people are being attacked, and his son is heading into an unknown danger. He has good reason to be worried.”
“I know, but he’s usually a lot better at hiding it, especially around outsiders.”
“I imagine so. And I’m so sorry for contributing—”
“Please, Brynn, stop apologizing.” He folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. She looked so vulnerable, so desperately in need of comfort. He pushed against his beast’s demand that he provide that comfort physically. “Listen, the way you came into town, unannounced and with that poison, is not okay, but my getting poisoned was an accident. I’m not happy about it, but I don’t hold a grudge against you. Okay?”
Her expression softened and her posture relaxed. “All right. Thank you. But what about your other brother?”
“Knight?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll talk to him and make sure he’s cool. All of our emotions were feeding his at the time, so Knight got more wound up than usual. He’ll be fine.”
“He’s susceptible to that, as a White Wolf? The emotions of others?”
“Strong emotions within a certain physical proximity, yeah.”
“It sounds difficult for him.”
“It can be.” He didn’t like discussing Knight behind his back like this, so he grasped for a different topic. “So what do you do?” Generic, but he was somewhat hopeless when it came to small talk.
“At the moment, nothing.” Something sad flashed in her eyes. “I was a tutor for two years. I loved teaching.”
“If you loved it, why did you quit?”
“I was fired.”
He’d just proved how good he was at putting his foot in his mouth. It had been a long time since he’d wanted to get to know someone, or put any effort into it. Brynn was special, and he wanted to learn about her, but he hated that learning meant a constant reminder that she was Magus. Her people were his enemies, but she was also part loup. Did that make it okay to hate seeing hurt in her eyes?
He had no idea.
Rook leaned close and lowered his voice, exaggerating his raised eyebrows. “Want me to kill someone for you?”
She stared at him, taking him seriously for a split second, until she caught his humor. She smiled, and the sight made his heart jump. “No, but thank you.”
“No problem.” The moment lingered, growing into something sweet—something it could never be between them. He cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “Why don’t I show you where your room is? You can settle in for the night.”
“All right.” She stood up with him, but made no move away from the table.
“Brynn? You okay?”
“I just thought of something.”
“What?”
“Well, I never planned on staying here overnight.”
“I know, and it’s got to be—oh.” He got it. “You probably need a toothbrush and stuff.”
“Yes, a toothbrush, hairbrush, maybe even something to sleep in besides my bare skin.”
The mental image of Brynn sleeping in the nude flashed into his brain and refused to budge. He gripped the edge of the table, alarmed at the way his jeans were beginning to tighten. His sudden lack of self-control was absolutely ridiculous, considering he’d been managing it quite well since puberty. One innocent comment from a pretty girl shouldn’t create instant wood. Especially when the comment was from Brynn. Magus. Enemy.
“Ah . . .” He needed something a lot more intelligent than that. “Mrs. Troost has a grand-niece who’s about our age. She can, um, probably get you some stuff.”
“That would be wonderful, thank you.”
“No problem.”
Neither of them moved. Rook began to sweat.
“Are we going inside?” Brynn asked.
“Yes?” He was an idiot. “I mean, yes, we are. Sorry. After you.”
Brynn picked up her iced tea glass, gave him a curious look, then headed for the back door. Rook briefly contemplated dumping the remains of his own glass down the front of his pants, then followed her into the house.
Chapter Seven
“It was a goddamn massacre,”
“I know, but he’s usually a lot better at hiding it, especially around outsiders.”
“I imagine so. And I’m so sorry for contributing—”
“Please, Brynn, stop apologizing.” He folded his hands on the table and leaned forward. She looked so vulnerable, so desperately in need of comfort. He pushed against his beast’s demand that he provide that comfort physically. “Listen, the way you came into town, unannounced and with that poison, is not okay, but my getting poisoned was an accident. I’m not happy about it, but I don’t hold a grudge against you. Okay?”
Her expression softened and her posture relaxed. “All right. Thank you. But what about your other brother?”
“Knight?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll talk to him and make sure he’s cool. All of our emotions were feeding his at the time, so Knight got more wound up than usual. He’ll be fine.”
“He’s susceptible to that, as a White Wolf? The emotions of others?”
“Strong emotions within a certain physical proximity, yeah.”
“It sounds difficult for him.”
“It can be.” He didn’t like discussing Knight behind his back like this, so he grasped for a different topic. “So what do you do?” Generic, but he was somewhat hopeless when it came to small talk.
“At the moment, nothing.” Something sad flashed in her eyes. “I was a tutor for two years. I loved teaching.”
“If you loved it, why did you quit?”
“I was fired.”
He’d just proved how good he was at putting his foot in his mouth. It had been a long time since he’d wanted to get to know someone, or put any effort into it. Brynn was special, and he wanted to learn about her, but he hated that learning meant a constant reminder that she was Magus. Her people were his enemies, but she was also part loup. Did that make it okay to hate seeing hurt in her eyes?
He had no idea.
Rook leaned close and lowered his voice, exaggerating his raised eyebrows. “Want me to kill someone for you?”
She stared at him, taking him seriously for a split second, until she caught his humor. She smiled, and the sight made his heart jump. “No, but thank you.”
“No problem.” The moment lingered, growing into something sweet—something it could never be between them. He cleared his throat, breaking the spell. “Why don’t I show you where your room is? You can settle in for the night.”
“All right.” She stood up with him, but made no move away from the table.
“Brynn? You okay?”
“I just thought of something.”
“What?”
“Well, I never planned on staying here overnight.”
“I know, and it’s got to be—oh.” He got it. “You probably need a toothbrush and stuff.”
“Yes, a toothbrush, hairbrush, maybe even something to sleep in besides my bare skin.”
The mental image of Brynn sleeping in the nude flashed into his brain and refused to budge. He gripped the edge of the table, alarmed at the way his jeans were beginning to tighten. His sudden lack of self-control was absolutely ridiculous, considering he’d been managing it quite well since puberty. One innocent comment from a pretty girl shouldn’t create instant wood. Especially when the comment was from Brynn. Magus. Enemy.
“Ah . . .” He needed something a lot more intelligent than that. “Mrs. Troost has a grand-niece who’s about our age. She can, um, probably get you some stuff.”
“That would be wonderful, thank you.”
“No problem.”
Neither of them moved. Rook began to sweat.
“Are we going inside?” Brynn asked.
“Yes?” He was an idiot. “I mean, yes, we are. Sorry. After you.”
Brynn picked up her iced tea glass, gave him a curious look, then headed for the back door. Rook briefly contemplated dumping the remains of his own glass down the front of his pants, then followed her into the house.
Chapter Seven
“It was a goddamn massacre,”
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