End of Night, page 6
“Uh oh,” Hedra said.
“Yeah. At the party this afternoon, she asked me to have dinner with her. She said she could see how much I had changed and wanted to try again with me.”
The jealousy he could smell on Hedra cheered his tiger up for the first time since he’d seen Jerome sitting too close to her.
“So, you need me to watch your nan while you go on your date?” Hedra asked.
“Christ, no. I’m not interested in her, and even if I was, my tiger…”
“Your tiger, what?” Hedra said.
He wouldn’t admit his tiger was completely obsessed with Hedra, even under the threat of torture. “He’s not into her at all. He was barely into her when we dated previously.”
“Oh,” Hedra said.
“I panicked when she asked me out,” he said. “After the hell I’d put her through, I couldn’t tell her she no longer did it for me, you know? I mean, I could have - but who knows how the fuck that would have turned out, and Abena would absolutely fire my ass if Camilla asked her to. I’m already failing to do the job Cooper expects me to do. I can’t get fired from an easy babysitting assignment.”
“You’re not failing,” Hedra said with a frown.
He just shrugged. “Anyway, I panicked and told her I had a girlfriend. Camilla asked her name, and I said…”
Hedra raised an eyebrow at him, and Boone sighed. “I said her name was Hedra.”
He closed his eyes, waiting for the scent of Hedra’s annoyance to wash over him. Instead, he could smell her amusement, and she burst into giggles as he opened his eyes.
She laughed hard, holding her stomach and shaking in her chair. His tiger purred to her, completely smitten by her laughter.
Her giggles slowly ebbed, and she grinned at him. “So, what? You need me to stage a few happy couple photos with you? Maybe call you at work and ask you to pick up some milk on the way home? Mark myself as in a relationship with Boone Jameson on Facebook?”
“Worse,” he said morosely. “I need you to go to a party at Abena’s with me.”
She laughed again. “Oh, I can’t wait to hear this part of the story.”
“Camilla thinks I’m lying about having a girlfriend,” Boone said.
“To be fair, you are,” Hedra giggled.
“I was doing a terrible job convincing her of your existence when Abena joined us. Camilla told her I had a girlfriend named Hedra and said I should invite her to Abena’s private party this Friday to celebrate her new movie. Abena agreed and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”
“Of course she wouldn’t,” Hedra said with another laugh.
“Camilla and Abena expect you to be at the party with me on Friday.” He rubbed at his temples. “Would you think less of me if I hired an escort to pretend to be you?”
That set her off into another burst of giggles, and despite his misery, he couldn’t help but smile. Hedra’s laughter made him and his tiger feel as good as Derek’s laughter used to.
“I’m serious, Hedra,” he said, even as his lips turned up in a grin.
“You don’t have to hire an escort. I’ll attend the party with you and play the role of the doting girlfriend,” Hedra said.
Surprise washed over him. “Shit, are you serious?”
“As a heart attack,” she said and then laughed. “But we’ll have to find someone to watch Althea if I’m at the party with you.”
“No problem,” he said as relief replaced the shock. “Hedra, are you - I mean, are you sure you want to do this? I don’t want you to feel like you have to or that your job depends on it because it doesn’t. I want that to be clear.”
“Boone, stop. I know that,” she said. “I’m doing this because I want to.”
He searched her face, very aware of the softness of her hand in his. “Thank you, Hedra.”
“You’re welcome.” She touched her septum piercing, running the tip of her finger over the tiny blue opal in the middle of the silver ring. “Do I need to change my hair colour or remove my piercings for this party?”
He shook his head. “No, of course not.”
“Are you sure? I can. I change my hair colour often, and I can go for a more conservative colour if necessary.”
“No,” Boone repeated. “You’re perfect exactly as you are.”
She blushed, and he could smell how happy his words had made her. He leaned forward, his tiger chuffing encouragingly and smoothed a lock of her bright blue hair between his fingers. “You’re gorgeous, Hedra.”
“Boone,” she whispered as the thick and enticing scent of her lust filled the space between them.
“I want to kiss you,” he said.
