him. Picking up the dessert fork, he cut into the tip of the pie and lifted the piece to his mouth. Sweet and tart exploded on his taste buds. “This is good,” he said around the mouthful of pie.
“The local grocery store’s bakery does a wonderful job with pies and cakes. While I enjoy cooking, I don’t do as much baking, so it’s nice to be able to just run down to thecorner and pick something up.” Pelicia gave Declan a plate that held a piece that was easily a quarter of the pie. “You let me know if you want more, Sully. With your metabolism, you’ll burn through those calories in no time.”
He gave a nod and took another bite.
Pelicia picked up her coffee cup and turned, and Sully realized she was leaving the room.
“Aren’t you havin’ any pie, darlin’?” Declan reached out and touched her hip.
She shook her head. “I’m too full from dinner. I’ll just put a little extra sugar in my coffee.” She grinned. With a glance at Sully she said, “Besides, I think you blokes need to talk. Or throw a few punches. Whatever.” She left the room, humming under her breath.
“That sounded rather like the theme from Jaws. ” Sully forked up his last bite of pie and leaned back in his chair.
“Well, we’ve the sharp teeth at any rate.” Declan stood and stretched, bones cracking loudly enough that Sully heard them. Then he realized that it wouldn’t have to be all that loud for him to hear.
While he saw the advantages of that, he still wasn’t so sure he liked it.
He pushed away from the table and got to his feet. “I’ve lost my desire to plant my fist in your face. Though, knowing you, you’ll give me reason enough in the not too distant future.”
“An’ aren’t you just the comedian?” Declan shook his head and wandered into the living room. “So…you want to talk about your new friend?”
Sully shot him a look. “Not particularly.” He walked over and stared through the patio doors. It was dark now; the living room behind him was reflected in the glass. But if he focused hard enough he could see the desert beyondthe reflection. The tall silhouettes of the saguaro against the darker night, stars twinkling in the inky sky.
Movement caught his eye, and he watched a lone coyote wander along the edge of the yard on the other side of the oleanders. It paused and looked toward the house as if sensing it was being watched. Then it started on its way again, at a faster clip than before.
“Don’t you think it’s strange that you just ran into another werewolf—and a female one at that—by accident?” Declan’s voice held a sardonic note that wasn’t lost on Sully.
“What part of me saying ‘not particularly’ when you asked if I wanted to talk about it didn’t you get?” Sully turned and looked at his friend.
“The part where you really didn’t mean it, boyo.” Declan folded his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels. “This could be the best thing that ever happened to you, if you let it.”
“The best thing…” Sully stared at Declan. The man had to be kidding. If Sully didn’t lose his job over the attack on that suspect, he sure as hell wasn’t going to get his next promotion when he should. This situation was the farthest thing from being the best thing that any thing could be.
A red-gold haze settled over his eyes. He blinked and shook his head, trying to make it go away. A growl left his throat.
“And you goin’ all wolfie on me isn’t gonna change anythin’, either.” Declan’s voice, the brogue a bit thicker, sounded tinny, yet loud.
Sully’s breath came fast and hard, his lungs laboring to provide oxygen to a beast that wanted to be let loose. Looking at Declan, who stood alert, his shoulders slightlyhunched and hands held loosely at his sides, weight balanced on the balls of his feet, Sully decided to let the fur fly.
With a growled epithet he launched himself at Declan. The other man met him halfway, his eyes wolf-amber and a
“The local grocery store’s bakery does a wonderful job with pies and cakes. While I enjoy cooking, I don’t do as much baking, so it’s nice to be able to just run down to thecorner and pick something up.” Pelicia gave Declan a plate that held a piece that was easily a quarter of the pie. “You let me know if you want more, Sully. With your metabolism, you’ll burn through those calories in no time.”
He gave a nod and took another bite.
Pelicia picked up her coffee cup and turned, and Sully realized she was leaving the room.
“Aren’t you havin’ any pie, darlin’?” Declan reached out and touched her hip.
She shook her head. “I’m too full from dinner. I’ll just put a little extra sugar in my coffee.” She grinned. With a glance at Sully she said, “Besides, I think you blokes need to talk. Or throw a few punches. Whatever.” She left the room, humming under her breath.
“That sounded rather like the theme from Jaws. ” Sully forked up his last bite of pie and leaned back in his chair.
“Well, we’ve the sharp teeth at any rate.” Declan stood and stretched, bones cracking loudly enough that Sully heard them. Then he realized that it wouldn’t have to be all that loud for him to hear.
While he saw the advantages of that, he still wasn’t so sure he liked it.
He pushed away from the table and got to his feet. “I’ve lost my desire to plant my fist in your face. Though, knowing you, you’ll give me reason enough in the not too distant future.”
“An’ aren’t you just the comedian?” Declan shook his head and wandered into the living room. “So…you want to talk about your new friend?”
Sully shot him a look. “Not particularly.” He walked over and stared through the patio doors. It was dark now; the living room behind him was reflected in the glass. But if he focused hard enough he could see the desert beyondthe reflection. The tall silhouettes of the saguaro against the darker night, stars twinkling in the inky sky.
Movement caught his eye, and he watched a lone coyote wander along the edge of the yard on the other side of the oleanders. It paused and looked toward the house as if sensing it was being watched. Then it started on its way again, at a faster clip than before.
“Don’t you think it’s strange that you just ran into another werewolf—and a female one at that—by accident?” Declan’s voice held a sardonic note that wasn’t lost on Sully.
“What part of me saying ‘not particularly’ when you asked if I wanted to talk about it didn’t you get?” Sully turned and looked at his friend.
“The part where you really didn’t mean it, boyo.” Declan folded his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels. “This could be the best thing that ever happened to you, if you let it.”
“The best thing…” Sully stared at Declan. The man had to be kidding. If Sully didn’t lose his job over the attack on that suspect, he sure as hell wasn’t going to get his next promotion when he should. This situation was the farthest thing from being the best thing that any thing could be.
A red-gold haze settled over his eyes. He blinked and shook his head, trying to make it go away. A growl left his throat.
“And you goin’ all wolfie on me isn’t gonna change anythin’, either.” Declan’s voice, the brogue a bit thicker, sounded tinny, yet loud.
Sully’s breath came fast and hard, his lungs laboring to provide oxygen to a beast that wanted to be let loose. Looking at Declan, who stood alert, his shoulders slightlyhunched and hands held loosely at his sides, weight balanced on the balls of his feet, Sully decided to let the fur fly.
With a growled epithet he launched himself at Declan. The other man met him halfway, his eyes wolf-amber and a
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