Focus is a sexy thing, in my book.

Ronnie Bould has it in spades. He’s tenacious and driven, even though his manner leads you to believe otherwise. Even something as simple as working on his phone or his laptop, multitasking like a pro, his singular dedication astounds and impresses me.

The downside to that is it’s hard to tell what he notices in his surroundings. There are times when his focus on the task at hand could lead to dangerous inattention around him. Considering the people we find ourselves up against, that’s a quality that has me worried for him.

After working a full time job, he takes the time to do all this information gathering and analysis for us when he technically has very little skin in the game. Austin is his friend, and I sense the intense loyalty there, but Austin is with Nyve now and my friend can provide the protection Austin needs since he, along with Rayne, are the most intimately tied to all the activity.

Frankly, I find it extremely attractive. Looks, which he certainly has an abundance of, smarts, and loyalty. They all hit my target for ‘let me get to know you better’.

Along with all this fated mate business going around the shop, coupled with the fact that all my friends having found theirs, the intense attraction I feel towards Ronnie has me questioning myself.

Is it a true attraction that is stronger than I’ve felt in a long time?

Or is it that I’m feeling the pressure to find my fated mate now?

I can’t be sure Ronnie fits that bill. The problem with any fated mate attraction is that first initial skin-to-skin contact. From everything I’ve read on the ‘net and in hearing the guys talk about it, I would know in that moment if the person I’m touching is the one for me.

Ronnie isn’t all that much of a touchy-feely guy. It’s not like I’ve had the opportunity to have the skin-to-skin contact.

So what is this draw I feel towards him? Is it fated mates? Or is it simple, plain ol’ biology that has me attracted to him?

Which then begs the question of whether he’d be interested in hooking up at all, fated mates or not? Not everyone has the same level of relaxed sense of sexual freedom. And with Ronnie, it’s all but impossible to tell due to his intense focus.

“Varos?”

Ronnie’s voice breaks my swirling thoughts and I jerk back to being present now that the meeting is breaking up. “Yeah.”

“Is everything okay?”

Sitting close makes it hard for me to stay on point, especially since I can see his large brown eyes up close. They’re like looking at a tiger’s eye stone. Multicolors of brown. So beautiful. “Just got some shit on my mind, that’s all.”

Ronnie sets his laptop to the side so he can fully face me. Now his intense focus is on me. It’s almost like a physical touch. “Anything I can help with?”

Not unless you want to go out with me. I don’t say that out loud, although my inner dragon is kicking up a fuss for being such a coward. I’m not a coward, thank you.

I’m cautious. Ronnie and I have a solid working friendship. Screwing that up at this time is not a good idea.

“Nah. Just all this.” I wave my hand at the group as they pack up to head home for the night. “It’s starting to wear on me.”

“We’re close to a huge breakthrough,” Ronnie says enthusiastically. “I can feel it. I have to admit, it’s been a challenge to be a part of this. It’s really stretched my skills.”

I chuckle at his energy. “I’ll be happy when it’s over and the shop can settle down again.”

The smile on his face dims for just a moment before he rallies back. “I don’t know if I can get used to the non-excitement after all this. Anyway, do you have time for us to sync up so I can see how the GPS tracking app is performing on your phone?”

I pull my phone and hand it over. “Sure. So far it’s easy to use and it hasn’t slowed my phone performance. It is taking up a lot of memory, though.”

Ronnie nods and, just like that, his focus is back on work, which is a little disappointing. “Yeah, I’ve tightened it up some. This shouldn’t take long.”

Bronaz and I are the two left to close up the shop after everyone’s gone. Ronnie is the last to head out and I wait until he’s in his car and pulling away from the curb before I lock the front down and head to the back.

He drags the chairs back over to our respective stations to get ready for tomorrow. “What did you think of tonight?”

“Cautiously optimistic,” I say after careful thought. “I’m glad to hear that this organization isn’t as widely distributed as we first thought. If we can take it down before it does more damage?”

“But?” Bronaz collapses into his chair, his fingers laced behind his head. “I hear the ‘but’.”

