Lorenzo tucked into his steak. His jaguar was a little on edge, wondering when and if Sadie was going to jump up and down and start screaming that he had kidnapped her, but so far, she hadn’t uttered a peep about it.
No, she was alternately reticent and chatty, nervous and relaxed. She couldn’t seem to settle. He thought naturally she was a friendly, easygoing woman, but the situation was too strange for her to be completely comfortable.
He froze, fork dangling in midair as she swiped a finger through her mashed potatoes and sucked it into her mouth. A tiny little happy noise escaped her, and it was the most dick hardening sound in the freaking world. Then she did it again, this time letting out an actual moan. His jaguar nearly choked.
Slack-jawed, his fork clattered back to his plate as all sense left his body. Sadie flinched slightly until she saw his expression, and then her lips curled slightly in a mildly smug fashion.
Lorenzo grabbed his napkin and wiped his mouth – just in case any drool had escaped.
“You, ah, like the potatoes?” he asked, cringing a little at the banality of the question.
He wished he could think of something to say. He’d always been able to flatter women when he wanted to, and he wanted to charm Sadie. It was just every time he reached for something witty or interesting to say, he came up totally blank.
“Mmm, they’re delicious,” she cooed before dipping her finger in for another swipe and delving back into her mouth.
Lorenzo groaned under his breath.
Her finger popped free. “I think they must add cream and heaps and heaps of butter into them.”
She noticed him staring at her finger and laughed lightly. “Sorry, I’m terrible, I really ought to use a fork. I always tell…” she paused briefly and seemed to blush, “other people not to pick at their food with their fingers, so I shouldn’t… either.”
Her good mood seemed to evaporate, and she grasped her fork as if it owed her money and started raking it through the potatoes, which a few moments ago had apparently tasted divine and were now on the receiving end of a grumpy stare.
Lorenzo picked up his fork and resumed eating. He didn’t bother asking her if everything was okay – why would it be? She’d just been kidnapped to be a jaguar’s bride – how could everything be tickety-boo for her?!
Instead, he decided to eat. Though, he didn’t get very far.
“Do you know them?” whispered Sadie.
He looked up at her. “Who?”
“There are some people staring at us. Four o’ clock.”
He looked around, seeing nothing but wall.
“No, my four o’ clock.”
He looked in the opposite direction and found himself looking at the door to the kitchen.
“Fine, ten o’ clock.” Sadie pursed her lips as he looked toward a couple currently joined at the lips. “Forget it, just look over there!”
She pointed with her fork.
“That’s more like ten o’ clock.”
Sadie rolled her eyes, and carefully, Lorenzo glanced in that direction. His jaguar grunted, and he couldn’t deny a little worry that someone was there to arrest him for kidnapping Sadie, and worse, take her away.
But as he saw the two tourists, he knew he had nothing to worry. They were just a couple of teenage girls, and judging by their clothes and boots, they were staying at the campground that was a couple of hours hike away. Sadie was safe for now, though she probably didn’t see it that way.
“Well?” she hissed impatiently.
“Don’t know them,” he muttered and tried once again to eat the piece of meat that had been lounging on his fork for a good five minutes now.
“They’re staring at you,” she frowned.
Lorenzo shrugged. “People stare.”
“But… oh.”
Because of his scars. Sadie dropped all pretense and glared at the two young women until they turned beet red and looked down at their plates.
“Rude,” sniffed Sadie.
“You get used to it,” said Lorenzo doubtfully. Or at least, he had been told that he would get used to it.
“They should know better.”
“They’re just young,” he said, though he wasn’t sure why he was defending them.
“Please. They can stare if aliens land on earth – I’ll allow that. But this,” she raised her hand and stroked her fingers across his cheek, tracing a couple of his scars, “this is nothing,” she finished, her outrage having been replaced by breathy uncertainty.
Inwardly, he let out a happy growl, enjoying her touch. But as her eyes clouded with sadness, she quickly removed her hand.
Sadie plucked her napkin off her lap and dropped it on her plate. “I’m just going to powder my nose,” she said quickly.
Lorenzo watched her go, tracking her movements. He wasn’t the only male doing so, and he snarled slightly at a couple of other shifters. They quickly turned back to their plates. If the scars did one thing, they made him appear dangerous and discouraged people from messing with him.
Finally, he managed to eat his bite of meat and quickly polished off the rest of his steak, just in time to catch Sadie trying to use the payphone.
