“You okay, honey?” The woman pushed back springy gray hair while also shoving up bifocals.
Cara grinned. “I’m fine. He’s just a little overprotective.”
The woman leaned in, bringing the scent of bottled roses with her. Her gaze swept Cara’s faded jeans and light blue sweater. “Are you some superstar or something?”
“No.” There was a time when dangerous enemies had had a bounty on her head, but now she was just a normal person. Well, a normal immortal person mated to one of the most powerful vampires in the world. “I used to have a stalker, and my, ah, husband still worries.”
“Ah, now. That’s sweet.” The woman’s bright red lipstick cracked as she smiled and placed the items in a bag. “He’s a handsome one, that he is.”
“Thanks.” Cara said, turning for the door and stepping into the slightly smoky air.
“Well, hello there,” said a deep voice.
She turned on the wooden porch to see a kid about twenty lounging in an old metal chair, his cowboy boots propped up on a green cooler. Shaggy hair cascaded out of a faded blue cap. He held an energy drink in one hand. “Excuse me?” she murmured.
“You are a sight for tired old eyes,” he said, his blond eyebrows wiggling and his eyes sparkling. A smile curved his full lips right above a little goatee.
It took her a second, it really did, for her to figure out he was hitting on her. Sometimes she forgot she only looked twenty-five. “You have got to be kidding me.” Geez. Her son was probably older than this kid. “Shouldn’t you be in college or at a job?”
He blinked and puffed out his chest. “Maybe I don’t have to work.”
For goodness’ sake. She fought every instinct she had not to grab him by the ear and kick his butt to the road toward the employment office. “Somehow, I think you do.” Shaking her head, she started down the porch.
He jumped up and grabbed her arm.
“Oh honey,” she breathed just as her mate caught sight of them. “Those boots better be for running.”
Talen kept his focus on them while shoving the gas nozzle in place and then screwing on the gas cap. Then he moved through the smoke, his gaze hotter than the fire that seemed to be getting closer.
“Uh,” the kid said.
“Let. Go.” She should probably try to save the kid’s life. Being stupid shouldn’t end it.
He dropped her arm like it had shocked him. “That’s a big dude,” he whispered.
She slowly nodded.
“Is he fast?” the kid asked.
She nodded again. “Unfortunately.”
Talen reached the bottom of the steps, definitely the most dangerous thing the kid had ever seen.
“I’m sorry.” The kid backed up. “Really, really, really sorry.” He tripped and fell back into his chair, his boots swinging.
Talen sighed. “Jesus.” He rubbed one broad hand through his hair and studied the kid as if deciding whether or not to take a bite.
The kid audibly held his breath.
Cara gingerly stepped down. “He should probably go to school or get a job, right?”
Talen lifted an eyebrow.
The kid jumped to his feet. “I’ll go fill out an application for school right now. My granny’s been trying to get me to, but I’ve been lazy, and that just ended.” He was still chattering as he all but ran around the corner of the store and disappeared.
Talen looked down and to the side. “I only left you for two minutes.”
She smiled. “Yeah, but we just did a nice thing for his granny. She’ll be so proud he’s off his butt and going to college.”
