“Anything is fine. Most shifters aren’t real picky as long as it’s meat.”
Jackie felt more than heard Boone follow him into the kitchen. He ignored the man at his back and walked to the fridge to pull stuff out. Once he had everything gathered together, Jackie picked up a bag of hoagie rolls off the pantry shelf and then started putting together their lunch.
“Pickle?” he asked as he pulled a slice out for himself. He loved those pre-sliced pickles. Made making a sandwich so much easier.
Boone shook his head. “Just meat and cheese, please.”
“Do you have a preference on cheese?” Jackie eyed the pile he had pulled out of the fridge. “We have provolone, havarti, and cheddar.”
“Yes.”
Jackie lifted an eyebrow, but placed a slice of each on Boone’s sandwich. “Roast beef, pastrami, ham, or turkey?”
Boone grinned. “Yes.”
Jackie chuckled as he laid a couple slices of each kind of meat on Boone’s sandwich. The damn thing was getting bigger and bigger, and he hadn’t even added the vegetables yet. He glanced up.
“Lettuce, tomato, onion?” he asked.
“Yes on the lettuce and tomato.”
“And the onion?”
Boone eyed the sandwiches for a moment before lifting his gaze to Jackie’s face…actually, his lips. “Are you having onion?”
“I was thinking about it. Why?”
“Because I’m really kind of hoping to kiss you later, and I don’t want to have onion breath if you don’t.”
Jackie swallowed tightly as he added onion, lettuce, and tomato to both their sandwiches. What else could he do? He was kind of hoping Boone would kiss him, too.
Jackie finished constructing their food and then placed each hoagie on a plate. He handed one to Boone before carrying his to the small table in the breakfast nook. Boone followed and sat across from him.
Something warm settled in his stomach as he watched Boone take a bite. He felt good knowing he’d provided a meal for the man, and how weird was that?
“Yes, it’s normal to feel that way,” Boone said even though Jackie hadn’t asked a question. “Shifters are pretty basic…food, sex, protect.”
“How did you—”
“Know?”
Jackie nodded.
“Well, for one, I’m a shifter. Two, I have the urge to provide for you, as well.” Boone grinned. “And three, eating something prepared by my mate’s hand makes it the best damn sandwich I have ever tasted.”
Jackie grinned as amusement and a strange sense of pride filled him. He had no idea where it was coming from. He wasn’t sure if he was ready to figure it out either. For just a little while, he wanted to forget about his fear, his uncertainty, and his confusion. He just wanted to sit and have lunch with Boone…his mate.
“Tell me about being a shifter,” Jackie said. “What’s it like? Were you born a shifter? Is everyone in your family a shifter? How does a pride work? Do you really have to answer to Hugh, or is it more of a suggestion when he tells you to do something? And do all of you live out in that big house together?”
Boone’s eyes widened with each question. He finally took a bite of his sandwich, chewed, and then set it down. “Well, let’s see. I love being a shifter. I’m stronger and faster than most humans. I can smell better, see farther, stuff like that.”
“I’ve noticed the smell thing.”
Boone grinned. “Yeah, it’s pretty cool.”
“It’s weird. The other day I had to clean out my fridge. I thought I was going to pass out.” Jackie shuddered as he remembered the horrible smells, and the stuff in the fridge hadn’t even been that bad.
Boone chuckled. “Yeah, the smells can get pretty bad.” He pinned his gaze on Jackie. “But they can be pretty good, too.”
