searching out her secrets. “And that matters to you?” His hands came out of his pockets and he took a step closer to her. “Is he stalking you?”
Starting to was her gut instinct. But if she said that, Carson would tell her grandfather, John would tell the family, and her life and house would be invaded by a protective pack. Brandon didn’t deserve to have his chance at being alpha of the Beo Pack derailed on the basis of her unverified instinct of trouble ahead.
She shook her head. “Brandon hasn’t done anything wrong. I don’t like confrontation and I didn’t expect him at my house, and he waited till he was driving me to the fashion show to make his interest in a serious relationship with me plain. I panicked. I tried to let him down gently. You know, a hint.”
“A hint?”
She’d heard that tone from her brother, Steve. “What is it with men and scorning hints? Hints work! And they spare people’s feelings and dignity.”
“They’re useless when a guy’s on a hunt. Then you need to hit us over the head.”
“Well, I did. When Brandon wasn’t put off by me saying I don’t want a mate—”
“You don’t?” Carson blinked.
“Not right now. Don’t distract me. I was trying to tell you how, when Brandon wouldn’t listen, I didn’t know what to say, so I said I was dating you.”
Silence. She couldn’t even hear the traffic on the road out front or planes flying overhead. The city noises had been shut out. She and Carson were in a world alone in the glasshouse.
“But it’s okay,” she added hurriedly. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll tell one of my cousins that you and I are broken up. Shelley is a complete blabbermouth. She’ll tell the whole pack. Brandon will hear that you and I aren’t together before the sun goes down. You’ll be out of this.”
“This.”
Liz grimaced and wriggled her shoulders. “I really wish you’d stop repeating what I say.” Especially because he seemed to be repeating the truly pertinent points. She’d hoped to be able to gloss over things. She’d hoped he’d just let things go. After all, he and she weren’t anything to one another. They weren’t even pack mates. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know, so that you weren’t surprised by someone commenting on our ex-relationship.”
She tried to edge towards the door, but he caught her arm. His hold was gentle, but determined. She sighed.
He hauled her closer. “Brandon really rattled you. Did he touch you? Threaten you?”
“No!”
“But you still tried to hide behind me.”
“I panicked.”
“That’s what interests me.” Carson released her arm, but only to slide his hand down to clasp hers. His fingers were calloused. A gardener’s hands. “You’re an A&E doctor. You’re trained to stay calm in a crisis.”
“In my professional life.”
“You wouldn’t have chosen that specialty if you weren’t suited to it.” He refused to be deflected. “Yet Brandon arriving at your house and declaring his interest in you has you rattled.”
“I told you. I don’t like conflict.”
“I’m aware. You’re an omega wolf. You don’t like conflict, but you can handle it, so he must have done something…” His jaw squared as she shook her head. “Let him keep thinking we’re dating.”
“What?”
“Then I’ll tell him to back off.”
She was tempted to bang her head against the nearest hard surface, but that would be Carson’s chest. “I can tell him.”
“What happened at the fashion show, after you’d told him you were with me?”
“I told him we were seeing each other.” And she was stalling.
A fact Carson apparently noticed, since he put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up so she met his eyes.
She sighed, capitulating. “He did those little things. Helped me off with my jacket, seated me, sat beside me.” His cologne had been expensive and discreet, yet nowhere near as nice as Carson’s garden-rich scent. “Aunt Natalie thought he was
Starting to was her gut instinct. But if she said that, Carson would tell her grandfather, John would tell the family, and her life and house would be invaded by a protective pack. Brandon didn’t deserve to have his chance at being alpha of the Beo Pack derailed on the basis of her unverified instinct of trouble ahead.
She shook her head. “Brandon hasn’t done anything wrong. I don’t like confrontation and I didn’t expect him at my house, and he waited till he was driving me to the fashion show to make his interest in a serious relationship with me plain. I panicked. I tried to let him down gently. You know, a hint.”
“A hint?”
She’d heard that tone from her brother, Steve. “What is it with men and scorning hints? Hints work! And they spare people’s feelings and dignity.”
“They’re useless when a guy’s on a hunt. Then you need to hit us over the head.”
“Well, I did. When Brandon wasn’t put off by me saying I don’t want a mate—”
“You don’t?” Carson blinked.
“Not right now. Don’t distract me. I was trying to tell you how, when Brandon wouldn’t listen, I didn’t know what to say, so I said I was dating you.”
Silence. She couldn’t even hear the traffic on the road out front or planes flying overhead. The city noises had been shut out. She and Carson were in a world alone in the glasshouse.
“But it’s okay,” she added hurriedly. “You don’t have to worry. I’ll tell one of my cousins that you and I are broken up. Shelley is a complete blabbermouth. She’ll tell the whole pack. Brandon will hear that you and I aren’t together before the sun goes down. You’ll be out of this.”
“This.”
Liz grimaced and wriggled her shoulders. “I really wish you’d stop repeating what I say.” Especially because he seemed to be repeating the truly pertinent points. She’d hoped to be able to gloss over things. She’d hoped he’d just let things go. After all, he and she weren’t anything to one another. They weren’t even pack mates. “Anyway, I just wanted to let you know, so that you weren’t surprised by someone commenting on our ex-relationship.”
She tried to edge towards the door, but he caught her arm. His hold was gentle, but determined. She sighed.
He hauled her closer. “Brandon really rattled you. Did he touch you? Threaten you?”
“No!”
“But you still tried to hide behind me.”
“I panicked.”
“That’s what interests me.” Carson released her arm, but only to slide his hand down to clasp hers. His fingers were calloused. A gardener’s hands. “You’re an A&E doctor. You’re trained to stay calm in a crisis.”
“In my professional life.”
“You wouldn’t have chosen that specialty if you weren’t suited to it.” He refused to be deflected. “Yet Brandon arriving at your house and declaring his interest in you has you rattled.”
“I told you. I don’t like conflict.”
“I’m aware. You’re an omega wolf. You don’t like conflict, but you can handle it, so he must have done something…” His jaw squared as she shook her head. “Let him keep thinking we’re dating.”
“What?”
“Then I’ll tell him to back off.”
She was tempted to bang her head against the nearest hard surface, but that would be Carson’s chest. “I can tell him.”
“What happened at the fashion show, after you’d told him you were with me?”
“I told him we were seeing each other.” And she was stalling.
A fact Carson apparently noticed, since he put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up so she met his eyes.
She sighed, capitulating. “He did those little things. Helped me off with my jacket, seated me, sat beside me.” His cologne had been expensive and discreet, yet nowhere near as nice as Carson’s garden-rich scent. “Aunt Natalie thought he was
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