“Did you get that, Jade?” he asked, his voice rough. “I just said that we’re a couple. Not because your mother started a rumor. Not because the folks in town see us kiss. Nope. It’s got nothing to do with Half Moon Key expectations. This is happening because I want to be with you, and unless I’m way off base, you wanna be with me too.”
The seconds stretched on and on and on. Finally, Jade’s face was illuminated with a small smile. “Yeah, that’s something I could want.”
“Could?” he repeated.
She laughed softly. “Okay, so maybe it’s definitely something I want.”
“Then it’s settled. We are a couple going to town to do some adulting tasks. That makes us real-life official.” He took her hand in his and tugged her into him. “You need to do anything before we head out?”
“Nope, I’m good. Let’s do this,boyfriend.”
“You’ve got it, girlfriend.”
They hopped into his car and drove the long drive into the city for the second time together. This go-round, things were a whole lot flirtier. There was kissing at red lights, light touches across the center console, and romantic songs playing on the radio.
When they finally got to their first location, a big box store for wire supplies, they walked around holding hands. Parker felt like a million bucks. Not only was he shopping with the most beautiful woman in the world, but she was actually his lady.
We are quite lucky, aren’t we? His panther agreed with a purr.She is the loveliest.
“Is this what you were looking for?” Jade asked, stepping away from him to point to a huge spool of red wire.
He chuckled and shook his head. “Not quite, no. But good try. It’s just a bit too small for what we need.”
She pursed her lips in mock annoyance. “And here I thought I was getting better at all of this …”
“Wait,” he said, interrupting her. He put a hand up to silence her, but it was too late. There was no way he could make a quick escape.
They had already been spotted by the very last person he wanted to be spotted by.
At the other end of the long and wide aisle, a very familiar … and veryunwelcomed… man was sauntering over like he owned the damn place.
“Well, well, well,” the man called out. His voice was so slimy that Parker was sure he’d need a long shower when he got back home. “Parker, hi.” Rueben grinned. His wide mouth was opened just a tad too much. It was definitely a predatory look he was giving them.
“Rueben,” Parker responded curtly. He didn’t want to move Jade behind him. That would have been too much of a giveaway for Rueben. He would immediately catch on that Jade was someone to protect, and Parker knew the fewer details Rueben knew about his life, the better it was for everyone involved, but especially Jade.
“I heard you moved into the mountains like some sort of freak after the sale.” Rueben watched him closely for a reaction, but thankfully, Parker was able to keep his face completely devoid of emotion.
It was Jade’s little wince that Rueben caught.
“Oh, excuse me there, ma’am. I don’t think my old pal here has introduced us.”
“Rueben,” Parker’s tone was full of warning. “This is Jade. She works with me.” The lie rolled off his tongue quite easily, and once again, he hoped he wasn’t giving away too much detail to the man that shouldn’t be anywherenearhim or anything he cared about. “Jade, this is Rueben. Someone from my past.” He wouldn’t say more than that, but he hoped that his tone was tense enough to convey everything he couldn’t actuallyspeak.
“Someone from your past?” Rueben repeated with a sneer and a scowl. “Is that really the only way you see me now? Tut tut. We were so much more than that.”
“Were we, though? In the end?”
Anger flashed in Rueben’s eyes at Parker’s words. “In the end, we both had to make some tough calls. You can’t fault me for that.”
Parker clenched his jaw by way of answer. He wanted to be gone from this place and to put as much distance between Jade and Rueben as he possibly could.
“That’s one way of looking at it, I suppose,” he said through gritted teeth.
Rueben’s laugh was as ugly as his soul. “If you say so, Parker.”
Rueben took a step closer to Jade, and this time, Parker didn’t even think. His body acted on pure instinct, and he stepped in front of her, nudging her behind him.
The other shifter’s eyes widened before a nasty smirk overtook his face. “Oh, that’s interesting.” He took a step back, lifting his hands up in feigned defeat. “I see how it is. I’ll let you two get on with your day. See you around.”