MADDY
I’m impatient on a good day. With Evan talking to a Yeti-looking monster in the middle of the road during a snowstorm, I was freaking out. What the hell was that thing? I’d never seen anything like it. It appeared human-sized, but it was so swathed in furs, its features remained hidden.
Evan blocked my view when he confronted it. My breath fogged up the windows, and I strained my ears but still couldn’t hear a thing they said. What I did know was that a crushing sense of doom was settling over me. Something was seriously wrong.
The interaction was brief. When Evan walked away, the creature was gone.
“So, what was that about?” I asked when Evan climbed back in the truck. He sat without answering me. A shiver wracked his whole body and his teeth chattered.
“Who was that? Are you okay?” I cranked the heat full blast, then scooted over to wrap my arms around him.
He didn’t speak for several minutes. “Let’s go back to my place.”
“Of course.” I slid over, giving him just enough room to drive but not wanting to be separated from him even by the length of the seat.
We pulled into Jax’s cabin, where Evan was staying. He angled his head down and kissed me. I shivered, but not from the cold. His lips were stiff.
I watched him closely. I’d been in love with him since seventh grade. Was this fling thing crazy from my perspective? Yes and no. I loved being with him. I could never fit into his world; my fox wouldn’t allow it. All I had was when he was in mine. Sleepy Briar wasn’t great, but it was home for me. I belonged here with the other crazy paranormals. Maybe someday I’d find someone who wanted to be here with me.
But that guy wouldn’t be Evan. I’d stopped wishing Evan would love Sleepy Briar when I realized what attracted me to him was how unusual he was. That, and his cock rocked my world.
We hurried inside the cabin. Evan built up the fire and handed me a glass of wine. “Let’s talk after we eat.”
I followed him to the kitchen bursting with curiosity, but he looked ill. I’d have to be patient, which my fox hated.
“Do you need some help?”
“Come keep me company.”
Living in Sleepy Briar, I wasn’t picky about food. Evan was a serious foodie, so I benefited from his kitchen creativity. In a matter of minutes, delicious aromas had my stomach growling.
Jax’s hewn-timber cabin was cozy. Evan’s housekeeping was tidy, unlike his twin’s piles of laundry and mail. I pulled out my updated building-code book. It was decidedly unsexy work, but the sooner I finished the faster I could leave it behind.
I was in a cabin shrouded by snow with a sexy shifter. I wasn’t wearing panties, since he’d pocketed mine earlier in the day. The setup would normally be too good to waste, but the creature we had encountered killed the mood.
“You need more protein; that’s why you’re tired all the time.” He handed me a small plate piled with cheese, crackers, and salami.
“Is this real salami?” I sniffed it before popping a piece into my mouth. A girl could only eat so much moose meat.
Evan’s weary smile tugged at my heart. “I brought some supplies with me from home.”
I nodded. “What the hell was that thing?” I burst out.
He shook his head, pointing at my plate. “Eat first. Please.”
My stomach growled again. This time loudly enough that both of us could hear it.
I ate so fast you would think I was the wolf.
“Feeling better?” he asked when I polished off the plate of snacks. His raised eyebrows made me blush.
“I just ate that entire plate of food.” It was supposed to be classy appetizers, not an all-you-can-eat buffet. That's what I got for skipping lunch. “It’s the second-best way to chase away the cold, right?” he teased.
My cheeks heated. “Something like that. I’m not sure which I prefer better.”
Once Sleepy Briar developed a sizeable population, we’d have groceries flown in. Now, if it wasn’t wild game, our food was almost entirely from a box or can.
“Does that mean you need a second helping of me to compare?” Evan winked at me.