Five

Gaius lost track of his senses when the curvy young woman came back out of her little cottage wearing half the amount of clothing she worn moments ago. He’d been standing at his saw and glanced up in time for her to bend over and start yanking at some offending plant or other. The sight of her ripe, round backside wiggling to and fro made his mouth go dry and his cock stand stiff inside his jeans. He barely had the presence of mind to turn off the power to the saw before losing a finger.

Cursing under his breath, he turned and set the next crosspiece in place, hammering harder than necessary to get it seated. All he could think about was her adorably irritated face when she thought he’d ruined her kitchen with the stupid board over the dumbwaiter. It seemed like she got more beautiful the more emotional she was, and that gorgeous, round ass of hers was stirring some pretty intense feelings in him too.

He scraped his fingernails up and down the back of his head and shook it, trying to dispel that vision. But he couldn’t help it. He had to look again, just to see if she was real, even if she drove him mad with her ability to read his mind.

But when he glanced out the door again, his blood ran hot. Some unfamiliar male had his goddamned arms around her.

“Oh, hell no,” he growled and started for the door. He was about to step out and pummel the interloper when logic kicked in. “She is not your fucking mate, dude,” he whispered to himself. “Get a grip.”

She was probably the last woman he needed for a mate. As bossy as she was, they’d tear each other to pieces if left alone together for five minutes, he was sure of it. Yet he kept watching from the shadows while she gave the guy a tour, chattering animatedly the entire time. The man eventually produced a pair of work gloves and settled in beside her, tearing out vines and happily complying with her every direction.

Eventually, the uncomfortable sense of intrusion subsided. She’d been no more than casually friendly to the guy and was clearly comfortable bossing him around. Oddly, that didn’t make Gaius feel any better. Was she bossy like that to every man she knew?

He went back to his work with a strange, tightness in his chest. For the next few hours, he went about the project on autopilot, unable to shake the overwhelming need to walk out into the garden and stake his claim on her.

He was busy framing out the corner where the new pantry would go when someone rapped on the door behind him. His heart lurched and his cock twitched in his pants at the possibility of her presence, but the scent that reached him a second later was distinctly not hers. Male cat was his impression, and he let out an involuntary growl as he turned.

“Whoa,” said the tall, scruffy shifter who’d had his arms around Nessa. “Ig didn’t warn me you were so territorial. I just wanted to see if you needed anything. I’m Levi . . . Ig and Bry’s assistant.”

Gaius half-raised the hammer in his fist. Levi eyed the tool with a worried frown.

“And what’re you to her?” Gaius asked, not even sure where the question came from.

Levi’s eyes widened. He glanced out the window where Nessa was standing with the garden hose raised over her head, her head tilted back as the water cascaded into her mouth and over her sweet curves. She was turned away, and what Gaius wouldn’t give to see the front of her top all soaked through.

“Nessa’s an old friend. That’s all. Like . . . like a big sister. Seriously, you don’t have to worry about me. I didn’t even know she had a mate.”

The statement hit Gaius like a cold slap. “I’m not her mate,” he snapped.

Levi tilted his head. “Whatever you say, man. I just came in to check whether you need anything. I can help with the labor, make calls, anything.”

Gaius eyed him warily, gradually realizing he must look like a fucking crazy person holding his hammer up like he was ready to pummel the guy with it. He forced himself to relax.

“You should keep helping her,” he muttered.

“Well, I plan to again tomorrow. She’s stopping for the day, though. It’s too damn hot out there, for one thing, and she’s got to go get lunch started for the guys.”

Gaius nodded and glanced back out the window. Nessa had the hose aimed straight up her shirt now and was angled slightly toward the window, apparently oblivious that there might be observers on the other side of the glass.

He cleared his throat and shook his head to clear it of her perfect profile, dripping wet and more luscious than he could stand. “Ah, do you mind asking her if I can tear out the dumbwaiter this afternoon? I know it’s a bit soon . . .”

“Sure thing!” Levi darted back out the door quicker than Gaius could track. Nessa jumped when Levi said her name, and turned to fully face the bank of windows.

Gaius’ pulse quickened. Her top was snug around her big, perfect breasts, a layer of its fabric flowing over her belly, and it was soaked through so thoroughly that she may as well have been dressed in tissue paper. Her brown nipples were visible through the waterlogged fabric, and the rest of it clung to her abdomen darkly, aside from a lighter section where it spanned the indentation of her navel.

Water dripped off her chin and she turned her gaze to the interior, blinking wet lashes. For a moment, Gaius froze, sure he’d been caught staring, but she didn’t seem to register his presence. Regardless, he forced himself to turn around, deciding to preemptively yank the cover off the dumbwaiter hoping she’d say yes.

He’d pried the wood off and tossed it aside when Levi’s footsteps returned. “She asked if you wouldn’t mind waiting. If it’s going to cause a mess, she’d rather you do it when she’s not about to go down to cook, and man, you really don’t want to interfere with her cooking . . . have you tasted the things she can make?”

“Haven’t had the pleasure,” Gaius said, forcing his disappointment aside. Working on removing this thing would require him to spend time in the old kitchen, and for some reason, he had the strongest urge to be closer to her.

“Ah, that is just too bad. Maybe if you’re sweet to her, she’ll give you a taste sometime. It’s worth it.”

Levi had delivered the remark with complete innocence, but it still made Gaius heat again with territorial rage.

Levi’s eyes widened for the second time. “Chill out, bro! I didn’t mean it that way.”

“Are you sure?” Gaius sneered. “How can you not see how perfect she is? She was on full display to you just now. Don’t tell me that didn’t affect you.” He stabbed his finger at the window, but Nessa had disappeared.

