What normal dude wore combat boots?
Another two steps and the massive dude was actually at the bottom of the stairs. I didn’t recognize him—he wasn’t part of the pack. At least, not that I knew.
“Shit.” The guy looked from the wolf I was clutching onto, and then to me.
Another moment passed.
My fingers tightened in Rocky’s fur.
The guy let out a slow breath, and then resumed walking. He made it to the stove and grabbed a spatula, then stirred whatever delicious shit he was cooking.
A minute passed.
Then another.
And another.
My anxiety was a hurricane ravaging my abdomen. I fought the desire to find a blanket to hide beneath somewhere—anywhere would work, really.
“Who are you?” I blurted, before my brain legitimately shut down thanks to anxiety.
My stomach churned harder.
“Ryder.” That was all the explanation I got.
I looked at the guy closer.
Despite my fear, he wasn’t holding an axe.
He wore some soft-looking black joggers, a tight black t-shirt, those big combat boots, and had dark blond hair styled up in a man bun.
My mind went back to the mental image of Rocco that I hadn’t managed to get out of my head completely since I saw the guy. He was gorgeous. Not only gorgeous, but kind of pretty too. If I was any less confident in my own figure I would’ve felt weird with the thought of a platonic marriage to a pretty guy. But no, I didn’t feel weird about his prettiness—just my own social awkwardness, and the whole platonic marriage thing itself.
But the way Rocco looked…
And the hot skyscraper cooking in his kitchen…
And the platonic marriage thing…
“Rocco’s gay, isn’t he?” I asked.
The wolf next to me choked.
The guy in front of the door didn’t laugh. “Not that I know of.”
“You’re not his boyfriend then?” I checked.
“Nah.” The guy kept cooking.
I looked down at the wolf, who was still choking. Whether that was his version of laughter or he was furious with the fact that I’d had to ask, I wasn’t sure. He wasn’t growling though, so I was leaning toward laughter.
“Then who are you?” I pressed.
“Rocco’s brother.”
There was a long pause.
A long, long pause.