I should’ve asked which fridge, considering there were four. I pulled open the largest one first, and after a quick scan of the shelves, I found a bowl filled with something red and shiny.
“Bingo,” I murmured, reaching inside.
As I shut the fridge, I let out a little shriek, because standing right there, on the other side of the stainless steel, was Liam. Miraculously, I didn’t drop the bowl. “For someone so big, you’re awfully stealthy.”
“Why are you avoiding me?”
“If I were avoiding you, Liam, then I wouldn’t be standing here, chatting with you.”
“You’re standing here, because I cornered you.”
“Okay, fine. I’m avoiding you. Happy? Can you let me through, please?”
He didn’t move a muscle.
I sighed. “I guess I’ll take the long way out.” I started to turn when a bolt of courage streaked through me and made me ask, “Why do you even care? Do you require every shifter’s attention on you at all times?”
“I don’t requireeveryshifter’s attention, but your brother’s my Beta, Nikki. I’d prefer not to burn bridges with the members of his family, and I sense that turning you down burned a bridge.”
“All smoke; no fire. You and me are fine, Liam.”
I pivoted in order to round the industrial-sized island.
“If you and I werefine,” Liam replied, all low and growly, “you wouldn’t be trying to escape.”
I stopped. “I’m not escaping. I’m walking the other way so I don’t have to elbow my Alpha. Would you rather be elbowed?”
“What makes you think I won’t let you through?”
I clutched the bowl of cranberry sauce so tight that if it had been made of anything besides wood it would’ve cracked. “Maybe because I already asked you, and you didn’t move the first time around.”
“Ask me again.”
Oh great Lycaon, what sort of head game was this? “I have a perfectly adequate route out of here that doesn’t require me asking anything of you.”
“Why are you doing all you can to avoid me?”
“Geez. You’re relentless.” I turned and plowed right for him, then squeezed past his imposing frame, shouldering him in the process. “Happy?”
Before I reached the door, he said, “Stay away from Dexter. He’s a good guy but he’s a player.”
I came to a stop. I was two seconds away from telling him he was sitting in front of the female version of Dexter but bit back the words, because it would showcase I’d been watching him.
Liam padded over to where I stood, his scent slowly overtaking the sour-sweet relish I held against my drumming chest.
“At least, he’s not put off by howyoungI am.”
Liam’s pupils dilated, deepening the brown depths of his irises. “I thought we werefine, but you’re still angry.”
“I’m not angry, I’m embarrassed. I propositioned you, Liam, and you flat-out refused.” I pressed my fingertips into the door, but for some crazy reason, perhaps because I was exceptionally bitter to have been forced to relive my moment of unparalleled shame, I added, “The more I think about it, the more Dexter and hisplayernessare appealing right now.” I streaked out of the kitchen, complexion surely as flaming as the relish which I slapped on the table.
“Whoa.” Dexter blinked at me. “What did the cranberries do to you?”
“Nothing.” I sat down so hard my tailbone whacked the bottom rung of my chair, dragging muttered curses out of me.
“Clearly.” His eyes softened with a smile, while Adalyn’s eyes traveled right to the kitchen door.
Her knee tapped into mine. “Bathroom break?”
