Bria opened the door and hurried into the foyer of Kat’s office. Kat, along with a wolf shifter named Malcolm Burke and a grizzly shifter named Bishop King, owned a security firm that provided personal protection for paranormals. Over the last year, they had branched out into providing corporate security for paranormals as well as personal security for humans.
Their receptionist and Malcolm’s mate, was a human named Willow. She was on the phone and she waved at Bria as the door opened again. Bria turned and smiled at the curvy redhead who walked into the office. “Hi, Ava. How are you?”
Ava set the car seat she was carrying on the floor. “I’m good. Just brought Lila in to see her dad during lunch.”
Bria crouched next to the car seat before pulling back the blanket. Lila stared at her and Bria brushed her hand over the baby’s bright red hair. “Look at her chubby cheeks. I can’t believe how big she’s getting.”
Ava laughed. “She loves to eat. She might be human, but you can totally tell she’s Bishop’s kid.”
“How old is she now?”
“Almost seven weeks.”
Bria touched Lila’s cheek with the tip of her finger. “Hi, Lila. Hi, sweet baby.”
“Do you want to hold her?” Ava asked.
“Can I?”
“Of course.” Ava bent and unbuckled the belt before lifting Lila out of the seat. She handed her over and Bria kissed the baby’s cheek.
“You look just like your mama.”
“She totally does,” Willow said. She had finished her phone call and she hurried around the desk and kissed the top of Lila’s head. “Hi, Bria.”
“Hi, Willow. How are you?”
“Good. You here to see Kat?”
“Yeah, if she’s here.”
“She is,” Willow said as she picked up Lila’s hand and kissed it. “How’s my sweet Lila girl?”
The door to Bishop’s office opened and the giant grizzly shifter came hurrying out. He was sniffing the air and a huge grin broke out on his face when he saw Ava. He pulled her into his embrace and kissed her before smiling down at her. “Hi, gorgeous.”
“Hi, honey. Sorry to drop by without texting, but I wondered if you wanted to have lunch with Lila and me?”
“Yes.” Bishop kissed Ava’s forehead before holding out his hands for Lila.
Bria handed him the baby. She looked incredibly tiny in his massive hands and Bria couldn’t help but feel a tinge of worry. Grizzly shifters weren’t exactly known for their delicate touch.
She shouldn’t have worried.
Displaying a gentleness she hadn’t known existed in him, Bishop tucked Lila against his broad chest. The baby stared up at him and when he made a low rumbling sound of happiness, her face broke out in a toothless grin. She kicked her feet, her grin widening as Bishop gave her his finger to hold. She gripped it tightly, her gaze never leaving his face as he cooed to her.
“How’s my baby girl? Has she been a good girl for her mama today? Daddy is so happy to see you. Your daddy loves you, yes he does.”
Willow started to giggle. “Bishop, you are ridiculously adorable. Did you know that?”
Bishop turned red but continued to coo to his daughter. Lila tried to put his finger in her mouth and made an angry cry when he wouldn’t let her.
“Uh oh. I think she’s hungry again. Do you mind if I feed her before we go for lunch?” Ava said.
“Why don’t you feed her in my office while I run to the café and grab us something to eat. We can eat in my office or in the boardroom,” Bishop said before handing Lila back to Ava.
He left the office and Ava jiggled Lila and smiled at Bria. “How are you, Bria? I haven’t seen you since Lila’s baby shower. Did you find a job?”
“I’m good. Actually, I have a job interview tomorrow and another one the day after that.”
“Awesome,” Ava said as Lila’s face scrunched and she made a loud, wailing cry. “Okay, sorry to cut this short but this kid’s hunger cry can break glass. I need to feed her.”
Bria laughed. “Fair enough. Good to see you again, Ava.”
“You too,” Ava called as she picked up Lila’s car seat and hurried toward Bishop’s office.
Kat’s office door opened and Ava waved at her. “Hi, Kat, sorry about the noise.”
Kat laughed. “It’s fine. Come see me before you leave so I can get my Lila fix.”
