Three weeks later …

“It was the best sex of my life,” Edith gushed.

Ana fought not to roll her eyes. She’d already heard every minute detail of that night and several times.

“You really should give it another go.” Her friend’s voice was animated.

“No way!” Ana shook her head. “I’ll go with you to the bar but only to get a drink. I’m not letting some guy pick me up.”

“You’re hoping to see him, aren’t you?” Edith grinned.

“If he’s there, he’s there, if not then, whatever.” Ana didn’t really mean it, she was hoping to see the shifter with the beautiful light brown eyes and the gorgeous smile. Winston was sweet. She enjoyed talking to him. This way, at least if Edith ended up hooking up with one of them again, she wouldn’t have to just stand around, or worse, feel another panic attack coming on and leave. She refused to ruin Edith’s evening by making her leave along with her. It had happened too many times to count, especially in the early days. She could do this. She would do this.

The cab pulled up to the sidewalk and they got out, thanking the driver. Edith hooked her arm with Ana’s and they made their way into the bar. “How do you even walk on those things?” Ana looked down at her friend’s heels.

Edith shrugged. “You do what you gotta do, right?”

“If you say so.” Ana had taken it easy this time around. No hair products, no hectic make-up. She wore a pair of jeans, a cute halter-top with an open back and low heels. In other words, she was completely underdressed because the ladies who hit this bar on Shifter Night went all out. Ana wasn’t there to find love or a hook-up or any of that though, she was here to have fun, that was it. She sucked in a deep breath, feeling her nerves settle.

They made their way through the throngs of people and found a gap at the bar. Okay, it was a tiny fissure in the wall of people. “I’m on it. Wait here,” Edith yelled into her ear before wedging herself in. It seemed even busier than the last time. Minutes later and her friend was no closer to being served. This despite there being several people behind the bar area, all working their asses off.

Ana took a look around her, the ratio of women to men was also way off. There were at least five women to every man. The ladies were all ages and all shapes and sizes, clearly out on the prowl. They were out for blood. Shifter blood. It was a circus. She had to smile. She felt sorry for Winston if he was in amongst all this. The women weren’t shy, they were going after what they wanted. Those days of guys hitting on and chasing the women were long gone. The tables had turned. She allowed her eyes to sweep the crowd.

So far though, no sign of him. Not that she was really looking. Ana wasn’t desperate. Anyway, Winston was probably just being nice when he made the offer. He had most likely forgotten all about her. Edith had two hands on the bar now, so she was going to be served any time … maybe … surely … then again, none of the servers were even looking her way.

“You made it,” his deep baritone seemed to fold itself around her.

Ana turned. She couldn’t help but smile. “Hi! Yeah, I made it, but don’t feel obliged to hang out or anything. I mean, you may have changed your mind about … you know … Shifter Night.” She was babbling. She pursed her lips together to stop herself.

Winston smiled. He really was very good-looking. He wore a red checked shirt, something along the lines of what a lumberjack would wear. The material pulled tight over his broad shoulders. His thighs were encased in faded blue jeans that fit him just so. “Nah, I haven’t changed my mind.” He had to speak up so that she could her him above all the noise. Winston leaned in. He smelled really good. Ana felt sorry for all the women here with their eyes on him. She was sure there were quite a few. “Would you like something to drink?”

“I’m here with my friend, Edith.” She pointed in the general direction. Edith had already been swallowed up by several rows of people, all looking to buy a drink. “She’s in there, somewhere.” Ana peered around a group of people waiting at the bar and spotted Edith, still waiting herself. “She’s not having much luck though.”

Winston nodded. “It can get crazy here on a Saturday.” She needed to partly read his lips to know what he was saying.

“That’s for sure!” she shouted.

“What are you guys drinking?” he cupped his hands around his mouth.

“A beer or a cider, something out of a bottle. I don’t think glasses are going to work.” As she said it, yet another person bumped into her. A young woman, also barely balancing on really high heels. She looked like she might have had too much to drink.

“Let me handle it.” Winston turned and called to a guy close to the bar. A female bartender seemed to already be waiting to take his order. Go figure, she was only too eager to serve the gorgeous shifter. Although Ana couldn’t hear a thing Winston said, the big shifter at the bar nodded. He turned and placed an order. Then Winston parted the people at the bar and returned with Edith who was grinning wildly. They went through the motions of introducing themselves to each other. Edith gave her an exaggerated wink, which she hoped Winston didn’t see. Then she gave a double thumbs up to Ana when Winston turned his back. Ana felt her cheeks heat. She shook her head and mouthed ‘no’ but Edith just grinned at her. It was cheeky. Didn’t her friend understand that it wasn’t like that?

A woman approached Winston. She leaned up and said something in his ear. She was really pretty with long black hair and wide blue eyes.

Winston shook his head. The woman gripped his bicep and leaned in, talking a whole lot more. He listened and then shook his head again, saying something back. The pretty lady shrugged and walked away.

Edith gripped her arm. “He wants you,” she said, directly into Ana’s ear.

