Archer fought for control, even though a small part of him considered succumbing to sleep and letting his animal do…whatever.
He tore across the room, gnashing his teeth and snarling. Then he jerked back as he struggled with his wolf.
Krys burst through the door and assessed the situation. He must have heard the barking and shouting from down the hall where they served breakfast.
“Cool it,” he growled, approaching Archer. “I know you canhear me in there. Get your wolf under control. This is a human hotel, and you will land us in fucking jail if you don’t shift your ass back. What the hell happened?”
Cowering behind the elliptical, Noah answered in a shaky voice, “The fuck if I know! One minute, we’re working out and talking. The next, he’s going for the jugular. He better watch it, or I’ll bring out my tiger.”
“Don’t be a dumbass. We’re in a hotel.” Krys sighed. “I told him not to skip breakfast. Get the fuck out of here. I’ll deal with him.”
When Noah moved out the door, Archer’s wolf lunged.
Krys flew into the path like a quarterback catching a pass. He locked his arms around the hungry beast before they hit the ground. No one but Krys was crazy enough to counter a wolf attack with his body.
The door slammed like a thunderclap.
“Calm the fuck down, fluffybutt. If you tear my throat out, I’ll never forgive your ass.”
After sniffing him, Archer’s wolf licked Krys’s neck and then stood and shook his head.
The instant Archer felt a sense of rising calm, he pushed to the surface and shifted to a kneeling position in front of Krys, who was lying on his side.
Just then, the door opened and two older ladies carrying water bottles and towels bustled in.
The short-haired one caught their reflection in the mirror first before spotting them on the floor.
Archer, who was fully naked, realized how they might get the wrong idea with Krys lying below him in nothing but leather.
The lady gasped. “Oh my Lord! You can’t do that in here!” She pivoted like a squirrel caught in the middle of a busy highway, her pink shoes squeaking on the gym floor.
When her friend took out her phone, no doubt to capturethis ostentatious display on video, Archer covered his privates and yelled, “I don’t consent!”
Amusement danced in Krys’s eyes as he slowly rolled over and climbed to his feet. “Are you ladies looking for a workout?” he asked, causing the poor women to bump into each other when they whirled around, phones and water bottles bouncing off the floor as they fled for their pearl-clutching lives.
Chapter 12
“Do you think Noah will like it?” I admired the new television mounted to the wall.
Joy sauntered to the couch, which we’d moved to face the TV. “Honey, what man wouldn’t?Of coursehe’ll love everything. Except maybe the bathroom décor. Men never care about those things.”
After our shopping excursion that morning, I scheduled a same-day delivery and TV installation for around five o’clock. Joy and I spent the rest of the day at the bookstore, which got busy shortly after we opened.
Eager to surprise Noah, I put the new comforter on the bed while Joy decorated the bathroom with all the new accessories. The television was the biggest expense. Everything else came to a few hundred dollars, which wasn’t a lot compared to how much money the store had made.
While the brownies were in the oven, I mopped the floor with lemon-scented cleaner and then draped the new kitchen towels over the stove handle. Sugar and flour went into bumblebee canisters. It was starting to feel like a real home. After scrubbing the potatoes, I prepped everything else forNoah’s favorite meal: sirloin steak, garlic potatoes, and asparagus.
I turned away from the enormous TV and assessed the living room. We’d moved Noah’s chair by the couch, and since my bookshelf was close to the spare bedroom, I moved it to a different wall. The aroma of brownies and lemons filled the air. Even the bedroom carried the scent of clean linen.
“You haven’t stopped smiling all day,” Joy said. “You deserve happiness.” She patted the sofa beside her, and we watched a channel that showed high-quality images of tropical fish. “Would you like me to come help you in the store tomorrow?”
“No,” I said, wanting to sayyes. “You need to get back to your mate and pack duties. Thanks for staying with me. I hope it wasn’t a bother.”
Joy patted my hand. “You’re the sweetest. I still might stop by the bookstore. It was fun talking to customers. They’re not the same crowd that comes into the bars. Some of the ladies were delightful.”
I hadn’t made small talk with the customers. Being the gregarious one, Joy assumed the role of making customers feel welcome, while I collected money and sacked books.
Joy sat to attention. “Someone’s here.”