“But…” I follow suit to get comfortable in mine. “By involving the non-mythical shifters, what are we opening ourselves up for? So far we’ve gotten away with being comfortably in the background, just a rumor to most. This brings us into the spotlight.”

“Do you honestly think we can get away with it for much longer anyway?”

“I guess not. I just liked the anonymity. The secrecy.”

“You’re a Runic dragon. You lot do love your secrets.”

I give him a wide grin. “Hey, secrets and information is currency. I happen to like being in control of secrets and currency.”

“Power hungry, you mean.”

I dismiss his joke with a wave of a hand and a laugh. “If you need me to be power hungry, then I own it.”

“Must be why you get on so well with Ronnie.”

I’ve known Bronaz a long time. I see through his pointed remark. “You’ve waited all night to say that, haven’t you?”

Bronaz beams at me in triumph. “I have.”

“Whatever.” I roll my eyes. “He’s a good guy. And he likes information as much as I do.”

“You know that’s not what I mean, man.”

“Actually, I don’t.” Although I have a suspicion, one I’d rather not be said aloud.

“I was sitting right across from you the entire meeting. I watched how your attention stayed riveted on him almost the whole time. Shit, Varos, everyone in the room saw how you look at him.”

I scrub my face just so he doesn’t see my face heat up. I thought I was better at hiding that. “So what are you telling me?”

“I’m telling you…” Bronaz pauses and chews on his lip in thought. After a moment, he rises to his feet and heads to turn out the shop lights. On his way by, he pats me on the shoulder. “I’m telling you not to ignore the obvious. That’s all.”

What does that mean? Before I can ask, the lights are out and he’s at the back door, alarming the panel. I hustle to catch up, both of us pausing at the door to make sure it latches shut before we leave.

When the bus gets to my stop, I give Bronaz a wave and strike off down the street of my neighborhood. I’m glad to be clear of the bus because I’m still buzzing with pent up energy. I need to walk it off.

I head down to the opposite end of the street. There’s a park the neighborhood association installed in the grassy field. Along one side, it’s bordered by a forest of trees and brush. It’s quiet, especially at this time of night, and I squeeze into one of the swings. The chain creaks as I slowly rock back and forth.

At one small opening in the hedge, a red furry head pokes out. A few seconds later, it disappears, then reappears, darting out into the open. It’s followed by two smaller animals, most likely a mother and babies. It’s a vixen and her two kits.

She scrounges around in the field as the two kits play and frolic. They’re still young enough they have their baby fuzz and their bodies are still awkwardly coordinated as they waddle and weave around, leaping on each other with ill-timed jumps.

The vixen’s eyes are eerily similar to Ronnie’s. It’s a stark reminder of who Ronnie is and, unfortunately, how little I know about him. In watching the small family pack in the clearing, I realize that while I know Ronnie is a great hacker, he loves the antique car he and his grandfather restored, he makes good money doing what he loves, he’s much smarter than many give him credit for, and has an appreciation for blackberry jam sandwiches, I don’t know much more than that.

Is his family still alive? Does he have any brothers or sisters? What are his plans for the future?

We talk a lot but not about important stuff like that.

Despite my woefully inadequate information base for the young fox shifter, I find the mystery enticing. Secrets. Information. It piques my interest more.

I’d love to get to know him better.

With that realization comes another.

Is that a wise idea? If we aren’t to be fated mates, should I be opening this door? Or would it be better to leave it as it is between us now?

To leave it as friends, and nothing more. Two who share a love of finding things about people and events and organizations, furthering our own information databases.

The foxes finally move on, looking for something tasty to snack on. A glance at my phone indicates I should try to get some sleep before going into work. Screwing up someone’s ink because I’m too damn tired isn’t an option.

With one final glance back at the foxes, I push thoughts of Ronnie from my mind. I can’t afford to get attached to him. If he proves not to be my fated mate, I can’t muddy the water for him by trying to hang on. It wouldn’t be fair to him, myself, or my own fated mate, whoever they are.

Gods, listen to me, going on about fated mates. The guys are really starting to rub off on me.