He wore an adorable smirk when he ended their kiss. “Tackle me,hmm?”
She nuzzled her nose against him. “Tonight, definitely. Icanbe a responsible adult when I try, you know.”
* * *
Dewi was backin the office when Badger, Beck, and Joaquin returned from an errand to help one of the newly resettled families.
“Looks like Ken and I won’t be traveling this weekend after all.” She leaned back in her chair. “I talked to Peyton and he saw reason.”
“Did you Prime Ken?” Beck snarked.
“No, I didn’t Prime Ken,” she shot back, resisting the urge to sling the pen in her hand at him. “I asked Ken,nicely, topleasetalk to Peyton. And he did. We have too much going on right now for meandDa to not be here.”
“Well, if you’re going to be here this weekend, come to Reggie’s birthday party on Sunday,” Beck said. “You were all invited anyway.”
“Oh! That’s right. I forgot about that. Cool!”
“Not just ‘cool,’” Badger noted. “That cousin o’ Reggie’s, the one with the little girl actin’ a might feisty and bitey? They’ll be there, too. We need to evaluate that situation. Glad I won’t be the only Prime there after all.”
“Good point,” Dewi said. “I don’t know if Duncan will be home before then.”
“Well, two Primes are better than one,” Badger said.
“Besides,” Beck added, “We don’t know how many of Reggie’s relatives we might still need to ‘tweak’ their memories with a little Prime bump so they don’t ask questions about the timelines of meetings and matings.” He hooked a thumb at Joaquin. “Especially him and Malyah, and Da’von and Brianna.”
Joaquin looked at him. “What about you and Nami?”
“We’re older. It doesn’t look as odd with us. It’s no secret in that family how overprotective Nami is. That she seemingly let that happen overnight with Malyah and Da’von might raise questions.”
“Carl and Mateo and Tamsin going, too?” Dewi asked.
Beck nodded. “Yep. Lu’ana invited the whole kit and caboodle of us. They have a family reunion every year, and this year they’re combining it with Reggie’s birthday.”
“Lucky him,” Dewi snarked.
“No, he’s okay with it,” Joaquin said. “He didn’t want a big party for himself. This was the only way he agreed to having one. He’s turning thirty. The pressure’s off him this way if everyone’s there and catching up with each other and keeping his parents busy playing with the grandkids.” Joaquin grinned. “He said he won’t feel so bad about ducking out early if it’s too much because people won’t be there specifically for him. Malyah already told him she’d drive him home if so, that way Lu’ana can stay later if she wants.”
“Then I guess we have a plan, gentlemen,” Dewi said. “Anything else for me?”
“Nope,” Beck said.
She waggled her fingers at them, shooing them out. “See you later, then. I have work to do.”
Badger held back and waited until Beck and Joaquin had left. “Yereallydidn’t Prime Ken?”
“Why is it so hard to believe I didn’t Prime him?”
He smirked, his one blue eye glittering with amusement. “Because I know ye—Iraisedye.”
She held out a hand. “Fine. Then see if I’m lying.”
He snorted. “Nah. I can tell ye aren’t. Just can’t believe it, that’s all. What’s Peyton sayin’ then about ye not comin’ out to Idaho?”
She ticked the points off on her fingers. “The resettlements.Moreresettlements. Da’s out of town indefinitely. Tamsin’s due to pop soon. Nami’s not far behind her. I have not one buttwonew Enforcers who I want to closely supervise for a little while.”
Badger’s nose wrinkled. He motioned to her with his hand to continue. “Spill the rest.”
“There’s not a lottospill. Peyton said he’ll be traveling frequently to Europe looking for Faegan Lewis. And remember, this is close knowledge, but there’s also the rumors about that rogue shifter and the possibility he’s shopping shifter info around. Or maybe even teaming up with Faegan.”
