One Night with the Shifter

“You remember Shelby? How smart was it to get involved with her?”

“That was different.”

“How?”

“She lied about being single.”

“And yet you stayed by her side for months. This was just a fling. One night.”

“You sure about that?” Paul interjected.

“I’m telling you. You guys are preaching to the choir here. There’s no reason for us to keep seeing each other.” Jess picked up her cup and took another drink. “As you say, he’s not my type. I’m not going to jeopardize teaching for some mountain-man jarhead, no matter how attractive. Don’t worry your pretty little heads. I’ll never see him again.” After all, it wasn’t as if he’d come looking for her, was it? What had been brain-melting sex for her could have been just another night out for him. She really didn’t know.

Edgar snorted. “Don’t think he sees it that way.”

Her stomach did an uneasy roll. Jess speared Ed with a glance over the steaming rim of her cup. “What did he say?”

“Nothing. Didn’t have to. God, Jess, it was written all over his face. Even you had to see that. The guy has it bad for you.”

Jess’s heart pounded at the thought. Did he? Surely he didn’t think she did those things with everyone she dated. She’d dated guys before, but no one had brought out her wild side like Ty. She was like a different woman when she was in his arms. Wanton. Insatiable. “You guys are way overreacting. Trust me. One date was it.”

Paul looked over at Davis. “Isn’t that all Mom and Dad had before they got hitched?”

Davis nodded, his mood still surly.

As if that ever happened nowadays. Nobody believed in love at first sight anymore. They were just being the same overprotective brothers she’d always known. Jess sighed. She couldn’t blame them for being who they were.

“It doesn’t matter. He’s got his survival school to run and I’ve got my class to think about come Monday.”

She set down her coffee and grabbed the last plate set out by the stove, picking up several pieces of bacon and ignoring the cinnamon rolls. For whatever reason, she was craving the bacon, but the thought of eating the sweet, sticky rolls no longer sounded appetizing. “You three don’t have to worry,” she said as she bit into the bacon and chewed. “I’m a big girl. I’ll guarantee you, Ty’s already forgotten the whole thing.”

* * *

Ty looked over his group of recruits. He hadn’t slept when they’d gotten back to the compound. He’d packed Riley off to his barrack, then sat staring up at the moon until dawn had streaked in brilliant fingers of fiery red and glowing orange over the horizon in the east, turning the moon into a pale imitator of her original glory.

He scrubbed his hands over his face, and found the scent of her still lingering on his hands. Her peppermint kiss on his skin, the intimate spice of her body on his fingers. Gods. He was screwed. Well and truly screwed. The Mesmer had to be stopped now before it got any stronger. Otherwise he’d never have a chance at building a decent pack.

If a Mesmer fully formed, he’d never want another mate and would chase every female away from the pack territory out of instinct alone. And a pack full of bachelors didn’t last long—if it lasted at all. Eventually order broke down. Brother turned against brother. All hell broke loose.

He needed a mate who would handle who and what he was. And Jessica Brierly was too damn complicated to fit that bill. Besides, she hadn’t even given him her damn phone number. All he’d been to her was a one-night stand. Maybe she was the smarter one.

It was time to get back to work. He pushed his recruits hard, himself harder. He did what they did, all day long. They did a rock climb and hiked ten miles with their full gear packs, then they built shelters from whatever they found in the woods until sweat poured into his eyes and his muscles twitched with fatigue. But not even the physical effort could erase the image of Jess seared into his brain.

“Commander, can I have a word with you?”

Ty glanced at Riley and gave one quick nod. The kid’s face was streaked with grime, his hair plastered to his head with sweat. He needed to remember these recruits weren’t Weres. Their bodies wouldn’t repair and recover as quickly as his did.

“This about the workout or your sister?”

Riley looked nervous. Sister. Definitely.

“Do you think you’ll see her again?”

“Doubt it. Your sister didn’t even give me her phone number.” Not that there weren’t a dozen ways of getting it.

Riley had a devious spark in his eyes. “Not that hard to get if you know the right people.”

Ty bit back a smile. “Not the point, kid. If your sister wanted to see me again, she’d have made it clear.” He pulled his canteen from his hip and took a long drink, then offered it to Riley.

Riley took it, slugging down a drink, and rubbed the back of his hand over his mouth. “My brothers do this all the time, you know. She hasn’t dated a guy longer than a month before they start picking him apart and warning him off of her.”

Ty took back the canteen and placed his hand on Riley’s shoulder. “Got to respect them for protecting your sister. They just want somebody good enough for her.”

Riley let out an irritated sigh. “Problem is, in their opinion, nobody’s good enough for her. It’s not fair to Jess.”

“When you’re the youngest in the family, kid, nothing’s fair.”

Riley nodded. “Ain’t that the truth.”

“If we’re going to eat tonight, blue team needs to get firewood.”

Riley saluted him. “Yes, sir.”

Ty watched the kid jog back to his team. A few days out in the wilderness and a good hunt would do Ty good.

* * *

Monday came and went. So did Tuesday, followed by Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in a boring, predictable order that made Jess feel as though she were walking around with weights tied to her feet all week. She found herself daydreaming in the middle of class—more typical for one of her sixth graders than her.

She’d felt off all week, had a low-grade fever. Maybe she was just coming down with the crud that always seemed to circulate around the school this time of year. Maybe she was just heartsick.

“Miss Brierly, Evan won’t give me back my calculator.” Jess glanced at her student Mila. Evan did everything he could to get the girl’s attention, in the most irritating, stupid fashion. Pulling on her hair. Putting used chewing gum on her desk. Taking her things or shoving into her at recess. Boys really had no clue. Too bad most men didn’t, either.

She’d waited for Ty to call. Something, anything to indicate he’d found their night together, well, more than just a fling. How hard could it be to get her number from Riley and find five minutes to call her?

Obviously too hard, she answered herself. “Tell Evan to come see me.”

Mila strode confidently back to the small collection of desks she had to share with Evan and four other students. Evan had a hangdog expression. He wasn’t a bad kid, he was just immature and the hormones had only just begun to make him stupid about girls.

“Yes, Miss Brierly?”

“Evan, did you take Mila’s calculator?”

“I borrowed it.”

Jess nodded, twisting her hair back on her head and shoving a pencil in it to hold the messy bun in place. “Here’s the thing, Evan. Borrow implies you mean to give it back. Are you going to?”

He nodded, his hand brushing absently over the pocket of his jeans, as he glanced back over at Mila. Poor kid.