Levi’s throat rippled with a nervous swallow. “Ah . . . you mean with the water? I’ve known Nessa since I was a kid. We played naked together. Shifting and swimming in the lake . . . Don’t hit me! I mean, I appreciate how gorgeous she is, but I really have zero interest in her that way! I’ve always believed I’d know my mate when I saw her. When I look at Nessa, it’s just . . . ” He shrugged. “Friendly. I love her, but not that way.”

“Like a sister,” Giaus said, relaxing for the first time in a while.

“Yeah, and for the record, I guarantee that’s how Ig and Bry feel too.”

With a frustrated chuff, Gaius sagged back against the half-built cabinetry behind him. He raked his hands through his hair and shook his head. “What the fuck is wrong with me?”

Levi took a cautious step closer. “Seems like you like her more. A lot more. Is that a bad thing?”

“I just fucking met her and she’s . . .”

“Under your skin?” Levi offered.

“Driving me batshit with her . . . bossiness.”

Levi laughed. “Yeah, that’s Nessa. She’s always known what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to tell whoever will listen. It grows on you, trust me.”

“Don’t know if I can deal,” Gaius said, giving the kid a helpless look.

Levi regarded him solemnly. “Well, if you don’t want to wind up in love with her, I don’t recommend tasting her food. Me and Ig and Bry are all half in love just from that. You can bet if we believed she was our mate, the claws would come out.”

Gaius chuckled ruefully. “I don’t get the sense she likes me much. I think I’ll just keep my head down and focus on the project, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Fair enough,” Levi said. “Anything else I can do for you? Nessa related or not . . .”

“Actually you could make some calls, if you don’t mind. It’d save me a hassle later if all I have to worry about is the construction here. And later this week, I’m laying tile. If you’re up for manual labor, I could use a hand. It’ll save my old knees the strain.”

Levi eagerly agreed and whipped a small tablet out of his pocket to take down the instructions. The kid was quick; Gaius had to give him that. Even if his gut still churned over his unexpected reaction to Nessa, some of his tension eased to have an assistant handle the calls he needed to make, and some of the grunt work that no longer agreed with his old injuries. According to the weather report, the pain in his knees was only going to get worse as the week went on.

Levi was about to leave when Gaius called out, “Hey, kid. One more thing.”

Levi looked at him with such openness Gaius wondered how he’d ever felt threatened by him. “Whatever you need!”

“Do me a favor and don’t tell Ig or Bry about . . . this. They’d never let me hear the end of it.”

Levi laughed. “Secret’s safe with me. Just be careful. She’s important to us.”

“Who’s important to you?” a chirpy voice said from the door. Gaius tensed like he’d been electrocuted, and it took an effort of will to force himself to relax when Nessa sauntered through his workspace and paused at the door beside Levi.

“Why, you are, of course,” Levi said, nonchalantly. “Why else would Ig let you torture one of his best friends so you could have the kitchen of your dreams?”

“Oh, come on,” Nessa said, smacking Levi on the arm and rolling her eyes at Gaius. “They just love me for my sticky buns.”

Gaius snorted and shook his head, resolving to refocus for the rest of the afternoon so he didn’t get too far behind schedule. She’d already distracted him enough for one day.

The lanky shifter loped off, but Nessa remained behind, watching him. His skin prickled under her scrutiny.

He glanced at her with a soft grunt of inquiry.

“Tortured, huh?” She crossed her arms, obscuring his view of the most delicious pair of breasts he’d seen in ages. “I mean, if you’re really that eager to get rid of the stupid dumbwaiter, I can try to work around the interference.”

The bite to her voice told Gaius she was less than eager to accommodate him. That stung worse than it should have.

“Don’t do me any damn favors. I promise it’ll be taken care of when I can get to it and it won’t interfere with your precious cooking.”

“Fine. You don’t have to be so damn pissy about it.” She stalked off in a huff, and Gaius was glad he hadn’t framed out the wall and installed the door yet. She’d have probably slammed it if he had.

About half an hour later, the most delicious scents wafted up, courtesy of the dumbwaiter shaft. An hour after that, when his stomach was growling louder than his angry Uncle Buster on a bender, a clank echoed up the shaft, followed by a grinding sound as the dumbwaiter’s motor kicked into gear. He stared at it like it was some alien beast preparing to attack.

The small car screeched to a stop, the scent of some savory, freshly baked treat betraying the nature of whatever lurked on the other side of the rolling door.

Gaius’ mouth watered and his stomach rumbled so loud it echoed. He’d packed a lunch, but there was no way in hell what he’d made for himself would be as good as whatever she’d just sent up.

He took a cautious step toward the dumbwaiter and reached out. Grabbing the handle with thumb and forefinger, he peeked underneath. A slip of paper came into view that said, “Peace offering.”

He lifted the door farther to display the big plateful of food and licked his lips. Big, thickly cut fried potatoes were piled on one side of the plate, and on the other was the biggest, juiciest burger, piled with toppings and cheese. She couldn’t have known . . . No way in hell could she have known he’d spent six months on Earth after his semi-enforced retirement from the League. While he was there, he’d tried just about every food humanity had to offer, and the one thing he knew he’d always remember fondest was the cheeseburger.

“If you don’t want to wind up in love with her, I don’t recommend tasting her food.”

Gaius stared at the meal like it was about to attack. He snatched the piece of paper and flipped it over, scrawled a quick note on it, then shoved it back under the plate and slammed the dumbwaiter door shut. Only when the thing was headed back south did he finally let out a long breath.

Feeling like he’d just dodged a bullet, he immediately went to the corner where his lunch was stashed and carried it out into the garden to eat. If there’s one thing he’d learned, it was not to deal with bossy women on an empty stomach.