Lure of Oblivion

Gwen shook her head, deciding it wasn’t important. “Never mind.”

“Tell me.”

“No, really, forget it.”

Zander walked toward her. “Tell me.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

But it did, because one thing that made Zander crazy was people not finishing their sentences. “What were you going to say?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she repeated.

“Will you just fucking tell me.” It wasn’t a question, it was a demand.

“Not if you’re going to fucking swear at me. A woman is entitled to her own private thoughts, you know. If you really want to stick your nose in something, grab a book.” Done with the bedding, she lifted the basket of dirty linen. “I need to take this downstairs and then get to Half ’n’ Half. My shift starts soon.”

Zander rolled back his shoulders, shaking off his irritation. “Bracken and I will accompany you. We’ll eat and play pool while we wait.”

“None of the Moores will go there. Not only because Chase would throw them out, but because they wouldn’t want to be seen in a place so common.”

“They’re getting desperate. Desperate people do stupid things.”

Like turning up at my house drunk with a bat and cans of spray paint, she thought. “All right. I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes. Be ready.”

Ten minutes later, Zander stood near the front door with Bracken and Marlon as Gwen came jogging down the stairs. His cock instantly hardened at the sight of her smooth, bare legs. He gave her a severe frown, blocking her path to the door. “You need to put on some jeans.” He didn’t care how it sounded, didn’t care that it would hint at just how attracted he was to her.

Her brows lifted. “Sorry?”

“You need to cover up those legs.”

Gwen blinked, unsure if she should be offended or not. “Why, what’s wrong with them?”

Forcing his jaw to unclench, Zander said, “You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how much people stare at them.”

Actually, she didn’t recall people paying much attention to them. “They’re just legs.”

Marlon chuckled. “They’re lethal. I’ve seen people bump into shit because they’re so busy looking at your legs.”

She shook her head. “Whatever.”

Zander stepped into her personal space. “Let me ask you a question: Are your tips better when you wear shorts like those?” Her expression answered that question for him, and he watched realization dawn on her face, quickly followed by disbelief. “Cover them up.”

Gwen looked at him, lost. “Why?”

“We just established why,” he clipped. “People stare at your legs. I don’t want them staring at your legs.”

“Because . . . ?”

“I just don’t.”

Given that he was gay, Gwen had no idea what his issue could possibly be. “You’re being weird. I don’t have time for weird.” With that, she brushed past him and strode out of the house, shouting a farewell to Marlon.

Bracken beat her to the car, an amused grin on his face, and opened the rear door for her. Then he hopped into the passenger side just as Zander slid into the driver’s seat. They rode in silence . . . until Bracken starting chuckling. Zander shot him a dark look, but the other wolf just kept on laughing to himself.

“I’m not finding anything fucking amusing,” Zander growled, but Bracken just laughed harder.

Soon enough, they arrived at Half ’n’ Half. As they exited the SUV, Gwen noticed Brandt standing on the other side of the parking lot with his friends. He glared right at her, but that glare morphed into a confused frown as he looked at Zander and Bracken.

“That Brandt?” Zander asked.

“Yep,” she replied. “Don’t approach him. Even if you handed his ass to him, he’d be smug because he’d managed to cause a scene outside my place of work.”

It went against Zander’s nature not to act, but he knew that if he didn’t respect her wishes, she’d insist that he not come with her in the future. He wanted her to trust him. So he contented himself with doing as his wolf had done—he merely tossed a snarl at the human.

Inside Half ’n’ Half, Zander claimed the same booth as last time. After taking their orders, Gwen disappeared. Wearing a knowing smirk, Bracken made a show of ogling her as she walked away, which nearly got Zander’s fist planted in his face.

“On the one hand, Z, I’m glad she didn’t listen to you and cover up. On the other hand, a part of me doesn’t like that every guy here will be imagining having those legs wrapped around his waist while he—”

“Don’t,” Zander bit out. He really didn’t want to hit his friend.

“I should have seen this coming. Physically, she’s not your type. But she has the other qualities you go for. She’s smart. Confident. Capable. Stubborn enough to deal with you and your bullshit.” Putting down his beer, Bracken sobered. “On a serious note, don’t act on whatever you’re feeling. She’s got a shitload of stuff going on right now. I don’t think she’s got time for someone who is awful at being part of a couple even when the relationship isn’t serious.

“Don’t get me wrong, Z, there’s nothing I’d like more than for you to let someone in your life. You’ve been on your own too long, and you’re getting too used to it—and yeah, your wolf’s partially to blame for that. But this would be a really bad time to do anything about it.”

Honest with himself about his limitations, Zander could admit that he’d never been good at relationships. It wasn’t just because his wolf fought him so hard. The simple truth was that he’d never found relationships fulfilling. Probably because he typically didn’t connect with people.

“So, we’re agreed that you’ll just content yourself with staring at her legs?”

Zander sighed. “Are we really having this conversation?”

“It would seem so.”

“Well, it’s ending. Now.”

“Fine.” Bracken took another swig of his beer and stood. “I’ll be five minutes. I need to—”

“I really don’t want to know what you’ll be doing in the restroom, Brack.” Ignoring his pack mate’s chuckle, Zander chugged down more of his own beer. That was when he scented Gwen approaching, and his wolf retreated again.