As Ava disappeared into Bishop’s office and shut the door, Kat smiled at Bria. “Hey, sweetie, what’s up?”
“Do you have plans for lunch?” Bria asked.
“Nope. Was just going to go downstairs to the café.”
“Want some company?”
“I would love that,” Kat said.
The café on the first floor of the building was crowded and noisy. After grabbing their food, they snagged a small table by the window. Bishop was just leaving the café with a bag of food and they waved at him before Kat opened her bottle of water and took a drink.
“What’s wrong, Bria?”
Bria glanced around the café before leaning forward. “I met with the tiger shifter this morning.”
“Great. How did it go?”
“Kat, it was him.”
Kat crumbled some crackers into her soup before stirring it. “It was who?”
“The tiger shifter! From the club! Jace was the tiger shifter from the club!” Bria said.
Kat’s spoon clattered to the table. “You’re kidding me.”
“I’m not,” Bria said. “Oh God, Kat, I was so humiliated.”
“Seriously? Jace was the tiger shifter you fucked in the bathroom at the club?”
“Keep your voice down.”
“Sorry.” Kat picked up her spoon and wiped it with her napkin before dipping it into her soup. “I’m just really surprised.”
“How do you think I felt? I almost ran out of the Starbucks.”
“You didn’t, did you?”
“No, Jace convinced me to sit and talk to him.”
“Good. How did it go?”
Bria stared at her untouched sandwich. “Embarrassing. I apologized for just attacking him in the bathroom and then running away in the morning, but he said it was fine. It didn’t even seem to bother him.”
“Well, that’s a good thing, right?” Kat said.
“Yeah, I guess.”
“So, did you make arrangements for your next heat cycle?” Kat took a bite of soup before wrinkling her nose and adding some salt to it.
“No. I mean, he told me how it worked, and we looked at each other’s medical records, but I told him I couldn’t do it.”
“What?” Kat stopped sprinkling salt into her soup. “Why would you do that? You already know how good he is in bed, this was the perfect solution.”
“I can’t do it,” Bria whispered. “I – I just can’t. I’m not the type of person to sleep with someone when it doesn’t mean anything. I want a boyfriend, not a fuck buddy. I totally humiliated myself by asking Jace if he was available in between heat cycles. I don’t even know why I said it. It just popped out, you know?”
“Oh, Bria,” Kat said.
“He made it clear in no uncertain terms that he was only interested in me during my heat cycle. He said he doesn’t do ‘conventional’ relationships. It was so embarrassing. I don’t even know him and I was acting like we were on a first date or something. Oh God.”
She buried her face in her hands as Kat reached across the table and squeezed her shoulder. “I’m sorry. I should never have convinced you to try this method.”
“It’s not your fault. You were trying to help me, and I appreciate it.”
They sat silently for a few minutes before Kat said, “So, now what are you going to do?”
“I have two job interviews this week. I’m going to concentrate on finding employment, so I don’t have to move in with my parents. Then I’m going to download the “Shifter Love” app and try online dating. I have almost a month until my next heat cycle. I can find a boyfriend before then.”
“What if you don’t?”
“I’ll just have to get it through it on my own,” Bria said.
“You couldn’t before. You really want to end up at some club trying to bang a random shifter again?”
Bria winced. “I’ll handcuff myself to the bed if I have to.”
“Honey, I think you should at least considering asking Jace to help you.”
“Yeah, I know. I’ll give it a couple of weeks and if I haven’t found anyone by then, I’ll email Jace again.”
“Good,” Kat said. “Now, tell me about your job interview tomorrow.”
* * *
Bria studied the sign over the small brick building. “Shepherd Real Estate” was written across the white sign in bold, black letters. She stepped out of her car, smoothed her skirt down and walked confidently toward the building. She had pooched the interview yesterday. Even a full twenty-four hours after her meeting with Jace, she was still shaken by it and it had shown in the interview. She was determined not to mess this one up. Forgetting that she was running out of money, she needed to get some of her confidence back by acing this interview.