She glanced at his mouth, her hand tightening in his. When he cupped the back of her skull and gently tugged her forward, she came willingly, resting her free hand on his thigh. His cock stiffened at just that innocent touch.
“Hedra,” he groaned.
“I want you to kiss me, too,” she said.
“Thank fucking Christ.” He brushed his mouth against hers, that now familiar sweetness making his tiger purr and Boone’s cock press painfully against his pants. He took his time kissing her, licking and nibbling at her lips until she made a soft sound of need and licked the seam of his mouth.
He opened for her, letting her take the kiss deeper, letting her taste and tease with delicate strokes of her tongue until he couldn’t take another moment. He pulled her into his lap, taking her mouth in a hard, demanding kiss and groaning when she ground her ass against his dick.
She sucked on his tongue before pressing soft, wet kisses along his throat. He purred loudly, and she caressed his chest. “I love the sound of your purring.”
“Hedra,” he rasped, “I want -”
The leopard shifter’s scent made his tiger growl, and he instinctively pulled Hedra closer as Nan’s new boyfriend clumped into the kitchen, a cane in one hand and an empty popcorn bowl in the other.
He studied them silently, and Hedra pushed at Boone’s chest until he released her. She stood and smiled at the leopard shifter, her cheeks red and the smell of her lust still in the air. “Hi, Jerry. Need some more popcorn?”
“Ayuh,” he said. He handed Hedra the popcorn bowl and held his hand out to Boone, who stood and shook Jerry’s hand. “I’m Jerry.”
“Boone, nice to meet you,” he said. “Can you excuse me for a minute? I need to change.”
What he needed to do was get the fuck out of the kitchen before Jerry saw his goddamn erection. Without waiting for a reply, he left the kitchen and practically sprinted for his bedroom.
Christ, he’d just been cockblocked by his grandmother’s seventy-eight-year-old boyfriend.
CHAPTER 7
Hedra was still awake when he scratched at her bedroom door. She stayed in bed and stared at the ceiling, the moonlight shining in her window casting strange shadows.
She wasn’t surprised he was here. Despite her agreement to accompany him to the party, she knew he was still worried. And more than a little freaked out by his nan dating. He’d been perfectly polite to Jerry tonight, but she had no doubt he would do a full background check on the leopard shifter as soon as he got to the office tomorrow.
He scratched at the door again, and she told herself to ignore it. Boone was her employer, not her boyfriend. She couldn’t be responsible for his emotions. In another few weeks, Althea would be living independently again, and Hedra’s job would be over. She’d never see Boone again.
He scratched again, harder this time, and she pressed her lips together and gripped the quilt to stop from getting out of bed.
Stay where you are, Hedra. He’ll give up and go back to his own bed.
A perfectly acceptable plan until he made the most mournful-sounding cry she’d ever heard. The sound shot her out of bed like a bullet, and she hurried across the room to open the door.
Boone’s tiger chuffed and pressed his heavy head against her hip. She stroked his head and down his back before patting his hip. “Fifteen minutes only, and then you return to your bed.”
Leaving the door open, she walked to the bed with the massive tiger following closely. She climbed into her side of the bed and pulled up the quilt as the tiger jumped onto the bed. It creaked and groaned as he settled beside her and rested his head on her chest.
She scratched his throat and ears, smiling when his purring started with a heavy rumble. “We’ll probably break the bed, and then how will I explain that to Boone?”
He chuffed and repeatedly swiped his face across hers until she pushed him back. “Enough, big guy. I’m sufficiently marked.”
He rubbed his head against her chest and shoulders and along both her arms, and she sighed and stopped trying to push him away. He needed this. Besides, it would work in their favour to smell like his tiger when she showed up at the party in two days.
He marked her for nearly five minutes before growling with satisfaction and resting his head on her stomach. She smoothed his long whiskers and rubbed his forehead as he purred loudly.
She yawned, and the tiger yawned too, his open mouth big enough for her to stick her entire head into if she wanted. She grinned to herself and pressed one finger against the tiger’s pink tongue, making him chuff in surprise.
