“Okay.” He nodded.
In the silence that followed, Lucy was keenly aware of their breathing. It was obvious Cade was working himself up for something big and Lucy grew more nervous as the silence stretched.
“Shifters,” Cade finally said, “shifters are a group of people with the ability to change their form.”
“Like the Nahuales?”
Holy crap, that was brujo stuff.
Her Yayo had told her stories of the shapeshifters when she’d been too little to know they were make-believe. She’d had nightmares and been afraid of the dark for years after that. She still didn’t go out in the woods on the new moons, just in case somebody wanted to drink her blood.
“Kind of,” Cade said slowly, repositioning so he could look into her eyes. “Hey, it’s okay, Lucy.”
“No, no, that’s not okay.” She climbed out of his lap, putting as much space between them as she could without seeming rude. “Do you have any other powers?” She lowered her voice. “Do you drink blood?”
Holy crap, this couldn’t be real, right?
“What?” He frowned. “No.” He shook his head. “Fuck no.” Cade stood up and Lucy took a step back.
He held up his hands in a placating gesture.
“Just hear me out, Lucy,” he kept his tone soft, obviously trying to calm her, “I know this is weird, but it’s not what you think.”
“You just told me you’re a shifter, a Nahual. What the hell am I supposed to think?”
God, he’d been in her home, in her bed. She’d have to get alimpiaand—
“First of all, I’m not a Nahual. I’m no brujo, I have no magical skills, and I’m not out for any nefarious anything.” He dropped his hands, shaking his head. “I’m a shifter. I was born that way. Everyone in my family is a wolf, several of my friends. But there are other kinds of shifters too, birds, bears, dragons—”
“Dragons?”
Holy crap. She’d fallen for a lunatic.
“Lucy, will you please sit down?” Cade gestured to the couch. “I know this is a lot to take in.”
“Show me.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“What?”
“Show me. Right now. Shift into your wolf-form or whatever. I want to see it. This all sounds like the crazy bullcrap my Yayo scared me with as a child, so I’d behave.”
“Lucy—”
“Nope.” She shook her head, dropping her hands and starting to pace. “I cannot believe I fall for the guy who thinks he can turn into a freaking animal.” She whirled on him. “I let you go down on me.”
“And you’re fucking delicious.” He grinned.
“This is not funny, Cade.” Though, she had to admit, his smile was kind of infectious.
Lucy fought it off, though. She wanted to be mad about this.
How was it possible that she was so freaking comfortable with this guy, felt like she’d known him her whole life or something, was willing to explore more with him and he pulls a stunner like this? How did anyone make him a Deputy Sheriff?
“I’ll show you, but you might have to call the doctor.” Cade frowned. “I’m not supposed to shift right now.”
“Oh my God, are you even serious?”
“Absolutely, Lucy.” Cade stood in front of her in his well-fitting jeans and t-shirt, looking all edible and manly and honorable…