She stepped into the cool interior of the building. The front desk was empty, but a woman was already walking into reception from the hallway. “Ms. Norsen?”
“Yes,” Bria smiled at her as she came hurrying over.
“Hi, I’m Rosalie. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
“Can I get you a cup of coffee or glass of water?” Rosalie asked as the phone rang.
“Water would be good, thank you.”
“Okay, just have a seat. Mr. Shepherd is running a bit late, but I’ll let Betty know you’re here.”
She answered the phone as Bria sat down in one of the high-quality leather chairs that were placed in the reception area. The place was nice, decorated with modern, high-end furnishings, and she studied the art on the walls. Rosalie hung up the phone and punched another button.
“Betty? Ms. Norsen’s here for her interview.”
She listened for a moment and then hung up the phone. “You’ll be meeting with Betty - she’s our HR person - and Mr. Shepherd. Mr. Shepherd is on his way but there’s no point in waiting. Follow me, please.”
Rosalie headed toward a hallway to the left of the reception area. Bria followed the chubby brunette down the hall until she stopped in front of a glass door. It was a small boardroom with a long table taking up most of the space. A thin, gray-haired woman sat at one end.
As Rosalie ushered her into the room, the woman stood and held out her hand. “Hello, Ms. Norsen. I’m Betty.”
The woman was a raccoon shifter. If her scent hadn’t given her away, the dark circles under her eyes and her fidgeting would have. Bria shook her hand. “Hi, nice to meet you. Please call me Bria.”
Betty indicated for her to sit down. Bria set her purse on the floor and folded her hands in her lap as Rosalie poured a glass of water from the jug on the credenza. She placed it in front of her before leaving.
“I’m so sorry that Mr. Shepherd isn’t here yet. He’s on his way, but I thought we could get started anyway.” Betty’s hands moved restlessly, toying with the pen, then her water glass and a pale yellow file folder.
“That’s fine with me.”
Betty yawned and then gave Bria a chastised look. “Oh, excuse me.”
“Not a problem.” Racoons were nocturnal, and Bria was a little surprised to see one who worked a day job. Most raccoon shifters preferred the night shift.
As Betty pulled her resume from the file folder, Bria took a deep breath.
You can do this, Bria.
* * *
“Well, Bria,” Betty said fifteen minutes later. “I think you’d be the perfect fit in our company. We’ve been without a receptionist for nearly a month now, and I know Rosalie in particular, is anxious to get the position filled. With your prior experience as a receptionist, I think you’d do very well.”
“Thank you,” Bria said. “I enjoy being around people and I can promise you that I’ll treat each client with respect.”
“That’s what we’re looking for. We have a few demanding clients and they require a little extra babying when they come in. Why, we’ve got one client that Mr. Shepherd’s shown over twenty-five houses to, and they still haven’t found the one they want. It’s starting to become a bit of a joke among the staff on whether they’ll – oh, here’s Mr. Shepherd now.”
Bria stood and turned around. The smile faded from her lips, but her cat purred happily and made a soft meow of excitement.
“Bria! What – what are you doing here?” Jace stared at her in surprise.
“You’re Mr. Shepherd,” she said stupidly.
“Do you already know Jace?” Betty asked.
“We, uh, well…”
“We met once before through a mutual friend,” Jace said.
“Then you must know how great she is,” Betty said.
“Yes.” Jace pulled on his tie. “Sorry, I’m late.”
“No problem.” Bria nearly fell back into her chair. Her palms were sweating, and dismay was flooding through her body as Jace took the chair next to Betty. She handed him Bria’s resume and he scanned it briefly.
There goes this job.
“We started the interview without you,” Betty said. “I have to confess, I think Bria would be perfect for the position.”
He nodded and placed her resume on the table before staring at her. “Good. When can you start?”
Bria blinked at him in shock as Betty made a particularly large twitch and touched Jace’s arm. “Do you not have any questions for her?”