She smiled at him and stuck both hands into the thick fur around his neck, giving him a good scratch. His purring was deafening, and she patted his shoulder. “Shh, big guy.”
He let his head drop on her chest as he draped one heavy paw across her stomach. She rested her hand on his paw, tracing the top with small circles.
“Fifteen minutes,” she said drowsily.
The tiger chuffed softly, and her hand still resting on his paw, she drifted into sleep.
“Are you sure this is appropriate for a celebrity party?” Hedra asked. She studied herself in the full-length mirror on the wall.
“It’s perfect,” Shay said. “Did you get it at Antonia’s downtown?”
“Yes, have you been there?” Hedra asked.
“A few times with Ryan when she needs an outfit for one of her grandmother’s many parties,” Shay said. “The dark blue looks fantastic with your hair.”
“Thanks,” Hedra said. Her dress had a double deep V neckline, three-quarter sleeves, and a flowy A-line skirt. Sequin stripes covered the top, and she ran her finger over them. “You don’t think these are too… glittery.”
“Not too glittery,” Shay said with a laugh as she lounged on Hedra’s bed. Alfie sat on the bed beside her, and he rolled over so Shay could pet his stomach.
“Unbelievable,” Hedra said. “That dog hates everyone but Althea and doesn’t usually leave her side when she’s having a nap.”
Shay grinned. “Dogs love me. I’ve been a dog whisperer since I was a kid. When I was four, we lived beside a woman with a Chow named Colonel Fritz. He was the meanest dog on the block and had bit numerous people, including a few neighbourhood kids. One afternoon, my mom found me in the neighbour’s backyard, sitting on Colonel Fritz with my hands in his mouth while he lay there, panting happily. I told her I was playing dentist.”
“Do you have a dog?” Hedra asked.
“No. I work pretty long hours,” Shay said.
Her voice was just the littlest bit off, and Hedra said, “Because you have to or because you want to?”
Shay shrugged, stroking Alfie’s belly lightly. “Work is a good distraction.”
“What’s his name?” Hedra asked.
Shay sighed. “Jaden. He broke my heart over a year ago, and I still love him. Pathetic, huh?”
“No,” Hedra said. “Falling out of love with someone doesn’t have a time limit.”
“I guess not,” Shay said. “Do me a favour, and don’t mention this to Ryan. She never liked Jaden, and if she knew I was still in love with him, she’d be so disappointed.”
“I won’t mention it. Can I ask why she didn’t like Jaden?”
“Just a serious personality clash. Ryan pretended she liked him, but we’ve been best friends for nearly our entire lives. I knew how she really felt about him.”
“That’s tough,” Hedra said. “I’m sorry.”
“It doesn’t matter now. Jaden has moved on, and I’m trying to.” Shay made a face. “I’m not succeeding very well, but I’m trying, so I get points for that, right?”
“All the points,” Hedra said.
“I haven’t slept with anyone since Jaden,” Shay said abruptly. “If Ryan and Oren knew that they’d be shocked.”
“Why’s that?” Hedra asked.
“Before Jaden, I wasn’t exactly a nun,” Shay said. “But now, it’s like I can’t get Jaden out of my head. I supposed it doesn’t help that I work with him and see him nearly every damn day.”
“Yikes. That’s rough,” Hedra said.
“Sure is,” Shay said. “I’m rarely attracted to any man now. I tried to fuck a guy once who I wasn’t into, even though he was exactly my type. I hoped the attraction would kick in once I was in bed with him.”
“It didn’t, huh?”
“I didn’t even make it to his bed. We were still at the grope on the couch stage when I noped the fuck out,” Shay said. She picked at a thread on Hedra’s quilt. “I pretended a lot around Ryan and Oren, though. Like, when we were out, I would talk as if I was going to sleep with some random guy at the bar, but I never actually did, and they never really noticed that it didn’t go beyond flirting. Hell, when I first met Wes, I went on and on to Ryan about how I was going to sleep with him, and I flirted hard.”
“But you didn’t sleep with Wes,” Hedra said.