“Stop!” Ana spoke under her breath but tried to sound forceful.

“It’s true though.” Edith winked at her. Her friend meant well, but she didn’t always listen. “The guy likes you. You may as well admit it.”

“It’s not like that.”

“It totally is and you should go for it.” Edith smiled.

“I’m going to go if you don’t stop. He’s just a friend and that’s it.”

Edith put her arm around Ana. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean …”

Ana felt bad instantly. “It’s okay. I know.”

“It’s just …” Her friend hugged her. “I want the best for you. I want you to be happy again.”

“I am happy. I have a great job and awesome friends.” She hugged Edith. “I have a family who loves me. I’m happy.” She said it with conviction she didn’t completely feel. Although she was happy in most aspects of her life, she still felt that something was missing.

“Not like you were. Not like when …”

Ana squeezed Edith’s hand. “I’ll be okay. I’m here, aren’t I? I’m getting better. It’s taking way longer than I would have hoped, but I’ll get there.” There was a nagging voice inside her that told her she was never going to get better. Not before she was old and gray at any rate. Ana ignored it.

“Yeah, you will. You know I’m always here for you, right?”

“I know.” They hugged again.

The guy from the bar came up, holding several drinks in is big hands. He handed Winston the drinks and winked at both her and Edith.

“I’m Zack.” He shook Edith’s hand and then took hers. “I’m very pleased to meet you.”

Ana nodded, the guy didn’t let go of her hand. He lifted it to his mouth and kissed her palm. It was way too intimate. “Can I get you a drink?” he asked, his eyes on hers.

“Um … you already did.” Ana tried to take her hand back but the shifter held on tight.

Her heart started to beat a little quicker. There was a deep growl and the shifter let go of her in an instant. Zack held up both hands, he said something to Winston who was frowning deeply. The situation felt tense. Winston bristled, his shoulders seemed to broaden. If he put any more pressure on that shirt it was going to rip. His jaw was tight, then finally he nodded and the tension dissipated in an instant. Zack gave Winston a tap on the side of the arm. He nodded in what looked like understanding.

“Have a good evening, ladies!” he shouted, then he winked and disappeared into the throng.

Winston handed each of them their drinks. He leaned in to Ana. “Sorry about that. Are you okay?” His eyes were filled with concern.

Ana leaned in. “I’m fine. Thanks for the save.”

“Any time.” His voice was really deep. Winston had what looked like a beer in his hand. He used it to point towards the back of the bar. She looked over to where he was pointing. It was a bit quieter on that end, away from the gyrating bodies on the dance floor and the hustle and bustle of the bar area itself.

Edith gripped her arm. “There’s Jacob,” her voice was filled with excitement. Her eyes were wide. Jacob was Edith’s hook-up from last time. She gave a squeal. “I forgot how sexy he is.”

“Do you want to go over and say hi?”

Edith shook her head. “No, that’s fine, I’ll hang with you guys.” She looked from Ana to Winston.

“Really!” Ana raised her brows. “It’s okay,” she spoke directly into Edith’s ear, keeping her voice down. “He’s really sweet, I’m sure I’ll be okay.” Ana knew that Edith was dying to go over to Jacob. She was just trying to be a good friend to Ana.

“You sure?” When Edith pulled back, she was frowning.

“Of course, just let me know if you leave or anything.”

Edith smiled. She nodded, her eyes bright with excitement. “Same goes for you.”

Ana rolled her eyes. “That’s not going—”

“Only joking.” Edith squeezed her arm and bounded off to Jacob who was just as her friend had described him. Tall, dark hair, tanned skin. Who was she kidding? They were all gorgeous. Every last one of them.

She turned back towards Winston, who was fending off another woman. This one had shoulder-length brown hair. She looked a little older. Winston grinned when they locked eyes. He became serious though as he turned his attention back to the woman, giving another shake of the head. This one was a bit more persistent. She even gripped him by the bicep and stood really close. Some people didn’t respect personal space. She kept talking, moving closer and closer. Her mouth only millimeters away from Winston’s ear. Her hand now stroked his arm. Winston looked tense. He didn’t seem to be enjoying the attention. He shook his head.

Ana sighed. He’d rescued her so she felt it was only right to return the favor. “Hey, babe!” She put her arm around his waist, breaking the contact the other woman had. Wow, he sure was big. Winston towered over her. The music and general bar noise wasn’t as bad over here, so the lady must have heard Ana.

“Hey …” He sounded shocked, but quickly pulled himself together. “Sweetheart,” he added. Winston gave her a kiss on the top of her head. He put a hand on her back. The middle of her back, barely touching her. Such a sweetie.

Ana was thrilled to find that she wasn’t affected. Her heart rate stayed normal. Her breathing as well. That feeling of her throat closing and the room becoming smaller didn’t happen. They were just pretending after all, so it stood to reason that she wouldn’t be affected. It felt good to have contact with another human being. Someone she didn’t know. A guy. A really cute guy. Not that she was interested or anything.