“I trust your judgement.” Jace glanced at his watch. “I have another appointment in fifteen minutes. Did you go over salary and benefits with Bria?”
Betty nodded and Jace glanced at Bria. “Were they acceptable?”
“Um, yes,” Bria said.
“Good. Betty, why don’t you get Bria to fill out the paperwork and have her set up with a key card? Can you start Monday?”
“Yes, that’s fine,” Bria said.
“Good.” He stood and gave them both a brief smile before leaving the boardroom.
Bria sank back into her chair as Betty gave her a look of bewilderment. “Well, welcome to the team, Bria.”
* * *
Kat stared at Bria. “I can’t believe it. I mean – I can, but what the hell is happening here? This isn’t a small city – how do you keep running into him like this?”
“Forget that part,” Bria said miserably. “Now he’s my boss. I fucked my boss, Kat!”
“Future boss,” Kat corrected. “Obviously it wasn’t a problem for him if he hired you. I told you he was a nice guy. Rejected by you, and he still hired you.”
“Why?” Bria said. “Why on earth did he hire me to work for him? He didn’t even really interview me, for God’s sake. He just said fine and left. More importantly – why the fuck did I say yes? Have I lost my mind, Kit Kat? I’ve lost my mind, haven’t I?”
She dropped her head into her hands as Ronin strolled into the kitchen. He kissed Kat before studying Bria. “What’s wrong?”
“She had sex with her boss.”
“Nice!” Ronin gave Bria a grin of delight and held his fist out. “Welcome to the club, Stripes. We meet every other Thursday. Bring cookies.”
She fist-bumped him before sighing.
Kat laughed. “She didn’t know he was going to be her boss, Ronin. She hooked up with him at a club the other night.”
“Kat!” Bria said.
“A little casual sex is nothing to be ashamed of,” Ronin said cheerfully.
“I only did it because I was in heat,” Bria said.
“Cat shifters and their heat cycles – it’s my favourite thing about you lovely feline ladies.” Ronin gave Kat a flirty grin. “Isn’t yours coming up, gorgeous? I need to get some stretches in, make sure I’m limbered up and ready for action.”
A small grin crossed Kat’s face. “Yes, we wouldn’t want you pulling a muscle like you did last time.”
“It was pretty painful, but I powered through it. Such is your spell over me, Kitten.”
He grabbed his lunch bag from the fridge. “I’m filling in for Garth at the lizard’s warehouse tonight so don’t wait up, okay?”
She nodded, and he gave her a slow and lingering kiss. “But if you want me to wake you up when I get home, just say the word.”
“Word,” Kat said a bit breathlessly.
Ronin winked at her and she smacked his butt as he left the kitchen.
Kat stood and pulled some chicken from the fridge. “Stay for dinner with me, honey.”
“Thanks, I’d like that. What can I do?”
“Start making the salad,” Kat said. “Also, try not to worry about working for Jace. You needed a job and now you have one.”
“Yeah, a job where I slept with my boss.”
“True but you didn’t know that at the time. Jace obviously is fine with working with you so there’s nothing to worry about. Did you join the Shifters Love site yet?”
Bria grabbed the salad fixings from the fridge. “Yes. I’ve already had a few emails from some shifters.”
“Of course you have, you’re gorgeous,” Kat said. “Anyone promising?”
“Not yet,” Bria said. “But I don’t really have time to be picky.”
“Yes, you do. If you don’t find someone, you can just use -”
“I can’t use Jace for my heat cycle. He’s my boss now.”
“I wasn’t going to suggest Jace,” Kat said with a raised eyebrow. “But it’s interesting that you went right to that. Are you regretting turning Jace down?”
“No,” Bria lied. “But even if I was, it’s too late now. I’m not fucking my boss.”
“I know. But what I was going to say is that if you don’t find someone to date in the next couple of weeks, you can use the website to find someone. There are bound to be more shifters like Jace on there.”
