But the reality of our grabbing dinner together actually meant us ordering takeout, heading back to his mansion, and talking about the case.
“Okay, sounds good.” I offered a chin lift and started packing up the work I needed to take away with me.
“Yo, Callen.”
I rolled my eyes. “What, Kent?”
“You know flowers are the usual way to woo dinner dates. Ooh…,” she continued, and I heard the shit-eating smile in her voice. I didn’t even need to turn to see it. “Or a corsage. That’s a thing, right?”
“How old are you again? A hundred and seventy-nine?”
She gasped, but it was all fake. “A hundred and sixty-three, shit for brains. And I don’t look a day over twenty-three.”
“My finger says goodbye, sucker.” I waved my middle finger at her and then looked her way.
Her grin was wide, so much so her fangs peeked out. It was a deliberate flash of teasing. A vampire’s fangs weren’t naturally on display for the world to see. “Why don’t you put that finger to good use tonight, wolf boy.” Her eyebrows wriggled up and down.
“I’ve told you multiple times, I’m all man.” I quirked my brow at her. While she’d had moments of riling me up over the past few days, her jibes offered a welcome relief.
She was about to continue, her mouth open to respond, when Thatch’s voice cut in. “Children, give it a rest. Callen, get your arse out of here. Kent, get yourself home before Jada calls me again complaining about all the late nights I’m keeping you here.”
Heat travelled up my neck. I’d been sure Thatch had left the room, hence me talking crap and not shutting Kent down quickly. I kept my eyes on Kent, who smirked and then pressed her lips together. I knew she was dying to laugh her arse off at me. I shot her the evil eye before turning with my arms full of paperwork and heading to the exit.
God, I hated offices and office freaking banter. Put me out in the field any damn day over this crap. Okay, maybe I was full of it a little, as Kent made me laugh about half as much as she annoyed me, but still, something about her made me slip into a more juvenile me, and I had no idea what to do with that.
I stoically ignored Thatch as we made our way to his car. If I remained quiet long enough, I was confident I could then deftly change all subjects away from the nonsense I was sure he’d overheard. Embarrassment already had me wincing that my attraction to Thatch was so obvious, to Kent at least.
“Pizza okay?”
I sighed, a breath of relief escaping, loud and long. “Yeah. Sounds good.”
Once in his car, a different SUV than Bert had collected him in just six days ago, I yawned. My jaw cracked, and I shook my head awake.
“Not sleeping?” Thatch’s voice wrapped around me in the confined space.
“I’m getting rest, just waking up a few times is all.” I glanced his way and saw him nod.
“Me too.”
I didn’t tell him that I knew and had heard him awake and restless. “Do you feel the need to shift?” It had been a long time since my shifter-self controlled me or even pulled at me to transition, but I still remembered the more primal part of being a shifter that tended to be a little more vocal when so young. While Thatch had a few years on me, in shifter years he was still a cub. “I can help, be there for you.”
It didn’t matter that I felt a little uncomfortable around him, completely because of my growing attraction. Instead, it was important he knew he wasn’t alone. Since shifting that first night, we hadn’t discussed his change. Guilt sank heavily in my gut. Not only did I feel shitty for not seeing how he was handling it, but I noticed his shoulders stiffen at my offer. Yeah, he was getting up, taking charge, had looped the big boss into his change of situation, but he’d had zero breaks or real time to acclimatise to his very personal, very physical changes. They were life-changing. Yet I’d ignored the impact they would have on him.
With his shoulders still rigid, he glanced my way so fast and so briefly, if I’d blinked, I would have missed it. “Yeah, thanks. I think that would be good.” Ramrod straight, he looked uncomfortable. “I think I could do with a run.” Embarrassment tinted his words, and I frowned.
“That’s absolutely okay and normal.” I reached out and placed my hand on his stiff forearm. “I should have asked before. I’m sorry.” I pulled away, ignoring the disappointment settling in my gut at losing contact. Nothing about this situation could be about me. “Okay.” Angling to look at him, a plan formed. “Slightly altered plan.” I powered on through, and this time, his shoulders relaxed. “Home. Order pizza to be delivered in an hour. Shift and run. Eat. Then the case.” I finished with a nod. There was so much going on for the both of us, just trying to navigate through everything that needed to be done took precision and planning. The thought alone exhausted me. I really needed to stop listening out for him at night and start sleeping.
“That sounds good.” With my eyes still directed on his face, I saw his smile. The action sent a thrill through me. Having Thatch happy and not so tense would help the investigation, help us shut down all the illegal shit going on, and help me find the person responsible for my sister’s death. As much as that thought sobered me, I also called bullshit, because sure, those were the only reasons I wanted to see the guy smiling.
It didn’t take us long to get to Thatch’s and stand outside. Buck naked. The two of us. Alone. My eyes fixed firmly on his, refusing to travel the length of his exposed skin. “Ready?” I ignored
