Chapter Seventeen
Greer sat at the table, her two slices of pizza still intact on her plate as she watched the Larson boys, Xander, Clyde, and even Jill, go through four of the pizzas in under fifteen minutes.
It was Clyde who caught her staring and shot her a wink. “Gotta grab it while it’s hot, girlie, or there won’t be any left.”
She laughed. “So, I see.”
“How long you been seeing Xander,” Luke asked.
She could feel her cheeks warm as she admitted, “Well we met on Monday, but seeing each other? Since last night.”
“Oh, so it’s not serious then?”
“Luke…” Xander growled.
Dereck knocked his brother upside the head, and Luke shoved him back. “I was just curious.”
“Bullshit,” Clint said mildly. “My brother thinks he’s a lady’s man.”
Luke puffed up. “I am.”
“Eat your food and shut it or I’ll take you out back and lock you out,” Clyde warned.
The table fell silent, and Greer laughed. “Wow, you really have them trained.”
“Boys, there’s nothing to them. Girls, on the other hand, will drive you crazy.”
“Duly noted,” Greer said.
Luke turned his attention to Jill. “What about you, Jill? Seeing anyone?”
Jill wrinkled her nose at him. “Not interested, puppy.”
All the men hooted while Luke shrugged sheepishly.
Before Jill’s attention turned back to her food, Greer caught her sneak a glance at Dereck, who was looking back with obvious interest.
She turned to catch Xander’s eye, wondering if he’d seen it too, and found him watching her intensely.
“Eat your food so we can get you home,” he said with a smile. “You look exhausted.”
Greer swallowed, knowing he had no intention of letting her sleep tonight. He’d already caught her coming out of the bathroom, and pressed her against the wall, rubbing himself all over her.
She’d been fidgeting in her chair ever since, trying to ease the ache of arousal he’d created. It had been a bit embarrassing since Luke had given her a smirk that made her think he knew exactly what they’d been up to.
“Before you leave, I want to talk to you about Pax and Dakota,” Clyde said.
Greer noticed Xander stiffened. “I have it handled.”
“Maybe so, but I still think stacking the odds in your favor couldn’t hurt.”
“I’m not going to be responsible if one of you gets killed. This is my fight and I am going to take care of it.”
Clyde cursed a blue streak and his three sons scooted back from the table. Luke stood up with a flourish, bowing. “Ladies, would you care to join us in the living room while these two have a pissing match?”
“Sit your ass down, Luke,” Xander snapped.
Greer got up with her plate and came around the table, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Xander…can I talk to you for a minute?”
Xander stood abruptly. “Sure.”
The two of them headed into the kitchen and dumped their paper plates into the trash on their way out the front door. The minute the door closed, she turned to face him.
“Why won’t you let them help you?”
He actually seemed surprised she would ask that. “Like I said, it’s my fight.”
“But it’s two against one. At least if you took Clyde, Derrick, and Luke, the odds would be in your favor.”
“No. I can do this on my own.”
“I don’t want you to,” she snapped.
“This isn’t about you, Greer. This is shifter business and you don’t know the first thing about it.”
Greer tried to hold back her tears as his words cut her to the core. Not that he was wrong; she didn’t understand his world.
She wanted to, though, and he wouldn’t even give her a chance.
“I think I’m going to head home tonight alone,” she said.
“I’m sorry.” He tried to reach out to her, but she backed up. “I really am. I shouldn’t have reacted that way. You can be mad at me, but I can’t let you go home alone.”
“I won’t be. I’ll ask Jill and Dereck to come with me. I’m sure they’d enjoy a little time to get to know each other better.”
He drew back. “Jill and Dereck?”
“Yeah, they’ve been giving each other the eye all night. And since I looked it up and there’s no law against interspecies mating, I figured why not give them a chance. Someone deserves to get lucky.”
“Greer…”
“It’s okay. I’m not really mad, but I’m just not in the mood tonight. You really don’t owe me anything.”
With a sad smile, she walked inside and her heart ached when he didn’t stop her.