“Yeah,” Bria cleaned the mushrooms and sliced them. She wouldn’t tell Kat this, but if she didn’t find herself a boyfriend before her next heat, she really would just chain herself to her headboard. She couldn’t use that website to pick out a shifter to sleep with. She just couldn’t.
* * *
“Jace? Hello…pay attention to me.”
Jace looked up from his laptop and gave Rosalie an apologetic smile. “Sorry.”
“What’s going on with you?” Rosalie leaned back in her chair and tapped her pen against her chin.
“Nothing.”
“You’ve been acting weird since you interviewed that Norsen woman this afternoon.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“Yes, you have.”
“No, I haven’t.”
Rosalie gave him an exasperated look. “Fine, you haven’t. Think you can pay attention to me long enough to get through this month’s budget report? It’s after six already and I’d like to get out of here.”
He winced. “Sorry. I know you’ve been working a lot of overtime this last month. But we hired Bria and she’s starting Monday. Once she’s trained, things should get easier for you.”
She nodded, and he scratched at his lean abdomen. “I really do appreciate all the extra work you’ve been doing, Rosalie.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to snap, I just have plans for tonight.”
“Ooh, going on a date, Rosie-girl?”
Lincoln strolled into his office without knocking and the scent of Rosalie’s desire immediately washed over Jace. He ignored it as the lion shifter grinned at his assistant. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
Her face bright red, Rosalie shook her head. “Uh, not a date. I have a dentist appointment.”
“Oh. You sure know how to party on a Friday night.” Lincoln dropped into the seat next to her and gave her a panty-melting grin. “I like your outfit today, Rosie.”
“Th-thank you.”
Jace groaned inwardly when the scent of her need increased. He knew Lincoln could smell it too. He wanted to kick his best friend when Lincoln reached out and pulled on a lock of Rosalie’s curly hair. “Thanks for getting me a coffee this morning.”
“No problem.” She chewed on her bottom lip and stared at Lincoln’s mouth.
“Rosalie?” Jace said. There was no reply and he repeated her name.
“Uh, yeah?” She dragged her gaze from Lincoln’s mouth. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Jace said. “Why don’t you head out. We’ll finish going over the budget report Monday morning. Okay?”
“Right, okay.” She stood and smoothed her hand self-consciously over her dark blue skirt. Lincoln turned and watched her leave.
“See ya later, Rosie girl.”
“Bye, Lincoln.”
Jace glared at Lincoln when Rosalie was gone. “Knock it off, or I’ll fire you for sexually harassing your coworkers.”
“What?” Lincoln gave him an innocent look. “Rosalie likes it when I flirt with her.”
“It’s still not appropriate and I want you to quit doing it.”
“Fine,” Lincoln said. “But when Rosalie is super cranky because I’m not paying attention to her, it’s your problem.”
“Having sex with a fellow employee is a shit move.”
“Yes, but according to our employee handbook, it’s not a ‘get your ass fired’ move. What are you doing?” Lincoln asked when Jace started typing.
“Sending an email to Betty asking her to revise the employee handbook.”
Lincoln laughed. “Forget it, Jace. I wouldn’t sleep with Rosalie anyway. The woman is way too tame for me. I need someone who won’t freak out when I bring out the handcuffs.”
There was a flash of blue in his peripheral vision and Jace groaned. Fuck, had Rosalie heard Lincoln? He inhaled but Rosalie’s scent still lingered in his office and he couldn’t tell by scent if she had been standing in the hallway.
“Then stop flirting with her and leading her on,” Jace said in a low voice. “I mean it, Lincoln.”
His best friend just shrugged before scrolling through his phone. “Hey, who was that hot little number in the green skirt in the boardroom earlier?”
Jace tensed. “New receptionist.”
“Excellent,” Lincoln said with a grin.
“Stay away from her. I mean it.”
Lincoln studied him for a moment. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing,” Jace said. “Long day.”
“Come out and have a drink with me.”
“Thanks, but I’m going to head home.”
“Boring,” Lincoln said. “Text me if you change your mind. I’ll be at Bud’s.”