She gave him a frustrated little pout. “I was just checking out my reflection in the shiny metal around the phone,” she told him.
He almost believed her too – she was an impressive liar, he’d give her that. He could scent when most people lied – well, humans at least. But he couldn’t scent any falsehood from her – he just knew she was lying.
Lorenzo leaned against the wall and folded his arms. He couldn’t help smirking slightly. He supposed he might have been a little disappointed if she were completely docile.
“The shiny metal of the mirror in the bathroom may be better.”
Her expression hardened for a second before she smiled. “You may have a point. I’ll try the bathroom.”
Lorenzo breathed out. He paid their bill and made his way outside to find her not very successfully trying to climb out of the bathroom window. It was a small window, and she had curvy hips.
Sadie scowled when she saw him. “Well, help me down, will you?”
He watched her for a few moments, chuckled to himself and then did as she asked.
*
Sadie was getting antsy. She wanted to talk to Mandy, but she couldn’t get away from Lorenzo.
It wasn’t that she didn’t like him, quite the opposite, she was just worrying her mind out for Mandy.
Lunch was nice, seeing the town was nice, spending time with Lorenzo was nice! But all her enjoyment was overshadowed by the fact that she needed to know her baby was okay.
After lunch, he gave her a small tour of the town and then brought her back to the compound. She hung out with Laurel while Lorenzo took care of a few things – something to do with his job as a leap enforcer - until Lorenzo arrived to take her to dinner.
She needed to make a better effort to get away from him because the more time she spent with him, the less she wanted to. He wasn’t exactly the most charming or verbose man on earth – ha, far from it! But, she just liked him. Liked that he was sweet and that he seemed honest. Liked his earnestness. Liked the intense way he looked at her. Though, maybe that would change when she finally escaped. That thought bummed her out a little.
They were eating dinner in the leap hall. Apparently, meals were served in there daily, though many of the leap members chose to eat at home with their families. Still, there was always an option to eat there.
Lorenzo growled, and she looked up from her macaroni and cheese – she was feeling a little too sad to eat it anyway, given that it was Mandy’s favorite.
She pushed it away from her. “What’s up?”
Lorenzo growled again and glared at a couple of young males who quickly looked away.
Sadie raised an eyebrow. They couldn’t have been more than eighteen, and she was… quite a few years older than that. She figured she was older than Lorenzo too but wasn’t too keen to open up that can of worms.
“Were they looking at me?” she asked in amusement.
Lorenzo growled.
“And that pissed you off?”
Lorenzo growled.
Sadie snickered. “Mmm hmm. I wouldn’t worry, they’d soon change their mind…”
She was going to say if they knew about Mandy and stopped herself. She could just tell him, the more time she spent with him, the more she wanted to tell him, but she was starting to wonder what she was most afraid of. That he’d run off and drag Mandy into this situation? Or that he’d tell Sadie to pack her bags?
He looked at her, but she wasn’t any more forthcoming. A couple of other boys smiled at her, and he snarled.
“They’re just kids,” she said mildly. “I’m sure you did the same when you were their age.”
He huffed. “You finished?”
Sadie gave the mac and cheese a sad look and nodded.
“We should go.”
“Fine.”
He pulled out her chair for her, and she got up. They were going to leave when they heard what sounded like gun shots and Lorenzo dove on her, rolling to the floor and covering her.
Lorenzo’s firm, solid weight pressed against her, and in spite of the situation, she felt a thrill of desire. It had been a while since she felt anything of the sort.
Roberto, the leap prime and leader roared and ran out of the hall. People around them panicked, but Sadie just looked up at Lorenzo. Her fingers curled into his t-shirt.
“What’s happening?” she murmured.
“Don’t know,” he replied gruffly. “Should probably go check it out.”
“Yes,” she breathed unenthusiastically.
Or they could stay there for a few more minutes… But no, Lorenzo was already pushing himself to his feet, pulling her up with him.
“There’s a hunter out there shooting at us!” cried a leap mate.
Lorenzo froze before letting out a near-ear splitting roar. His body shook, and his eyes were nearly wild.
“Lorenzo, what’s wrong?” murmured Sadie, shocked at how he suddenly looked so feral.
Lorenzo ignored her and grunted at another leap mate. “Maria, keep her safe.”
Maria appeared at her elbow and slipped an arm around her waist. “Yes, you go, I’ll keep her safe.”
Lorenzo looked at Sadie, and then he was out the door, leaving Sadie to worry.