“No. I wasn’t even attracted to Wes, but I could tell right away that he wasn’t into me, so he was safe to flirt with, you know? I didn’t want Ryan worrying about me or thinking I still wasn’t over Jaden and acting like I was into Wes was totally a ‘before Jaden’ thing that I would have done. I was an obnoxious flirt before Jaden, and I feel like I have to be that again. If Ryan and Oren knew how pathetic I was for still mooning over Jaden, I’d be… ashamed. You know?”
“I get it,” Hedra said. “But I don’t think you need to feel ashamed. Ryan and Oren are your best friends. They’d understand.”
“Maybe,” Shay said. “But Jaden got to be a real prick at the end, and I know both of them struggled to understand why I was even upset when we finally broke up. If they knew I was still into him over a year later… it’s embarrassing.”
She paused and then said, “It’s not lying to Ryan. I promised her I would never lie to her again and I’m not lying. If she came out and asked me if I still had a thing for Jaden, I would tell her the truth. But she hasn’t, and she won’t, so…”
She sighed and gave Hedra a wry look. “Here’s where you tell me a lie of omission is still a lie, right?”
“No,” Hedra said. “You can’t help who you love, and sometimes it’s messy and complicated, and it’s just easier to pretend it isn’t. But I am also here for you whenever you need to talk about Jaden, okay?”
“Thank you, Hedra,” Shay said. “I appreciate the support.”
There were a few seconds of silence before Shay said, “I did almost fuck Cooper, though.”
Hedra jerked in surprise. “Wait, what? Boone’s boss, Cooper?”
“Yes,” Shay said. “So, before Daisy and Cooper were a thing, Cooper was slowly going mad because his lion believed Daisy was his mate, but Cooper kept denying it.”
“Right, because Daisy was afraid of shifters,” Hedra said. “Chase told me about it.”
“The guys were really worried for Cooper, and they hoped that if he slept with another woman, it might convince his lion that Daisy wasn’t his mate. I didn’t think it worked that way, but Ryan said their cat sides can fall out of love with a mate just like humans do.”
“They can,” Hedra said. “Cat shifters mating for life is this weirdly persistent myth that humans believe. Which is ridiculous because shifters have just as high a divorce rate as humans.”
“Ryan thought I was well over Jaden and back to my slutty ways, and I hadn’t told her any differently, you know? Plus, I’d finally confessed my secret to her about never sleeping with a shifter so she figured this would be my chance. She asked me if I would be interested in meeting with Cooper and if there was an attraction between us, having sex with him.”
“Wow.” Hedra sat on the bed beside her, ignoring Alfie’s warning growl. “So, why aren’t things awkward between you and Daisy? You got along fine the other night at dinner.”
“Well, Cooper and I never even kissed or anything like that. In the mother of all ironies, Daisy was having dinner with Eleanor at the same pub I met Cooper at on our ‘get to know you and maybe go back to my place and fuck’ date.”
“Holy shit,” Hedra said.
Shay laughed. “Right? Anyway, I was actually attracted to Cooper. First time since Jaden that I found another guy desirable. I would have slept with Cooper that night, but it was obvious that he wouldn't sleep with me even before we realized Daisy was at the pub. He was completely and utterly taken with Daisy despite his denial. It was adorable.”
“So, Daisy didn’t know you were there with him?”
“She did. She saw us and knew why we were having dinner together, too. But Daisy is an incredible person, and while she was jealous at the moment, I think Cooper must have made it clear that she was the only one for him because they’ve been together ever since, and she’s been nothing but nice to me.”
“Maybe she realized that you were trying to help the man she loved,” Hedra said.
“Maybe,” Shay said. “Either way, she and Cooper are very happy together, and I still haven’t banged a damn shifter.”
She grinned at Hedra, but Hedra could see the pain in it. She put her arm around Shay’s shoulders and squeezed lightly. “I’m so sorry about Jaden.”
“Thanks, Hedra. But enough of my sob story. I want to know why,” she held up a tuft of orange fur she’d plucked from the quilt, “you have tiger fur in your bed?”
