The thought is a dash of cold water on my libido. This is a mission, I need to treat it that way. It’s not a chance to reconnect with Julia and make her understand why I kept my distance all these years.
Certainly not a chance to live out my every fantasy.
For years, I’ve been jerking off to the thought of Julia.
Threesomes, sexy MILFs, porn–I tried everything to get her out of my mind. I once left an orgy to jerk off in the bathroom. I closed my eyes and imagined Julia. Her dark eyes, her plump lips, her oval shaped face. It’s the only thing that gets me off.
I thought I might have grown out of it over the years. Find my own mate instead of perving on my brother’s. But now that I’m in her presence again, I realize that’s not going to happen.
The real life version of Julia is enough to bring me to my knees.
Fates, I have to get myself under control. Too bad my wolf thinks all this arguing is foreplay.
The front door slams, and I brace myself.
Julia strides into the kitchen. Two bright spots unfurled on the crest of her cheeks. She’s practically breathing steam, like a bull. Hot damn.
I turn to hide my grin and my chub, grabbing plates from the dishwasher. She stops short, staring at me like she doesn’t recognize me. I set the table and continue unloading the dishwasher, keeping it between me and her in case she lunges at me.
Time to initiate my basic battle maneuvers: deflect, distract, dance around the wolf in the room. “I got five pizzas. Hope that’s enough.”
She chokes. “You think?” Sarcasm, nice.
“One and a half for Geo.” I point to the piles. “Two for me. Will you eat more than a half?”
“No.” I can hear her teeth grinding from here.
“I got you the eggplant parmesan pizza with extra basil. Is that still your favorite?”
She blinks. Once again, I’ve stunned her to speechlessness. And all because of a basic act of courtesy.
I was an asshole when I was younger. My brother moved me out here to live with him after he found out I was failing out of school back home. Geoffrey was responsible, a natural alpha, right from birth. I was the opposite. Not mean or bad on purpose, just a complete fuck-up.
Julia is a good girl. I’m sure she was an A student all through law school. Never stayed out late or partied too hard. Forget drag racing, she probably never drove above the speed limit. I doubt she’s skinny dipped under the full moon. My behavior always horrified her.
“If we have leftovers, I figured we could have them for breakfast. Cold pizza for breakfast is my favorite.”
She sputters. “That’s not…we’re not… “
I’m getting the sense that cold pizza is not an appropriate breakfast food in Julia’s world. “Or I can make eggs,” I offer. “I’m not a great cook, but it’s hard to fuck up eggs.”
“Language,” she snarls.
“Sorry. Cock up? Mess up?” Shit, how do I talk without the F-word?
She’s still sputtering. I open a drawer and sort the silverware. “You didn’t change the kitchen layout,” I remark, catching her off guard again. “I know where everything is. Sorry if I overstepped with the pizza. My point was, you don’t have to feed me. And I can sleep on the floor. I've got my kit.” I jerked my chin towards the front room where my duffel bag sits.
“You’re not… you can’t…. I’m not letting you stay here.”
Time for the big guns. I reach over to the wine rack and pull out a bottle of red. “Cabernet Sauvignon,” I read, probably butchering the French. “You like a glass with dinner, right?” I pop the cork and find a wine glass. I pour it and advance, holding the glass out like a peace offering. She might hit me, but she won’t risk spilling the wine.
I hope.
With an effort, she takes the glass and sets it on the table then turns to me. “What part of leave us alone do you not understand?” Her voice is low and dangerous.
I close the dishwasher and step to the table, resting my hands on the back of a chair. She has the same worn oak dining set that Geoffrey bought at a yardsale when I moved in. “Julia.” My voice is low and patient. “You need to accept that I’m staying for a bit. I’m gonna help Geo–”
“No.” She holds up a hand, but I continue, “--and fix your house and do whatever else needs doing on your to do list. Replace the shingles, upgrade the security system…”
“We don’t have a security system,” she says.
Time to come clean. “Yeah you do. I installed it when you took Geo to Disneyland.”
Her brows knot. “That was years ago.”
“Yep. Right after I got back from a tour. I wanted eyes on the house.”