The lady muttered something that sounded far too much like ‘lucky bitch’ and walked off.

Ana had to laugh. Winston released her. He laughed too. “Thanks.”

“You saved me earlier so I thought I’d return the favor.”

He narrowed his eyes into hers. “I told you I would take care of you. Seems we can help each other.” He held out his beer. “To making new friends and having good clean fun!”

“To friends.” She touched bottle necks with him and they both drank.

“So, how have you been?” he asked, taking another drink of his beer.

“Good.” She shrugged. “Same old, really.”

“All good on that … other front? Are you doing okay right now?” He looked at her intently.

She looked away before looking back at him. “I’m fine.”

“You’ll tell me if that changes right?”

“I don’t want you to treat me like there’s something wrong with me. I just want to have a good evening.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Sorry! I felt the need to check. Also, despite relaxing and having fun, you came here because I asked you to, so I feel a bit responsible.”

“Well don’t! I’ve been dealing with this for years.” She paused. “I haven’t gone out on any blind dates or frequented any establishments such as this so, no, no new panic attacks. My therapist agrees with you, by the way. She says I’m making progress.”

“See. What did I tell you?”

“At this rate, I’ll be forty-three by the time I can actually go on a real date with someone and forty-eight by the time I get to have sex again. Nineteen years is not so long to wait.”

Winston shook his head. “I doubt it. You’re being too hard on yourself. How was work?” She noticed how he changed the subject.

“Great! It’s been a weird week though.” She took a sip of her drink.

“How so?” Winston frowned, waiting for her to continue. He looked sincerely interested so she continued.

“We have this patient. He’s your average run-of-the-mill middle-aged guy who recently caught his wife cheating. He ran after the man who was in bed with her. Chased him into the backyard and over the gate ‒ which was locked, so they had to climb over it. The gate was pretty high, so when he landed on the other side, he broke both his legs.”

“No!”

“Yes!” she said.

“Talk about bad luck.” Winston was smiling.

“I know, poor guy. His wife served him divorce papers yesterday. Her husband is in the hospital with badly broken legs and she serves him. Some people are cruel.”

Winston clenched his jaw. “I don’t understand you humans sometimes.” He shook his head. “We shifters mate for life. We would never even think to cheat. Once we fixate on a person, we stop noticing anyone else in that way.”

“Hey, don’t put us all in the same category.” His way of thinking irritated her. “I would never—”

“Damn … sorry! I didn’t mean you. I swear! It’s just, it happens a lot. That lady you saved me from just now …” He raised his brows.

“Yeah?” she said when he didn’t elaborate.

“Well, I could scent that she is mated, yet she is here trying to hook up with one of us. It’s so wrong. I was about to tell her where to get off when you came and saved my ass.”

“Oh, I see,” she huffed out a breath. “That’s bad. Some people are terrible. So shifters don’t cheat?”

He shook his head. “Nope.”

“Not ever?”

“It’s not in our DNA. Once we are with someone, it’s for life.”

“So that’s it for you then? Until you meet Miss Right, that is? Only one more woman for you … ever.”

Winston gave a shy smile. “Yup, that’s the plan.”

“I think it’s commendable.”

He looked over her shoulder. Ana turned just as Edith came up to them. “I’m going to the bar with some of the guys!” she yelled. “We’re getting more shots. Do you want a couple?” She raised her brows, looking from Ana to Winston and back again.

Ana shook her head. “We’re good … unless?” She glanced at Winston, who shook his head.

“Nope, we’re good.”

“Okay. See you later,” Edith yelled as she turned and started walking towards the bar.

“Okay!” Ana yelled after her. She watched her friend join a group of people already headed for the bar. They were a mix of both men and women.

She glanced over at Winston. He was such an attractive guy. Could be standing with any of the women in there. “So, why did you come tonight? Don’t tell me it was only to keep my sorry ass company?”

His forehead creased. “You should stop putting yourself down like that, Ana. I happened to enjoy your company the other night. I had hoped to see you again.” He paused, taking a sip of his beer. “I also like coming to Sweetwater. I enjoy unwinding and having a few beers.” He held up the bottle in his hand. “Just because I don’t want to fall into bed with the first pretty female I see doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time with one and quite frankly, most females in Sweetwater just want one thing from us shifters and it isn’t conversation. I guess I know I’m safe with you.” He grinned.

Ana had to laugh. “Okay then.” She felt her cheeks heat. “You are definitely safe with me.” She gave another chuckle. “I apologize. I do keep putting myself down, you’re right, it’s something I should stop. It’s just, I’ve had this problem for a long time now, just over four years and it’s just so hard …” She scrunched up her nose. “There I go again with the complaining.”

Winston touched the side of her arm. “You’re still being hard on yourself.”

“I wish I could control it but I can’t. When that feeling starts up, it takes over. Just when I think I might have a handle, it hits me upside the head.”

“Do you know the cause? You say the episodes started four years ago. That’s pretty specific on the timing. There must be a reason why you get these attacks? You didn’t always have this problem.”