“God, I’m sorry. Just distracted.” He stood and greeted Marcelle with a hug. “Hey, Marcelle. It’s been a while. Good to see you.”
The deer shifter woman smiled. “You, too.” Her gaze traveled over his shoulders and arms and back up again. “You look good.”
“Thanks. So do you.” His face heated up when he caught Elaine watching their exchange.
Marcelle had been a waitress at the Ursa for a couple of years but hadn’t been back since last Christmas. She had been one of his regular hookups. The deer woman had entranced him with her big eyes and soft dark skin. They’d been an item for a month or two, so much so Lloyd had teased she would finally be the woman to pin him down. However, Marcelle was as much a free spirit as he was, and neither had been interested in making things final.
Besides, his mountain lion never gave any signal it was interested in her as a mate.
“Marcelle, sit with us.” Elaine indicated a free chair.
“I’m sorry, I can’t. Ry asked me to come back and do some waitressing for the re-opening. It’s been a while, so Marci’s showing me around the new lodge this morning.” She tapped Connor on the shoulder. “I saw you from a distance and was just wondering if you’re free for a quick drink tonight.”
“Oh.” She was asking for a hookup. In all their time together, she’d never shared aquick drinkwith him. They’d always gotten right down to business.
He should say yes. God only knew his mountain lion was chomping at the bit. Maybe if he indulged with Marcelle, he could help it forget its crazy fascination with Elaine.
Which was wrong on so many levels.
“You should do it.” Elaine spoke for him, bubbling with strange energy. “Connor would love to spend time with you, Marcelle. Wouldn’t you, Connor?”
“Um.” He looked to Jani for support.
Jani shrugged and bit back a smile. No help from him.
“If you’re busy,” said Marcelle, “I understand.”
“No, it’s fine. I’ll be busy working security this afternoon, but I’m free tonight. It’s just…I was going to spend some time with Elaine and the kids.”
Elaine touched his hand. His pulse sped up. No, it didn’t speed up.
It jackhammered.
“Connor,” said Elaine, “go. You’ve been with us twenty-four-seven already. You need a break.”
“Great.” Marcelle handed him a key card. “I’m in Cabin 27. See you around nine?
“Yeah, sure. See you then.”
When Marcelle shimmied out of the pub, her ass wiggling in a way that used to make his pants tight, he could only look at Elaine.
She offered him a tight smile and nodded, almost as if persuading herself she’d done the right thing.
Even still, for the rest of the breakfast, she sat silent and still.
* * * *
Elaine hadn’t even left the breakfast table before she knew she’d never been more wrong.
You need a break. You need a break. Her words continued to ring in her ears, long after she’d spoken them.
And you gave him a break, sister. Great job.
As they left the restaurant, her bear moaned and groaned, making her ribs hurt. If the kids hadn’t grabbed her hands, wanting to hold them as they walked out, she would have shoved her fists right up under her rib cage to distract herself from the discomfort.
Jani and Fleur headed off in another direction. Elaine and Connor faced off outside the restaurant.
For the first time since seeing him again, she wasn’t sure what to say. Her wonky heart skipped a few beats.
