their first date.
Rafe waited for her in the hallway. He gave her a small smile. “This was a memorable first meeting, wasn’t it?”
She tugged on the too tight shirt. It barely covered her stomach. “Yes, I’ll say. Let’s hope our first date is less action-filled.”
“I’m sure it’ll be pleasurable.” He raised his gaze from her chest to her face. “No matter what we end up doing.”
She blew out a slow breath. “I hope so.”
A pleased grin spread across his mouth. “How about a rain check on the drink so you can go home and shower?”
“I’d like that.”
They left the bar, and Rafe walked straight in the direction of her car, not even pausing by the other ones or asking where she’d parked. The memory of him inhaling deeply after she’d lied returned. A feeling of unease slithered over her. Hadn’t she thought how similar the act was to the way her boys tasted the air? They told her they could tell when people were lying. They could also track people by scent alone.
Part of her felt silly for even allowing the doubt to take root. Shifters were rare. The odds of Rafe being one were slim. But the whispered warning Seth and Levi’s birth mother had given repeated in Jazz’s head.
“If you ever cross paths with a shifter, run with my boys as far and as fast as you can. They’re special. Others will hurt them because of it.”
Jazz didn’t doubt the threat that existed. She’d seen firsthand what awaited them if the wrong people got hold of them, but Rafe didn’t come across as evil or cruel.
“Our males lie. They pretend to be good, but they’re not. They’re animals, and if given the chance, they’ll hurt those weaker than them just because they can. But they don’t have to be like that. Not if they learn respect. Please, Jazz. If we get separated, you will teach my boys to be kind. I don’t want them to end up like their father.”
Jazz stopped and jerked her chin toward her car. “Why do you think I parked there?”
He glanced from the cluster of vehicles to her. “Your keys. You drive a Ford, and I figured you’d be parked by a light.”
Intuitive or something more? Dammit, she really didn’t want to be suspicious of Rafe. But if I’m wrong and something happened to my boys, I’d never forgive myself.
“Why not think I parked there?” She pointed toward the lot closest to the bar.
“I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I just assumed that since you arrived so late you would’ve been forced to park as far away as I did.”
He pivoted and headed toward the other lot.
Way to go. Now he’s going to think I’m crazy.
“Wait. You were right. I was just curious, I guess. You’re a very observant man.”
He glanced at her, a careful mask hiding his features. “It’s second nature, I suppose. A consequence of my…job.”
“Really? What do you do?”
“Security.”
She considered that. It fit. She could easily see him working as a bodyguard for some important official or maybe a rock star. She grinned at the possibilities and followed him to her car. She unlocked the door, but Rafe planted his hands on either side of her body, preventing her from opening it. He didn’t touch her, but the evidence of his arousal was easy to see. His erection left a noticeable and delicious bulge in his pants.
“I don’t want to let you go. Invite me home.”
She wanted to. Her boys were already at Mr. Wilkins’. They’d slept over there before, but they didn’t have their favorite stuffed animals or their toothbrushes.
She shook her head. “I can’t, not tonight.”
“Because of your boys.” He sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked, but you make me wild. I can’t get enough of you.”
“Same here, but I can’t. I hadn’t planned for my boys to stay over tonight. That’s not fair to them or Mr. Wilkins.”
“Your neighbor?”
“Yes, Mr. Wilkins loves my kids and wouldn’t mind having them stay, but I can’t expect him to do
Rafe waited for her in the hallway. He gave her a small smile. “This was a memorable first meeting, wasn’t it?”
She tugged on the too tight shirt. It barely covered her stomach. “Yes, I’ll say. Let’s hope our first date is less action-filled.”
“I’m sure it’ll be pleasurable.” He raised his gaze from her chest to her face. “No matter what we end up doing.”
She blew out a slow breath. “I hope so.”
A pleased grin spread across his mouth. “How about a rain check on the drink so you can go home and shower?”
“I’d like that.”
They left the bar, and Rafe walked straight in the direction of her car, not even pausing by the other ones or asking where she’d parked. The memory of him inhaling deeply after she’d lied returned. A feeling of unease slithered over her. Hadn’t she thought how similar the act was to the way her boys tasted the air? They told her they could tell when people were lying. They could also track people by scent alone.
Part of her felt silly for even allowing the doubt to take root. Shifters were rare. The odds of Rafe being one were slim. But the whispered warning Seth and Levi’s birth mother had given repeated in Jazz’s head.
“If you ever cross paths with a shifter, run with my boys as far and as fast as you can. They’re special. Others will hurt them because of it.”
Jazz didn’t doubt the threat that existed. She’d seen firsthand what awaited them if the wrong people got hold of them, but Rafe didn’t come across as evil or cruel.
“Our males lie. They pretend to be good, but they’re not. They’re animals, and if given the chance, they’ll hurt those weaker than them just because they can. But they don’t have to be like that. Not if they learn respect. Please, Jazz. If we get separated, you will teach my boys to be kind. I don’t want them to end up like their father.”
Jazz stopped and jerked her chin toward her car. “Why do you think I parked there?”
He glanced from the cluster of vehicles to her. “Your keys. You drive a Ford, and I figured you’d be parked by a light.”
Intuitive or something more? Dammit, she really didn’t want to be suspicious of Rafe. But if I’m wrong and something happened to my boys, I’d never forgive myself.
“Why not think I parked there?” She pointed toward the lot closest to the bar.
“I’m sorry.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I just assumed that since you arrived so late you would’ve been forced to park as far away as I did.”
He pivoted and headed toward the other lot.
Way to go. Now he’s going to think I’m crazy.
“Wait. You were right. I was just curious, I guess. You’re a very observant man.”
He glanced at her, a careful mask hiding his features. “It’s second nature, I suppose. A consequence of my…job.”
“Really? What do you do?”
“Security.”
She considered that. It fit. She could easily see him working as a bodyguard for some important official or maybe a rock star. She grinned at the possibilities and followed him to her car. She unlocked the door, but Rafe planted his hands on either side of her body, preventing her from opening it. He didn’t touch her, but the evidence of his arousal was easy to see. His erection left a noticeable and delicious bulge in his pants.
“I don’t want to let you go. Invite me home.”
She wanted to. Her boys were already at Mr. Wilkins’. They’d slept over there before, but they didn’t have their favorite stuffed animals or their toothbrushes.
She shook her head. “I can’t, not tonight.”
“Because of your boys.” He sighed. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have asked, but you make me wild. I can’t get enough of you.”
“Same here, but I can’t. I hadn’t planned for my boys to stay over tonight. That’s not fair to them or Mr. Wilkins.”
“Your neighbor?”
“Yes, Mr. Wilkins loves my kids and wouldn’t mind having them stay, but I can’t expect him to do
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